kevinluckow

Follow along as I do a weekly Saints recap and add news from throughout the American Associaiton at 10thinningstretch.blogspot.com.

The American Association is unique in that it is one of the few leagues that isn’t affiliated with a professional team. It is arguably one of the most successful independent leagues, with its roots going back to 2005. The league currently has 12 teams split up into two divisions, with a 13th team on track to join the league next season.Four of the teams are the original founders of the league who are still playing today. The league got its start when the St. Paul Saints, Lincoln Saltdogs, Sioux City Explorers and Sioux Falls Canaries all left the Northern League. They were joined by teams from the Central Baseball League, which was folding at that time. The St. Joe Blacksnakes were the 10th team in the league, which initially played a 96 game schedule, though that has since increased to 100 games. Business Model The league operates as a independent entity from affiliated teams, meaning that there is no parent club to pay for each team’s expenses. The league has set a salary cap for each team of $125,000. Rookies are paid a minimum of $1,200 per month. Roster Rules The league remains competitive due to a few reasons, but one of the most influential is the roster rules that each team must follow. Each team is limited to 23 active players at any given time. Each player is categorized by their years of service. A year of service for American Association players is 75 official at-bats or more in a National Association (i.e affiliated minor league) or independent league or leagues, or 30 innings or more pitched. For independent and short season/rookie league service, the first two years of service equals one National Association year. For foreign players, the classification and salary level will be determined by the league office. They are then slotted into categories from rookie (less than one year of service), LS-1 (less than two years, LS-2 (less than 3 years), LS-3 (etc.), LS-4, LS-5 and finally veterans, who have more than six years of service. In addition, if a player has six or more years of service but has not reached the age of 26 by September 1 of that season, he will be considered an LS-4. If he has not reached the age of 24 by September 1 of that season, he will be considered an LS-3. These are important because there are limits on how many of each category a team can have at one time. For example, each team must have a minimum of five rookies and a maximum of five veterans. The remaining players can be any combination of service times, with the rule that only six may be designated as LS-4. Right now, the Saints have five veterans on their roster, including former MLB pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen and first baseman Brady Shoemaker, who has spent time in the past with the Saints. Transaction Rules While the league is independent, it does employ similar transaction rules as affiliated teams use. The main rule is a player who is released must wait 10 days before being re-signed by the team that released him. Trades are quite common in the league, and while you do see typical player-for-player or player-for-cash swaps, fans also commonly see players traded to another team for a player to be named later. There are plenty of occurrences where the player to be named later has been the same player who was traded in the first place. Teams are able to place a maximum of two players on the disabled list, where they must remain for seven days before being eligible to be activated. Players can be placed on the DL retroactive to their injury, which can’t be longer then the last time they appeared in a game. Current Teams The league currently sits at 12 teams, with a 13th team scheduled to begin play in Milwaukee in 2019. The North division is made up of the Chicago Dogs, the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks, the Gary Southshore Railcats, the St. Paul Saints, the Sioux Falls Canaries and the most recent league champions the Winnipeg Goldeyes. The South Division consists of the Cleburne Railroaders, the Kansas City T-Bones, the Lincoln Saltdogs, the Sioux City Explorers, the Texas Airhogs and the Wichita Wingnuts. Most Successful Teams The Winnipeg Goldeyes have won three league championships, including each of the last two. The Wichita Wingnuts hold the league record for runner-up finishes with four. The Wingnuts have one league title, which came in 2014 after they swept the Lincoln Saltdogs 3-0 in the championship series. Other current teams to have won championships include the Gary Southshore Railcats (2013), the Saltdogs (2009) and the Sioux Falls Canaries (2008). The Texas Airhogs won the 2011 championship when they were known as the Grand Prairie Airhogs. Notable Alumni One of the most notable alumni is Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, who spent the 2006 season with the Fort Worth Cats. Twins fans will recognize some of the names of past players including Caleb Thielbar and Brandon Kintzler. Former Twins outfielder Jason Repko played for the Sioux Falls Canaries during the 2015 season. Kevin Millar, who was on the Boston Red Sox team that won the World Series in 2004 played for the Saints at the start of his career in 1993. Twins Finally, TV analyst and Hall-of-Fame inductee Jack Morris spent a short stint with the Saints in 1996. The Saints have yet to win a championship in the American Association, but have had many great seasons and are at the top of the North Division this year. They return to CHS Field this weekend for a six-game homestand with the Sioux Falls Canaries and Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks. The homestand will feature promotions such as Star Wars Night (June 8) and Toni Stone bobblehead giveaway (June 11.) Grab tickets at saintsbaseball.com. Click here to view the article

Thanks for the kind words, Sarah. I would recommend going to 10thinningstretch.blogspot.com for regular coverage of the Saints throughout the 2018 season.

