BY DAN GLICKMAN
Three members of the 2024 Rochester Red Wings earned 2024 Washington Nationals Minor League Awards, the team announced on Thursday. Outfielder Dylan Crews was named Hitter of the Year, utilityman Darren Baker earned Baserunner of the Year honors, and pitcher Brad Lord won the Nationals Way Award.
Crews, the top prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, split the season between AA Harrisburg and the Red Wing before he was called up in late August. During his time in the minors, he finished second in the Washington system in extra-base hits (400) and triples (six), third in slugging percentage (.451), OPS (.793), and RBI (68), and fourth in doubles (21), home runs (13), batting average (.270), and stolen bases (25). He went .265 during his time in Rochester with eight home runs, 10 doubles, three triples, 30 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 20 walks. He slashed .309/.385/.529 in his final 16 games as a Red Wing before he joined the Nationals.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JOE TERRITO.
Darren Baker, who also received a call-up to Washington late in the season, stole 38 bases this season with Rochester, the most in the Washington system and third in the International League. In addition, he placed third in runs scored (70) in the Nationals system. At the plate, Baker had a career year in hits (124), RBI (49) and runs scored, and also had a career-high 17-game hitting streak in August.
Brad Lord earned the Nationals Way Award after being one of the two minor leaguers who “best demonstrate the professionalism, leadership, loyalty, passion, selflessness, durability, determination and work ethic required to play the game the ‘Washington Nationals Way.’” Splitting his time between AA (where he twice won Eastern League Pitcher of the Month) and Rochester, he led the system with a 2.43 ERA and .224 opposing batting average while finishing second with 10 wins and a 1.20 WHIP. He made 12 starts and posted a 3.93 ERA with the Red Wqings, making 57 strikeouts to only 20 walks in 55 innings pitched.
The Red Wings, who finished the season 77-71, return to play late next March before hosting their home opener on April 1, 2025.
Congrats to all! Especially Darren who along with Dad, is good friends with my family.
All three were fun to watch, thanks for some great baseball
There’s really no place to discuss this so I’ll cram it in and get it off my chest.
This is for all the long time fans of the Red Wings. The newer generation of Wings fans won’t understand, nor will they care that much.
For those who remember the days of Luke Easter, Joe Altobelli, Steve Bilko and later the Orioles prospects who thrilled the fans here at the old ballyard on 500 Norton Street…its all just a foggy memory now. The players and the fans looked forward to every season, with a championship as the ultimate goal. Fans watched the standings daily…with the top 4 teams in the league earning a place in the post season. One season Wings and Toronto had to play a one game playoff to determine which team would finish 4th and move on. Could you see that happening today? That game, sometimes called ‘Finnigans Rainbow’ had it all. After Toronto opened up a pretty big lead early, Wings battled back led by a little used utility infielder who had the game of his life. Wings ended up winning in extra innings and the crowd went wild. That game really mattered…for 4th place!!
It all mattered back then. 1971…a 7 game marathon against Denver for the Jr World Series Crown. All games played in Rochester.
The opening of Frontier Field in 1997 brought out record crowds and the Wings final Governor’s Cup. Anyone who attended the final game will always remember that spectacular play in the 9th to save the win over Columbus.
Jim Frey and Rich Dauer won batting titles. Jim Fuller hit monster HR’s. Grich and Baylor (and that other guy Ripken!) entertained the fans. So many pitchers cycled thru on their way to big league careers. One can only wonder what kind of career Roric Harrison would have had…but for that serious injury in 1971. Probably the best hitting pitcher in Red Wing history too. Freddy Beene, Daniel Boone, Dennis Martinez, Mike boddicker. Hey Stan the Man Musial once wore a Red Wings uniform. So did Bob Gibson and Jim Palmer. Eddie Murray.
Some of us were listening on the transistor radio the night Frank Verdi narrowly missed being killed by stray bullets and baseball had to vacate Havana. The Knothole Gang. Any kid growing up in the 50’s and 60’s enjoyed having that treasured pass.
Fast forward to this current decade. Thanks to the indefensible greed and stupidity of MLB, our league and most all minor league baseball has been reduced to joke. Teams now have to scramble to attract fans with gimmicks and promos. (our guys do it better than anyone) The standings are meaningless. The post-season even more meaningless. Did anyone honestly find anything significant about the Wings 77-71 record this year? The games are no more than exhibitions to tune up the few legitimate prospects each MLB organization tries to cultivate. Does anyone in Vegas REALLY give too hoots about a one game ‘playoff’ to decide the AAA ‘Championship’?
Rochester is probably the city with the longest history of professional baseball. Our reward is having to the settle for the only MLB team left with no AAA affiliate…Washington.
Washington…no, fans in this city don’t relate. Sure a few might possibly check box scores to see if a player who was called up is doing well. Or not. Washington will never have a footprint in this town. I can only imagine what might change if the Wings were ever able to affiliate with the Yankees. It makes sense, but apparently it will never happen.
This rant has nothing to do with the wonderful job our local ownership is accomplishing. They are awesome. Its MLB that I take to task for destroying the very fabric of AAA and rendering it nothing more than an after thought. They are totally ignoring all the many cities throughout the land who have baseball teams that entertain 1000’s every summer. Can’t tell you what contempt I have for what they have done to the minor leagues. And they don’t care one whit.
While the ultimate goal of any professional athlete is to get to the highest rung, there was a time when they were proud to wear the Red Wing jersey on their way up. I just don’t see that or feel that anymore. The horse has fled the barn and has no desire to return. These are different times, but for those of us who still remember how good it used to be…maybe this will resonate with you as you reminisce. For the modern fan who couldn’t possibly relate to any of this, its not your fault.
Will MLB ever fix any of this? Never. 1997 may have been our last kick at the can of anything meaningful for the Red Wings. So thanks for the memories. They were great!