American Association Baseball Insider

This is going to be a bare bones recap kind of night. I went to a Northwoods League game in Mankato tonight. The weather was too nice to stay home and sit inside watching AA Baseball TV. Maybe I should have however as I ended up sitting through a three and a half hour marathon of not so well played baseball. Please powers that be in the American Association and get the deal done to get an expansion team in Blaine. I don't know how much longer I can take not having American Association Baseball in Minnesota. Gary SouthShore 3 Chicago 2 A single by Jose Contreras in the last of the ninth won the game for the RailCats, ending the Dogs five game winning streak. A strong start by the Dog's Brady Miller went unrewarded as he went seven innings allowing only two first inning runs on a two run Joe Suozzi home run. 2744 saw the home team won at a chilly US Steel Yard. Winnipeg 7 Lake Country 2 A Max Murphy grand slam was the difference as the Goldeyes utilized a five run fifth inning to...

 It was an action packed night of baseball in the American Association. However I was at a three hour marathon of a Townball Game myself of which I still have to write a gamer for, so tonight will be more bare bones than Manute Bol. Kane County 3 Lincoln 1 Westin Muir threw five innings allowing only an unearned run. All the run support came in the first two innings, highlighted by a Claudio Finol home run. Milwaukee 8 Fargo Moorhead 7 The Redhawks jumped out to a 6-2 lead but the Milkmen were not to be deterred, scoring six unanswered runs to hold on to a one run win. Lake Country 5 Winnipeg 1 Three runs in the fifth inning proved decisive as the DockHounds won their first game in the last three. Ray Zuberer III hit a two run home run as part of the fifth inning rally. Kansas City 6 Sioux Falls 2 The Monarchs got back in the win column scoring six runs in the first three innings and making it stick for a win at Legends Field. Chicago 2 Gary SouthShore 0 John Baker threw 6.2 shutou...

 In what was a record breaking night, it was a night for nailbiters throughout the American Association. Kane County 2 Winnipeg 1 (10 innings) For nine innings, it was all about the pitching. Cougars starter Konnor Ash was brilliant once again throwing seven shutout innings. Ash's counterpart Jesse Galindo was just as good with six shutout innings of his own. All heck broke loose in the 10th. With the runner at 2nd base to begin the inning, Jacob Robson dropped a bunt that was thrown away landing Robson at third. With one out, Robson attemepted to score on a fly ball to right but was thrown out by Robby Martin Jr. to keep the game within reach. The Cougars got their 2nd base runner thrown out at home trying to score from third on a grounder. Martin Jr. was the next batter. He lofted a fly ball to left field to end the.....not so fast, the ball popped out of Evan Alexander's glove. Todd Lott smoked a two run double and the Cougars won in walk off fashion in front of 2175 . Clebu...

 If you had the day off on Wednesday, you could've been entertained from 11:30 in the morning till 10:30 at night. Winnipeg 3 Kane County 2 (Game 1) Both teams exchanged two runs innings in the fourth inning. The difference in the game was a two base error as Todd Lott missed a Galli Cribbs Jr. throw in the seventh allowing Andy Armstrong to reach second base in the top of the seventh. Armstrong would score on a Ramon Bramasco single with two outs to plate the winning run. Kane County 8 Winnipeg 5 (Game 2) The Cougars rallied with seven unanswered runs after being down 3-0 and never looked back to gain a split of the doubleheader. Don't look now but Andy Armstrong, known as having an OK bat but great glove, is now hitting .354 after a 2-2 day at the plate in Game two. His slick fielding shortstop counterpart Galli Cribbs Jr. did even better with a 3-3 day. 5333 saw the doubleheader at Northwestern Medicine Field. Chicago 8 Milwaukee 3 In  another matinee tilt, the Dogs broke a...