Coming off American Association North Division back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016, the 2017 St. Paul Saints were cruising towards a three peat. First place was all theirs on the 4th of July. But then things started fall apart. Closer Seth Rosin, who had not given up an earned run all season, was signed by the San Francisco Giants. Saints starting pitching, other than Mark Hamburger, was inconsistent causing the bullpen to be taxed. Former Twin Caleb Thielbar was thrust into the closers role, often pitching more than the customary one inning. Thielbar underwent a season ending surgery shortly thereafter, leaving the pitching staff in a constant state of limbo. What resulted was a collapse that left the Saints with a 48-52 record. For the first time since the Saints moved into CHS Field, there was no playoff baseball.The numbers do not lie. Since the Saints won the Northern League Championship in 2004, there have been close calls (Championship series losses in 2006, 2007, 2011). Tere was a record breaking season in 2015 which unfortunately coincided with Sioux City's best season ever, and the Saints fell to the Explorers in four games in the opening round. The title drought is now at thirteen seasons. Saints manager George Tsamis will once again put his best foot forward in procuring a long awaited championship. Pitching is where Tsamis would like to see the most improvement. The rotation will be anchored by Jake Esch. Esch, born in St. Paul in 1990, started 3 games with the Miami Marlins in 2016 and made one appearance with the San Diego Padres in 2017. Eddie Medina was an off season acquisition. Last year with the Wichita Wingnuts, Medina was 6-6 making 14 starts as part of 20 appearances. Jeff Malm is a returnee who split time between the bullpen and the starting rotation. A converted position player with 48 career minor league home runs, Malm had a 4.19 ERA in 38.2 innings. Vinny Nittoli is going to try his hand at starting pitching after being a mainstay of the Saints bullpen in 2017. Nittoli has a 3.33 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 46 innings. Matt Solter pitched at 2 levels of Class A for the San Francisco Giants accumulating an ERA of 4.04 with 12 starts in his 21 appearances. The bullpen looks to be strong. Late spring acquistion and former Seattle Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen is an established closer. One has to wonder how long he'll be around if he can prove to scouts that he still has major league stuff. Beck Wheeler was expected to close until the acquisition of Wilhelmsen but will become a set up guy. Wheeler pitched the last 2 seasons for the New York Mets AAA affiliate in Las Vegas. Mike Devine, another former Wichita Wingnut, will also see late inning action. Last year with the Wingnuts, Devine had a 2.25 ERA in 44 innings. Ken Frosch, Saints left-handed specialist in 2017, returns for a second season. Frosch averaged a strikeout per inning last season in 42 innings to go with a 3.68 ERA. Catching duties will primarily fall on the shoulders of Justin O'Conner. O'Conner, a defensive specialist, is an eight- year minor league veteran who played as high as AAA with the Durham Bulls in 2017. Dante Bichette Jr., son of the former MLB All Star, is taking up catching and will serve as O'Conner's backup. Bichette Jr. has spent his entire minor league career in the New York Yankees system peaking at AA-Trenton last season. First baseman Brady Shoemaker returns after a huge season in 2017 for the Saints. In 85 games, Shoemaker slugged 21 home runs and hit for a .318 average. Josh Allen was signed from the Frontier League after hitting 15 home runs and at a .310 clip for Evansville. He is expected to be the everyday second baseman. Noah Perio Jr., a onetime Sioux City Explorer, was a major off season signing and will be the main shortstop. Perio Jr. hit .281 for AA-San Antonio last season. In Perio Jr.'s two seasons with Sioux City, he racked up batting averages of .316 and .338. Bichette Jr. is likely to play most the innings at third base with returnee J.J. Gould being the likely backup at second base, third base, and shortstop. The outfield looks strong for the Saints coming into the 2018 season. The third former Wichita Wingnut, Richard Prignatano was a recent acquisition and appears to be the leadoff hitter for the Saints. Last season Prigatano hit .316, had an on base percentage of .416 and stole 34 bases for the Wingnuts. Jayce Boyd played AAA in Las Vegas last season, hitting .297 with 11 home runs. The 11 home runs were a career high for Boyd, a 6-year pro. Max Murphy, a former Twins farmhand from Robbinsdale, hit .307 and had a .390 on base percentage for Class A-Fort Meyers last year. Jordan Smith, another local product from Willmar, is a seven-year veteran of the Cleveland Indians farm