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Like any sensible resident of our fair city, Bostonist loves going to the ballgame (although April night games can get a little chilly). Is there anything finer than seeing that first glimpse of emerald green grass as one emerges toward the field, or tracing the arc of a fly ball against the darkening sky, or haranguing the other team's relievers? We don't think so. Unfortunately, Sox tickets can be pricey and hard to come by. Of course, true fans will do what it takes to see their team, but what do you do when you just want some of that good old-fashioned, American baseball goodness without all the hassle? Bostonist goes to a minor league game. We are lucky to have two nearby Sox farm teams, the class AAA Pawtucket Red Sox (also known as the PawSox) and the class A Lowell Spinners (also known as "who? where?"). Each is about an hour away and offers distinct charms.
At a PawSox game, you can expect to see a pretty high level of baseball, and will frequently encounter major leaguers on rehabilitation assignments, which is neat. In Lowell (Bostonist's favorite), the game is on display in all its Field-Of-Dreams glory: the NewYork-Penn League allows no players over 23, so the quality of the games is low, but the amount of heart is exceptional. These kids are fresh-faced, hungry for success, and utterly lovable in a Bad News Bears sort of way. (Bostonist especially likes looking at the press sheet that tells fans where each player was last season. A couple years back, one of the Spinners' opponents, the Brooklyn Cyclones, had an outfielder who had most recently played at Ho Chi Minh High School in Havana.)
Additionally, the small, pretty LeLacheur Park is about the loveliest man-made structure in Lowell, and the most expensive ticket available ("Premium Box") is $7.50. Standing room tickets are $3.50, and Bostonist has found that there's always an extra seat. The PawSox, in keeping with the higher quality of baseball played, charge a whopping $9.00 for box seats and $6.00 for general admission (kids and old folks pay less). Their season is already underway, and the Spinners join the fun on June 21st with a home night game against the Vermont Expos (who are not, apparently, changing their name). Or wait until July 22 - 24, when you can witness single-A baseball's greatest rivalry, as the Spinners battle the hated Staten Island Yankees.
Contributed by Josh Michtom / Photo courtesy of Pawsox.com
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Actually, even better, Lowell's only about 1/2 hour from Boston, not an hour. My husband and I go to Spinners games all the time. Good call!
it's even further away, but the portland sea dogs are a red sox affiliate with an absolutely great team this year with a handful of players who will absolutely be playing in the majors soon. they're probably the most exciting minor league team in new england. it's a shame they're almost two hours away.
I also neglected to mention the closer, but not Sox-affiliated Brockton Rox (www.brocktonrox.com). They are in the independent Canadian American League, which means an interesting mix of didn't-quite-make-the-cut youngsters and salty minor league veterans, although it's not impossible that you might see one of the Rox in the bigs at some point (http://www.canamleague.com/news/viewarticle.php?id=18). Also, Bill Murray owns the team (which is cool, especially because he shows up at games sometimes), they are having a promotion on April 19 in which they give away a bloody-socked "bobble ankle" (www.bobbleankle.com), and honestly, do you need any more of an excuse to spend an evening in Brockton?
to be honest, i need a large number of excuses to go to brockton. one of them, though, is this: Oil Can Boyd pitched for the Rox last year.
OIL CAN BOYD!
Yow! He's 45 years old!
There's also the North Shore Spirit, who recently opened a brand new stadium in Lynn. Ticket prices range from $4-$9.
Hey, I think it's actually *this* year The Can's going to pitch for the Rox... I think they're giving him two exhibition starts to see what he still has.