American Association Baseball Insider

Kevin  Luckow (Not a member of IBWAA) The last day of June, the heat is on, and we got All Star Starters named. One editorial comment. I only went 11 of 18 on my All Star picks. It looks like either there is a factor of the ballpark the DockHounds play in, or voters don't follow the team much. I felt a couple guys were slighted in favor of better known players. The DockHound that I did not pick was Ryan Hernandez, knowing he's playing in Mexico. Why he was still voted as a starter puzzled me. I wasn't going to blog tonight. I was real tired from the paying job, but after the games were done tonight, I started streaming Bull Durham, and it got the juices flowing again.   Cleburne 5 Lake Country 4 The Railroaders used a four run fifth inning to erase a 4-1 deficit and showed that it wasn't just a road trip thing. This team is on a roll. A Frankie Tostado double plated two runs in the fifth inning rally. Aaron Mishoulam picked up the win for his third consecutive start, se...

 Kevin Luckow (not a member of IBWAA) I hope everyone enjoyed the Sunday Insider today. It was tough to come up with a team. Some spots, candidates were overflowing, others it was tough to find someone. We'll find out in the next week, just how accurate Bob the Blogger from Bumpkinville picked the squads. Before we get into the Takeaways, I want to apologize for not taking notice of Givoanni DiGiacomo's hitting streak now at 18 games after a hit on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to Aaron Shelan for squeezing that into the video the league posted on their socials this afternoon. I wrapped up a four game stretch on the road on Sunday afternoon, providing color for the Kane County at Sioux Falls game on the Canaries broadcast network. I'm still undecided on going to the All Star Game. I'm having trouble justifying five and half hours of driving each way for one night's action. So, I'm not sure when I'll be on the road again.  Cleburne 5 Milwaukee 4 The Railroaders ma...

Sometimes an Insider topic falls in your lap. Around this time every year I know I can use picking the All Stars to fill a blog, sometimes two. I'm not privy to an All Star ballot as like with most leagues with credibility, the opinions of Bob the Blogger from Bumpkinville are not requested in picking a team. So I may have guys selected in positions in which they are not listed on the league ballot, my apologies in advance. Stats will be through Friday's games.  East Division Catcher- Jaxx Groshans (Chicago). In what has been a widely disappointing first half for the Dogs, Groshans has been a bright spot. Even without having Chance Sisco for protection in the batting order, Groshans has managed to be a force hitting  .305 with 10 home runs and 33 runs batted in and a 413 on base percentage. First base- Griffin Doersching (Milwaukee). Doersching made headlines earlier this season with three home run 10 RBI game. Doersching has become the middle of the lineup force the Milkmen h...

 Saturday night's alright for baseball as we saw seven games throughout the Association. The last games comfortably played before a heat wave is expected to settle over the Midwest. Lincoln 5 Chicago 4 Game 1 of DH (8 innings) Two extra inning walk off wins for the Saltdogs in the last 24 hours with the Chicago Dogs as the victim. The Saltdogs trailed in the seventh to tie the game, and a Cary Arbolida double plated the winning run leading off the eighth inning. Cam Phelts has been an on base machine for the Saltdogs. If he hadn't only played 23 games, I would've gave him consideration for my All Star Team. Phelts went 3-4 raising his batting average to .318 and his on base percentage to .433.  Lincoln 10 Chicago 1 Game 2 The Saltdogs left no doubt in this one scoring eight runs in the first three innings to leave no doubt on this game. Jairo Pomares doubled and homered in driving in four runs for the night. Jacob Hughes threw six shutout innings to pick up the win. The Sal...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Six new series kicked off on Friday night in the American Association. Four of the series feature divisional matchups so sweeps could give us some separation. Lincoln 8 Chicago 7 (11 innings) Two teams currently on the outside looking in are meeting up at Haymarket Park this weekend in the battle of the Dogs, Dogs vs. (Salt)dogs. Lincoln scored a run in the eighth to tie the game at seven then scored the automatic runner in the 11th to walk it off. Jalyn Williams had three hits, a home run and three runs driven in for the Dogs. Nick Shumpert collected three hits and three RBI for the Saltdogs. In a league wide theme for 2026, neither starting pitcher made it through four innings. Lincoln's bullpen shut down the Dogs throwing 7.1 innings allowing one run on five hits, only two hits and no runs after six. The Saltdog's bullpen has been throwing well, it's just getting to it with a lead that is holding back the Saltdogs. Photo courtesy of Br...