system, advancing as high as AAA with a career batting average of .271. Kes Carter was a mid-season signing last year for the Saints after being released by Fargo Moorhead. He took advantage of his second chance by hitting .271 and hitting 9 home runs in 60 games. Jimmy Heck, another local product who played collegiately at Minnesota Duluth, played last year in the American Association for Salina, which was a road team for all 100 games last season. The American Association will have a new divisional setup this season as the league goes from a 3 to 2 divisional team setup. The Saints will be battling Winnipeg, Fargo, Sioux Falls, Gary Southshore and expansion team Chicago Dogs in the North Divsion. The South will consist of Sioux City, Lincoln, Kansas City, Wichita, Cleburne and Texas (Grand Prairie). Of course as we know with the Saints, a big part is what is happening off the field. This year’s slogan is "Fun is Good on St. Paul's Front Porch", and fans enjoy the opening of the Saints Tailgate Lot adjacent to the current tailgate lot beyond centerfield. The tailgate specific lot is scheduled to be open for tailgating in mid to late June. The promotional schedule promises to entertain Saints fans of all ages and interests. Tuesday May 22 features the opening of Monument Pork. Modeled after Monument Park at Yankee Stadium, it will pay tribute to ball pig legends of the past 25 years of Saints Baseball. Monument Pork will be located near the Art Gallery behind home plate. There will be a bobblehead giveaway featuring all three inductees (Saint, Notorius P.I.G and Little Red Porkette). Friday June 8 is the annual Twins Daily night featuring a pregame picnic. Ticket packages are currently available here on Twins Daily but don't wait as tickets will sell out for this popular event. It is also Star Wars night with Friday Night Fireworks following the 7:05 game vs. Sioux Falls. Sunday June 10 features a bobblehead giveaway (first 1500 fans) of St. Paul native Toni Stone. Stone was raised in Saint Paul’s Rondo neighborhood and began her professional career in 1949 with the San Francisco Sea Lions. From there she played for the Black Pelicans of New Orleans, the New Orleans Creoles and finally the Indianapolis Clowns, becoming the first woman to play in the Negro Leagues. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a special Toni Stone bobblehead. The annual toilet paper drive will be on June 27. Fans are encouraged to bring rolls of toilet paper to donate to local families in need. The Saints pay tribute to the Minnesota Fighting Saints on July 9. Former local Fighting Saints players are expected to attend including current Minnesota Wild Head Coach Bruce Boudreau. On International Beer Day on August 3, drinking songs will accompany Friday Night Fireworks, plus there will be a pregame induction ceremony for a yet to be named inductee to the Killebrew Scouts Hall of Fame. This is an initiative the Goldklang Group owned teams has had for years. I encourage local baseball fans to get out to the park early and show some love for these underappreciated evaluators of baseball talent. The most talked about event of the promotional schedule is the 40th anniversary of Animal House on August 14th featuring an in game food fight in the stands at CHS Field. Ponchos will be recommended as fans get a chance to get revenge on their fellow baseball fans for past indiscretions. You don't like that guy always second guessing George Tsamis? Pelt him with a mustard soaked hot dog!!! September 1 will feature a pregame ceremony for 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee, St. Paul native and 1996 St. Paul Saint pitcher Jack Morris. There will be a special print given away to the first 1500 fans. In all there will be nine Friday Night Fireworks shows, and 3 Fireworks Supershows (May 26, July 2, and Sept. 2). The May 26 and Sept. 2 shows will be preceded by another Saints tradition, a Monster Food Truck Rally. While Monday is the Saints home opener, the Saints opened their 2018 on the road over the weekend. Things did not go well on Opening Night as the Saints dug themselves a 10-2 hole in the third inning on the way to a 10-6 loss to the Gary SouthShore Railcats. Saturday went better as the offense put 8 runs on 18 singles on way to an 8-3 victory. The Saints won the rubber match on Sunday in extra innings, 4-3. Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly state that Toni Stone played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Twins Daily regrets this error and has updated the story to accurately reflect Ston'e career. Saints tickets are available on saintsbaseball.com or call 651-644-6659. If you're considering going to a Saints game, do not hold back because you think the game is sold out. A limited amount of Left Field Berm tickets go on sale on game days at 9 am. If those sell out, "Roaming" tickets are available which will get you in the ballpark. With all the area in the 360 degree concourse in which you can watch the game from, you're bound to have a good view of all that's happening on and off the field this Summer at CHS Field. Click here to view the article

