Back in the game

While some fans may pooh-pooh baseball's minor leagues, we actually embrace them. Believe it or not, our affinity for the leagues, especially the Florida State League, goes far beyond getting autographs.

First and foremost, a night at a minor league game is much more affordable. We can get three tickets and parking for under $20. Can't find those deals at a Major League Baseball park, can you? A hot dog doesn't cost $5, either.

Secondly, the games are seldom crowded. Good seats are available and the autographs, save for the occasional 19-year-old egoist, come pretty easy. Though premium giveaways and holidays draw packed houses, they are the exception, rather than the norm.

Finally, there's always some sort of promotion going on. In this case, it was Kids Night at Dunedin Stadium, home to the Toronto Blue Jays' Class High-A affiliate, the Dunedin Blue Jays, and the prerequisite picture with the team's "feathered" mascot.

As the top photo shows, Colin (that's him with the catcher's glove and American League All Star Evan Longoria T-shirt) got to join two Dunedin players Justin Jackson, left, and John Tolisano on the field Saturday during the national anthem. How cool is that?

Down here in the Tampa Bay area, we're fortunate enough to have two more FSL teams within an easy drive -- the Clearwater Threshers, a Phillies farm team, and the Tampa Yankees, a New York Yankees club. Though we'll take in a handful of Tampa Bay Rays games, many a summer weekday night will be spent at minor league parks.

It's been awhile, hasn't it?

Welcome back to Baseball Mondays, our offseason pursuit that provides a pleasant, but muggy, diversion from hounding NHL teams. Started two years ago, the blog's weekly postings chronicled our first foray into baseball autographs.

Unlike our Hound Central franchise -- now wrapping up its fourth campaign -- Baseball Mondays takes a more leisurely approach to the hobby. Having fun is more important than anything else. And that's where the Tampa Bay Rays, select MLB opponents and Florida State League clubs in nearby Clearwater, Dunedin and Tampa come in.

Between now and the Lightning's training camp, we'll attend 20 baseball games, providing more than enough fodder for the postings.

Two points of interest, I believe:

Shark Week: On Thursday, June 11, and Saturday, June 13, we'll watch the Jupiter Hammerheads play the Clearwater Threshers. Colin love sharks.

Thursday, July 9: We take in a MLB-FSL doubleheader (Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays at 12:08 p.m. and then the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Dunedin Blue Jays at 7 p.m.)

I've also strong-armed Moody and Al, a couple of Hound Central 4.0 correspondents, into providing occasional reports from Atlanta and Toronto, respectively. I'll likely introduce you to a few more hounds and their efforts over the summer, too.

Really, the hiatus isn't as long as it appears. Rather than resurrecting Baseball Mondays (which, in hindsight, would have been the more logical choice), last summer's baseball musings and additions were chronicled on Hound Central 3.0.

Who did we get? Given our proximity to the Trop, most came from members of the Tampa Bay Rays:

~ a pretty sweet team ball in one, long afternoon;
~ a couple from AL Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria; and
~ and a postcard from Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry.