Tri-City Valleycats – Minor League Baseball

So close and yet, so far.

The mascots for the Tri-City Valleycats represent the cities’ mayors – Schenectady, Albany, and Troy, respectfully. Could you imagine something similar in Hudson?

I write this blog because I want to help people get out of the house and meet other people, places, whatnot. Go do stuff! Noble enough cause, right?

But, I know my limits.

Try to get ex-NYC-ers to go to a minor league baseball game in Troy, New York. It’s a hard sell – real hard ball.

Maybe they’ve been to a Yankees game and they’re scarred. Yankee tickets are easily $100/seat, food and beer are crazy expensive and you have to schlep to the Bronx. For a family to go to a Yankees game, you’re talking hundreds if not a thousand dollars, easily.

(I lived in NYC for decades and never met ANYONE who went to a Mets game. So, I’m skipping over that. Who are those people?)

Other than Trader Joe’s and the Apple Store, few former downstaters venture north – and it’s kinda shame, because upstate New York is kinda amazing.

First, I have to tell downstaters where Troy is and explain to them that there is life beyond the Hudson Amtrak stop. I use similar references, “Imagine the Amtrak is like the L train. Albany/Schenectady/Troy is just one more stop. It’s like going deeper into Brooklyn, but really you’re going deeper upstate.”

The Tri-City Valleycats are the local minor league team and the baseball field is about a 45-minute drive from Hudson. It’s nothing. It’s easier to drive to Troy than if you lived on the Upper East Side and were dating someone who lived in Jersey City – if you would even do that. (I have/had friends who broke up with people if the relationship required a transfer).

The Valleycats game costs $12/seat and that’s the third row behind first base. The dirt from the field may get into your ice cream. The players walk right up to the stands, hand kids balls and hug their fans. there’s a tshirt cannon car that rides around and shoots tshirts into the crowd.

At various times, the crowd cheers in Spanish, “VAMOS GATOS!” It’s a hoot!

Last night, July 25th, was a Christmas-in-July theme. They had Xmas trivia and fireworks.

The game itself was incredible. Bottom of the ninth, two outs, two strikes, the Valleycats hit a homerun and tied the score. Exciting!

Yeah, I know. I may not have convinced you to try it out. But, who knows…maybe.