Minor Details: Game of March 28

I don't know how much I'll do with this feature this season.  It would not be accurate to say that I'm busier in retirement than I was when I was working, but the thing is that I'm busy with different things, and for the most part, those different things don't involve sitting in front of a computer screen.

So, there will be days when the feature does not appear at all.  There will be other days when it only covers some of the games, rather than all of them.  We'll see.

I hope you'll read it when it's here, but the truth is that I really do this for myself more than you.  I like keeping up with the Twins' minor league teams, and this is a way for me to do it.  I hope you'll enjoy it, too, when it's here.

And now, on to the game.

ST. PAUL SAINTS 11, INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS 0 IN ST. PAUL

It's hard to open better than that.  The Saints scored early and often, getting two in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth, three in the sixth, and three in the eighth.  They did not hit any home runs, but the had eighteen hits, including four doubles and a triple.  They also drew seven walks.  Eight players had at least two hits.  The pitching was equally impressive, with four pitchers throwing a combined four-hit shutout.

Batters:  Emmanuel Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and two RBIs.  Jair Camargo was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs, and two RBIs.  Ryan Fitzgerald was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two RBIs.  Jeferson Morales was 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk, two runs, and three RBIs.  Armando Alvarez was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs.  Austin Martin was 2-for-5 with a walk.  Yunior Severino was 2-for-5.  Luke Keaschall was 2-for-6.

PitchersDavid Festa pitched five shutout innings, giving up three hits and no walks and striking out four.  Scott Blewett struck out two and walked one in two shutout innings.  Kyle Bischoff pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.  Kody Funderburk struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition:  Hunter Stratton pitched a scoreless inning despite giving up three hits.

Record:  St. Paul is 1-0 and tied for first.

Next game:  2:07  Indianapolis (Mike Burrows) at St. Paul  (Andrew Morris)

Happy Birthday–March 29

Cy Young (1867)
Duff Cooley (1873)
Bill Dietrich (1910)
Tommy Holmes (1917)
Ferris Fain (1921)
Denny McLain (1944)
Bill Castro (1952)
Tom Hume (1953)
Domingo Ramos (1958)
Mike Kingery (1961)
Billy Beane (1962)
Laz Diaz (1963)
Eric Gunderson (1966)
Brian Jordan (1967)
Alex Ochoa (1972)
Danny Kolb (1975)
Pat Light (1991)

Laz Diaz has been a major league umpire since 1999.

Danny Kolb was drafted by Minnesota in the seventeenth round in 1993, but did not sign.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–March 29

March 28, 2025: Rapid Park

I worked at the JJ's across the street from here before they announced the plans. I delivered to the tiny parking attendant hut a few times. I had already moved out of town when I heard about the plans for TF and I was like, "that's where they're going to put it? I have no idea how they'll fit a ballpark in that lot."

Happy Birthday–March 28

Jimmy Barrett (1875)
August Busch (1899)
Lon Warneke (1909)
Vic Raschi (1919)
Garland Shifflett (1935)
Glenn Davis (1961)
Shawn Boskie (1967)
Craig Paquette (1969)
Mark Melancon (1985)
Christian Walker (1991)

August Busch, owner of the Anheuser-Busch Company, bought the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953.

Craig Paquette was drafted by Minnesota in the 36th round in 1987, but did not sign.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–March 28

2025 MLB Predictions

Not sure if I set this up correctly, but I attempted to use this bracket format (https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/mlb-playoff-format-faq.html) to lay this out:

Please spoiler:

AL East:
AL Central:
AL West:
AL Wild Card:
AL Wild Card:
AL Wild Card:

NL East:
NL Central:
NL West:
NL Wild Card:
NL Wild Card:
NL Wild Card:

Playoffs - identify your winner (if you want)
ALWC1 (3 v 6):
ALWC2 (4 v 5):
NLWC1 (3 v 6):
NLWC2 (4 v 5):
ALDS1:
ALDS2
NLDS1:
NLDS2:
ALCS:
NLCS:
WS:

Awards (if you want)
AL MVP
AL CYA
AL ROY
NL MVP
NL CYA
NL ROY

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.