Why Minor League Baseball?

January 23rd, 2009

January 23, 2009 —Forgive me for not posting a “Link of the Week.” I forgot! Gotta get my timing back. For a while at any rate, some of these posts will show up whenever I get a new idea. I’m working my way from short toss to long toss. Hmmm, I’d say I’m at about 20 feet right now.

So where was I? Oh, right. . .

Ages ago (May 2008) , I had an idea to write about baseball, specifically minor league baseball. Heck, why not? Surely I could find something to say that hadn’t been said before, offer a perspective that hadn’t been noticed before. And so an idea was launched.

As the season rolled along, I indeed found lots of fun “new” topics to explore. I found myself researching aspects of the game I’d not spent much time on before. I developed a whole new respect for the value of statistics in tracking athlete development. I made a bunch of new friends, always a nice plus.

It was those experiences that inspired me to get an early start on 2009. Heck, I’m even ahead of pitchers and catchers this spring. As I was reviewing the archives, getting my thoughts in order, it occurred to me it might be fun to revisit my reasons for being fan of the minor leagues. I hope to keep the blog around for at least a few seasons. In that case, it’ll be nice to have some time-stamped road markers of this little reflective odyssey on which I’ve embarked.

I saw a question posed on a blogsite recently, “What makes you a fan?” Here’s what I came up with. . .

I’m the type of fan who would rather watch the minors than The Show. It’s not so much about lofty ideals, like the purity of the game, but rather because I selfishly prefer watching sports without the value-added entertainment options thrown in. In my idealized world view, sports is supposed to be about athletics, not entertainment. As such, I am not the least bit interested in sports-talk radio, rotisserie leagues, online betting, umpteen-angle-slow-mo-replays on digital scoreboards (although I must admit a fondness for the Veecks) or which curvaceous companion A-Rod chooses spends his time with on any given evening.

In the post-Marvin Miller era of free-agency, I’m more likely to give my loyalty to a player than an organization. If the Angels left and say, New York bought the local franchise, I most likely would become a Yankees or Mets fan—because those are the kids I’d be watching. At the same time, I like the Angels organization because they develop lots of homegrown talent. That’s a particularly nice perk for me for a couple of reasons: 1) better quality baseball at the minor league level, 2) a longer window for watching personal favorites and 3) a coaching staff heavily invested in in-house development.

When Minnesota owned the franchise, I was fortunate to benefit from an athletic development philosophy that could be summarized in two words—Phil Roof. Better yet, if the Twins weren’t going to get a playoff slot (which happened often in those days), they’d have the bushers finish out the AAA season before bringing them up. I know, I know, it’s lousy not to get a Labor Day call-up or chance for 10 days on the MLB roster. Hey, sorry guys, I’m human too.

My motives are pretty simple, really. I want to see the best athletes playing their best game. Although I personally prefer the smaller venue of the bush leagues, I’m sincerely happy for a young athlete who earns his way into the Big Leagues; even better if he sticks. So what if we lose the PCL’s best RBI producer to the parent club in the midst of a winning streak? You play who you have. And there is no small consolation in knowing the player called up is getting the chance to show his major league tools.

Here’s how I look at it. Last season, Nick Adenhart was our bonus-baby pitching prospect. He got off to a phenomenal start early in the season and then seemed to completely lose his groove. In short, he got his you-know-what absolutely stomped. We watched him struggle as his confidence plummeted. Opposing teams knew if they could just get him rattled with a couple of BBs and RBIs, or better yet a 2-run dinger, he’d be taping on the icepack well before the 5th inning. It was a very long summer for the youngster from Silver Springs, MD.

When our team made it to the playoffs, the guys’ bats went sub-zero cold; our downfall was leaving men on base, in double-digit figures. Ouch. And you know what I remember most about that all-too-short playoff bid? Our young pitcher found himself; just in time to put in three solid starts to end the season. Even his posture on the mound changed; I kid you not, he grew two inches taller in two weeks!

So there you have it. Why this BeesGal continues to cheer for our guys in the blazing sun of a 100-degree Sunday afternoon, listening to her voice bouncing off the empty seats on the other side of the diamond.

In the end, I’m a fan, no more or less than anyone else. I have my thoughts and opinions, and the urge to write them down in electrons. I guess the way I look at it, we all have our conceits about the way the world is supposed to be. And that’s what makes the game, and us, all-too-human. Bye for now!

Entry Filed under: Game of Life,Minor Leagues