American Association Sunday Insider: West Division mid season report card

 The mid season point is approaching soon. Teams will be at the 50 game mark in a little more than a week. It's a good time to see what has worked and what hasn't gone as well for the teams in the American Association. This week we'll break down the West Division, next Sunday we look at the East. We'll go in the order of the standings as of June 20.

Sioux City Explorers 25-14

What's worked: The move of former bullpen pieces Kyle Marman and Zach Willeman raised some eyebrows. It has worked fabulously as Willeman has won four games to go with a 2.34 ERA and Marman has two wins and a 2.95 ERA. With the great start for Jake Wetherbee and Austin Drury, the Explorers have a real deep rotation. It left a question as to who would be the closer but Felix Cepeda has filled in nicely with 10 saves and 1.68 ERA. Henry George has been a surprise hitting .330. The former UMD Bulldog has a .449 on base percentage.

What has not worked: It was something that caught the eyes of us veteran observers when the transactions were coming across. The Explorers went to the Pioneer League to build their offense. It has worked in some cases, like the aforementioned George and Josh Day. But there have been some games that have gotten away from the Explorers as some of the inexperienced players have not been able to come through in situations late in the game. Armando Alvarez could've been the boost the Explorers bats needed but he retired after four games. 

Next week we head to the East. Just a reminder that you can find nightly recaps for most every night of league play on this very website. Also you can catch me with Dan Vaughan on KSCJ on the Sioux City Explorers pregame show every Thursday night. 

Kansas City Monarchs 23-13

What has worked: The Monarchs came into the season feeling like a point was to be made that 2024 was a fluke. They proving it thus far. Isiah Gilliam was a threat to the Triple Crown with 10 home runs in 28 games with 31 runs batted in to go with a .389 batting average more on that later. Another returnee Josh Bissonette has raised his batting average up .078 from last season. Robbie Glendinning has been a great pickup hitting .306 with eight home runs and 31 runs batted in. The biggest pickup may end up being John Nogowski. After not being able to come to terms with the Sioux City Explorers, Nogowski has joined the Monarchs, hitting .400 in 15 games and hitting his first home run on Saturday night.

What hasn't worked: The Mexican League and MLB teams have taken notice with Gilliam heading to the Mexican League along with closer Tyler McKay. Josh Bortka signed with Minnesota after pitching one game. Pitcher Jake Brentz signed with the Cubs and infielder Peyton Holt signed with the Reds. Sean Rackoski who was the closer with Sioux City in 2023 was released after three outings. 

Sioux Falls Canaries 22-17

What's worked: It's not the Canaries team you were getting used to the last couple of seasons with speedsters like Wyatt Ulrich at the top of the lineup. It's a lineup that is more likely to use the Earl Weaver like strategy of the three run home run. To put it in perspective, Jabari Henry and Mike Hart have both hit out of the lead off spot. Josh Rehwaldt has been other worldly thus far with a .387 average with 12 home runs and 39 runs batted in. Calvin Estrada has been a relevation in his first year with the Birds hitting ,361 with eight home runs and 37 runs batted in and is the only Canary with double digit stolen bases with 13. Travis Dorminy and Travis Brown have been a solid 1-2 combo in the rotation. Christian Cosby has 16.2 scoreless innings to start the season and has saved two games.

What hasn't worked: After Dorminy and Brown, the rotation falls quickly with no other Canaries starter with an ERA lower than five runs. Pitching coach and starter Ryan Zimmerman was released for a while after a start that featured a 20.50 ERA. Zimmerman was re signed and had some success in the bullpen before a rough outing in Winnipeg last week. Trevor Achenbach a 2024 All Star has got off to a slow start at the plate hitting .182 in 110 at bats. Longtime American Association outfielder and the final Wichita Wingnut that is an active player Hunter Clanin was released after batting .176 in 102 at bats.

Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 19-20

What has worked: Juan Fernandez has stayed healthy this season and it has paid dividends as Fernandez is batting .342 with 20 runs batted in to lead the RedHawks. Dillon Thomas was also a player that spent large chunks of 2024 out of the lineup but has been a regular thus far in 2025 with a .321 batting average and four home runs. The combination of Alex DuBord (now in the Mexican League), Parker Harm and Garrett Alexander has combined to allow 6 earned run in 52 innings of work out of the Hawks bullpen. Kyle Crigger has emerged as the ace of the staff going 5-2 with a 2.28 ERA. 

What hasn't worked: The RedHawks have lacked their usual offensive fireworks. As a team they have only hit .239, with only 23 home runs as a team. One of the expected offensive threats Marcus Chiu was traded after getting off to a .193 start at the plate with one home run in 93 at bats. Colten Davis who won seven games in each of the last two season, has an 0-6 record to go with a 7.21 ERA. Davis has been moved to the bullpen and picked up a save on Thursday 

Winnipeg Goldeyes 17-20

What has worked: Landen Bourassa in his fourth full season in Winnipeg is off to the best start of his career with a 4-3 record to go with a 3.14 ERA. Max Murphy has put to rest the doubters from the first half of his 2024 season with a .326 average to go with a team leading eight home runs and 27 runs batted in. 

What hasn't worked: Evan Alexander, hoping to bounce back from a subpar 2024 never got on track batting .162 in 68 at bats and had a drop in left field in Kane County that cost the Goldeyes a game. The Goldeyes are batting .239 as a team and have averaged just over four runs scored a game. Outside of Bourassa there is no Goldeyes starting pitchers with an ERA under 4.50. The Goldeyes bullpen as a team has saved five games. 

Lincoln Saltdogs 18-22

What has worked: After a disappointing 2024 season, Drew DeVine has come back from Mexico and helped bring the Saltdogs back in the West Division race. DeVine is hitting .323 in 20 games with two home runs and 11 runs batted in. Danny Bautista Jr. has been around from the start and has been the most consistent performer in the Saltdogs lineup hitting .307 with three home runs and 17 runs batted in. Johnny Ray has had in an interesting season 1-1 in five starts, the longest being 5.2 innings, but has a 1.26 ERA. 

What hasn't worked: Coming into the season the Saltdogs made a splash with the signings of MLB veterans Jair Jurrjens and Jake Diekman. Jurrjens was the opening night starter and lasted 1.2 innings and allowing eight runs. Diekman threw three times out of the bullpen before announcing his retirement. Karan Patel was also expected to be an integral part of the rotation but has gone 1-3 with a 9.46 ERA. Patel has shuffled between the bullpen and the rotation lately.