 Five games in four cities on the last Tuesday night in May. Lake Country 9 Lincoln 7 (Game 1) Things looked early for the Saltdogs. Seven runs in the first two innings staked the Saltdogs to a four run lead. Highlighting those seven runs was a three run Spencer Henson home run. But the DockHounds chipped away and eventually took the lead in the seventh inning. The sixth inning was the only inning that the DockHounds did not score. Demitrius Sims had a two run home run in the second inning, Brian Rey hit a solo shot in the third. Daunte Stuarts solo home run in the fifth tied the game. Rey would later drive in the decisive runs with a two run single in the seventh. Lincoln 1 Lake Country 0 (Game 2) The Saltdogs gained a split of the doubleheader, Nate Blain hurling the five hit shutout in spite of only striking out one batter. The only offense of the game came off the bat of Griffin Everitt, a solo home run in the fifth inning. 2559 were on hand to see it at Haymarket Park.  C...

 Because of a rainout in Lincoln, it ended up being a two game Memorial Day on Monday. I hope everyone took time to remember the vets who served and sacrificed defending our country to give us the freedoms we enjoy today.  Milwaukee 7 Sioux Falls 3 The Canaries cannot get out of Wisconsin fast enough. With the loss today, the Canaries ended a 2-5 trip to Lake Country and Milwaukee. The Milkmen jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, highlighted by a two run Jailyn Davis double. The Canaries had the lead cut down to 3-2, but the Milkmen scored three more, thanks in part to a Chase Estep two run double. Glenn Santiago drove in the other three Milkmen runs as part of a 2-4 effort. Fargo Moorhead 3 Gary SouthShore 2 In a workmanlike effort by the RedHawks, they scored a run in the fourth and two in the fifth. That was all Tyler Jandron needed as he was lights out, striking out 10, allowing a run on five hits in 6.1 innings pitched. Alex DuBord picked up his eighth save. Marshall Sc...

 A full six game slate on Sunday afternoon into early Sunday evening in the American Association. Let's take a whiparound (too soon?) at the action. Milwaukee 4 Sioux Falls 3 The tone may have been set for the Canaries in the first when they loaded the bases with nobody out and could not cash in. In the second inning the Milkmen cashed in with a RBI single by Willie Escala followed by a two run single by Chase Estep. Erik Ostberg led off the Milkmen third with a solo home run. Sioux Falls chipped away at the lead, highlighted by a Jabari Henry home run in the sixth that ties him with Reggie Abercrombie for the all time lead in American Association home runs. But the Birds fell a run short in front of 977 at Franklin Field. Gary SouthShore 7 Winnipeg 3 The Railcats got their first series victory of the season defeating Winnipeg in front of 2645 at Blue Cross Park. It may have tough for the Goldeyes to win today as Pointstreak only listed a batting order of six Goldeyes. The Railcats...

 Back in the days of This Week in the Association, Rob Pannier and I would go around the league highlighting players making an impact. Although I'm sure Pannier didn't ask me and put me on the spot every week, it seemed like it. His go to line would be, "why isn't he in affiliate ball". As a paid beer peddler in Southern Minnesota, I had no idea exactly why a certain player wasn't playing in MiLB. I would wing it and try to make it sound convincing with mixed results. What I can say is, what scouts are looking for is not based on who is sitting on top of the leader board in the hitting and pitching categories. More often than not they're signing players based on the needs of the teams they are scouting, not who's leading the lead in hitting. A 30 year old slugger in the American Association likely winds up lost in the mix if they are signed. There are so many what I call AAAA players, players not good enough for MLB, but dominant in AAA. That 30 year o...

 Watch the game change, watch the game change, watch the game change. The overplayed American Association commercials are already producing ear worms. It was Saturday night baseball throughout the Association with five games and a double header played in cool but dry weather in the Upper Midwest. Chicago 8 Lincoln 1 The Dogs rode a three run fifth inning and a four run seventh inning to a decisive 8-1 victory in front of 3991 at Impact Field on Saturday night. Three run home runs from Dusty Stroup and Alex McGarry did the bulk of the damage. Brady Miller threw seven shutout innings for the Dogs to earn the win. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi Sioux Falls 3 Milwaukee 2 The Milkmen threatended to walk off the Canaries, loading the bases in spite of just one ball leaving the infield. But Brady Stover struck out Carlos Amaya, and got Andy Blake to ground out to save the game. Peter Zimmerman and Ernny Ordonez homered for the Canaries. 1426 were on hand at the Shrine to Bovine...

