Minor League Opinions

[stnwall00]

What is your Favorite Orioles Minor League team in the O's system? Why? What do the do that makes it so fun? I am trying to decide what team I should try to take my family to see this year. Who has the best of everything... games, fun, technology and so forth? Anything I should look for on the schedule in terms of entertainment. Thanks.

[Baysox Usher]

Love my Bowie Baysox. Hardest working ushers in the system haha. We have a great staff, lots of fun and love "most" of our fans. WE usually have a pretty good team and a good promotions schedule. And we have a fairly nice stadium.

[Dracula]

I will say the Baysox' fireworks are pretty money.

[Baysox Usher]

Can't belive I totally forgot to mention the many many many fireworks shows we have a year.

[Boy Howdy]

Here's another vote for Bowie, though I must admit it's the only team I've visited.

What I liked best was deciding to go to the game at the last minute, parking with minimal hassle and getting a good, cheap seat close enough to the action to choose some new future favorites.

When I took people less interested in the actual game than myself, they liked the big grassy hill down the left field line where they could roll or smoke (not sure if that's still legal).

[oriole from cal]

Love my Bowie Baysox. Hardest working ushers in the system haha. We have a great staff, lots of fun and love "most" of our fans. WE usually have a pretty good team and a good promotions schedule. And we have a fairly nice stadium.

Looking forward in seeing you. Check your PM....

[blahblah]

What is your Favorite Orioles Minor League team in the O's system? Why? What do the do that makes it so fun? I am trying to decide what team I should try to take my family to see this year. Who has the best of everything... games, fun, technology and so forth? Anything I should look for on the schedule in terms of entertainment. Thanks.

I went to see games for each of the minor league O's teams last summer, save for Norfolk and the GCL teams...I'd have to say it's neck and neck between Bowie and Aberdeen. The Aberdeen stadium is a little newer (isn't it?) but the level of play was higher at Bowie. Depends on what you really want I guess...

Elliot

[SJA]

I have been to Norfolk, Bowie, Frederick, Delmarva, Aberdeen (as well as several other teams minor league locations) and I really think overall, the Orioles have a great group of facilities. Of the O's facilities, I would rank from best to worst as Bowie, Aberdeen, Delmarva, Frederick and Norfolk.

I can't specifically say that there is one thing that really puts one location ahead of another...just kind of an overall feeling that I get at each facility.

With that said, here are few of my highlights of each facility:

1-Bowie-Great staff, nice location, carousel, nice park

2-Aberdeen-Great fan base, beautiful park

3-Delmarva-Cozy attractive park, Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame

4-Frederick-best access to players, easily accessible location

5-Norfolk-great fan base, beautiful setting.

They all have kids parks (well Norfolks rides are a little scattered), great promotions, great fireworks shows, great access to players (though access at Frederick stands above the rest for player access).

One thing that may help you make your decision is to check out the promotions schedule (though they won't be released for awhile) and see who has one that your family will like. Just keep in mind that if you choose a bobblehead promotion to get there very early.

I hope that gives you some insight, but keep in mind, this is just one man's opinion.

[big leagues 23]

What is different about Frederick's player access then the other teams?

[SJA]

What is different about Frederick's player access then the other teams?

Their locker room is right behind the concession stands, so they have to walk across the concourse right past all the fans to get down to the field. You can stand there and wait for them to come out, stop them to get autographs, etc... I am sure that it can get annoying for them at times, but it's great for the fans.

Other stadiums, the players generally walk past fans from the field. You can get close, but you're always in the stands, while they are on the field. Despite this "separation", the players make themselves accessible, for the most part.

[HotTubMan]

Throw in another vote for Bowie. It's simple to get in and out of the place, the staff is wonderful including the Baysox Store and you can't beat the minor league entertainment they bring in.

You can buy a six pack of tickets (or larger) and use them for any game on the schedule which is very convienent.

I arrive 15 minutes before the game and end up in the first three rows right behind the screen. I am surpised that people don't like sitting there. I can really get a good look at the pitching and infield. Plus I never get line drives in my face.

