Category Archives: Keeping Track

Keeping Track

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.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 14

Cannonball Redding (1890)
Marvin Miller (1917)
Gordon Gillespie (1926)
Don Mueller (1927)
Marty Keough (1934)
Pete Rose (1941)
Joe Lahoud (1947)
Ron Schueler (1948)
David Justice (1966)
Greg Maddux (1966)
Greg Myers (1966)
Mike Trombley (1967)
Brad Ausmus (1969)
Steve Avery (1970)
Gregg Zaun (1971)
Kyle Farnsworth (1976)
Cory Gearrin (1986)

Cannonball Redding was a star pitcher in the Negro Leagues.

Marvin Miller was the head of the Major League Baseball Players association from 1966-1983.

Gordon Gillespie holds the record for most wins by a college baseball coach.

It must be kind of a bummer for a big league ballplayer to not only not be the best player born on the day and year he was born, but to not even be the best player with his first name born on the day and year he was born.

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Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of April 12

IOWA CUBS 6, ST. PAUL SAINTS 0 IN ST. PAUL

Matt Mervis hit a two-run homer in the first and Iowa led all the way.

Multi-hit games:  Yoyner Fajardo was 2-for-4.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Josh Staumont struck out the side in a perfect inning.

Opposition standout:  Mervis was 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs.

Record:  St. Paul is 6-6, tied for fourth with Indianapolis and Toledo, 1.5 games behind Iowa and Omaha.

SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS 3, WICHITA WIND SURGE 1 IN SPRINGFIELD (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Noah Mendlinger hit a two-run double in the fifth to break a 1-1 tie.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Marco Raya struck out three in three innings, giving up one run on four hits.  Scott Engler struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition standout:  Nathan Church was 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.

SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS 10, WICHITA WIND SURGE 2 IN SPRINGFIELD (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)

Springfield scored six runs in the third to take a 6-2 lead.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  Emmanuel Rodriguez (3).

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  None.

Opposition standout:  Ian Bedell struck out seven in five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and three walks.

Record:  Wichita is 1-6, in fifth (last) place, six games behind Springfield.

DAYTON DRAGONS 5, CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 3 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Cam Collier hit a three-run homer in the ninth to give Dayton a 5-3 lead.

Multi-hit games:  Rubel Cespedes was 2-for-3 with a walk.

Home runs:  Ricardo Olivar (1), Willie Joe Garry, Jr. (1).

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  Jose Salas (2).

Pitching prowess:  John Klein pitched three innings, giving up one run on two hits and four walks and striking out one.  Jacob Wosinski struck out six in three shutout innings, giving up two hits and a walk.

Opposition standout:  Rhett Lowder struck out five in five innings, giving up one run on four hits and a walk.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 2-4, in fifth place, 2.5 games behind Wisconsin.

CLEARWATER THRESHERS 3, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 0 IN CLEARWATER

Clearwater scored one in the fifth and two in the seventh.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  Angel Del Rosario, 2 (5); Brandon Winokur (3).

Pitching prowess:  Jeremy Lee struck out seven in 4.2 innings, giving up one run on four hits and two walks.

Opposition standout:  George Klassen struck out eight in five shutout innings, giving up two hits and two walks.

Record:  Fort Myers is 3-4, in fourth place, three games behind Dunedin.

TODAY'S TILTS

1:05  Dayton at Cedar Rapids (Christian MacLeod, no record)
2:07  Iowa at St. Paul (Aaron Rozek, no record)
5:30  Fort Myers (Charlee Soto, 0-0, 6.00) at Clearwater
6:05  Wichita (Pierson Ohl, 0-0, 3.60) at Springfield

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 13

Herman Long (1866)
Kid Elberfeld (1875)
Jake Stahl (1879)
Claude Hendrix (1889)
Dewey Creasy (1900)
Ben Cantwell (1902)
Pete Quesada (1904)
Roxie Lawson (1906)
Bill Deegan (1935)
John Stephenson (1941)
Jeff Bittiger (1962)
Mark Leiter (1963)
Doug Strange (1964)
Ricardo Rincon (1970)
Kevin Ohme (1971)
Steve Pearce (1983)
Hunter Pence (1983)
Lorenzo Cain (1986)

Air Force General Pete Quesada was one of the original owners of the expansion Washington Senators.  He also was the first head of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Bill Deegan was an American League umpire from 1971-1980.

