American Association Baseball Insider

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Is July all over with already? Boy this Summer and season is going fast. Keep in mind however there will be a full week of play in September before Labor Day. Six games in the Association kicking off five series and continuing another in Texas.  Kansas City 4 Chicago 3 Remember the State Farm commercial where the guy with the fishing pole is taunting someone with money hanging from the hook, only to jerk it away, "oooh, you almost had it!!!". The Chicago Dogs have to be feeling like this right now. The Dogs carried a 3-0 lead into the eighth only to have the Monarchs score four to take the lead and the win. Luken Baker singled a run in, Grant Richardson singled to drive in two  on an error on the right fielder, before J.D. Davis gave the Monarchs the lead with a single. The Dogs tried to rally in the ninth but stranded runners on the corners. Richardson and Sahid Valenzuela had three hits each for the Monarchs. Tyreque Reed had two RBI ...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Five games including a nailbiter in Kamp Oconcomowoc, a matinee in Fargo, and a power outage in Gary SouthShore. Fargo-Moorhead 8 Lincoln 2 The RedHawks won the businessmen's special at Newman Outdoor Field on a stormy Thursday afternoon. The longball was in play for the Hawks as Juan Fernandez had a two run home run and later Andy Nelson hit a three run shot. Tripp Clark went 2-4 to bump his average up to .350. Matt Walker won his third start in a row. Take a stab at this, SABR geeks. Has a starter ever won three games in a row throwing the same number of innings, runs and hits? Walker for the third straight start allowed one run on four hits in six innings to get the win.  Cleburne 8 Milwaukee 1 The Railroaders, up 3-1 in the eighth, put up five insurance runs to pull away from the Milkmen. Cody Thomas stayed hot collecting three hits including a solo HR. Frankie Tostado homered and drove in three runs. Rookie Merik Carter collected his fi...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) It's as if there is a guide book for promoting baseball on weekdays. Rarely is there games on Monday, so that's a crap shoot. But then there is Two for Tuesdays, or Taco Tuesdays. Thursday seem be every team's Thirsty Thursday. And Wednesday, Hump Day, Waggin' Wednesday, or Wiener Wednesday. Even with an American Association team in St. Paul, Wiener Wednesday has become a big deal, at least a big deal according to new St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her. Apparently Mayor Her is a big fan of Wiener Wednesday. Boy if the Saints were as edgy as they used to be, they could have some fun with this.  Story from KSTP TV The biggest fan of Wiener Wednesday Sioux City 10 Gary SouthShore 4 As they used to day in the CB world (kids, ask your parents what that was). It was a big 10-4 good buddy for the Explorers in a matinee in Gary. D'Shaun Knowles and Zac Vooletich had three hit games with Knowles driving in a pair of runs for Sioux City. The big inn...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) After wins for Winnipeg and Kane County on a limited schedule on Monday night, all twelve teams were in action on Tuesday night. There were two extra inning games, one that featured a fly ball caught at the warning track to end the game, another where a little league home run scored the deciding runs. "Not bad for a day at a dog food company". Milwaukee 5 Cleburne 3 A tight game as one would expect between two of the hotter teams in July. The Milkmen held the Railroaders to four hits, but had to hold on late to get the win. Griffin Doersching, remember him? I feel like I haven't mentioned him in a while. Well, he had two home runs and three RBI as part of a 3-4 night. Cody Templeton picked up the win going seven innings allowing two runs and striking out eight batters. It was Templeton's first win since joining the rotation. Dakota Chalmers pitched 7.1 innings for the Railroaders, keeping his team in the game allowing four runs. Gut...

 Kevin Luckow (non member IBWAA) Today was one of those days that would have had former St. Paul Saint public address announcer Eric Webster asking the crowd, "does anyone have a pair of underwear I could borrow, I think I just sweat a hole through mine".  Give the players all over the league for battling through it. Even more so, give the umpires credit for working through it. They don't get to stand in the shade, they don't have the half inning where they can sit in the dugout before coming back out for the other half of the inning. At least two home plate umpires had to leave their games today, Kelvin Boltron and Jeff Beaman. Hopefully both got the attention they needed are back in action soon.  Kansas City 5-1 Sioux City 2-5 The two longtime rivals split a doubleheader in steamy Sioux City. In the first game, the Monarchs scored three in the fourth. After the Explorers got on the board with a pair in the sixth, Kansas City added some insurance with two runs in the...

Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA)  In 1993 the Northern League was looking for markets to place professional baseball teams into. At this time, pre suites and development around the ballpark, the requirements were a decent sized city and an operating ballpark. Other than Sioux City which had built the brand new Lewis and Clark Park, the requirements were met with not much more to it.  One of those markets was Rochester, Minnesota. Home of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester is a bustling town during the day, BUT once it got dark out there wasn't and to this day, isn't much to do in Rochester. Matter of fact, last month as I was celebrating my wedding anniversary, my wife and I were looking for something to do in Rochester on a Saturday night as we were staying at a nearby Air BnB that night. We came up with nothing.  Well, Rochester was awarded a franchise, with outside ownership that did not do much more outside of paying the bills. Their only other taste of professional sports ...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) First off, it wouldn't be a complete blog without a mistake. Sioux City and Kansas City are making up Friday night's game on Sunday. I'm assuming in order to let the playing surface have a few more hours to dry out before playing. There was supposed to be a Miracle League function at Lewis and Clark that had to be canceled because the field was still drying. I'm going to guess the tarp was not on when it should've been Thursday night-Friday morning? Sioux Falls 6 Gary SouthShore 5 When you're on an extended losing streak, sometimes teams are waiting for disaster to occurr. At the Birdcage, it was the eighth inning. With the Canaries down 5-2, a Josh Rehwaldt five iron two run homer made it a 5-4 game. By the time the fans could sit down, one pitch later, Jabari Henry hit a solo shot to tie the game. Later in the inning it was a T.J. Racherbaumer opposite field single that put the Canaries in front for good. Joe Suozzi had four...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Five games were played on Friday night ahead of a heat wave expected to arrive for the weekend, affecting most of the series this weekend. Sioux City and Kansas City will have to play two in the heat on Saturday after rain left Lewis and Clark Park unplayable on Friday night.  Cleburne 10 Lincoln 5 The long trip to Lincoln had no effect on the Railroaders bats as they pounded out sixteen hits, defeating the Saltdogs at Haymarket Park. The 2-5 batters in the Railroaders lineup combined to go 10-18, all four batters hitting home runs, and driving in 11 runs. Scott Ellis picked up the win going six innings, allowing three runs.   Sioux Falls 4 Gary SouthShore 1 The Canaries got a taste of the Thomas Dorminy of 2025 as the veteran lefty went eight innings, allowing one run as the Birds won their sixth game in their last seven on the home stand. Josh Rehwaldt drove in a run and Anthony Hall drove in two as part of a 3-4 night at the pla...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) I thought this was going to be a color by numbers and hope I get the story right by reading the boxscore kind of night. I was in Rochester for a Northwoods League game. Likely the last ever game I attend at Mayo Field, as the Rochester Honkers ended their lease and will go dormant till when or if a stadium is built in Rochester. There will be no pro or college Summer League baseball in Rochester for the first time since 1992 next Summer. American Association, do not touch this market with a ten foot pole. More of this in the Sunday Insider. As I was listening to the Explorers postgame interview with Steve Montgomery, I knew the blog will have some spice added to it.  Winnipeg 11 Sioux Falls 3 It had to end some time for the Canaries. After rattling off five straight wins to begin the homestand, an 11 run attack by Winnipeg and seven strong innings from Luke Boyd put an end to it. Keyshawn Lynch had a huge night at the plate for the Goldeyes ...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) As I alluded to on X last night. The doubleheader in Fargo went into the 11pm hour last night. Having a day job, I'm eagerly anticipating its conclusion so I can get a wrap on things and publish the blog. I'm thinking that I may start saving myself some time and doing what the newspapers used to do when they had a deadline to go to the printers. I may have to put the game on the blog and write LATE. That was the reason I didn't get into too much detail about the doubleheader. Speaking of doubleheaders...... Kansas City 3- 2 Cleburne 1-0 The Roaders had the Monarchs right where they wanted, but it was not meant to be as the Monarchs scored three in the seventh to take the lead and Game 1. The Monarchs scored three just by using their Head, Hudson Head who drove in all three runs with a home run. It was the first hit of the game for the Monarchs.  It was nearly a repeat in Game 2 as a Luken Baker single broke a scoreless game in the top of ...

