BatEditor's Note: Batling Sacky recently went to scout the Rochester Red Wings. He was kind enough to provide the following report.
My sister and I were on a long road trip Tuesday and stopped in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to see the AAA Red Barons play the Twins’ AAA team, the Rochester Red Wings. We wanted to fulfill our duty to you, our fellow Batlings – and to Batgirl herself – by doing some scouting of the Twins’ future.
?
Okay, let’s start with the night’s lineup.
Two things should jump out at you. One, Luis Rivas is batting seventh in TRIPLE A BALL. Two, Corky “Corky” Miller is still around. Remember how he cleared waivers when he was sent down? Amazing. But there is more amazement to be had from Corky “Corky”:
Here we see Corky “Corky” Miller in his pre-game ritual of dramatically taking his best Elvis pose. He did it enough times to allow me to pull out my camera and document it. I’m sure it looked much cooler before the team removed the sequins, rhinestones and fringe from their uniforms earlier this season. As you can see, Scott Baker is signaling for help from the trainers because Corky “Corky” got stuck.
Rivas seems to fit in quite well with his new teammates and was in surprisingly good spirits. However, he doesn’t seem to get along with his fellow infielder, Luis Maza. Below we see Maza making Rivas say “uncle” while Gil Velazquez looks on with the indifference of a big brother watching his smaller brothers fight.
Speaking of Rivas, the Pennsylvania chapter of the Rivas AAA Fan Club was out in full force. I don’t know who these guys were, but they mostly just held up their signs silently (must be Minnesotans) while the players warmed up.
The players definitely noticed. Augie Ojeda bowed down to Rivas at one point.
Since my sister and I were the only people in the Phillies’ AAA stadium who were decked out in Twins shirts and hats, we also got noticed.
Garrett Jones: “Hey Augie, those two Twins fans are taking a picture of us.”
Augie Ojeda: “Really? Sweet! Let’s pose for them.”
AO: “Action shot! I’m a-gonna hit a homerun!”
GJ: “Hope the fine ladies on bat-girl.com like biceps. Check out these pythons!”
Wisconsinite Dave Gassner was graciously signing some autographs before the game, so my sister had him sign her game ticket. Hmmmm, a control pitcher who is a nice guy AND whose number is 22? Can you say “Lad Gasske”?
All in all, it was a great night. The weather was perfect, the stadium was nice (but for what ungodly reason do they have artificial turf?!), and the promotional 50˘ hot dogs were most excellent. Baker allowed a run in each of the first two innings but threw 5 shutout innings after that, looking truly boyfriend/NSMC worthy. The defense was solid. Corky “Corky” Miller managed to hit not one but TWO singles, raising his average from .211 to a sultry .220.
Something Corky has never done for the Twins.
Rivas also had two hits, one of which was a lovely bunt single in his first AB. Brian Buchanan tossed my sister a game-used baseball at the end of an inning (the play was Baker-bat-Velazquez-Buchanan-sis), AND he drove in the winning run with his second hit of the night, which would likely have earned him BOD honors if there were such a thing in AAA ball.
Buck celebrates his game-winning single in the 10th after being lifted for a pinch runner
After the game, we saw Red Wings OF Kevin West quizzing kids in the stands (e.g., “who is baseball’s all-time stolen bases leader?”) and giving a bat to the first kid who could answer each one. How nice and Twins-ish is that?! This wasn’t even a home game!
In summary, one can only hope that this extra-inning, 3-2 victory by a bunch of good guys suggests that the future holds more of the same kind of baseball that we Twins fans have come to adore.
Your scout out East,
Sacky