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Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of April 11

ST. PAUL SAINTS 5, IOWA CUBS 2, IN ST. PAUL

Diego Castillo hit a three-run homer in the sixth to give St. Paul a 3-1 lead.

Multi-hit games:  Anthony Prato was 2-for-3 with a walk.  DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. was 2-for-4 with a home run.

Home runs:  Castillo (1), Keirsey, Jr. (2).

Multi-RBI games:  Castillo (3).

Stolen bases:  Michael Helman, 2 (4).

Pitching prowess:  Jordan Balazovic retired all seven men he faced, striking out four.  Scott Blewett struck out the side in a perfect inning.  Hobie Harris pitched a perfect inning.

Opposition standout:  Chris Clarke pitched 3.2 scoreless innings, despite giving up three hits and five walks.  He struck out one.

Record:  St. Paul is 6-5, tied for third with Indianapolis, 1.5 games behind Omaha.

SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS 7, WICHITA WIND SURGE 6 IN SPRINGFIELD (10 INNINGS)

Wichita scored single runs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth to tie it  6-6, but Chandler Redmond singled home the winning run with one out in the tenth.

Multi-hit games:  Andrew Cossetti was 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs, and three RBIs.  Emmanuel Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk, and three runs.  Kyler Fedco was 2-for-4.

Home runs:  Cossetti (1), Noah Cardenas (2), Rodriguez (2).

Multi-RBI games:  Cossetti, 3.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Alex Whorff pitched four innings, giving up one run on three hits and three walks.  John Stankiewiez pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out one.  Hunter McMahon pitched two perfect innings.

Opposition standout:  Nathan Church was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs.

Record:  Wichita is 1-4, in fifth (last) place, four games behind Springfield.

CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 8, DAYTON DRAGONS 4 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Keoni Cavaco hit a two-run double to break a 4-4 tie in a four-run eighth.

Multi-hit games:  Luke Keaschall was 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, and three RBIs.  Jose Salas was 2-for-5.

Home runs:  Keaschall (1).

Mulit-RBI games:  Keaschall, 3; Cavaco, 2.

Stolen bases:  Keaschall (1).

Pitching prowess:  Andrew Morris pitched six innings, giving up one run on three hits.  Kyle Bischoff struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition standout:  Kevin Abel struck out six in four innings, giving up one run on two hits and a walk.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 2-3, tied for third with Peoria and Quad Cities, two games behind Wisconsin.

CLEARWATER THRESHERS 10, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 5 IN CLEARWATER

Trailing 5-4, Clearwater scored four runs in the seventh.

Multi-hit games:  Trevor Larnach was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, and two RBIs.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Larnach, 2; Rafael Cruz, 2.

Stolen bases:  Angel Del Rosario (3).

Pitching prowess:  Ross Dunn struck out four in three innings, giving up one run on four hits and two walks.

Opposition standout:  Otto Kemp was 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, two walks, three runs, and two RBIs.

Record:  Fort Myers is 3-3, in fourth place, two games behind Dunedin.

TODAY'S TILTS

5:05  Wichita (Marco Raya, 0-0, 3.00) and Travis Adams, 1-0, 0.00) at Springfield (doubleheader)
5:30  Fort Myers (Jeremy Lee, 1-0, 2.25) at Clearwater
6:35  Dayton at Cedar Rapids (John Klein, 0-0, 0.00)
6:37  Iowa at St. Paul (Joe Gunkel, 0-0, 7.71)

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 12

Vic Willis (1876)
Addie Joss (1880)
Bill Bailey (1888)
Eric McNair (1909)
Bill Wight (1922)
Bob Zuk (1927)
Johnny Antonelli (1930)
Terry Cooney (1933)
Charlie Lau (1933)
Woodie Fryman (1940)
Vicente Romo (1943)
Terry Harmon (1944)
Mike Macfarlane (1964)
Paul LoDuca (1972)
Antonio Osuna (1973)
Brad Brach (1986)
Pedro Hernandez (1989)
Dennis Santana (1996)

Bob Zuk was a long-time scout who was responsible for signing, among others, Reggie Jackson, Willie Stargell, and Gary Carter.

