Minor League Baseball

[Mallory]

Well, the baseball season is underway and that's a good thing. There's something just very right about a baseball season, from the cold of April through the dog days of summer into the crisp, fall air. And I know there's a lot of interest here. There's fantasy teams, our favorite major league teams and more games on TV than can possibly be watched.

But I know we don't all live in major league cities. So the closest professional baseball is likely to be a minor league team. Does anyone here follow "their" minor league team? Do you go to games? Do you check the box scores online or in the paper the next day?

For me the nearest major league teams are hours away, Seattle to the north and the Giants and A's to the south, so I like to keep an eye on the Portland Beavers, a Triple-A Pacific Coast League team. They're a farm club for the Padres so they've had some good (and some really awful) seasons over the last few years. They play in a really nice ballpark though and I genuinely enjoy attending a few games every year. Baseball season just wouldn't be real without a lukewarm stadium beer, one of those perpetually rotating hot dogs and a bag of peanuts.

What about the rest of you? Or does major league ball get all your attention?

 

[mrcoaster]

I mostly follow just the major league teams, but I'm always at least checking on some of the minor league teams (not just the local ones). There are a couple of A-ball affiliates in the vicinity. The last single-A game I attended, there were 11 errors combined during the game. Not very pretty.

It is nice to be able to sit close to the field and enjoy the more intimate feel of the game sometimes though. I grew up watching the Miami Orioles single-A team (a team that changed affiliates over the years and currently resides as the Fort Myers Miracle, I believe.

 

[Mallory]

It is nice to be able to sit close to the field and enjoy the more intimate feel of the game sometimes though.

Yep. Here the Beavs are averaging about 6,000 a game in a stadium that seats 20,000. There's no problem getting a good seat. Even if you buy a cheap ($5) seat, you can move down around the 2nd or 3rd inning.

 

[Captain Ice]

With this being the start of the season, I was reflecting earlier this week. I have to admit that the games were a lot more entertaining when the Giants/Firebirds of the Pacific Coast League played here than they are with the Diamondbacks.

Not that I'd give up the big league club, but I'd love to be able to go to a AAA game or two. I miss the more intimate feel of those games. We can relive those for a month or so in the spring (which is nice), but in a way it's not the same.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The closest team to me is the Wilmington Blue Rocks (I forget who they're owned by, it was the BoSox, though). I go to games on occasion, but I definitely don't follow them. They're a reason for a nice day out, but that's about it.

 

[Starbreaker]

I'm fairly close to the Chattanooga Lookouts, a Reds AA team thats sucks hardcore, and the Rome Braves, who are all right...

 

[SmoothieX]

The closest minor league stuff is still nearly a couple hours away for me!

I get to a couple VT Lake Monsters games up in Burlington every year. Front row seats for $8, can't beat it. Plus I stop at the Cabot shop on the way up there and inhale as much free cheese as possible.

 

[Mallory]

I'm glad you guys go once in awhile. It's nice to be sitting so close you can hear the coaches yelling to the players.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

grew up going to minor league ball - the AAA Denver Bears. Got to see the likes of Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter.

The fireworks game always sold out Mile High Stadium - 76K for a AAA ball game.

Haven't been to a baseball game in years, but there's a AA team close by. The ballpark looks good, may have to give them a chance. Take the kids to a ball game.

 

[Exit8A]

I normally follow the major league teams, considering I am only about at most an hour and a half away from both New York and Philly, plus I work in Lower Manhattan, so it isn't too hard to get to either stadium after work. However, I do live about 10 minutes from where the Trento Thunder play, they are a Yankee AA affiliate, and they won last year's Eastern League title. It is good to follow them to see not only who is potential big-club material, but they are still a pretty good draw.

 

[Mallory]

^ Do you attend any of their games? Or just follow them in the paper or online?

Haven't been to a baseball game in years, but there's a AA team close by. The ballpark looks good, may have to give them a chance. Take the kids to a ball game.

