“The positions we’re in during that six hours from San Diego, it’s much more restricted and confined” physically, Castellanos said. “Usually, after six hours of being in high altitude like that, there’s an adjustment period your body needs to take to loosen up again. I feel like, for me, from a performance standpoint, I like being able to get in and have a day to at least stretch and get acclimated and basically wash off that cross country flight on a regular charter airplane.”
In a telephone interview during Game 3, Winter said that whatever his expert advice, he certainly understands a team being on the road as frequently in recent weeks as the Phillies wanting to get home. And despite the science, he said, that can be beneficial, too.
“This is where players have taught me over the years about not sleeping in your own bed,” said Winter, who is based in Charlottesville, Va., and hosts a podcast called “Sleep Unplugged.” “Some 5-foot-8 sleep doctor can say one thing, but a player’s belief plays into it a lot. To me, the science is one of the metrics an organization can use, like ‘do we go with a guy who is a left-hander or right-hander?’”
NLCS: How the Phillies Decided to Travel Home Early
- Advertisment - 