American Association Sunday Insider- 2025 season is looming

 Guys, first of all. welcome to a new blog address. I think this will make blogs easier to navigate. Instead of having to fish through Townball game stories, this blog will solely be American Association Baseball coverage. 

To be honest, I didn't think there would be a 2025 season for me. It's been a tough off season. Getting the news right after Christmas that my long time colleague Rob Pannier was moving on from This Week in the Association was a tough blow. Although the job promotion Rob got that necessitated the news was great to hear, selfishly it was a tough blow. Pannier was the straw that stirred the drink, I just provided some entertainment. As of now the show would be what I call in dormancy. I've had a couple of feelers from a couple of broadcasters in the league to keep the show going, I can't in good conscience have them take their only night off each week of the season to record a show. If anyone else out there wants to put the time and effort to do a weekly podcast covering the American Association, I welcome you and would support your efforts. Pannier and I never did the show for our own egos, we did it to give back to the league that we believe in so much. Not to sound bitter, but we had our share of critics, so here's your chance to do better than what we did. 

Right around the Miles Wolff Cup finals last season, I found out that my father was suffering from dementia. I know there is no good way to spend the last days of your life, but to still be living and not know your address, remember who your family is, not know that you've lived somewhere for the last 20 years is a horrible way to go. Although I wasn't really close to my Father, I always had seen him as being indestructible. I have a friend whose mother is also suffering from dementia. He describes it as feeling like they are already dead as they're not the same person anymore. Dad was admitted to a dementia unit at a local nursing home as he was consistently wander his neighborhood aimlessly. Fast forward to early March and he didn't want to take any of the medications that he needed for his heart, kidneys, and diabetes. Without any of the medications, it didn't take long and he passed away on March 14. He left behind a trailer that is going to require a lot of TLC in order to be able to sell. He also left behind my brother who was very close to him, he was pretty much his care taker in the end. Not having either of my parents around anymore has been a tough adjustment. And frankly it has zapped me of motivation to do many of the things that keep me going, including this blog. 

I did the eulogy at Dad's funeral. It was a scripted one, at the request of the church. The funeral director knew of my baseball writing, so I said I could whip something up. The night before the funeral I was watching Shoresy. At the end of the season finale, there was a line that hit me, "When you don't know where to go, go where you're needed". I added that to the end of the eulogy stating that my Dad needed to be back with his brothers and sister in heaven.

Tonight, I got a message. I don't want to say who it was from, but it said, "I'm going to miss the Sunday Insider this season, we need you". That hit me like a ton of bricks and it once again got me thinking as I've felt lost heading into baseball season, "when you don't know where to go, go where you needed". So here I am, I don't know if you'll see me out and about like I have in seasons past due to commitments at home, but the weekly Sunday Insider and nightly summaries will be the goal for the 2025 season.

That being said, from what I've been following during the off season and into the preseason, it seems like the theme with many teams in building their teams, is running it back from the 2024 season. 

Miles Wolff Cup champion Kane County currently has 15 players from last season on their preseason roster. A noticeable exception is Cornelius Randolph. Randolph was such a steady player for the Cougars for several years and will be missed. I also noticed Greg Mahle who I enjoyed watching pitch last Summer and the last original Cougar pitcher remaining, Jack Fox is not on the roster.

Chicago brings back 13 players from last season, and is set to have one of the best defensive outfields with Reggie Pruitt Jr. joining Johnni Turbo in the Dogs outfield. Matt Passarelle gets his first chance to manage in the American Association after being a batting coach most recently for Kane County and Sioux City before that. Passarelle becomes the third manager in three years for the Dogs. 

Cleburne only returns four players from a really good team in 2024 that fell short in the playoffs after winning the East Division easily. The signing that resonated throughout the league was Kyle Martin, former Goldeyes slugger joining the fold. Shed Long Jr. is the biggest name that returns from 2024. It's a new cast in Cleburne, but Pete Incaviglia has shown his eye for talent in his debut last season with the Roaders.