Take the kids. And before it gets too hot. Have you ever taken them to a ball game before?

BTW, I remember the Bears. My mom was born and raised outside Denver and I had family there in the 60's. Whenever we visited, my dad and my uncle would take my brother and me to see them.

 

[SmoothieX]

I'm glad you guys go once in awhile. It's nice to be sitting so close you can hear the coaches yelling to the players.

My wife and I are relocating to Mass. in a couple months. I took a job in Concord, and found out that the Sox have a minor league team in Lowell, which is like 10 miles from there.

It'll also be a closer shot to Portland, ME to see the Sea Dogs. They do a Field of Dreams day which is one of the coolest minor league promotions. They line the wall in cornstalks and the players emerge from it in these 20s throwbacks.

 

[Bak_and_Blue]

grew up going to minor league ball - the AAA Denver Bears. Got to see the likes of Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter.

The fireworks game always sold out Mile High Stadium - 76K for a AAA ball game.

YES!!! The Bears in the old stadium rocked. I bet you and I were there together.

I live in Florida so I'm able to go to MLB spring training games. They are always nice! I remember seeing Mark Mcguire in his heyday. He had arms as big as my thighs. We have a minors team here and I love to go to games. It is so nice on a summer night. And we have fireworks on the fourth and that game always sells out.

I'm glad you guys go once in awhile. It's nice to be sitting so close you can hear the coaches yelling to the players.

This is true. We never have a problem getting seats right behind home plate or anywhere in the first few rows. That really rocks. I can't imagine doing that at a ML game.

 

[Alpinemaps]

Despite living in San Diego, we live about 30 minutes away from a minor league club - the (High) Single A Lake Elsinore Storm, an affiliate of the Padres.

We try to get to a game or two a year. They've got a really nice stadium, and it's fun to sit in there and enjoy a game.

The first time we ever went, we walked up to the ticket booth on a Thursday night, five minutes before game time, and asked for the best seats available. We got right behind home plate, 4th row back, for $40 for four people. You can't beat that! The only people sitting in front of us were the two guys tracking pitches and running the speed gun. It was a blast.

 

[Mallory]

You got to love the prices and the intimate atmosphere. Yet the players are professionals. It's the second highest level of baseball out there.

 

[Kirby]

grew up going to minor league ball - the AAA Denver Bears. Got to see the likes of Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter.

The fireworks game always sold out Mile High Stadium - 76K for a AAA ball game.

YES!!! The Bears in the old stadium rocked. I bet you and I were there together.

I was problably there with you both!!! We'd also take my dad to the Father's Day game where usually the Beach Boys would put on a show after the game. Those were some fun times.

I still try to get down to Colorado Springs to watch the Sky Sox play a few times a year. Only 10,000 seats but the weekends are usually a sell out, and there isn't a bad seat in the house. I'll take sitting in the stands of a minor league game over a major league game any day.

 

[Starbreaker]

So, I actually went to a Chattanooga Lookouts game today and was shocked to find that there were several thousand people there in what was a fun atmosphere. I actually got to see a win, too. They're a AA Southern League team that is actually posting a winning record for the first time in a long time.

If you've never heard of them, you might be interested to know that the Lookouts once played an exhibition game against the Yankees and a 17 year old female pitcher struck out Babe Ruth.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Hmmm...somehow I missed this thread the first time around...

I have the Durham Bulls, but I haven't been to a game in years. I followed them pretty closely when I was a kid and they were affiliated with the Braves, but ever since they became a Triple-A team and with the Devil Rays, I just haven't cared. I guess I preferred the homely spirit of A ball.

That and I saw quite a few future big Braves players, including Ron Gant, David Justice, Steve Avery, Chipper Jones, among others.

 

[mimic]

Switch Pitcher vs. Switch Hitter

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Wow, that's great. You don't see that happen very often, but it's a neat trick if you can do it.