As the 2021 season is rounding 3rd base, I can't help but look back on the years my team, the Red Wings, was affiliated with the Twins. I still wish they were, frankly; but I completely understand why they aren't anymore. The logic of having your top farm team so close makes perfect sense.

I have not warmed to the Washington Nats. Apparently either have our fans so far. We are 17th out of 19 AAA teams in attendance this season, which is a position Rochester baseball has never been in....ever. (I am not counting Buffalo because they have played most their home games in New Jersey, while they played host to the Blue Jays...so its not a fair test) Our team is not good either, with Washington pulling players up and down on an almost daily basis. I'm willing to just forget about this season and look to the future (sort of like the Twins this year, right?) But its tough going to a mostly empty ballpark and watching an unidentifiable bunch of players lose pretty regularly. Wings have drawn in the neighborhood of around 3,500-4,500 at best despite perfect spring and summer weather for baseball.

So I was rummaging thru my archives and found the end of season stats for 2018...just barely 3 years ago. Here is a smattering of what the Wings looked like (for your reading pleasure):

Polanco had 13 AB's for us with 6 hits. The Turtle was 79-286 (.276 with 12 HR's and 38 RBI) Buxton was 37-136 (.272 with 4 HR's and 14 RBI. Jake Cave was 58-216 (.269 with 6 HR's and 28 RBI) Sano was 8-30 with 2 HR's and 8K's) LeMonte Wade was 58-253 (.229 4 HR 21 RBI) Nick Gordon was 81-382 (.212  2 HR 29 RBI)  Juan Graterol was 33-116 (.284)

Of interest...Joe Mauer was 0-10!!! and our nemesis Robby Grossman was 5-11. Our 'slugger' was Ken Vargas 111-463 (21 HR's 73 RBI 133 k's .240 BA) Pitchers: Zach Littel 6-6 ERA 3.57 in 106 IP; up and coming prospect Gonsalves 9-3 2.96 ERA 95 K's in 100 IP.but 55 walks; Duffey 4-4 2.90 ERA; Trevor May 0-4 4.00 ERA 25 K's 27 IP; Lewis Thorpe 0-3 3.32 ERA  26 K's 21 IP

Just a few names you all will remember and not so far removed from AAA. 2018 was the year the Wings had decent pitching but virtually no offense. Twins brought in a bunch of FA's during the season and none of them worked out. One particular failure stood out...Cameron Rupp who was 9-64 with 32 k's. Of the position players who managed to play over 20 games, 17 of them hit under .240, 7 under .200.

Despite all of that, I miss the Twins!!! And I still follow them day to day.

 

 

 

I've always thought the Twins were good to their farm teams in providing a watchable product and Rochester was a good AAA partner.

Completely agree!