Terry Cooney was an American League umpire from 1975-1992.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–April 12 →

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of April 10

IOWA CUBS 4, ST. PAUL SAINTS 1 IN ST. PAUL

Patrick Wisdom hit a three-run homer in the fifth to break a scoreless tie.

Multi-hit games:  Chris Williams was 2-for-4 with a double.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. (4).

Pitching prowess:  Matt Bowman struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk.  Ryan Jensen struck out three in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition standout:  Thomas Pannone struck out six in five innings, giving up one run on three hits and two walks.

Record:  St. Paul is 5-5, tied for fifth with Nashville, 1.5 games behind Iowa and Omaha.

WICHITA AT SPRINGFIELD

Rained out.  Will be made up Friday as part of a doubleheader.

CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 11, DAYTON DRAGONS 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Leading 3-2, Cedar Rapids scored five in the seventh and three in the eighth.  Rubel Cespedes hit a three-run homer in the seventh.

Multi-hit games:  Cespedes was 4-for-5 with a home run and seven RBIs.  Danny De Andrade was 3-for-4.  Ricardo Olivar was 2-for-3 with two walks, a double, and four runs.  Luke Keaschall was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs.  Keoni Cavaco was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.

Home runs:  Cespedes (2).

Multi-RBI games:  Cespedes,7.

Stolen bases:  De Andrade (1).

Pitching prowess:  Zebby Matthews struck out eight in five innings, giving up one run on four hits.  A. J. Labas struck out three in 1.2 innings, giving up an unearned run on two hits.  Ricardo Velez struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.  Miguelangel Boadas struck out two in a scoreless inning.  Kernels pitchers recorded sixteen strikeouts.

Opposition standout:  Hector Rodriguez was 3-for-4.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 1-3, in fifth place, 2.5 games behind Wisconsin.

CLEARWATER THRESHERS 8, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 7 IN CLEARWATER

Fort Myers scored five in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead.  It was 7-5 going to the bottom of the eighth, but Clearwater scored three to win the game.  Trent Farquhar singled home the deciding run.

Multi-hit games:  Maddux Houghton was 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs.  Angel Del Rosario was 2-for-4.

Home runs:  Houghton (1), Brandon Winokur (1).

Multi-RBI games:  Houghton, 4.  Winokur, 2.

Stolen bases:  Houghton (1), Rayne Doncon (1).

Pitching prowess:  Wilker Reyes struck out three and walked two in two shutout innings.

Opposition standout:  Farquhar was 4-for-5 with a triple, a double, two runs, and two RBIs.

Record:  Fort Myers is 3-2, tied for second with Clearwater and Lakeland, one game behind Dunedin.

TODAY'S TILTS

5:30  Fort Myers (Ross Dunn, 0-0, 2.25) at Clearwater
6:35  Dayton at Cedar Rapids (Andrew Morris, 0-0, 0.00)
6:35  Wichita (Jarret Whorff) at Springfield
6:37  Iowa at St. Paul (David Festa, 0-0, 1.59)

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 11

Pop Corkhill (1858)
Ossee Schrecongost (1875)
Matsutaro Shoriki (1885)
Sam Chapman (1916)
Barney McCosky (1917)
Jim Hearn (1921)
Bob Casey (1925)
Sid Monge (1951)
Bret Saberhagen (1964)
Turner Ward (1965)
Sean Bergman (1970)
Robin Jennings (1972)
Jason Varitek (1972)
Trot Nixon (1974)
Todd Dunwoody (1975)
Kelvim Escobar (1976)
Mark Teixeira (1980)
Andres Blanco (1984)
Alejandro De Aza (1984)
Kenta Maeda (1988)

Matustaro Shoriki is known as the father of Japanese baseball.

