Minor league baseball parks?
 

Greetings ball fans!
Have you been to any memorable minor league ball parks in the east? We're thinking of visiting parks starting in Florida and heading north. Any suggestions?

This may be helpful -
http://www.minorleagueballparks.com/

I have friends who enjoy Sand Gnat games in Savannah and the Carolina Mud Cats (but they are AA).

The only one I've been to is Canal Park in Akron Ohio, It is fairly new and I was impressed.

If you get really north, check out the Lowell Spinners in Lowell Mass. They are the single A affliate of the Boston Red Sox. Their park is on the banks of the Merrimac River and is quite attractive. The marketing group of the team wins awards every year for having the goofiest entertainment - a big part of the minor league experience. Plus you get to see future Red Sox stars.

In Portland Maine, the Sea Dogs are owned by Stephen King and are the Double A afflicate of the Red Sox. The park is nice (though Lowell is nicer) and the ball is pretty good.

If you head to the Mid South, check out the Redbirds in Memphis. A really nice park designed by the same group that designed Camden Yards (and Lowell too). Right in downtown Memphis. I beleive they are the only team in professional baseball that has cheerleaders. And the barbeque nachos are quite decadent.

I also agree the Memphis Redbirds is a TERRIFIC time. It was so enjoyable.

You can stay in walking distance to many hotels as well as some night life and great local restaurants.

We like to visit minor league parks. Our favorites are Oneonta Park in Oneonta, NY - (close to Cooperstown.) Very old fashioned and simple...bleacher seating, home to the Detroit Tigers class A team- and the Bluefield Orioles in Bluefield, WV. Both are simple, old school type parks. If you want a fancier park, the Durham Bulls have a great park and the parks others have mentioned are nice. Keep in mind that many of the minor league teams (esp, class a) don't start play til June.

one thing that I have never done, but want to, is to see games in the Cape Cod league. The players are the best amateur college players. Don't know anything about the stadiums.

I would not miss the opportunity to visit Cal Ripkin's compound just off I-95 north of Baltimore in Aberdeen, MD. You can literally see it from the road.

My mom lives in RI and just loves her PawSox. www.pawsox.com They're the AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, ie: the last stop before getting to "the show".

I've seen a few Cape Cod league games but you don't go there for the "park" experience. The fields they play on are local high school fields or worse. They don't charge admission but pass a hat around and collect donations.

In Newport RI we watched a college summer amatuer league game at a gorgeous old park - I believe the team was the Newport Gulls. That game was a lot of fun. I think we paid $5 per adult and kids were free and they got a free ice cream. Can't beat that.

Alliance Bank Stadium, home of Torontos AAA Affiliate the Syracuse Chiefs.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/b...p&sid=t552

Within an easy drive from Boston, there are a number of Red Sox and some unaffiliated teams. Portland, ME; Pawtucket, RI; Lowell, MA - are all nice Parks. Cape Cod summer league is played on HS-quality or a little better fields. We have been and it is a great experience.

The Lowell stadium was designed by the same people who did Camden Yards and it is beautiful - they have the most consecutive sell-outs of any minor league team, but you can always get standing room seats and then ushers will help you find an unoccupied seat.

While it's out of the way of going north, I'll also chime in about the Redbirds park in Memphis. It's virtually brand new and Memphis is an absolute blast of a town to visit. I've gone there about 50 times in the last 20 years.

In my area around Philly there are at least 3 teams, Reading, Wilmington and Camden. Probably less than an hour between each of the parks.

Thanks EVERYONE! Great answers. This trip is in the planning stages so we're open to all of your ideas. Can't wait to see what shows up next. Our home team is the Salem (Virginia) Avalanche. The Avalanche were originally a farm team for the Colorado Rockies. That was especially fun for us since we moved to Virginia from Colorado. Alsas things change. The name is the same, but, now the Avs are a single A team for the Houston Astros. We've got a nice, new, park with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Tonight is opening night. Come on out! Yikes! It's 49 degrees now with brisk winds. After sunset it may get a tad nippy. Maybe you'll want to wait a couple of weeks

Chattanooga has a great ballpark but get your tix in advance, they often sell out. There are a plethora of teams scattered through-out the Carolinas, take your pick.

I've heard good things about the Trenton Thunder. http://www.trentonthunder.com/

Legends Field in Tampa is the Spring Training home of the Yankees and also where the Tampa Yankees play. It is a great field.

Cactushugger - a little closer to you is the Norfolk tides stadium overlooking the water and the Shorebirds stadium in Salisbury MD. Richmond has a team but I'm not impressed by their stadium.

Probably too late to reply but FWIW:

Staten Island Yankees [single A, if memory serves] ballpark is really nice, close to ferry and has a SPECTACULAR view of Manhattan, especially as the sun goes down and the city lights go on.

A fun time.

Ditto to Harbour Park for the Tides in Norfolk.

There used to be an A-ball team in Alexandria, VA, called the Dukes. Pirates organization. The field was practically next door to the sewage treatment plant.

They became a Yankees franchise and moved down south to Prince William county. The PW Yankees became the Cannons.

Now they are a farm team for the Washingon Nationals and are called the Potomac Nationals - the P-nats.

Their ballpark is very convenient to Interstate 95 in Woodbridge.

Thanks everyone. I've been away from the board for six weeks. Surgery on my ankle meant no going up and down stairs to the computer. Nice to come back and find more helpful replies.

Our plans have changed. Now we'll be looking for teams in eastern Nevada, nothern Arizona,and southern New Mexico. Any ideas for that route?

Albuquerque has a wonderful park and terrific team - The Isotopes. You have to go! You won't be dissappointed.

The view of the Sandia Mountains from the stadium is awesome and the food is good too.

The name of the team comes from an episode of the Simpsons where Homers favorite team moves to ABQ and is called the Isotopes.

They are the farm team for the Florida Marlins.

http://www.albuquerquebaseball.com/

ABQ has had a professional baseball team since 1880!!

Debi