 I was covering an amateur baseball game on yet another chilly Minnesota night, so I didn't watch any of the league games live so this will be a bare bones recap for tonight.  Milwaukee 9 Sioux Falls 4 Jabari Henry homered for the Canaries and is now within one home run of tying Reggie Abercrombie's all time home run record. But that was the lone highlight for the Canaries as the Milkmen scored nine runs between the second and fourth innings to win in front of 978 at Franklin Field, Jefry Marte had a big night for the Milkmen as he homered twice and drove in four runs in the win.  Chicago 6 Lincoln 1 John Baker allowed a run on three hits and struck out nine as the Dogs defeated Lincoln 6-1 in front of 3827 at Impact Field. Brantley Bell homered as part of a three hit night as the Dogs made the most of the seven hits overall in the victory. Kansas City 9 Lake Country 4 You can't win very often in Vegas with a pair of fours, but you can win lots of ballgames that way. The ...

 It was getaway day for the American Association as all 12 teams were in action wrapping up their series, getting ready for the big Memorial Day weekend. Lake Country 1 Sioux Falls 0 Game 1 (8 innings) The first game of the day was a school kids special at Kamp Oconomowoc. Tanner Brown for the Canaries and Jacob Nix of the DockHounds both threw seven shutout innings with Brown allowing just one hit. The Canaries left the bases loaded in the eighth but the DockHounds cashed in on their ghost runner, advancing him to third on a sac bunt then scoring on a Nicholas Northcut single. The Dockhounds won in spite of having as many hits as a Vanilla Ice concert.  Sioux Falls 2 Lake Country 0 The Canaries turned the tables on the DockHounds in game two in shutout fashion behind a complete game shutout by Thomas Dorminy. Dorminy has now thrown 14 shutout innings in a row against two good hitting teams in Chicago and Lake Country. DockHounds pitching combined to give up only one earned ru...

 In what we've become accustomed to in late May, cold damp weather, the American Association chugged along with six games in five ballparks. Sioux Falls at Lake Country PPD They'll try to play two at Kamp Oconomowoc on Thursday.  Cleburne 3 Kane County 2 In another morning game, the Railroaders once again defeated the Cougars, taking a 3-1 lead after two innings and making it stick. Blair Henley went the distance for the Railroaders and sent the crowd of 1207 home early in a game that clocked in at just over two hours. Winnipeg 11 Milwaukee 6 The Goldeyes put up all their runs in the first four innings highlighted by a seven run third inning as they defeated Milwaukee in front of 1599 at Blue Cross Park. Mitchell Lambson goes to 2-0 giving up a pair of runs in six innings of work. Lincoln 7 Kansas City 3 Down 3-2 in the home half of the fourth inning, the Saltdogs scored four and shut down the Monarchs the rest of the way. Kyle Battle connected for his third home run in two da...

 It was a five game day/night in the American Association. Two games were contested in front of primarily school children while three night games and one rainout were part of the evening festivities. Chicago vs. Fargo Moorhead PPD Cleburne 3 Kane County 1 Kind of curious as to why Kane County would play a morning game in Cleburne right away after making the long trip down, but I don't write the schedule and I usually get a talking to when I criticize it. Cleburne took a 2-0 lead on a two run single by Lamar Sparks. A Todd Lott single got the Cougars within one in the sixth inning but the Railroaders got their two run cushion back in the seventh on a Shed Long home run. Six Railroaders pitchers combine to allow one run on five hits while striking out 11 in the victory. A real good crowd of 2254 saw it at La Moderna Field.  Kansas City 16 Lincoln 12 In Big 8 football action, a touchdown gave the Jayhawks enough breathing room in a conference matchup against the Cornhuskers. The ...

 It was all matinee tilts as we saw six games across the American Association as we already near the 10% mark of the season. I was covering the local Townball team today so this may be a pretty basic league recap for today. Kane County 5 Milwaukee 1 After losing five games in a row, the Cougars bounced back to win their last two and win their first series of the season, defeating the Milkmen in front of a strong Sunday crowd of 6421 at Northwestern Medicine Field. The Cougars scored single runs in five of the eight innings at bat. Meanwhile Konnor Ash and the Cougars bullpen shut the Milkmen down while striking out 13 batters. For those watching the broadcast today, no I likely not watch all 600 games this season, but I appreciate the shout-out by Conor Clingen.  Lake Country 3 Fargo Moorhead 2 A manufactured run in the last of the seventh inning was the difference as the DockHounds won the game and series on Sunday in front of 1017 at Wisconsin Brewing Company Field. Daunte S...

