Top 10 reasons to watch Scrappers

Now that the high school sports season has quieted and the LPGA tournament has passed, we can finally focus on what's been on everyone's mind for the past few months.
Saturday's NHL draft.
Is Eric Staal the real deal? Will the Penguins take Nikolai Zherdev? Can Ryan Kesler's stock drop any further?
Wait! I'm just kidding! Please don't stop reading. Please, please, please.
This column is not about the NHL draft. I don't know anything about the NHL draft. Half of you have never even heard of the NHL draft.
I mention it only because there is absolutely NOTHING going on in the world of sports this week. If this week gets any worse, they'll have to rename it "Matt Lawton."
But many of you still need a sports fix -- or, at the very least, a reason to get out of mowing the lawn.
Well, fear not. I've got the solution -- a Mahoning Valley Scrappers game. In case you haven't noticed, tonight is the home opener against the dreaded Auburn Doubledays, who pretty much cost the Scrappers the playoffs last year.
"Wait, Joe. Before I spend my hard-earned money -- and my Friday night -- on a minor league baseball game, I'm going to need more than one flimsy reason."
How about 10 flimsy reasons?
"That's better."
The list
1. Because there is absolutely nothing going on in the world of sports this week.
"What about NASCAR?"
Please, only real questions.
2. Because they're having fireworks (sponsored by Antone's), an MLB Home Run Derby trip giveaway (sponsored by Century 21) and U.S. Army recruiting night (sponsored by Fox News).
3. Because you no longer need to drive all the way to Cleveland or Pittsburgh just to get some minor leaguers and an overpriced hot dog.
4. Because you might see Scrappers promotions director Jim Riley, which will give you an opportunity to remind him that I STILL haven't received the Bernie Kosar bobblehead doll that he promised me last summer.
5. Because I can't go. I'm stuck in the office tonight.
6. Because today's weather forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. Which means it will rain.
7. Because it will give you a chance to teach your son (or daughter) how to keep score. Groundout to shortstop? Mark down 6-3. Strikeout swinging? Mark down a K. Passed ball when the bases are loaded? Simple, give him a run and move everyone up. "Dad, does the batter get credit for an RBI?" Um, well, hey look kids -- it's Scrappy!
8. Because where else can you get an autograph from a future Indians player in Northeast Ohio? (Besides Lake County or Akron, I mean.) And what could get be better than an autograph from the prestigious Honeudis Pereyra, the immortal Kevin Kouzmanoff or the illustrious Josh Noviskey?
9. Because it's cheap. Tickets range from $6-8 and pretty much every seat in Cafaro Field is good. Including the ones in the press box, where, if they're happy with us, we get free hot dogs and cans of pop. If they're not happy with us, we get pizza. (If you don't know what I mean by this, you haven't had their pizza.)
10. Because after you've watched the game, kept score and stayed for the fireworks, you can buy a copy of this paper and relive the memories.
"Do any other newspapers cover the Scrappers?"
Nope. We're the only one. Promise.
"Are you lying?"
Absolutely not. It's against the rules. As Tom Hanks famously said in "A League of their Own" -- There's no lying in baseball.
XJoe Scalzo is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at scalzo@vindy.com.