Abeerden is also nice, especially right after the draft when the fresh draft picks show up. Much harder to get a seat there, but they normally release some an hour or so before the game. Call first if you go. They have been sold out for years.

I am planning a game or two at the Shorebirds this year and if Rowell is in Frederick another road trip is necessary.

[KarlofDelaware]

For someone living in the Baltimore-Washington corridor pondering which O's farm club to visit with their family my vote goes to Delmarva.

I've been to all O's minor league parks but Norfolk, and that includes Bluefield and GCL. My favorite is Delmarva because of my proximity to it.

The Delmarva park is right on Route 50 to Ocean City. This means the family can see a game and also catch the seashore in one trip, the ballfield being about 25 minutes away from the ocean.

Considering baseball only, Frederick, Bowie, and Delmarva are very much alike.

Aberdeen stands out as being somewhat unique with the models of other famous ballparks and wharehouse similation being in the Ripkin complex.

If cost and time are no object, go the the GCL team in Florida. This is an informal operation allowing a lot of contact with players. If the Orioles get a new complex in Fort Lauderdale or move to Vero Beach this team mayl be transferred into a modern and more fan distant operation.

So overall:

1. Delmarva as your family can catch a ballgame and the beach

2. Aberdeen for the unique stadium complex as a whole

3. Gulf Coast, as the present operation may soon be history.

[HotTubMan]

For someone living in the Baltimore-Washington corridor pondering which O's farm club to visit with their family my vote goes to Delmarva.

I've been to all O's minor league parks but Norfolk, and that includes Bluefield and GCL. My favorite is Delmarva because of my proximity to it.

The Delmarva park is right on Route 50 to Ocean City. This means the family can see a game and also catch the seashore in one trip, the ballfield being about 25 minutes away from the ocean.

Considering baseball only, Frederick, Bowie, and Delmarva are very much alike.

Aberdeen stands out as being somewhat unique with the models of other famous ballparks and wharehouse similation being in the Ripkin complex.

If cost and time are no object, go the the GCL team in Florida. This is an informal operation allowing a lot of contact with players. If the Orioles get a new complex in Fort Lauderdale or move to Vero Beach this team mayl be transferred into a modern and more fan distant operation.

So overall:

1. Delmarva as your family can catch a ballgame and the beach

2. Aberdeen for the unique stadium complex as a whole

3. Gulf Coast, as the present operation may soon be history.

Bringing the Gulf Coast in to this in a good idea. The most fun I've had is going to Spring Training for 18 days in 2005. You get very close to the players as with Gulf Coast and most of the regular players are available. Throw in the ST invites and it's quite a party. I got to know quite a few guys from that 18 days and hope to make a trip down again this year. Keith Reed was one of the nicest guys I met and he said I was the first one in his fan club. When they gave him a three day callup to the show it meant a lot to me. The O's gave him three games for all his hard work he had put in the minors and he only stayed in the game because of his late mother. It's things like this that make you even closer to baseball and the minors afford that kind of closeness along with Spring Training.

I highly recommend anyone go to ST that can swing it and I will have to make my way to the Gulf Coast league....Thanks

[Birds90]

I've only gone to 2 games in the farm league system and I hope to add maybe 2 more this year. I've been to Frederick 5 times and each time, and I love it. Then again, i'm only an hour from there and i'll be there again for opening night. When I was 8, I went to a Delmarva game thanks to my grandparents in Lewes, Delaware. I got to see Luis Matos which was pretty cool.

I'll probably go to Bowie sometime after opening weekend to say i've been there and if I get into Bluefield State, i'll be a regular visitor to Bowen Field during the last little bit of summer before school starts. Has anyone been to Bowen Field? If so, send me a pm telling me what you think of it.

[Who's On 1st]

I like Bowie. Been a season ticket holder for many yrs.

Close to home, staff are great and they do good promo's and it's a great place for the KIDS toooooo.