Bob Casey was the Twins' public address announcer from 1961 until his death in March of 2005.

Jason Varitek was drafted by the Twins in the first round in 1993, but did not sign.

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Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of April 9

IOWA CUBS 9, ST. PAUL SAINTS 7 IN ST. PAUL

Iowa hit three homers in the second to build a 6-0 lead.  St. Paul cut it to 6-4 in the fourth, but Iowa scored three more in the fifth.

Multi-hit games:  Jair Camargo was 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two runs, and four RBIs.  Michael Helman was 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs.

Home runs:  Helman (1), Camargo (2), Luis Severino (1).

Multi-RBI games:  Camargo, 4.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Caleb Thielbar pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk and striking out one.  Josh Staumont pitched a scoreless inning, walking one.  Ronny Henriquez struck out two in two perfect innings.

Opposition standout:  Luis Vasquez was 3-for-3 with two home runs, a walk, and three RBIs.

Record:  St. Paul is 5-4, in fourth place, a half-game behind Gwinnett, Iowa, and Omaha.

SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS 6, WICHITA WIND SURGE 2 IN WICHITA

The Cardinals scored three in the sixth, two on a Lars Nootbaar single, to take a 6-2 lead.

Multi-hit games:  Emmanuel Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer.

Home runs:  Rodriguez (1).

Multi-RBI games:  Rodriguez, 2.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Taylor Floyd pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Brandon Komar struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up two hits.

Record:  Wichita is 1-3, tied for third, three games behind Springfield.

DAYTON DRAGONS 7, CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 4 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Dayton scored four in the third, two on a Hector Rodriguez triple, to take a 5-1 lead.

Multi-hit games:  Rubel Cespedes was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Home runs:  Cespedes (1).

Multi-RBI games:  Cespedes, 2.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Jack Noble pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up walking one and striking out one.  Gabriel Yanez struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk.  Juan Mendez pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 0-3, in sixth (last) place, 2.5 games behind Wisconsin.

FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 5, CLEARWATER THRESHERS 4 IN CLEARWATER

Rayne Doncon's sacrifice fly in the eighth broke a 4-4 tie.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  Doncon, 2; Brandon Winokur, 2.

Stolen bases:  Angel Del Rosario, 2 (2).

Pitching prowess:  Danny Moreno struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up two hits.  Kade Bragg pitched a perfect inning and struck out one.

Opposition standout:  Otto Kemp was 2-for-3 with a triple.

Record:  Fort Myers is 3-1, tied for first with Dunedin.

TODAY'S TILTS

5:30  Fort Myers (Ty Langenberg) at Clearwater
6:35  Dayton at Cedar Rapids (Zebby Matthews)
6:35  Wichita (Jarret Whorff) at Springfield
6:37  Iowa at St. Paul (Randy Dobnak, 1-0, 2.35)

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 10

Ross Youngs (1897)
Bubba Hyde (1908)
Chuck Connors (1921)
Frank Lary (1930)
Robert Nederlander (1933)
Wes Stock (1934)
Joe Gibbon (1935)
Bob Watson (1946)
Lee Lacy (1948)
Tom Lundstedt (1949)
Ken Griffey (1950)
Mike Devereaux (1963)
Starvin’ Marvin Freeman (1963)
Alberto Reyes (1971)
Mike Lincoln (1975)
Andre Ethier (1982)
Corey Kluber (1986)
Charlie Culberson (1989)
Scott Blewett (1996)

Bubba Hyde was an outfielder in the Negro Leagues for twenty-six years.

Better known as an actor, Chuck Connors was a first baseman for the Chicago Cubs in 1951.  He also played professional basketball, and was the first player to break the glass backboard with a slam dunk in a professional basketball game.

Robert Nederlander is a part-owner of the New York Yankees and was managing partner in from 1990-1991, when George Steinbrenner was suspended.

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