Whenever the strike begins, however long it lasts, there will still be the minor leagues...

A hit with their shtick

...and thanks to people like Mike Veeck, it'll be a lot more fun...

To the Veecks, baseball has always been a GAME

Funny you mention this Joe! Last night I was at a bar, (that isn't suprising) and the bartender and a regular were saying they hope MLB goes on-strike! They'd rather watch the minor league players! I disagree cuz I like pitching duels, that you don't find in the minors! Still the "minors" have a lot of gr8 batters! But I think a strike will ruin MLB, but maybe push the WNBA, and make them think about any strike!

I need the major leagues; I want to see the best players.

The Brooklyn Cyclones are 20 minutes away from me by subway, but the grandstand is always sold out and the quality of play is amateurish.

If the players strike, I'll be devastated even if it turns out to be a blessing in disguise (a merciful end to the agony that is the 2002 Boston Red Sox).

Going to minor league games can be great fun, but it's usually not because of the actual play. McCoy Stadium, where the PawSox play, is a great park! The seats are dirt cheap ($8 for a box seat/$5 for general admission), the newly-renovated stadium is great, and you can't beat the atmosphere. That's the real reason to go: the atmosphere ... the crack of a bat, the roar of the crowd, the smell of barbecue, and little kids in the stands with their gloves praying they'll catch a foul ball. Nothing beats hanging out with your buddies, shooting the sh*t in the bleachers on a nice summer night, watching America's pastime. But don't kid yourself. You're not going for the quality of play because, frankly, the PawSox suck (they'd struggle to beat the Single-A Cyclones!).

Yes, I love going to McCoy. It's well worth driving the ~45 miles down there to catch a game (even factoring in gas money, it's still a pittance to see the PawSox compared to the BoSox). But do I actually love minor league baseball itself? Nah, not really.

Hmm.Bosox. Your description of that minor league stadium, sounds remarkably similiar to my own Spokane Indians of the Pacific Northwest League. If the big boys go, you all are cordially invited to my little burg, and we will go catch a Spokane Indians home game with me. Currently we are languishing in last place, so there is noplace to go but up!!. They even have fireworks nights, and 50cents hot dogs and chips. night etc. etc. Its real old fashioned out there.