I’ve only ever been to three AAA games, two for the Ottawa Lynx and one for the Edmonton Trappers. I think Edmonton died a few years ago.
I found the games immensely enjoyable. Even to a very experienced eye like mine, the difference between AAA and major league baseball usually isn’t visible (some of the players you’re watching in any given AAA game are better than many guys in the major leagues.) The tickets were cheap, the atmosphere was fun, and the popcorn tasted just as good. In Edmonton, I caught a foul ball and gave it to a little boy and his face lit right up. It made my day.
Sadly there are no minor league teams easily accessible from here; I could go to a Buffalo game but once you’ve driven there and crossed the border it could be an hour and a half to two hours. But you can see Blue Jays games for $9 a ticket, so no big deal.
My wife and I went to see the New Haven Ravens when the prima donnas were on strike. It was a lot of fun, and someone even took pictures of us with the mascot.
Oh, and I’ve seen the Kansas City Royals play a few times…does that count?
There are a couple of independant semi-pro teams in the St. Louis area (the Gateway Grizzlies and River City Rascals of the Frontier League) that are always fun. I’ve also been to a Fisher Cats game (the Blue Jays AA affiliate in Manchester NH) and would certainly go again. It’s cheaper and much more relaxed than a major-league game.
We catch a few Greensboro Grasshoppers games every year and usually go to at least one Durham Bulls game, as well. Great fun and both stadiums are outstanding places to watch a game.
When I lived in Baltimore, I used to enjoy going to Frederick and Hagerstown to watch minor league games. Now I live in Chillicothe, Ohio, home of the Chillicothe Paints of the Frontier League. This is an unaffiliated league which is roughly equivalent to an affiliated rookie league. The players can’t be older than 26, they have to board with a family in the community, and they make very little money. Once in a great while, one of them makes it to the major leagues. This is pro baseball at the most personal level imaginable. You park 50 or 100 feet from the stadium entrance. Players in uniform take your tickets. During the games a ticket number is called for the winner of the best seat in the house contest. The winner gets to sit in a recliner behind the dugout, and a pizza is delivered to the seat. The winner of the dirtiest car in the parking lot wins a free car wash. The level of play is not great, but it’s fun and intimate, and the top ticket price is 7 bucks.
When back visiting the family, we frequently go to Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox AA). The stadium is great-small, inexpensive and they’ve even built a replica Green Monster in left field.
I’m going to try to get to a few B-Mets games this summer.
I used to live in Chicago and started going to Kane County Cougar games during the MLB strike (and kept going afterwords). Unfortunately it was quite a haul and not as convenient as Wrigley or Comiskey.
Now I’m hours and hours from the closest MLB team, but I always take in a couple of Nashville Sounds games each year. They’re quite good! But they have a really crappy stadium. Hopefully (and it suddenly looks less promising) they will have a new riverfront stadium in the next few years.
Why go? I can shout out heckles to the players. Also, the corporate groups on some days are hysterical when they get liquored up and start hurling insults at each other.
Oh, prices are also very low, and the food is still at a decent price. Say hi to Dotty the clown in the Somerset Patriots games’ audience when you see her.
When I was in NY and being all touristy, I stepped off the Staten Island Ferry and saw a lit-up ballpark off to the right and wandered over. I think five bucks got me in, and I got to see the SI Yankees vs one of the Red Sox’ farm teams.
The only thing that bugged me was the constant barrage of the PA… between each batter the PA guy would say “Be sure to check out the cotton candy booth behind section 14! … Stick around and watch the Hawaiian Shirt Contest in the middle of the sixth!” I’m pretty indifferent to the music used between batters in the majors, but this was annoying.
That’s a small complaint, though. It was cheap, and my seat was about ten feet from the first base line, and the whole place did have that kind of family/community feel you always hear about. (Pictures here.)
A friend and I have a standing plan to go to a few SJ Giants games… hopefully we’ll make one this year. I could see that being a lot of fun.
Is this Trenton Central or something? I used to go to Thunder games on occasion - at the time, I think they were single-A Tigers affiliated, but it’s been a long time. Nice park, seven-dollar front row seats… lotsa fun!
Also saw Michael Jordan on the Birmingham Barons as well as a Durham bulls game when I went to school in Georgia, but only saw the Thunder anything close to regularly.
I’ve been to plenty of minor league games. Columbus Clippers, Indianapolis Indians, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, San Bernardino Stampede, El Paso Diablos, Ft. Lauderdale Yankees jump immediately to mind. I also enjoy college baseball.
Love the low ticket prices and good views of the field and players. Plus, I don’t feel bad about leaving early if the weather turns too hot or too cold.
I haven’t been to see the Frisco Rough Riders yet. Long drive for me from my place. I’ll try to make a game this year.
I’ve been to see the Lake County Captains before, that was fun. Seems like they do a lot more cool promotional stuff and wacky between-inning goofing around than in the majors.
I agree too with everyone who says cheap tickets, cheap concessions and really good seats!
I have yet to see the Akron Aeros (I hear they have a nice park) but I did see the Akron-Canton Indians when they were around, in Canton.
Now that’s a fun idea!! You can even rent that little side area where they have grills and you can bring food. We really have fun at these games.
A few of the Thunders have gone to my sisters’ kids baseball practices. People in the area sometimes let the players stay with them during baseball season.
I am not such a big baseball fan, but my autistic brother is. Usually we get to several games during the season for our local team Atlantic League team, The Lancaster Barnstormers. Clipper Stadium was built about three years ago, and going to a game can be quite fun for us here. We have a good time watching the game, the crowd, and the antics of the entertainers. Plus it is quite a bargain compared to other activities, especially MLB.
Another vote for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Ben Mondor is great owner and has really focused on making McCoy Stadium a family friendly place. There are no bad seats, and the most expensive are $10.
That quality of play is very good, though in recent years AAA has become a place to stash replacement level players who don’t quite fit on the Major League roster and more potential stars are jumping from AA to the big show. The Red Sox now have three of their minor league affilliates in New England - in part for convenience, but also to to instill the brand.
Right now, the weather in Vegas is perfect for evening games. When you get into the summer, it’s pretty hot, but at night it’s bearable. No way I go to Sunday afternoon games, though.
BTW, the Las Vegas AAA franchise is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. They were originally the Padres’ farm team, the Stars. Players such as Bruce Bochy, John Kruk, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Andy Hawkins cut their teeth at Cashman Field. It’s one of the older parks in the league now, but still a good place to see a game. Food’s OK, not great, but you can get a HUGE order of loaded nachos for $8 and it’s enough for 2 people.
Also, when I bowled in the USBC Nationals in Corpus Christi last year, Mrs. Know and I got to see the Corpus Christi Hooks play at Whataburger Stadium against the aforementioned Frisco Rough Riders.
Any places have special family deals? Several times a year, the 51s have family packages–$24.95 for 4 tickets, 4 caps, a ball and 4 certificates for Carl’s Jr. burgers. We take my wife’s daughter and grandson and have a great time!
May I recommend you check out the South Bend Silver Hawks and Ft. Wayne Wizards, both of which play in the Hoosier state.
I love minor league ball, especially the Akron Aeros. Canal Park is a beautiful ballpark in downtown Akron and there’s not a bad seat in the house (as long as you sit along the third base line so the sun doesn’t shine directly in your eyes). Buffalo also has a very nice park.
The first Akron game I went to there was a hard grounder into the hole which the Akron shortstop backhanded nicely before he threw the ball into the stands behind first base. I grumbled to my companion, “Damn it, a major league shortstop has got to make that play.” My friend noted, quite correctly, “This is the minors, not the majors, so chill out.”
