New England is known for its love affair with sports, and the summer months puts the spotlight on baseball in the region. Whether you’re talking Major or Minor League, professional baseball is usually within striking distance wherever you visit for a New England Vacation.

While visitors on a Boston Vacation will want to check out a Red Sox game if the team is in town, but outside the Boston region there’s a better chance for available seats at most of the minor league ball parks and you get to see rising stars at a great price.

Here’s our 2009 Guide to Summer Vacation Baseball Fun in New England.

Boston Red Sox, Boston, Massachusetts:

The Boston Red Sox home at Fenway Park is the oldest park in major league and remains a baseball field with real grass in a real neighborhood in Boston.

Tickets are not cheap or easy to come by, and the franks and peanuts – not to mention beer – are not the most memorable element of game day, but nonetheless there is something extraordinary about seeing a major league baseball game in this park which makes it all worthwhile.

And if the Red Sox are not in town when you visit then don’t despair you can take the Boston Red Sox Fenway Tour and get to know all about the Green Monster and Pesky Poll without somebody spilling beer or peanuts on your shoes.

More >>> http://boston.redsox.mlb.com

Cape Cod Summer League, Cape Cod, Massachusetts:

The boys – and gals – of summer visit Cape Cod each year in more ways than you may think. While college students swarm the beaches of Cape Cod in the warmer months, this is also the same time that many college baseball players take the opportunity of a lifetime to break onto the professional scene – or at least get noticed by the scouts.

Many of the towns on Cape Cod have teams and during June through August you can find a game every night being played at one of the venues. One in seven of all MLB players played in the Cape Cod Baseball League and it is the premier amateur baseball league in the country.

This is also serious and excellent baseball. These college players are the best in the country and they have everything to prove. For most this is their only chance to make it into the major leagues.  For more details on schedule and general information check out the official site of the Cape Cod Baseball League here.

More >>> http://www.capecodbaseball.org

Lowell Spinners, Lowell, Massachusetts:

The Lowell Spinners are the Class-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and in the past this New Hampshire team has fueled the parent with the likes of Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz and Kevin Youkilis.

The Spinners play at LeLacheur Park along the Merrimack River, and are entering their 14^th season in Lowell. Like its bigger brother who keeps racking up sell-out after sell-out crowds, the Spinners are also enjoying their own record streak of sell-out attendance. For the season’s 2000-2008 every single ticket was sold!

The Spinners are know for their family-entertainment promotions, contest, and giveaways, particularly bobblehead dolls such as Jack Kerouac, Stephen King, and media stars like Peter Gammons and Mike O’Malley. Whichever way you cut it this team is hot.

More >>> http://www.lowellspinners.com

New Britain Rock Cats, New Britain, Connecticut:

The Double-A Rock Cats is affiliated with the Minnesota Twins – well they are just a hop across the road at 1,200-miles. It’s a long story though with the club ending a long affiliation with the Boston Red Sox in 1995 and signing a player development contract with the Minnesota Twins, and as they say they’ve never looked back.

It’s proved fruitful for the town of New Britain, with the parent ensuring there is plenty of talent on board to draw huge crowds for a successful minor league team. In the past the likes of Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, Joe Mauer, Roger Clemens, and Jeff Bagwell have all passed through this Connecticut haven for great baseball.

And 2009 is shaping up to be every bit as good as previous seasons for the Rock Cats… but if you want to watch them then you’d better get your tickets early because this team is looking to pump out the future MVP and Rookie of the year for its parent, and it’s a lot easier to see them here in Connecticut than in Minnesota.

More >>> http://www.rockcats.com/

Pawtucket Red Sox, Pawtucket, Rhode Island:

The Pawsox operate out of Pawtucket in Rhode Island. This is the Boston Red Sox Triple A farm team and the player’s on this roster are one step away from hitting a grand slam or pitching a perfect game at Fenway Park.

The Pawsox is where the Red Sox go when they need a replacement or fill-in, or if a player is going through rehab. A trip to McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket is not only a cheaper day out than Fenway Park; you also get to see excellent minor league baseball, and the chance to catch the next David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury or Dustin Pedroia.

McCoy Stadium also has its own history.

In 1981 the longest game in professional baseball went 33 innings and over 8 hours before the Pawtucket Red Sox prevailed over the Rochester Red Wings.

More >>> http://www.pawsox.com

Portland Sea Dogs, Portland, Maine:

The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox since the 2003 season. Previously they were a farm team for the Florida Marlins another local team – just kidding!

The team plays at Hadlock Field which was once a High School field but now renovated to a 7,368-seating stadium. Located in southern Maine along a popular coastal section, during the summer months the game attracts a large crowd of vacationers. Red Sox fans should feel right at home as the stadium has its own version of the Green Monster complete with Coke bottle and Citgo sign.

The Sea Dogs have had a successful affiliation with their Boston parent reaching the Eastern League championship series in 2005 and 2006 and winning in 2006. Famous alumni of the Portland Sea Dogs include: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson.

More >>> http://www.portlandseadogs.com

Vermont Lake Monsters, Burlington, Vermont:

The Vermont Lake Monsters are the Class-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals team, and play their home baseball out of Centennial Field on the grounds of the University of Vermont campus in Burlington.

Burlington is the largest city in Vermont and located on the shores of Lake Champlain – a popular and scenic vacation spot in Vermont, and only 100-miles from the team’s previous affiliation with the Montreal Expos who moved to Washington after the 2004 season.

The name Lake Monsters was chosen in a poll after the end of the 2005 season and is after the legendary sea creature called “Champ” said to roam Lake Champlain. But today the monster is cuddly and a mascot for the team that is doing very nicely thank you. The Vermont Lake Monsters play in the short-season New York Penn League.

This farm system has churned out players such as: Orlando Cabrera, Jason Bay, and Darrell Rasner, and makes a great stop on a fun-filled Green Mountains vacation.

More >>> http://www.vermontlakemonsters.com

Let us know how you enjoyed this New England Baseball round-up by leaving a comment below.

Another New England post by one of our writers is being prepared right now so be sure to visit again or just subscribe to our RSS Feed here and get notified automatically of events and news.

Cliff Calderwood
Publisher
New England Online Magazine

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