BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – In the early years of the Rochester Red Wings’ affiliation with the Minnesota Twins, several notable players came through. But only one position player that belonged to the “Twins of Tomorrow” won an International League award in those early seasons: outfielder/designated hitter Jason Kubel, the 2004 International League Rookie of the Year. On Friday, the veteran of 1,036 major league games added another title: Rochester Red Wings Hall of Famer.
It wasn’t something he thought was coming.
“I’m very grateful for all of this,” said Kubel. “I wasn’t expecting it when [Red Wings General Manager] Dan [Mason] reached out. I was probably in tears.”
And so, on Friday night, before a 5-1 Red Wings victory over the Syracuse Mets, the left-handed hitter spoke of his time with the Red Wings and how lucky he felt to have been able to play professional baseball.
“I know I am so privileged to be able to say that I made a living chasing my dream,” said Kubel in his induction speech. “Baseball is a game I love so much, and I appreciate each step of my time playing.”
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JOE TERRITO.
An admitted man of few words, the South Dakota-born but California-raised Kubel let his bat do the talking during the three times he found himself with the Red Wings on his baseball journey- 2004, 2006, and a rehab assignment in 2011. In 125 games, Kubel hit .328 with 21 home runs, 95 RBI, and 36 doubles. In his Rookie of the Year-winning 2004 campaign, he hit .343 with 16 home runs, 28 doubles, and 71 RBI in a year where Red Wings play-by-play man Josh Whetzel says he “never had a slump” and that he says started right from the beginning of his time at spring training that year, when he hit a home run in his first at-bat.
The day he most remembers from that season was the one when he finally got the call up to the big leagues —but not for the reason many would think.
“I was like 15-for-15 in stolen bases that, and we were in Ottawa when I tried to steal third base,” he said after his induction. “It was the only time I got thrown out that year. I broke my finger and then got to the big leagues and had to be quiet and just play like that for the rest of the year and in the playoffs.”
Kubel would suffer a major injury in the Arizona Fall League that season, knocking him out of the 2005 season. He struggled to begin the season in 2006, leading to a demotion early in the year, but after proving himself again in Rochester, he went up to the big leagues largely for good. He played for three teams during his nine-season career, but was primarily known as a Twin, making the playoffs three times with the club. He’d ultimately finish his career with a .262 batting average, 187 doubles, 140 home runs, and 564 RBI. Notable moments included hitting for the cycle on April 17, 2009, as well as hitting the first home run in Target Field history.
But even after a long big league career, he remembers Rochester fondly.
“My time here in Rochester was so exciting,” he said in his induction speech. “The fans always brought the energy and support, and my team was made up of a great group of players.”
Before Kubel was officially inducted, some of those teammates spoke of what Kubel brought to the Twins organization.
“It was always a pleasure to be your teammate, whether it was rookie ball, AAA, or the big leagues,” said Red Wings Hall-of-Famer and 2006 American League MVP Justin Morneau in a video message. “Congratulations, my friend.”
“He fit right in with an older group, helped us win another [AL Central] championship [in 2004],” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy, who played with Kubel in Minnesota. “He was part of another core that led other teams to [division] championships with the Minnesota Twins. A true competitor, a hard worker, but more importantly for me, a great teammate and a great human being.”
Retiring after 2014, Kubel now lives in California with his wife, Blake (the sister of former Red Wing and current major league reliever Michael Tonkin), and their two children, Owen and Heidi. Although he’s at times coached his daughter’s softball team, much of his time is now spent off the field, supporting his children’s ambitions.
“I am no longer the athlete,” he said in his speech. “I get to be the fan and watch and cheer for them as they play their sports and find their passions in life.”
Although Kubel is now just a fan, the fans in Rochester will remember him as something else: a Hall-of-Famer.
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After Kubel’s induction, the current Rochester Red Wings won their third straight over Syracuse, 5-1, behind a strong 5.2 inning showing by Bryce Conley, who allowed two hits including a solo home run to Jared Young.
Offensively, the Red Wings took an early lead thanks to a solo shot in the second by Andrew Pinckney, his 18th of the season. Although Young’s fourth-inning home run tied it at 1-1, Andres Chaparro put the Wings ahead again in the bottom half of the fourth, hitting a 389-foot blast to left-center to make it 2-1. The Red Wings would never trail again, with Pinckney singling in Nasim Nunez in the sixth before Nunez drove in a run in the seventh to make it 4-1. Chaparro capped the scoring in the eighth with a double to left, bringing home Nick Schnell.
History was made after Chaparro’s double, as the 200 lb. designated hitter powered to third for a stolen base- his first of the season but also the 181st of the season for the Red Wings. The steal broke an 81-year record for the Red Wings franchise for steals in a season, overtaking 1944’s 180 swipes.
“I’m glad that Chappy was the one to get it,” said LeCroy, somewhat facetiously. The Venezuelan’s 2-for-4 night continued his 20-game on-base streak, and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Garrett Davila, Erick Mejia, Seth Shuman, and Ryan Loutos combined for 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, earning the Wings the win.
The Red Wings and Mets continue their six-game set on Saturday at 6:45 p.m., with Rochester expecting to send out righty Kyle Luckham against Syracuse’s Jonah Tong.
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