 Kevin Luckow (Non membercai of IBWAA) Four of five  games in the American Association on Thursday night with the game in Kansas City between the Monarchs and Sioux Falls Canaries being washed out. Lake Country 9 Milwaukee 4 Ask anyone in Wisconsin and they will tell you that a six pack usual means the start of a good night. The DockHounds put that to use scoring a six pack of runs in the third inning, knocking out Milkmen starter Christian Young. Jack Blomgren and Peter Zimmerman led the attack with three RBI each. Zimmerman will be counted on a lot now by the DockHounds after the news of the day. Triple Crown threat Ryan Hernandez had his contract transferred to the Mexican League. A rare contract transfer of a position player, and a blow to the DockHounds who have already had their pitching staff poached with contract transfers. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi Sioux City 9 Winnipeg 7 In the game I was at tonight, the Explorers struck early for four runs in the first in...

Kevin Luckow (not a member of IBWAA) Three games kicked off before noon, and three under the lights in the Association. Cleburne 8 Chicago 2 The Railroaders broke open a close game with five runs in the last three innings, taking their second in a row from the Dogs. The Roaders hit six doubles. Caleb McNeely drove in and scored a pair of runs. While the Roaders had six doubles for the day. The bullpen locked things down against the Dogs allowing just two hits in the final four innings at a rainy Impact Field. Gary SouthShore 8 Kane County 5 It was bizarro world for the Cougars as the offense after a lengthy rain delay put up five runs, but the usually strong Cougar bullpen was victimized for eight runs in the final three innings. Wasted was a rain delay interrupted six shutout innings outing for Konnor Ash. If Colin Summerhill could face Cougars pitching all the time, he'd be an all star. His three run home run in the seventh tied the game and an infield single drove in another run...

 Kevin Luckow      (non member of IBWAA) Two series continued and four more started on Tuesday night. Let's take a look. Fargo-Moorhead 4 Lincoln 3 After the Saltdogs had a three run eighth to tie the game, it was Jose Sermo providing the dramatics with a home run in the last of the eighth that proved to be the difference as the RedHawks beat the Saltdogs for a second consecutive night. In what is shaping up to be a fun race for the Home Run crown, Sermo's home run was his 13th and puts him one behind Ryan Hernandez for the league lead. Sermo has hits in seven of his last eight games.  Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi Milwaukee 6 Lake Country 4 In a battle of two teams going in the opposite direction, the Milkmen held on to defeat their rivals to the north for the second consecutive night. The Milkmen have now won 10 of 11 and the DockHounds have dropped six in a row. There was no Ryan Hernandez in the DockHounds lineup tonight and it may have cost them the ...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) As convenient as it can be for teams and fans to have a cluster of teams in the greater Chicagoland area, we found out a drawback. The same weather pattern managed to wipe out all three games scheduled near Chicago today, leaving the league with only a three game slate on Father's Day. Lincoln 7 Winnipeg 3 The teams ended a week long two country bromance with the Saltdogs salvaging the final game of the series at Blue Cross Park. Leading 4-3 going into the eighth, the Saltdogs tacked on three runs and never looked back. Foster Pace got into the win column going six innings allowing three runs, one earned.  Milwaukee 6 Kansas City 2 Michael Hallquist, Justin Janas and Andy Blake all collected two hits to lead the Milkmen attack. But today was about Davis Welch. Welch threw seven innings allowing one run on four hits, striking out eight Monarchs. Welch has won his last five starts spanning 32 innings while allowing just four earned runs. The M...

Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA)  The idea of this Insider came to my head on Thursday night as I was watching a game in Cleburne. It was the 750th American Association broadcast for voice of the Railroaders, Brad Allred. The Railroaders produced a video for Allred with numerous colleagues from the past, former players and current players paying tribute to Allred.  It got me to thinking just how important the play by play men are to the teams which they are employed. Teams in the AAPB do not have local newspapers following the teams on the road. Often times it is the play by play guys that may put a game story on their team website that the local newspaper picks up to condense into a tiny part of the newspaper. Not to discount the media relations director who also do gamers with no byline given if the newspaper picks it up.  For myself this goes all the way back to the Northern League. Although St. Paul had great coverage from Mike Augustin (mentioned a few weeks ago in...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Fargo-Moorhead 5 Gary SouthShore 4 The fun story to come out of this game was the return to active baseball for Chris Jacobs. Jacobs, currently the RailCats hitting coach, was activated and went 2-4. It was Jacobs first game since Game Five of the  2019 Miles Wolff Cup West Division Finals when he was with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Yep, I remember that one....  Jacobs homered 17 times and drove in 76 runs in 2019. Can he find that Jabari Henry like magic or is this a fill in gig for the 37 year old. Jose Sermo hit his 12th home run for the RedHawks that proved to be the winning run as it put them up 5-2 at the time.  Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi Kane County 2 Sioux City 1 Little things mean a lot. And tonight it was a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt in the eighth inning that advanced runners for the Cougars to second and third, allowing a sacrifice fly by Charles Mack to bring across the eventual winning run. It was a...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Sioux City 3 Kane County 0 If you were running late tonight and didn't get to Northwestern Medicine Field, you didn't get to see a run score. The Explorers plated three runs in the first two innings before Konnor Ash got in a groove. Ash settled in and gave the Cougars five shutout innings after the second inning. But the story of the night was Josh Landry who went the distance for the X's allowing four hits. Landry won't overpower you, he only struck out two batters, but the Monarchs were kept off balance all night. Steve Montgomery is looking for pitchers to step up, and Landry did just that in winning his first game as a professional. Cleburne 8 Sioux Falls 1 If this game was played on Sesame Street, the game would've been sponsored by the number five. It was five runs in the sixth inning that was the difference as the Railroaders came out on top. Cole Foster doubled two runs in, a part of a three RBI night while Mallex Smith a...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Gary SouthShore and Chicago split a pair of 2-1 games I can remember as a teenager, 1:20 was a very important time of day except on Fridays when it was 3:20, that were the Summer game times when the Chicago Cubs played before there were lights at Wrigley Field. Two Chicagoland teams played a doubleheader with similar starting times, and maybe that is the secret of getting some good pitching as the teams scored a combined six runs in the doubleheader. Peyton Long won his fifth start in a row for the RailCats going the distance. Steven Lacey was the hard luck loser going all six for the Dogs. It took eight innings to get a winner as the Dogs plated the automatic runner and the RailCats failed to do so. Regi Grace Jr. gave the Dogs six innings of one run ball getting a no decision. Austin Eaton threw the last two innings to get the win. Eaton is emerging as a late inning option for the Dogs as he has not allowed a run in seven innings, allowing two ...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Rain ruled the night as half of the games slated for tonight were postponed to be made up as doubleheaders on Thursday. But three did get in the books.  Cleburne 6 Kansas City 4 I believe a few days ago in the Takeaways, I bemoaned how the Railroaders were going to have to show some life before they got buried in the East Division. They have done as such, reeling off two wins versus the West leading Monarchs. Delino DeShields Jr. who had been in a funk the first quarter of the season, collected three hits and Frankie Tostado collected three RBIs for the second consecutive game in a row. Aaron Mishoulan picked up the win only allowing three runs in 5.2 innings. Lincoln 8 Winnipeg 3 The Saltdogs after a horrid start at Haymarket Park are showing some domination in their own yard. The Saltdogs are now 7-11 at home and with the win tonight are sitting in fourth place in the West Division. Cary Arbolida led the Saltdogs attack with a home run and...

Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA)   Cleburne 4 Kansas City 3 You could give Luke Short pitcher of the week honors after being the first pitcher to hold down the Monarchs offense. Short allowed three runs, two earned in 6.2 innings of work. The Railroaders, down 3-1 in the seventh pushed three runs across to take the lead for good. Frankie Tostado drove in two of them with a double, a part of a three RBI night.  Lincoln 7 Winnipeg 5 The Goldeyes managed to erase a 5-0 deficit with a five run sixth inning, but could not add any more as the Saltdogs pushed across two late runs, the second a home run off the bat of Jack Dragum. Give the back end of the Saltdogs bullpen credit as they only allowed one hit in the last three innings to allow the Saltdogs to take the lead for good. Gary SouthShore 8 Chicago 6 Sending Flowers may not be the most romantic thing the Dogs could do to win. J.C. Flowers was the opener for the second time on Tuesday. Following last week where Flowers allowe...