 News broke on Friday afternoon that current St. Paul Saints infielder Ryan Fitzgerald got the call and will be joining the Minnesota Twins. Fitzgerald began his career in the American Association in 2017 as an infielder with the Gary SouthShore RailCats. His first professional game was played at CHS Field in St. Paul. The Saints noted in their announcement that his first hit came off of Mark Hamburger.  If it was off of Robert Coe, John Straka or Benji Waite, it wouldn't have not likely been even mentioned who Fitzgerald got his first hit against. Upon Fitzgerald's arrival in St. Paul, Sean Aronson told me a story about talking to Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald remembered his first pro hit, remembered it was off Hamburger and asked if he still came around the ballpark.  That right there should tell you about the kind of impact Mark Hamburger had in his three seasons in the league (2013, 2016-17). Hamburger was a pitcher who had Major League like stuff. I remember heading out beh...

 Saturday night's alright for baseball in the American Association as there was seven games in the league due to the doubleheader in Sioux City Kansas City 3 Sioux City 2 Game 1 It was a tight one at Mercy Field at Lewis and Clark Park in game one of the doubleheader. The Explorers were able to scratch out a run against a dominant Julian Garcia ( 6 IP, 1 ER, 11 K). But the Monarchs took the lead for good when Robbie Glendinning was able to get a ball through a drawn in infield to score two runs. The Monarchs added one in the ninth and it loomed large as the Explorers scored once and had the bases loaded in the seventh but Jake Brentz came in and struck out two and induced a fly out to lock down the game. Sioux City 1 Kansas City 0 As is tradition with doubleheaders, the second game followed the first game. This one was all about the pitchers as Sioux City's Jared Wetherbee and Kansas City's Ashton Gaudeau matched zeros throughout. Jeremy Goins took over in the seventh for t...

 It was a five game set in the American Association. Kansas City at Sioux City was rained out, a doubleheader will be played tomorrow. With the windy conditions throughout the Midwest, it was a wild night of scoring throughout the league. Milwaukee 11 Kane County 4 It looked promising early for the struggling Cougars as they lead 3-2 after two innings. The visiting Milkmen however put up three in the fifth and seventh innings to take the lead and pull away from the Cougars in front of 4921 at Northwestern Medicine Field. Micker Adolfo went 2-5 with three runs batted in. Scott Ota went 4-5 with 4 runs driven in to pace the Milkmen attack. Lake Country 4 Fargo Moorhead 3 In an emotional day for the RedHawks and for a lot of us on the media side in the American Association, Lake Country rallied late on a two run home run by Luis Aviles to defeat the RedHawks in front of 1828 at Wisconsin Brewing Company Park. Legendary broadcaster Jack Michaels found out his mother Marge passed away e...

 It was a four game slate for the American Association on getaway day as Kane County and Fargo Moorhead had the night off and the first rainout occurred as Milwaukee vs. Lake Country got washed out.  Sioux Falls 10 Lincoln 2 The Canaries bounced back at home in a rainy matinee day on Thursday. They jumped on Lincoln for three runs in the first inning and never looked back. Jabari Henry hit a solo home run to get within four of the all time home run record and Hunter Clanin had a two run shot to give the Canaries their first inning runs. Calvin Estrada drove in two runs in the fifth and back to back two run doubles by Jordan Barth  and Scott Combs tacked on four more runs in the sixth. It was more than enough as Tanner Brown allowed only a run on two hits in six innings. 1959 braved the raindrops at the Birdcage. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi. Gary SouthShore 4 Cleburne 3.  The RailCats finally found the win column a one run victory over the Railroaders. Joe Su...

