Minor League Baseball

The headline above will link you to the MLB site which covers the various minor league teams around the country. It also has coverage of some the major prospects who just might make the move up this coming season.

I've had the opportunity to catch over a dozen games at major league stadiums over the years. There is nothing quite like going to a major league park and watching the biggest names in the game do what they do best for a couple of hours. I love watching games on television and even listening to them on radio, but seeing a game in person can be amazing (apologies to the New York Mets).

The very first MLB game I attended was back in the 1975, in San Diego. I was stationed there at the time and the team had special discounts for active duty military personnel. A few times I'd drive over with shipmates and we'd take in a game for only a few dollars (if you were in uniform that is). Anyway, this initial experience couldn't have been better. The Padres were hosting the New York Mets that week. The game featured Randy Jones on the mound for the Padres (he went on to win the Cy Young the next year) and Tom Seaver pitching for the Mets (the year he won that award). The usually dismal San Diego team was actually in first place in the National League west at that point (thanks in part to the brilliant work of Jones), and the game itself couldn't have been more exciting. Sadly, I don't remember who won, although I believe it was the Mets (sending the Padres back into 2nd place).

If you've attended any major league games the past few years, I'm sure you'll agree that prices for tickets and for snacks have become pretty expensive. On the other hand, in the minor league parks you can still get a nice seat for around ten bucks or less.

I've added a link to the Brooklyn Cyclones homepage over to the right. Donna and I took in several games last season and decided to spring for a package of weekend games. The Cyclones are part of the Mets organization and play a short season. Still the games are fun and the team always has trivia games and other stuff for adults and kids during breaks between innings. I'll probably have more to say about the Cyclones and baseball in general as the season commences.