While Major League baseball season has been in full swing for a couple of weeks now, last night was the home opener for our local minor league team, the Orioles-affiliate Frederick Keys. Despite the one-hour rain delay, they did get the game in, which unfortunately was won by the Myrtle Beach Pelicans by a score of 4-3. If you have not been to a minor-league baseball game, I recommend that you make it a point to go to one. There are over 100 minor league teams across the country, most of them affiliated with one Major League team or another. The ballparks are more intimate, the tickets are WAY cheaper, and there are usually a lot of extra things going on besides the actual game, like different contests and activities between innings, team mascots that love to entertain the kids (ours is the incomparable "Key-ote"), decent giveaways (my favorite has been the free loaf of bread that we all got on our way out of the park one year), and midway-type rides and attractions for the kids. Even if you don't really like baseball, it's a good thing to do with the family and a good opportunity to get an overpriced hot dog and warm beer. So whether your local team is the Mighty Miracles, the River Rats, or the Mad Cows, you may want to consider a trip to your nearby minor-league park.
Speaking of miracles, did you see who is tied for second place in the National League East with the Florida Marlins? Why, the Washington Nationals, of course! They beat the first-place Phillies last night 7-3, in a well-pitched game by Liván Hernandez. Tonight it's Roy Halliday against John Lannan - just let us bask in the glory of last night's game for a few more hours before we get our asses kicked tonight! The Nats and Phillies face each other 18 times this year, so at least we can say that we weren't swept!
The rain postponed the Orioles-Yankees game last night, but the Angels-Indians game was played, with the Angels snapping Cleveland's 8-game winning streak (Angels' pitcher Dan Haren pitched a 1-hitter to take the victory). Cleveland fans haven't been this excited since Bob Feller helped his team win the World Series in 1948! The Indians are managed by former Nationals manager Manny Acta, who seems like a nice guy even though my husband never liked the fact that he was a "mouth breather". In other baseball news, last year's American League MVP, Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers, will be out for 6-8 weeks with a shoulder injury. I think the Rangers will be OK though; their pitching is top-notch and everyone else in their division kind of stinks.
So tonight I'll be watching the Nationals/Phillies game, while keeping an eye on the Marlins/Braves game, while trying to watch "American Idol," while helping my oldest finish a school project. This is what being a baseball fan mom is all about, and I love every ounce of it! :-)
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