American Association Sunday Insider: Radio dazed

 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 Network, a 19-12 Twins win on a day where Rod Carew broke the .400 mark for the season. It was a sold out Met Stadium. The crowd was so large they had to delay the game to give fans driving in a chance to make it to the park on time. WCCO gave listeners in their cars stuck in Met Stadium traffic updates. 

Listening to Herb Carneal and Frank Quilici that day, they were able to paint the picture where you could envision what it was like to be at Met Stadium 48 years ago. Then it hit me. When you are unburdened from having to have everything that happens on the field sponsored, you don't have to worry about getting all your spots in and you can become more of a story teller. 

There were station breaks every half hour. They went back to the WCCO studios where they would tell you the time and the temperature. The studio didn't have a sponsor, neither did the temperature. I can imagine people throughout the Midwest tuned into the game while enjoying a hot June Sunday afternoon.

I have to be honest though, I haven't been able to make it through the entire broadcast on YouTube. I usually start it around bed time and it relaxes me to where I can go to sleep, much as I did as a kid with my transmitter radio close to my bed.

Another game that I discovered on YouTube was a Twins game from 1986 at the Metrodome. I could hear Wally the Beerman in the background working the expensive seats selling beer. Wally as much as the crowd noise made the listening experience nostalgic. I don't think we get enough of that in baseball today. There are the playoffs in MLB where the excitement gets ramped up, but in the AAPB, I'd like to be able to hear the crowd tell the story of the game along with the broadcaster.

Ironically I did find a game that featured Lorn Brown who called several St. Paul Saints games on TV in the 1996 season. Brown was very basic in his call, but he needed to be to average out his colleagues that would come in during the middle of the game, Jimmy Piersall and Harry Caray.

It's kind of like the mix we currently have in the league right now. We have broadcasters for every taste. Whether it'd be one that will tell stories, give collegiate resumes on players, or get deep into stats, there is broadcasters for every taste. I only wish it didn't come with a slew of ad spots, but that's just me shaking my fists at the clouds. 

Powered by Carbliss

There's definitely no mistaking the promotion of Carbliss. Carbliss if you haven't had them, are vodka and tequila cocktails that have taken off very well in the markets in the Midwest. I would argue that they are better than High Noon. With signage on all the backstops, batting helmets and even the league webstie, you can't help but to notice the branding. 

Powered by #24 in Sioux City

On opening night in Geneva runs were at a premium. The first run scored came off the bat of Explorers' Torin Montgomery. I found the irony of that immediately as Montgomery was wearing the #24 jersey worn last season by John Nogowski. The Explorers came out with a new black jersey that I have to say looks just as sharp as the red jerseys that debuted last season. 

Powered by new turf?

I think the new turf at Legends Field has nothing to do with it, but it's a coincidence that the Kansas City Monarchs bats have got off to a great start on their new playing surface. Winning 8-1 on Friday night and up 8-0 early on Saturday night as I'm writing this, maybe there's something to that every other year theory in Kansas City. The T-Bones/Monarch organization have won championships in 2018, didn't play in 2020, won in 2021 and 2023. Could this be the year again for the Monarchs?

Powered by youth

I think a dynamic that could be a theme this season is the influx of players from the Pioneer League. We know that being young, they'll have the athleticism to compete, the real question is however, how will their stats in a league played in high elevation areas relate to playing in the Midwest?