I wasn't going to do an Insider tonight. With only two games completed and one suspended due to rain, I was going to blow it off. Then I came across some news around 8:30 pm. Sister Rosalind Gefre, the massaging Nun that worked St. Paul Saints games since they started up in 1993 passed away at the age of 96. I have to be honest, I didn't have much personal interaction with Ros, my friend did however and I know the news is hitting him hard tonight. I guess I was always in awe with Ros and when that happens, I tend to shy up and not interact out of respect of their aura. Ros was honored by the Saints in bobble form twice. First with a bobblehands then later on, with a bobblehead of her being presented with the 2016 Billy P. Baseball Person of the Year Award before the American Association All Star Game in St. Paul. Ros was a strong woman, but yet was very humble, very sweet, and just an all around good person. She is a piece of St. Paul Saints history and was known by the many te...

 Over the years in the 10th Inning Stretch Blog and in the year plus of the American Association Insider, I've tried many gimmicks, some worked, some not so much but the bread and butter has always been the Power Rankings. Started in 2018, the Power Rankings have been duplicated at many levels. Was it upsetting? Yeah, a bit. It's not like I had it trademarked, but it was my thing. I guess I should be honored and now when I see someone else have American Association and or Independent Baseball Rankings, I have a sense of pride that I was the pioneer. Not sure if that makes me smart or just that old.  1. Lake Country DockHounds 28 A road heavy schedule till the last week or so did not deter this DockHounds team from getting to a red hot start. Ryan Hernandez could be in the mix for a triple crown. Josh Mears has proved to be a great companion piece to Hernandez slugging eight home runs already. Ray Zuberer III has been red hot as of late. Luke Hansel will be a loss for the DockH...

  Lake Country 5 Lincoln 1 The DockHounds rebound from a two game hiccup that ended their 14 game winning streak by taking the last two games of the weekend from the Saltdogs. The DockHounds suffered a blow though as the contract of Luke Hansel was transferred to the Colorado Rockies. Hansel was 4-1 with a 2.76 ERA and in this league that is incredible and more than deserving of a signing. I don't doubt Ken Huckaby's ability to find a replacement as he has come up golden more than once in his DockHounds tenure. Gary SouthShore 2 Kane County 1 In a game of anomalies, the RailCats won an American Association game today where the two teams only combined for three runs. In another anomaly Konor Ash lost his second start in a row. But the second where he didn't get run support. Ash went eight innings allowing two runs. Deyni Olivero threw eight innings allowing six hits. In his last four starts, Olivero is 3-0 allowing four runs in 25 innings following a tough start of the seaso...

 Hot take here. With all the scoring in the league thus far in 2026, I think we are seeing the remnants of what happens when any pitcher that shows potential is getting snapped up by a Mexican League team or an MLB organization. What's left is not a good look for the league with games resembling softball scores. In six games tonight, a total of 99 runs were scored. I doubt that's a record that is kept track of, but if it was, I'd guess tonight would be the record.  As an FYI, I will not have anything for tomorrow's games as I will be away celebrating my wedding anniversary.  Gary SouthShore 10 Kane County 3 I don't know what it is, but no matter how the RailCats are playing, they seem to have the number of the Cougars. Tonight was no exception as seven runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings was the difference in a RailCats road victory. Peyton Long who pitched seven innings for the third time in fourth starts, picked up his fourth straight victory.  Lincoln 9 ...

 Sorry I didn't have anything for you last night. I was covering the local amateur team who had a 8pm first pitch, 40 minutes from home. By the time I traveled the country side highways and got home, it was 11:30 and I had a 7 am wake up staring me down.  Kansas City 25 Fargo-Moorhead 9 I guess if you're going to give up 25 runs, do it when you're hosting a businessman's special and a good chunk of the crowd is just happy to escape work and the final score is inconsequential. After a late night where it was a RedHawks slugfest win, the Monarchs struck back, breaking a league record for home runs in a game with eight. Grant Richardson was a Griffin Doersching away from line of the week going 4-5 with three home runs and seven runs driven in. I think I've mentioned several times already that this is going to be a dangerous Monarchs team if they get some hitting, they showed their potential today.  Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi Kane County 8 Lake Country 2 All g...