 It was hump day in the AA as an evenly split slate of six games were matinee and night games. Lake Country 7 Milwaukee 4 The DockHounds are off to a 4-1 start after their win over the Milkmen at Franklin Field on Tuesday afternoon in front of 3365 fans. The highlight by far was a three home run game by Brian Rey. A .344 hitter last season in 65 games, Rey is off to another hot start now with five home runs and 11 runs batted in. Five scoreless innings by the DockHounds bullpen allowed the Hounds to pull away. Fargo Moorhead 5 Kane County 4 The Cougars found some offense and held a 4-3 lead at one time this afternoon, but a two run home run by the RedHawks Dillon Thomas put the home club back in the lead, a lead they would not relinquish. A school kid's day special brought out 3983 to Newman Outdoor Field. Photo  courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi Cleburne 5 Gary SouthShore 4 A Shed Long single in the ninth inning put the Railroaders ahead and they would hold on to defeat the Rail...

 Tuesday featured a couple of matinee tilts in Milwaukee and Chicago. Home openers for Gary SouthShore and Sioux Falls. Kansas City and Winnipeg continued their opening homestands. Sioux City 10 Chicago 2 After being hard pressed to score runs in their first four games, the Explorers busted out scoring 10 runs in the first three innings to put away the Dogs early on Tuesday morning with 5236 observers, most of which were school children taking in the game. The Explorers teaching the kids how to count to ten. Seven of the nine Explorers starters had hits and Joey Murray earned the win allowing a run in five innings of work. Lake Country 3 Milwaukee 1 Lake Country wins the first game of the rivalry with the Milkmen for the 2025 season (do we have a series trophy for this yet?). Down 1-0 after five, the Hounds rally for three in the next two innings and hold the lead the rest of the way. Demetrius Sims delivered the big blow with a two run home run in the sixth sending many of the 350...

 This was a very different Monday than I was used to the last several seasons. Usually Monday morning meant waking up, seeing the updated American Association stats for the last week and picking a Minor League Sports Report Pitcher and Hitter of the Week. Then later on Monday doing This Week in the Association with a player guest that Rob Pannier would clue me in at the last possible minute. It was routine, and something I looked forward to every week.  Tonight instead, I joined friends for appetizers at a local bar that has become our tradition during bowling season going into the off season. So I didn't get to see much of the two games tonight.  Chicago 3 Sioux City 2 The Dogs on the strength of a two run home run by Jacob Teter defeated Sioux City 3-2 on Monday night in front of 1230 at Impact Field. John Baker got the win for the Dogs allowing one run in five innings of work. Fargo Moorhead 5 Kane County 2 The RedHawks broke a 2-2 deadlock in the seventh with three ru...

 It was time for me to cover some Townball up here in Minnesota, so I didn't have much time to catch American Association outside of a wild and controversial ending to the game in Kansas City that'll we get to later and tonight's Winnipeg at Cleburne game. Milwaukee 4 Gary SouthShore 0 The Milkmen are the only undefeated team in the East after sweeping the RailCats on Sunday afternoon in front of 1408 at Franklin Field. Matt Givin was givin' up eight hits in five innings for the Milkmen but did not allow a run. Glenn Santiago homered and Carlos Amaya drove in two runs in the winning effort. Fargo Moorhead 9 Sioux Falls 5 In the battle of two American Association veterans, it was Greg Minier getting the best of Ryan Zimmerman. It was a tough 2025 debut for Zimmerman as he allowed nine runs, eight earned, not getting out of the third inning. Minier got through five, allowing a pair of runs. On a day the wind was blowing out the crowd of 2005 saw just two home runs by the ...

 I want to preface this Insider today by saying that I get the direction the business side of the American Association. Baseball, regardless of the level cannot survive alone on gate receipts, concessions and outfield wall advertising. At the league level, the constant addition of new advertisers have helped keep things going in the right direction. It's not going away nor should it, and I realize that every game there are spots to be read to keep this revenue coming. When my Dad passed, I often reflected of afternoons and nights sitting on the front porch listening to Twins Baseball on WCCO. Dad, being someone that was up at five in the morning to work construction in the Twin Cities, wasn't much for driving home, and turning back around to take his sons to a Twins game. So  the meager amount of games on KMSP TV and the radio were my connections to Major League Baseball. I went on YouTube and found old audio baseball broadcasts. There was one produced by the Twins Baseball Ne...