The Jock Strap
with Brian Bruce
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Can't wait for baseball season? Give Iowa Minor League Baseball a try this Spring and Summer!
If you're like me, you have just about had enough of Mother Nature and her silly tricks this Winter. It has been snowing, icing, and freezing since early November 2007, and it's just about time to move on. I, like you, long for warmer temperatures, more sunlight, and longer days.
And, when I start thinking like this, I start dreaming about green grass, roasted peanuts, giant souvenir cups filled with the soft drink of my choice, warm breezes, and the crack of the bat. That's right sports fans, baseball season is only about one month away!
When you start putting together plans to head out to the old ballpark this Spring and Summer, keep Iowa Minor League Baseball in the forefront of your mind. Yes, no question, the occasional trip to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to watch the big boys in action is always a great use of an extended weekend, but when you want to watch a ballgame and be able to get back home for work the next day, staying in Iowa is the answer for you. Plus, there's just nothing like the allure of Minor League Baseball, watching young professional ballplayers with big dreams to make it to places like Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicago one day.
The Minor League game and experience are great because of the lack of frills and unnecessary extras you sometimes encounter at Major League ballparks. The Minor League experience is about one thing, baseball. The experience has to do with watching the game and studying the game that is being played in front of you, not about everything that surrounds the game.
On top of the beautiful simplicity of the set-up, you'll experience old-school prices and a touching hometown feel.
For instance, at Community Field in Burlington, Iowa, home of the Kansas City Royals' Low Class A affiliate, the Burlington Bees, you head up to the concession stand, order a Coke, and they hand you a 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. No fancy stadium cup. No 40-ounce stadium mug and straw for $4.50. Just a plastic, 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. Love it! Also, the price will be about $1.00 to $1.50, as compared to the $4.00 you'd pay at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City or the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis for a similarly-sized beverage. Bottom line, you take $5.00 to the concession stand, you come back with plenty of products. You get your money's worth, and that's all that you can ask for. And, you're not just getting your money's worth in terms of concessions, but also the product on the field. Next time you're at a Minor League game, study the actual game being played. It's great baseball, and many times, like in the Midwest League (where the Bees play), it's very well-pitched baseball. For baseball purists who like the low-scoring game where intracacies of the game become important to push across hard-to-come-by runs (like myself), this is great baseball to watch.
Now, onto the touching hometown feel of Minor League Baseball. Again, using Burlington, Iowa as an example, when you're at Community Field you'll run into a local legend by the name of Bobby. Bobby is a gentlemen who attends each and every game, stands near the the first base line box seats, and dances to the stadium music in-between half innings. Bobby is totally harmless and very entertaining, but will get a little miffed if anyone tries to dance with him and steal the spotlight. So, do yourself a favor, just let Bobby have the spotlight and enjoy the dancing. Again, only in Minor League Baseball.
Also, Minor League GMs will regularly have some sort of crazy promotion to draw crowds, such as "pick your seat night," "80s night," etc. Teams will also typically have fun little trivia segments and competition giveaways between half-innings. Minor League Baseball is all about the fun.
So, this Spring and Summer before you run out of state to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to catch a game, why not head to Burlington, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines. Believe me, you'll thank me for it later.
Check out these four team sites:
Burlington Bees (K.C. Royals Low Class A affiliate, Burlington, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t420
Quad Cities River Bandits (St. Louis Cardinals Low Class A affiliate, Davenport, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t565
Cedar Rapids Kernels (Anaheim Angels Low Class A affiliate, Cedar Rapids, IA):
http://www.kernels.com/
Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs AAA affiliate, Des Moines, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t451
Have a great time experiencing Minor League Baseball! I sure have and will continue to, I can tell you that for sure. And, don't forget to respond to this blog by posting a response and/or e-mailing me with your thoughts at bbruce@ottumwaradio.com. Look forward to hearing from you!
"The Bruce"
And, when I start thinking like this, I start dreaming about green grass, roasted peanuts, giant souvenir cups filled with the soft drink of my choice, warm breezes, and the crack of the bat. That's right sports fans, baseball season is only about one month away!
When you start putting together plans to head out to the old ballpark this Spring and Summer, keep Iowa Minor League Baseball in the forefront of your mind. Yes, no question, the occasional trip to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to watch the big boys in action is always a great use of an extended weekend, but when you want to watch a ballgame and be able to get back home for work the next day, staying in Iowa is the answer for you. Plus, there's just nothing like the allure of Minor League Baseball, watching young professional ballplayers with big dreams to make it to places like Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicago one day.
The Minor League game and experience are great because of the lack of frills and unnecessary extras you sometimes encounter at Major League ballparks. The Minor League experience is about one thing, baseball. The experience has to do with watching the game and studying the game that is being played in front of you, not about everything that surrounds the game.
On top of the beautiful simplicity of the set-up, you'll experience old-school prices and a touching hometown feel.
For instance, at Community Field in Burlington, Iowa, home of the Kansas City Royals' Low Class A affiliate, the Burlington Bees, you head up to the concession stand, order a Coke, and they hand you a 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. No fancy stadium cup. No 40-ounce stadium mug and straw for $4.50. Just a plastic, 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle. Love it! Also, the price will be about $1.00 to $1.50, as compared to the $4.00 you'd pay at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City or the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis for a similarly-sized beverage. Bottom line, you take $5.00 to the concession stand, you come back with plenty of products. You get your money's worth, and that's all that you can ask for. And, you're not just getting your money's worth in terms of concessions, but also the product on the field. Next time you're at a Minor League game, study the actual game being played. It's great baseball, and many times, like in the Midwest League (where the Bees play), it's very well-pitched baseball. For baseball purists who like the low-scoring game where intracacies of the game become important to push across hard-to-come-by runs (like myself), this is great baseball to watch.
Now, onto the touching hometown feel of Minor League Baseball. Again, using Burlington, Iowa as an example, when you're at Community Field you'll run into a local legend by the name of Bobby. Bobby is a gentlemen who attends each and every game, stands near the the first base line box seats, and dances to the stadium music in-between half innings. Bobby is totally harmless and very entertaining, but will get a little miffed if anyone tries to dance with him and steal the spotlight. So, do yourself a favor, just let Bobby have the spotlight and enjoy the dancing. Again, only in Minor League Baseball.
Also, Minor League GMs will regularly have some sort of crazy promotion to draw crowds, such as "pick your seat night," "80s night," etc. Teams will also typically have fun little trivia segments and competition giveaways between half-innings. Minor League Baseball is all about the fun.
So, this Spring and Summer before you run out of state to K.C., St. Louis, or Chicago to catch a game, why not head to Burlington, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, or Des Moines. Believe me, you'll thank me for it later.
Check out these four team sites:
Burlington Bees (K.C. Royals Low Class A affiliate, Burlington, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t420
Quad Cities River Bandits (St. Louis Cardinals Low Class A affiliate, Davenport, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t565
Cedar Rapids Kernels (Anaheim Angels Low Class A affiliate, Cedar Rapids, IA):
http://www.kernels.com/
Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs AAA affiliate, Des Moines, IA):
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t451
Have a great time experiencing Minor League Baseball! I sure have and will continue to, I can tell you that for sure. And, don't forget to respond to this blog by posting a response and/or e-mailing me with your thoughts at bbruce@ottumwaradio.com. Look forward to hearing from you!
"The Bruce"
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