Hope springs eternal at Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, with the WooSox' home opener set for next month and Major League Baseball still in a lockout.
"Once again, old owners are ruining baseball with outdated ideas," one Worcester man said.
Right now, the big leagues are on hold with owners and players arguing over everything from money to the rules of the game.
Minor league teams like the Worcester Red Sox can take the field, but they won't be permitted to use players from 40-man rosters in the majors.
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"We'll have a very competitive team. I think fans will really enjoy, including the number one prospect in the Red Sox organization, first baseman Triston Casas," said WooSox VP Bill Wanless.
Last season was the inaugural year for the WooSox in Worcester, a boost to local businesses. Some of them are expecting more of the same because of the lockout.
"It's baseball season, and you want to get out, and whether you have to drive a little longer to see the WooSox, I think that we're definitely going to have sold out games," said Albie Alvarez-Cote of the restaurant Che Empanada.
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The AAA affiliate is still adding to its own lineup with the signing of David Littlefield, better known as The Sausage Guy. He's expanding his well-known sausage carts from Fenway to Polar Park as the labor dispute simmers.
"Good value, with the great play, the whole nine yards," Littlefield said. "I think that's what happened here last year and what's going to happen here this year, even more so because of the strike."
The home opener for the Woo Sox is April 12.
