play the game. love the game. endorsements and photo shoots later. maybe .. if you got it ..

Ive almost given up on professional sports because ...

Well if it isn't obvious ... Then we're ALL kind of disappointed.

We go to 3-6 games of an MLB double A affiliate and we enjoy it. It's funny at times because you will see stuff that you won't see in the majors. Like dropping the most basic of pop ups. Sometimes a couple times in the same game.

Often free, and reasonably good baseball.

For entertainment value, little league baseball is a kick in the pants.

Unfortunately, all three generally wind down in June.

I was the club photographer and co-founder of the Bleacher Creatures. We sat behind the home dugout and got pretty silly.

One of the pitchers got married on the field and I was the wedding photographer. That was especially cool, since the groom, Jeff Nelson, went on to a 12-year career in the majors, mostly with the Mariners and Yankees.

That's the best part of following the low minors: you get to know guys who go on to the majors when they're just kids. I knew at least half a dozen guys who went to the show, includin two all-stars (Nelson and Omar Vizquel).

To watch in Bristol, Va.threw a 50th anniversary party for my Mom and Dad, who were visiting from North Dakota.
They had a cake delivered to them, pregame, Dad got to walk on the field.
Also, during LilBit and my years going to the games, she, and I met, PeteRoseJr when he managed the team for 1 year, met his Dad, in the managers office, when Pete Rose, visited his son.
And one game, when Frank Viola Jr, was on a rehab stint, a foul ball came over the net, I, stood and covered her , the ball hit my back. And bounced.

Someone brought me the ball.
It was Frank Viola, hall of fame guy. He sigigne the ball, that hit my back, if I could easily post a pic here, I still have that ball. Anyone can tell me, how to post a pic.
Koz

I didn't even think of rehab games. Sa Tommy John once. The Modesto A's (California League) were in Salinas, so he flew in, pitched three innings, signed ome autographs, then flew up to Oakland. It was scheduled as a regular mid-week night game, but was switched to a day game to accommodate his schedule. There were only like two days' notice of this, so the attendance was like 300.

In '86, I think, we signed Steve How tolike 30-day contract for is fifth or sixth attempt to come back from drug abuse. Baseball America contacted the ball club to see if they could get photos from his first appearance, which meant me. Among all the shots of him pitching, I got one of him looking up and out of the end of the dugout, as if someone in the stands had caught his intrest. The sky was overcast, so the lighting was very even, and he looked positively angelic. Baseball America ran that one two columns -- my only national publication.

(Later, in he harsher light of the clubhouse, you could see in his face the effects of his cocaine abuse. It was like he was suddenly 10 years older.)

They call it minor league for a reason.

You were born, as s Professor? Did you ever play baseball? I

What does my having played baseball have to do with anything?
And yes, I was a centerfielder on every team I played on, 5th through 8th grade.
Again, why is that relevant?
Besides, your post said "best".
Minor league baseball, by definition, is not the best to watch, because it is at a far lower skill level.
You may enjoy it more, but that doesn't make it "best".

Uhmm I got paid to play ball, until I broke my leg. 1st base.

down the road. Kids didn't go to college or drafted. Trying for another look. Living out of townsfolks donated rooms.