April 16, 2024: The Awakening

I've been a big fan of Hanif Abdurriqib for a long time. For some reason, he's been a fan of the Wolves by choice for years. I hope we all have a great ride.

Happy Birthday–April 16

Dutch Leonard (1892)
Paul Waner (1903)
Babe Phelps (1908)
Pete Hughes (1915)
Pete Suder (1916)
Joe Bauman (1922)
Rich Rollins (1938)
Bernie Allen (1939)
Garry Roggenburk (1940)
Jim Lonborg (1942)
Bob Montgomery (1944)
Bruce Bochy (1955)
Curt Young (1960)
Fernando Vina (1969)
Antonio Alfonseca (1972)
Kelly Dransfeldt (1975)
Nolan Arenado (1991)

Pete Hughes was a star in the low minors from 1937-1952. His incomplete career numbers are a .350 average and a .637 slugging percentage, but for some reason he never played above Class B.

Joe Bauman hit 72 home runs for Roswell in the Longhorn League in 1954.

Kelly Dransfeldt was drafted by Minnesota in the seventh round in 1993, but did not sign.

Rich Rollins, Bernie Allen, and Garry Roggenburk all played for the Twins at the same time. I wonder how unusual it is for a team to have three players who share the same birthday. They also all were born or raised in the state of Ohio. Rollins and Allen were also business partners for a while.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–April 16

Minor Details: Games of April 14

ST. PAUL SAINTS 13, IOWA CUBS 11 IN ST. PAUL

The Saints led 8-0 after three, 9-2 after four, and 12-3 after five, then held on to win.

Multi-hit games:  Diego Castillo was 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs, and two RBIs.  Chris Williams was 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs, and two RBIs.  Tanner Morris was 3-for-5 with a double. Yoyner Fajardo was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.  Yunior Severino was 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs, and five RBIs.

Home runsCastillo (2), Severino (2), Williams (1).

Multi-RBI gamesSeverino, 5; Castillo, 2; Williams, 2; Fajardo, 2.

Stolen bases:  Fajardo (2).

Pitching prowess:  None.

Opposition standout:  Chase Strumpf was 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs, and two RBIs.

Record:  St. Paul is 7-7, in fourth place, 2.5 games behind Omaha.

SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS 8, WICHITA WIND SURGE 7 IN SPRINGFIELD

Wichita led 7-1 after four and a half.  It was still 7-3 after seven, but Springfield scored five in the eighth to win it.  Matt Lloyd hit a three-run homer to give the Cardinals the lead.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  Carson McCusker (1), Jeferson Morales (1).

Multi-RBI games:  Morales, 4.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  A. J. Alexy pitched 3.2 innings, giving up one run on one hit and six walks and striking out two.  Regi Grace struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition standout:  Nathan Church was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and two runs.

Record:  Wichita is 1-8, in fifth (last) place, eight games behind Springfield.

CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 4, DAYTON DRAGONS 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Jay Harry hit a three-run homer in the seventh, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead.

Multi-hit games:  Luke Keaschall was 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk.

Home runs:  Keaschall (2), Harry (2).

Multi-RBI games:  Harry, 3.

Stolen bases:  Keaschall (5).

Pitching prowess:  C. J. Culpepper pitched four innings, giving up one run on two hits and a walk and striking out three.  Juan Mercedes struck out three in 2.2 innings, giving up an unearned run on two hits and a walk.  Jordan Carr pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, walking three and striking out two.

Opposition standout:  Javi Rivera pitched four innings, giving up one run on a hit and a walk and striking out three.

Record:  Dayton is 4-5, in fourth place, two games behind Great Lakes.

CLEARWATER THRESHERS 5, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 3 IN CLEARWATER

TJayy Walton hit a three-run homer in the fifth to give Clearwater a 5-3 lead.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Ben Ethridge pitched two perfect innings.  Aaron Holiday pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Braydon Tucker pitched 4.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk and striking out three.

Record:  Fort Myers is 4-5, in fourth place, three games behind Dunedin and Lakeland.

TOMORROW'S TILTS

5:05  St. Paul (Randy Dobnak, 1-1, 3.65) at Indianapolis
6:05  Jupiter at Fort Myers (Ty Langenberg, 0-0, 9.00)
6:40  Cedar Rapids (TBD) at Wisconsin
7:05  Tulsa at Wichita (TBD)

 

Happy Birthday–April 15

Jim Creighton (1841)
Ed Abbaticchio (1877)
Chaney White (1894)
Ed Bailey (1931)
Willie Davis (1940)
Ted Sizemore (1945)
Jeromy Burnitz (1969)
Milton Bradley (1978)
John Danks (1985)
Chris Tillman (1988)

Jim Creighton was a star pitcher from 1857-1862, before the National League was created.  He passed away from a ruptured hernia in 1862 at the age of twenty-one.

Until Henry Aaron came along, Ed Abbaticchio held the “first in the alphabet” record.  Now, of course, David Aardsma has them both beat.  Abbaticchio is now eighth in alphabetical order, behind, among others, ex-Twin Fernando Abad.

There do not appear to be any major league players with connections to the Minnesota Twins born on this day.

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.