Gary SouthShore, who finished in last place by a large margin last year, returns 15 players who played for the RailCats at some time in the 2024 season. It would've been easy for Manager Lamarr Rogers to clean house after a tough season, but he must see something he likes in the guys that he's bringing back. Sometimes we see it in minor league and college sports that teams that struggle together, eventually grow together and improve as they gain experience. 

Lake Country tasted the postseason for the first time last season. A great regular season finish was short circuited by shut down Kane County pitching. The DockHounds return 12 players who helped get them to the playoffs. Unfortunately none of them are Curtis Terry or Ryan Hernandez. The roster only boasts two veterans. It'll be vital for the returning players to set the winning tone.

Milwaukee was on the outside looking in for the postseason for the first time in Anthony Barone's managerial  career in Franklin. In spite of that, Barone brings back 11 players from last year's club. But Barone did make two big splashes in strengthening his outfield by signing former Kansas City Monarch Micker Adolfo and former Sioux City Explorer Scott Ota. It seemed like the roster was a revolving door last year, especially with the pitching as Barone tried to find a spark. It will be imperative for the guys coming in to make an immediate splash.

Fargo-Moorhead fell to their rival to the north, the Winnipeg Goldeyes, in the West Division Finals. Chris Coste brings back 14 players back from the 2024 team. For the first time in three years, Tyler Grauer, the anchor of the pitching staff will not be part of the club. Colton Davis emerged as an incumbent ace however. The RedHawks will hope from a bounce back year from Greg Minier and also have Tyler Jandron coming in to be pieces of the staff. A full season of health from Dillon Thomas and Juan Fernandez will make this a dangerous club.

Kansas City could have made a ton of money on current programs (maybe they do sell them, haven't been there in a while). As the Monarchs went into a swoon last season, players were coming and going as Manager Joe Calfapietra was not going to accept defeat. But it was not meant to be as the Monarchs/T-Bones organization did not make the post season for the first time since 2017. Only eight players return from 2024 showing that Calfapietra is once again looking for the right mix to get back in title contention.

Lincoln was out of the post season for the second year in a row in 2024. Manager Brett Jodie only brought back eight players from last season. Jodie raised some eyebrows with the signing of former Major Leaguer Jair Jurrgens. Jurrgens however turned 39 in January and hasn't been in the Major Leauges since 2014. Nebraskan and 2024 New York Met Jake Diekman was also signed and is also on his back nine at the age of 38. Jodie hopes both have something to give on the mound and mentoring the rest of the Saltdogs staff.

Sioux City returns 11 players from a team that made headlines last year. Between the bus fire, a 45 year old J.D. Scholten finding the fountain of youth, and the Explorers making a run that helped them pass Kansas City into the post season, you cannot say the Explorers were boring. 12 players return to the Explorers, but two of the notable absences are those of Scott Ota and John Nogowski. There has been an influx of players from the Pioneer League for position players. Closer Kyle Marman will be returning as a starting pitcher, so the closer's job is up for grabs.

Sioux Falls seems to be using the same system that was the talk of the league in 2024, bringing 15 players back from last season to try to run it back again. But two guys that will not be back will be staff ace Ty Culbreth, and closer Charlie Hasty. The Canaries are looking for Tanner Brown and or Seth Miller to become that staff ace. There are plenty of returning candidates in the bullpen to close out games with newcomer Eston Stull being the X factor. 

Winnipeg was the surprise of the league last season. After fininshing last in 2023, the Goldeyes under Logan Watkins leadership fell short of the Miles Wolff Cup, going into it as favorites. 13 players return from 2024, but two recent events have left a potential hole in the lineup. The San Francisco Giants signed Dayson Croes and staff ace Joey Matulovich announced his retirement. In spite of that, there is no reason for Goldeyes fans to feel down. Mitch Lambson and Landon Bourassa will be back to anchor the staff. Tasker Strobel could an answer in the rotation or the bullpen. A big signing for Winnipeg was the former Kansas City Monarch Jacob Robson. I'm interested to see if Evan Alexander can have a bounce back season after splitting the season between Fargo-Moorhead and the Goldeyes. 

So, we'll start getting answers on Thursday night. The weather has been terrible for getting games played in the Midwest. Here's hoping the baseball gods (lower case) are looking forward to the season as much as I am. Play Ball!!!