Monday May 7th featured sunshine and a high temperature of 85 degrees, a perfect night for baseball. The St. Paul Saints were in action, not on the field but on the movie screen. Team ownership, management staff, coaches and select fans and friends gathered at the Showplace Icon Theater in St. Louis Park for a viewing of For the Fun of the Game. Produced by Saints Director of Digital Media and Video Production, Jordan Lynn, it aired for the first time as part of the "Insider Series" for the Twin Cities Film Fest.For the Fun of the Game began with testimonials from players and staff that have called either Midway Stadium or CHS Field home at some point in their careers. That included people that have been around since Day 1 (Mike Veeck, Marv Goldklang, Tom Whaley, Annie Huidekoper, Dave Wright), players from the inaugural team in 1993 (Leon Durham, Kevin Millar), current players (Brandon Kintzler, Tony Thomas, Mark Hamburger), staff (Derek Sharrer, Chris Schwab, Sierra Bailey) and play-by-play announcers from the beginning (Anthony LaPanta did Saints games for a local cable access station on tape delay in 1993) to now (Sean Aronson). After the testimonials, the documentary turned back the clock to the Saints beginnings in the fall of 1992. Wright and Huidekoper tell stories of the bare bones operation that the Saints were in the early days. I thought Lynn did an excellent job of tying in video from the 1993 season and as a viewer I found myself being brought back to 1993, remembering where I was at that time. Photos of current management from 1993 drive home the point on how much times have changed. The next segment focused on how the St. Paul became the place to be for players that wanted to get back to the majors such as Jack Morris and Darryl Strawberry, along with groundbreaking players such as Ila Borders and J.D. Drew. It drew me back to 1996 during those magical months that Morris and Strawberry put on a show, and the night when Drew made his professional debut hitting two home runs versus Fargo in front of a packed house in 1997. The next part of the movie legitimized the film as a documentary and not a fluff piece. Focusing on the 1998-2002 seasons, the Saints and General Manager Bill Fanning were perpetuating a long sellout streak, using that as a point of marketing. Hardcore fans knew better. The aluminum bleachers on Energy Park Drive were telling a different story and images from that era drove the point home. Lynn then steered the documentary into the beginning of the Derek Sharrer era. Sharrer told how detrimental the mythical sellout streak was. Fans were not coming out as they were under the impression that tickets were never available. The Sharrer era coincided with the beginning of the George Tsamis era, and footage of the Saints 2004 Northern League Championship season pumped up the mood of the documentary. Lynn showed how the 2009-2010 seasons were a tough time for the Saints due to 2 major events: the collapse of the economy and the opening of Target Field. As a fan you tend to forget the lean years, but Lynn did a great job with stories from Whaley, Sharrer and Schwab of how difficult the era was for the ballclub and how it was time for a new ballpark. The last part then detailed the battle to get funding for CHS Field, its construction, and eventual acceptance by the Lowertown community culminating in its opening in 2015. After the conclusion of the film, Lynn, Sharrer, Veeck and Whaley took questions from the audience with a brief reception afterwards. I was very impressed. As I told many people afterwards, if I sat down and wrote a detailed history of the St. Paul Saints, it would sound much like the For the Fun of the Game. For the fan in me that has been around since 1993, I felt like the movie was a video yearbook of my last quarter of the century following the St. Paul Saints. It reminded me of the last episode of The Office when the staff was so impressed with how good the film makers were with capturing the key moments of their lives. Lynn, during the Q&A session, said that this was a project he came up with in 2016. In a span of one year, he produced a gem. For anyone that's a Saints fan, either from the start in 1993 or joined in at some point of the team's existence, this will be a very informative and enjoyable documentary. Later this summer there will be a public viewing of For the Fun of the Game at CHS Field. I would highly recommend seeing it. You can find more on the Saints by Kevin Luckow at his blog, the 10th Inning Stretch. Click here to view the article