MWL president takes in Captains’ loss to Hot Rods

Richard Nussbaum was a more-than-casually interested spectator Aug. 2 at Classic Park as the Captains hosted the Bowling Green (Ky.) Hot Rods.

Nussbaum is president of the Midwest League, the full-season Single-A circuit based in South Bend, Ind., in which the Captains, Hot Rods and 14 other franchises play.

Since succeeding the late George Spelius as MWL president two years ago, Nussbaum has been a tireless advocate of his league, in particular, and minor league baseball, in general.

“Minor league baseball is tracking for attendance of 40 million again this season, and the Midwest League will almost certainly draw 4 million fans this season,” Nussbaum said. “We’re really proud of our league accounting for 10 percent of total minorleague attendance.”

Nussbaum pointed to three factors as keys to the MWL’s success.

“We’re in good markets, we have good facilities and our ownership and operation structures are solid,” Nussbaum said.

Classic Park, opened in April 2003, is one of the MWL ballparks Nussbaum regards as an asset to the league.

“When you have a ballpark this nice, fans are going to come out for the overall experience as well as the games,” Nussbaum said, looking out over the stands as the game unfolded.

The Hot Rods, owners of the league’s best overall record at 71-38, breezed to an 8-1 victory over the Captains.

Nussbaum confirmed that the Captains will host the 2021 MWL All-Star Game.

By then, Nussbaum said, he hopes to have secured

from the MWL’s major-league parent clubs an agreement not to promote players selected as All-Stars until after the game.

“It does the league and the players a disservice to promote players shortly before the (All-Star) game,” he said.

Nussbaum was asked for his opinion of the designated runner rule for extra innings implemented this year in all minor-league circuits. At the outset of each at-bat in extra innings, the player who batted last in the previous half-inning is placed at second base.

“I’m a purist, so when the change was announced, I didn’t like it,” Nussbaum said. “But I have to tell you, the reaction has been positive across the board. The new rule has worked out well. It’s here to stay.”

Power show

The Hot Rods smacked four home runs, two off the bat of designated hitter Ronaldo Hernandez. The 20-year-old native of Colombia connected off Lake County starter and eventual loser Gregori Vasquez (5-6, 3.95 ERA) for two-run home runs in the top of the first and sixth innings.

A catcher by trade, Hernandez has an MWL-high 18 home runs and 69 RBI. Also going deep for the Hot Rods were Jim Haley with a two-run shot in the top of the first inning and Devin Davis with a solo shot in the top of the eighth inning.

The top four batters in Bowling Green’s line-up combined to go 10-for-18 with seven RBI, seven runs scored and three home runs.

Bowling Green has taken 12 of 15 games from the Captains this season.

Moving up

In the 13-4 loss to Bowling Green on Aug. 1, Captains third baseman Nolan Jones hit two solo home runs. On Aug. 2, the 20-year-old Pennsylvania native was promoted to the advanced Single-A Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats. Jones played 90 games for the Captains, batting .279 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI.

Coming aboard

Promoted to Lake County on Aug. 2 from short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley were left-handed pitcher Adam Scott and righthanded pitcher Dakody Clemmer.

Scott was selected by the Indians in the fourth round of the 2018 draft out of Wofford (S.C.) College. Clemmer was taken in the 19th round of the June 2016 draft out of Central Arizona College

Faces in the crowd

One current big-league player, Indians catcher Yan Gomes, and former bigleague pitcher Luis Tiant took in the middle game of the three-game series.

Gomes came to the game with his family on what for the Indians was an off day. They open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field on Aug. 3.

Tiant is in Northeast Ohio as one of the sports celebrities signing autographs at the National Sports Collectors Convention, running through Aug. 5 at the I-X Center.