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The Show Before the Show: Episode 487

January 17, 2025

Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other

Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other podcast-listening apps. This episode can also be found on Minor League Baseball's official YouTube page. Send questions or feedback to podcast@milb.com, and follow hosts Sam Dykstra (@samdykstramilb.bsky.social) and Tyler Maun (@tylermaun.bsky.social) on Bluesky and Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) on X.

Intro/Ben's Biz Banter (0:00)

Ben begins this week's podcast by sharing findings from his latest newsletter, namely which celebrities have Minor League pasts.

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Binghamton Bathtub Donkeys (16:05)

Double-A Binghamton director of marketing and promotions Eddie Saunders stops by to share details of the club's Bathtub Donkeys identity that is already taking the Minor League landscape by storm.

Erie SeaWolves mascot book (30:38)

Ben speaks with Erie president Greg Coleman and his son, Kevin, about the latter's book, A Mascot Tale: The Untold Story of C. Wolf.

Prospects lists (47:29)

It's a big week in the land of MLB Pipeline. Sam and Tyler chat about the Top 10 positional prospect rankings that have been released in the past few days and take an early look at the opening of the international signing period.

Ghosts of the Minors/Wrapping up (1:19:06)

Josh Jackson harvests another edition of Ghosts of the Minors, and the other hosts take a look back at the career of a listener-submitted Minor Leaguer of yore.

Red Wings To Host 92nd Annual American Legion Welcome Home Dinner

Beloved Tradition Returns for the First Time Since 2019
February 12, 2025

ROCHESTER, NY – The Rochester Red Wings are thrilled to announce the return of the 92nd Annual American Legion Rochester Red Wings WELCOME HOME DINNER on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Innovative Field on the suite level. This cherished tradition, held for the first time since 2019, will provide fans

Red Wings Announce 50-Degree Guarantee for Opening Day

February 10, 2025

ROCHESTER, NY - Despite an inaccurate prediction in 2024, DAN MASON, also known as the “Duke of Doppler” and the General Manager of the Rochester Red Wings, has once again made his 50-degree guarantee for Opening Day. The Red Wings are set to kick off their 2025 home campaign on

Red Wings Mourn the Passing of Hall of Famer Rich Dauer

Beloved Red Wing Remembered for his Impact on the Game and Community
February 3, 2025

ROCHESTER, NY – The Rochester Red Wings are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Red Wings Hall of Famer (Class of 2019) RICH DAUER, who died today at the age of 72. Dauer, a standout second baseman for the Red Wings in the mid-1970s, was an integral part

HOW MANY former Red Wings are in the HOF?

January 22, 2025

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced the election of three new members last night. CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner all garnered enough votes to earn enshrinement this summer in Cooperstown. Dave Parker and the late Dick Allen will also be inducted into the Hall July 27 after they

Red Wings 2025 Tickets On Sale Thursday

Single-Game Tickets Available Starting Thursday, January 16, 2025
January 15, 2025

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings are excited to announce that single-game tickets for the 2025 season will go on sale, online only, tomorrow, Thursday, January 16, in honor of 75 days until Opening Day. Tickets will be available exclusively at RedWingsBaseball.com starting at 10:00 a.m. and will include

Matthew LeCroy to Manage Red Wings for Fifth Consecutive Season

Team Announces Coaching Staff, Returning Six Member
December 18, 2024

ROCHESTER, NY - The Washington Nationals announced on Wednesday that MATTHEW LECROY will return for his fifth season as the Rochester Red Wings Manager in 2025. With 873 career MiLB managerial wins, LeCroy managed the Red Wings to a 77-71 record in 2025 while utilizing 61 different players. LeCroy becomes

Rochester Natives, Ernie Clement and Casey Saucke to sign Autographs at Innovative Field Saturday, November 30

November 21, 2024

The Rochester Red Wings have announced that Toronto Blue Jays infielder, and Brighton-native, ERNIE CLEMENT, and Chicago White Sox outfielder, and Greece-native, CASEY SAUCKE, will sign autographs in the Red Wings Team Store at Innovative Field Saturday, November 30 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. The Red Wings will be

Red Wings Kevin Johnston Wins Visiting Clubhouse Manager Of The Year

Johnston named 2024 International League Visiting Clubhouse Manager of the Year
November 12, 2024

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) announced today that KEVIN JOHNSTON has been named the International League's Visiting Clubhouse Manager of the Year. Johnston, who is entering his 25th year with the Rochester Red Wings, has been recognized for his exceptional dedication to providing a professional and welcoming environment for visiting teams

Red Wings' Dylan Crews Wings 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove Award

Nationals Top Prospect Named Among Best Defensive Outfielders in MiLB
November 4, 2024

The Rochester Red Wings, Minor League Baseball (MiLB), and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., have announced that outfielder DYLAN CREWS has been honored with the 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his outstanding defensive performance with both Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester during the 2024 season. This prestigious accolade recognizes

A Tribute to Fernando Valenzuela 

A Tribute to Fernando Valenzuela
October 28, 2024

Baseball lost an icon on Tuesday when Fernando Valenzuela passed away at 63 years old. While spending most of his career with the Dodgers, Valenzuela was a legend in Los Angeles and especially within the Latin American community. He also is one of the greatest pitchers to have ever donned

A.I. Thinks James Wood is How Good?

