What to do??!! A baseball moral dilimna

[LynneSin]

A co-worker gave me some tickets to go see the local minor league baseball team play and I went with a friend to the game. Mind you - I LOVED BASEBALL but all the scandals out there have jaded me to the sport so I don't f0llow the game as closely as I use to.

But being in the spirit of rooting for the home team - I did. Cept it turned out that our hometeam, the Wilmington Blue Rocks is no longer affliated with the Kansas City Royals.

Turns out I'm cheering on future Boston Red Sox!!

I can't be doing that - I can't stand the Red Sox.

Now what

:Cry:

[Beware the Beast Man]

1. I feel your pain.

Cathy has tickets to the Indians game on May 12. This affects me in the following ways:

1. I hate the Indians name and logo as a mascot.
2. As a former Pittsburgher, I cannot in good conscience root for a Cleveland team, even if the Cavs and Indians are doing well.

[LynneSin]

2. BTW, they lost to one of the Indian's minor league team

But thanks for your empathy!

[Radio_Guy]

3. Often I don't cheer for a team

I don't have a favorite major league team. But I usually go to games just to watch good baseball. Cheer the good plays, boo the bad calls, and have a good time. I wouldn't get all tied up in knots about which team is the "good guys" and which is the "bad guys."

[XNASA]

4. To hell with rooting for a particular team.

Be a 'Baseball' fan.

I don't care who wins or loses, I just like my baseball as pure as possible. And screw any team or league that uses the DH.

Go Cubs!

[reyd reid reed]

10. Hear, hear!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[BOSSHOG]

5. Similar down here

The New Orleans Zephyrs used to be affiliated with the Astros now they are an affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They have a great ballpark though and lots of fan friendly activities going on throughout the game. Just be a fan of the Blue Rocks. And, current Blue Rocks won't necessarily be future Red Sox.

[xchrom]

6. i love baseball!

the tskandals don't bother me.

but i am a cards fan -- so in this case i can't feel your pain:evilgrin:

[dr.strangelove]

7. The odds of any of these players being on the same MLB club is remote

If three of the players on the Blue Rocks roster make it all the way up the ladder to "the show" it will be a great accomplishment. If any of those three are still with the Red Sox organization it will be ever rarer. With all the trades front running clubs make to stay on top in the July trade season, young impact players at the A level are great trade bait. The Red Sox are usually the buyers of talent. They buy mlb players or AAA level players with young potential stars from their A league teams. Sure it happens, but teams like the Mets, Red sox, Yankees, Angels, Dodgers and other big money teams are less likely than the smaller market teams to keep A level stars. That young A level potential Red Sox might well be a Royal or a Brewer one day. So my words of wisdom would be to forget about where he might be and cheer for the Blue Rocks.

By the way, Class A Carolina League baseball is some of the best minor league play in the country (second only to my Hudson Valley Renegades in the NY-Penn league, but I am a bit biased). Just go out and enjoy baseball in its purest form.

[Oeditpus Rex]

14. You said what I was gonna say

More or less.

The odds that anybody in A-ball will make it to the majors, even for a "cup of coffee," are huge — much less the odds that a guy will make it with the same organization he started with.

A clarification, though: The California League is considered the "fastest" of all A-ball leagues, though the Carolina League and Florida State League are also "advanced" A.

The official minor league web site: http://www.milb.com

[leftofthedial]

8. they are all mercenaries

so don't worry so much about it.

except for the inconvenient fact that the Royals don't seem to actually bring major leaguers to their team, your locals are just as likely to end up playing on one team as they are another.

[Oeditpus Rex]

15. Mercenaries?

They're kids with dreams, man.

[leftofthedial]

17. dreams for sale to the highest bidder

or for *any* bidder, for most of them.

[Oeditpus Rex]

18. Cynic much?

I've been around a lot of minor league players, and I recall only one ever saying anything about the money.

He didn't make it past Double-A, either.

The dream is to make the majors. The money's secondary.

[leftofthedial]

19. minor leaguers don't make much money

the dream is the majors, but they don't care if it's wiht the Red Sox or the Royals or the Rangers, which is what the OP was about.

The minute they hit the bigs, it's all about the money.

And yes, I'm a cynic.

[SaveElmer]

9. Potomac Nationals season ticket holder here...

I see the Blue Rocks when they come to town. The Nationals (formerly the Cannons), has changed affiliates three times since I started following them. I root for them anyway, and I think it is cool when some of the players I have seen make the bigs (even though I am a Twins fan).

Also, as painful as it is to watch, the fact that this steroid stuff is being investigated now, and all the stuff about Barry Bonds etc is actually a good thing, and will be good for baseball in the long run. It's like finally breaking the boil that will allow the infection to heal, it is ugly at first, but leaves you better off in the long run!

And putting George Mitchell in charge was a good move. Can't think of anyone better suited, or more honorable to take up that task!

So just sit back and enjoy the games...minor league ball is the best!!!

[Oeditpus Rex]

16. You got it!

I've been to more than 500 minor league games, and I'd still rather watch the San Jose Giants than the San Francisco Giants. It costs about 1/8 as much, every seat is close, and you get to say "I saw him play in the minors" a few years later.

Where else can you drink beer after the game with the likes of Omar Vizquel and Will Clark? :D

[reyd reid reed]

11. Go

Enjoy the game. Enjoy the park. Enjoy the day -- the atmosphere, the buzz, the sights, the sounds, the smells.

But....just....GO!!!

[fishwax]

12. most of them will never be Red Sox

It's single A ball, which is in itself a beautiful thing :) Most won't make the majors and there's a decent chance that those that do will be on another team by then.

And even if they are Red Sox eventually, right now they're just baseball players still trying to chase a dream, and you've gotta love and respect that :)

[JVS]

13. Throw eggs!

[KamaAina]

20. You can't stand the Red Sox?!

Does Will know about this? This could get ugly...

Besides, the Sox folded up like a two-dollar suitcase in Game 7 back in '75 to hand it to your Reds, and this is the thanks they get?! :-)

[Blue_Tires]

21. go anyway and just enjoy the game...

root for the other team, if you must