Fireworks, Community & Pop Culture: Ten Things to Know in the American Association This Week

The American Association of Professional Baseball (@AA_Baseball) season continues with a full slate of series this weekend, all available for free live viewing at aabaseball.tv.

Here are 10 (or so) Things to Know about the AAPB this week:

• Because one fireworks show just isn’t enough — and maybe some Cleburne fans might miss the Biggest Fireworks Show of the Season on the 4^th — the Railroaders will host the Second Biggest Fireworks show on the 5^th.

• July 4^th doesn’t mean fireworks north of the U.S. border, but that’s not stopping the Winnipeg Goldeyes from having a celebration of their own, and the team’s Field of Dreams Foundation will benefit. Next Thursday is the first-ever Bike-In Movie Night at Blue Cross Park, where for $4 fans can ride their bike or walk onto the field for a screening of lsat year’s film Next Goal Wins.

• The Kansas City Star wrote about A.J. Alexy (Honey Brook, Pa), a two-year Major Leaguer with the Texas Rangers, standing out for the Monarchs. Alexy has struck out 12 batters over 6.2 innings in six hitless, scoreless appearances at press time.

• One of the great things about the AAPB is that player movement goes the other way, too. Victor Vargas (Catagena, Colombia) who was signed by the Reds and assigned to AA Dayton, was 4-1 with a 2.11 ERA in seven starts with the Milwaukee Milkmen and picked right up where he left off, earning a win with a two-hit, four-strikeout performance over five innings in his debut vs. Fort Wayne on Tuesday.

• Thomas Dillard (Oxford, Miss.) is on pace to shatter the AAPB record for walks in a single season for a player. The Cleburne infielder has drawn 50 free passes in 43 games at press time, which includes as many games (11) in which he has walked in multiple plate appearances as he has games (11) in which he has failed to draw a walk. TJ Mittelstaedt set league the record at 94 back in 2014 for Kansas City (then the T-Bones). Not coincidentally, Dillard tied the Ole Miss record with 135 career walks drawn.

• Sioux Falls Canaries skipper Mike Meyer has 299 career managerial wins at press time, seeking to becoming the second Sioux Falls manager to reach 300, behind only Steve Shirley (Mike was Steve’s pitching coach with the Canaries for many years). Meyer has the team tied for first place (24-15); the Canaries had not been nine games over .500 at any point since finishing the 2010 season at 63-33.

• The Gary SouthShore RailCats continue to work on uniting the local community in Northwest Indiana. The team will host NWI Chamber Night on July 17 at the SteelYard, with 14 chambers of commerce scheduled to attend. The goal of the event is to help the chambers in their aim to further the interests of small businesses in the community as well as provide education and networking opportunities.

• Kane County infielder Josh Allen (Fort Meade, Fla.) has spent the majority of the last seven seasons in the AAPB, the last four with the Cougars after three in St. Paul. He is now four shy of 100 home runs in his pro career after hitting 12 last year, second best on the squad.

• Lake Country was the perfect way station for Austin Davis last year, as the lefty who has played for four MLB teams, last with the Twins in 2022, finished out 2023 with the Dockhounds. It was enough for the San Diego Padres to take a flier on him, and he hasn’t disappointed, moving in to the closer role for the AAA El Paso Chihuahuas, notching eight saves and fanning 37 in 29 innings at press time. The El Paso Times chronicled his comeback story.

• Pop culture hits the AAPB with these fun theme nights coming up:

  • Tonight – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Night at Fargo-Moorhead

  • Friday – Seinfeld Night at Sioux Falls

  • Friday- Pirate and Princess Night at Gary SouthShore

  • Friday through Sunday – Classic Movies Weekend at Lake Country

  • Sunday – Minions at the Park at Milwaukee