AI Unveils James Wood's Major League Potential
June 19, 2024

In the realm of baseball analytics, artificial intelligence offers groundbreaking insights into player performance. As an A.I. Robot powered by a large language model (LLM), I’ve been keeping an eye on James Wood, the highly-touted prospect for the Rochester Red Wings in the Washington Nationals organization, and let me tell

Chris Colabello, Dyar Miller, Fred Valentine to be Inducted into Red Wings Hall of Fame

Trio of Players to be Honored in Pre-Game Induction Ceremony on September 6
August 21, 2024

The Rochester Red Wings announced today that a trio of former players have been elected to the club’s Hall of Fame. DYAR MILLER, CHRIS COLABELLO, and FRED VALENTINE will become the 105th, 106th, and 107th members of the Red Wings Hall of Fame when they are inducted on Friday, September

RED WINGS RELEASE 2025 SCHEDULE

Rochester to Open the Season March 28, Home Opener on April 1
August 12, 2024

The Rochester Red Wings have announced their 2025 Regular Season schedule, featuring 150 games set to begin March 28 in Buffalo. The Red Wings will celebrate their home opener on April 1 at Innovative Field. This will mark the Red Wings' 135th season as a member of the International League.

Mauer Becomes the 26th Hall of Famer with Ties to Red Wings Franchise, Celebrating a Rich Tradition of Excellence

July 29, 2024

The rich tradition of Rochester professional baseball added another notch to its belt last weekend in Cooperstown, NY with the induction of Joe Mauer into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. While his time with the Red Wings was brief—consisting of eight games in a pair of rehab stints with

Blankenhorn Joins the Ranks of Red Wings Legends with Career-High 24 Home Runs

July 28, 2024

A Career-Best Season Today marks a significant milestone in Travis Blankenhorn's career as he hits his 24th home run of the season. 24 long balls is the most he has ever launched in a single season, and ranks him second in the International League, just three off the lead. This

Wings, Golisano Children's Hospital Partner for All-Stars Initiative

Partnership provides a unique gameday experience for patients and their families
June 29, 2024

The Rochester Red Wings and UR Medicine's Golisano Children's Hospital have announced a partnership that will provide a unique gameday experience for patients and their families over the course of the 2023 baseball season.

They're due! MiLB's longest active title droughts

@BensBiz
January 31, 2025

Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.

Here are 10 of the top Minor League jerseys in 2024

@Kelsie_Heneghan
November 1, 2024

Fans typically buy a sports jersey because of who's wearing it. But in the Minor Leagues, what’s on a jersey can often mean so much more. Teams have a way of making fans part of franchises by bringing local culture into their jersey and theme nights. “It's taking pride in

The best Minor League ballpark promotions happening in September

@BensBiz
August 30, 2024

Welcome to Promo Preview, a monthly roundup of Minor League Baseball promotions to look forward to. The season ends in September (dates vary, depending on the level of play), so don’t delay. Get out to the ballpark today and take advantage of theme nights and giveaways such as these:

Minor League Player Spotlight: James Wood

MLB's No. 5 prospect hitting .462 with a 1.608 OPS in past week
@RobTnova24
May 18, 2024

James Wood entered the season with one goal on his mind -- finding consistency in his game. After a bit of a roller coaster season last year, the 21-year-old just wanted to create continued success on the field. Early on in 2024, it's safe to say: so far, so good.

MiLB prepares for the total solar eclipse

From a total eclipse of the park to solar palooza and more
@BensBiz
April 5, 2024

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse makes its way across the country, moving

Ben's Biz: Triple-A promotional night highlights

Cosmic showdown, legends night, mystery egg rolls and more
@BensBiz
March 15, 2024

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE.

Join the Red Wings Giveaway Guarantee Club

Get EVERY giveaway during the 2024 season
January 1, 2024

Want ALL of our giveaways, but can't make it to ALL of our games? Join the Red Wings Giveaway Guarantee Club! For $195 you'll be able to own ALL of our giveaways (both adult and kids giveaways) during the 2024 season. Only a limited number of Red Wings Giveaway Guarantee

Wood, House headline Nats' Organization All-Stars

Top prospects provide hope for bright future in Washington
@brendan_samson
November 17, 2023

Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each organization and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in each farm system. Next up in our 2023 Organization All-Stars series are the Washington Nationals.

Red Wings remember Milo the bat dog

Club honors 'The Goodest Boy' with tribute night, memorial T-shirts
@RobTnova24
August 5, 2023

The celebration of the life of "The Goodest Boy," Milo the Bat Dog, continued with a T-shirt giveaway by the Rochester Red Wings on July 19. The golden retriever, who won the hearts of Red Wings fans the Rochester community starting on June 1, 2019, succumbed to liver disease on