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Every year since the Major League Baseball strike of 1994, Wrigley Field Section 416 seatmates Old Style, Rich and I have taken a minor league road trip.Chicago is perfectly situated for such travel. Its right in the heart of the Class A Midwest League and some independent leagues, and Triple-A Iowa and Indianapolis bring Pacific Coast and International League teams pretty close too.We divide our tasks: I drive, Rich puts together the playlist, and Old Style scouts out food at and around the ballparks and hotels. The slower pace and smaller crowds of minor league ball are a perfect summer tonic, a palate-cleanser from the intensity of Wrigley Field.Midwest League ball is especially sweet, as three great seats along the dugout or behind home plate can usually be had for less than the price of one ticket at Wrigley. The food, often served up by local charity or benevolent association volunteers, is excellent. And the craft beer selection always outdoes Wrigley.Pro-tip: When at any park in Iowa-Quad Cities, Clinton, Burlington or Des Moines -- just get the pork sandwich. The cooks of that fair state know their swine. Torn between the pulled barbecue and breaded tenderloin options? Hell, get one of them in the first inning and the other one in the fifth. They have defibrillators handy.Beyond the culinary pleasures, a minor league road trip is a form of time travel. You go back to the past, and project yourself into the future.You go to see the Cubs Class A or Double-A or Triple-A teams so that one day you can turn to someone at Wrigley or your local bar and say, I saw that guy play when he was in the minors.We can say that about Matt Szczur, Cubs backup outfielder. We saw him play for Peoria back in 2011, but my only firm memory is trying to figure out how to pronounce his name. Now it rolls off the tongue: Hail Caesar, king of the Cubs 2016 pinch hitters.Stars Javier Baez and Jorge Soler were playing for the Iowa Cubs when we drove all the way to Omaha to see them (and eat barbecue) in 2014. The Storm Chasers struck out Baez three times, and Soler came in as a pinch hitter late in the game. He hit a ball so hard that the crack of the bat silenced the whole crowd. It was foul by 10 feet, but, as Cubs radio voice Pat Hughes would say, Looooooong gone!Had it been hit at Wrigley, it would have broken the window of some guys SUV parked behind the firehouse on Waveland Avenue.As we drove home over the plains the next day, the word came in over sports talk radio: Baez had been called up to The Show. We argued in the car over the wisdom of that move, but no longer do. Soler, who might turn out to be an injury-prone bust, is still a question mark, but Baez is looking stellar wherever Joe Maddon plays him defensively, as well as solid at the plate.Now, theyre two more guys we can say we saw them way back when.Great minor league parks also transport you back to the games past. Before television came to dominate our entertainment time, minor leagues covered the American landscape; B, C, and D-level leagues could be found all over the country, as well as industrial leagues and less formal town ball and sandlot games. Most of that is gone, but you can still get a taste of it.In minor league parks, the pace of everything except the game itself is even slower and more relaxed. Pretty much every seat is a good seat, and children play on the outfield berms. Sure, some guys show up to impress business clients just like at Wrigley, but its mostly families and dedicated fans.This was our first trip to South Bend, and Four Winds Field was impressive, as was the team logo. Old Style loved their sterner version of the Chicago Cubs bear. Hes coming to eat, not play like a little soft cubbie.The teams Hall of Fame -- on the concourse behind home plate, with plaques modeled on those at Cooperstown -- was outstanding. They didnt just feature the sort of player you see commemorated at most minor league or spring training parks, the guys who played there and then went on to notable major league careers.No, the South Bend Cubs also feature players from the South Bend Blue Sox of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. It was a pleasure to learn about Betsy Jochum, who struck out only 10 times in 400 at-bats in 1946 -- or Jean Faut, who threw four no-hitters (including two perfect games) while batting .290 for her career. The team also recognizes local connections to the Negro Leagues, enshrining Lafayette Dusty Riddle, who organized barnstorming Negro League ball in South Bend and was also the first African-American cop in town.That respect for history even extends to the parks gift shop, a converted historic synagogue. You can buy souvenirs under an homage to the Sistine Chapels Creation of Adam, with God handing his creation a baseball under the eternally blessed words: Play ball.We probably wont brag about seeing anyone who played that day, as our trip coincided with the All-Star break and top prospect Eloy Jimenez was in San Diego for the Futures Game. But we did see the South Bend Cubs beat the Bowling Green Hot Rods, 10-6.Yet Ill surely remember the first baseman, Tyler Alamo, even if he never makes the bigs.Wonder if hell ever play in the Texas League?Cheap NFL Jerseys China . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Nike NFL Jerseys Outlet . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/ . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. Fake Nike NFL Jerseys . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. NFL Jerseys China . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game.Kimi Raikkonen says Ferrari should take heart from the fact their speed is there, despite reliability problems meaning they are already playing catch-up to Mercedes in the World Championship.Ferrari have finished on the podium at each of the opening two races but power unit-related failures mean they are yet to get two cars to the chequered flag.Mercedes, meanwhile, won both races and already hold a 50-point lead over their Italian rivals in the Constructors Championship. But despite Ferraris early-season concerns, Raikkonen, who finished second in Bahrain, is pleased with the SF16-Hs competitiveness - although acknowledges the cars reliability must improve.We are still positive with what the team has built over the winter, it hasnt changed, said Raikkonen in the Drivers Press Conference ahead of the Chinese GP. Natalie Pinkham is joined by former McLaren driver John Watson and F1 historian and author Roger Smith to preview the Chinese Grand Prix It hasnt been an ideal first two races as a team - weve had two podiums but two non-finishes, and thats not what we want.Obviously there is quite a bit of worrk to be done on that side, but the speed is there.dddddddddddd. Its not in qualifying exactly if you take the last race, but until then it was pretty okay. We just have to improve it and make it even better. When is the Chinese GP on Sky? All the broadcast times you need for this weekends exclusively live race. Having seemingly cut Mercedes pace advantage, Raikkonen says the car has improved in all areas and they now have to push the development even further.The engine has improved, the car itself, and its still not as good as we want it to be, but it is definitely a good car and we go from there, the Finn added.Ferraris chances of challenging Mercedes in Bahrain have been boosted by the news Lewis Hamilton - the pole-setter in Australia and Bahrain and winner of the last two Chinese GPs - will start no higher than sixth in Shanghai this weekend after a gearbox change penalty. The potential for a more unpredictable weekend has also been heightened by the fact rain is forecast for Saturdays qualifying day. However, the famously phlegmatic Raikkonen said: We have had quite often here some rain, so its nothing new. We had it in Australia.Get Sky F1: Every race liveIf it rains in qualifying and practice it changes the game a little bit, but I dont think it will affect the final result an awful lot. It will be more exciting, more difficult, but we will see how it pans out.Watch the Chinese GP weekend - LIVE ONLY on Sky Sports F1. The race starts at 7am on Sunday, with build-up underway from 5.30am. Or watch without a contract for £6.99 on NOW TV. Also See:Merc: More to come from FerrariChinese GP talking points ' ' '