 Kevin Luckow  (non member of IBWAA) Sorry I took Sunday off. After a long frustrating day at the paying job, there was nothing left in the tank to throw together Takeaways from the American Association slate. That's the autonomy of a being your own boss and having the autonomy to take random nights off without repercussions. The grind of going through every boxscore, and having to put together takeaways on games that I likely never watched, is kind of grueling. No matter how much you like the game and league you're covering, sometimes it really does feel more like work.  Sometimes I wonder if what I do is really needed. You got a guy on X that is putting together content on a regular basis. It's a shame the person does not reveal their real name, it would add even more relevancy to their work. When I grabbed the torch of doing recaps from Rob Pannier, the hope was that if someone can show the dedication and do it better than me, I'll step aside.  Yet on a nondescrip...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) I spent the night hanging out with friends that I haven't had the chance to see in a couple of years. So sorry this one is coming out late. I'm not sure if there will be a Sunday Insider this week. The paying job has me working all day tomorrow. So I may not have the time or motivation. Cleburne 5 Sioux City 4 10 innings If Michael Dixon was going to call a game as a fill in, this was definitely one to remember. Both pitchers, Josh Landry of Sioux City and Cleburne's Scott Ellis were locked in a pitcher's duel. Down 1-0 in the ninth, the Explorers knotted the game at one on a Zane Denton RBI single. When Dillon Tatum conncected for a three run home run in the 10th inning, you had to think is was the Explorers night. But the Railroaders said not so fast. Down to their last out, RBI hits by Frankie Tostado and Delino DeShields Jr. got the Roaders to within one. Cody Foster then played hero singling the tying and winning runs.  Milwaukee...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) I'm not going to lie, taking a week off was pretty darn relaxing. I do this blog because I care about the league I cover, but honestly it feels like work sometimes. It was a pretty non descript All Star Game for what little I caught as I was covering a live game that night. It is concerning and puzzling that the last time Lincoln hosted an All Star Game was in 2003 in the Northern League, 8,610 fans saw it. Meanwhile there was 3,570 on hand on Wednesday night. Maybe TV coverage factors into that, but it makes the live event seem less than special. The Home Run Derby was not carried live. I didn't know there would be an uproar as the Derby didn't draw well in Fargo last year, but hardcore fans let it be known that they were not happy.  Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andreachi Coming out of the break, immediately we are reminded that this is a hitter's league. As I started this blog, I'm still waiting out a game in Fargo with a softball...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA)  Before we get going, this may be the last you hear of me until after the All Star Break. I'll be taking in a game in LaCrosse, Wisconsin tomorrow night, looking for a grad pitcher that can throw strikes. Then I'll be taking a trip with my family. I'll be back for the "second half" starting next Friday.  Kansas City 3 Sioux Falls 2, Kansas  City 6 Sioux Falls 2 Game One was all about pitching. Both starters, Garrett Martin for Sioux Falls, Ryan Garcia for Kansas City had good stuff. Martin only allowed two runs in six innings. Garcia went the distance for the Monarchs with the only damage, an Anthony Hall two run homer in the sixth to tie the game. The Monarchs scored the winning run in the seventh. With two runners on, a throwing error on a Nick Martini sacrifice bunt attempt brought an abrupt end to the proceedings. Garcia notched his eighth win to lead the league by two wins over several others. Game two was an easier road to...

Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) I feel like I've used this byline enough that I should offer up an explanation. In 2020 I decided to become a member of a group called Internet Baseball Writer's Association of America. For a fee, your work got promoted and would be seen by a wider audience. My first piece after joining was a piece in which I expressed, rightly so, concerns about how unsafe Minneapolis has become and how it would adversely affect Minnesota Twins attendance (that and negativity towards ownership gave the Twins a crowd of less than 18,000 on a pleasant Summer night with division rival Cleveland in town Tuesday). I have not been to a Twins game since 2019, after being a partial season ticket holder in 2010. Minneapolis was out of control after George Floyd's death, and my views on that and related items did not conform with the far left ideology that was the IBWAA higher ups. They refused to endorse my blog. So I quit and got a refund. Damned if I was going t...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Two day games and four under the lights in American Association hump day action. Chicago 9 Sioux Falls 3 Knotted up at three in a matinee affair in Chicago, it was the Dogs picking up a six pack of runs highlighted by a Jaxx Groshans grand slam to take down the Canaries. Aaron Altherr and Tyreque Reed also drove in two runs each. The surging Joe Vos had three hits while Josh Rehwaldt and Michael Curialle homered to lead the Canaries attack. Andres Diaz went six innings allowing three runs to pick up his first win since June 9 and his fourth of the season. Kansas City 4 Cleburne 0 A Ryan Leitch solo shot followed four batters later by an Austin Callahan three run shot in the third inning for the Monarchs was all the offense to be had in the other matinee at Legends Field. Austin Hanson threw 5.2 shutout innings and three relievers combined to shut down the Railroaders.  Wisconsin Dive Bars 19 Kane County 3 When I see a score like this, I thin...

 Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA) Five games and a doubleheader kicked off the last week of action before the All Star Break. An interesting reel was posted on the league Facebook page today. A sleeveless kid sitting in an apartment was talking up the American Association Hall of Fame selections. He referred to Chris Coste as Chris Cos-tee. It's frustrating as a fan of the league to see the drop off in the league socials. We had Carter Woodiel and Matt Yeazel, broadcasters wearing a nice shirt with the league logo in the background representing league media. Now we have some 20 something wearing a sleeveless shirt looking like he just got done playing Call of Duty or whatever the kids play today to narrate a reel from his dorm. If we are, and I say we because I care about this league, to be taken serious, let's have some standards in the content we're producing. You don't break a game open by getting the first run and you don't play OT. Kane County 7 Lake County 5...

 Kevin Luckow (non member IBWAA) I was watching some of the games around the American Association Friday and Saturday night. There was great atmospheres throughout the league. Fans, excited to be celebrating the Fourth of July, enjoying the long weekend off from work, celebrating a little bit harder as we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America.  I can remember the days of the St. Paul Saints when I still had an American Association team to root for (are we ever going to see movement on a ballpark in Blaine, the ground breaking date of June 1 came and went with no fanfare or ceremony). There was something special about fireworks nights on the Fourth of July or right before or after depending on the schedule. Players had that extra motivation with more fans rooting them on to victory.  It seemed to stick out this season watching games around the holiday. Why? Frankly, I think there is an issue with attendance throughout the league. Fans don't seem to b...