Take Me Out To The Ball Game

It's no secret, I love baseball. I love everything about it...the smell of the park, that pop a fast ball makes as it screams it's way into a catcher's mitt, the taste of the first hotdog of the season. The uniforms, the theatrics of the umpire when he calls a strike three, and the mascots putting a smile on a young kids face. There's nothing better than baseball.

Today, Major League Baseball threw open the doors to stadiums and parks all across the nation, and welcomed back fans of America's Pastime.

Sure, everyone knows the Boston Red Sox, the NY Yankees, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. We all cheer for players like Dustin Pedroia, Mike Trout, and Justin Verlander,  But what about all of those Minor League teams that feed players to the Big Leagues?

OK...so you know the Fisher Cats and the Portland Sea Dogs. But who's familiar with the New Orleans Baby Cakes? Do you root for the El Paso Chihuahuas? Can you name the starting catcher for the Lansing Lugnuts? Probably not. And yes, those are all real names of real minor league baseball teams from around the United States.

Whatever baseball team your root for...get the kids, load up the car, and get to a ball park. Have a hotdog, cheer a double play, get an autograph. And watch a bunch of guys playing the game because they love it. And because they dream of the day they'll be playing for a team you really know and love.