The St. Paul Saints’ clubhouse celebration following Saturday afternoon’s 11-6 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at CHS Field had just died down when manager Toby Gardenhire gathered the team again to do something that never gets old: share the news that another player was going to “The Show.”
This time it was starting pitcher Bailey Ober, who was told that he was being called up by the Twins, a moment that already has been experienced this season by fellow pitchers Louie Varland, Simeon Woods Richardson and Brent Headrick.
“It was pretty exciting,” Ober said when asked his reaction. “It always is. And to hear all my teammates be happy for me, too, it’s big time. It makes me feel good.”
Ober said the news did not catch him by surprise.
“I had some people in my ear saying I could be going up this week,” he said, “so I was looking forward to it. I got scouting reports for teams up there. I was just kind of playing it by ear and waiting.”
Ober, who made 11 starts for the Twins last season, admitted that he was disappointed when he didn’t make the team out of spring training, but said he remained focused on things he can control. “Just do my thing and take it day by day,” he said. “Just be in the moment.”
He has made four starts for the Saints this season, going 2-1 with an earned-run average of 2.55.
Meanwhile, Varland, who pitched against the New York Yankees on April 14 at Yankee Stadium, got the start for the Saints on Saturday — facing the Yankees’ Triple-A team. The 24-year-old Varland quickly made a statement, striking out the first three batters he faced. But overall, he had mixed success, striking out eight in fourth-and-two-thirds innings of work, while giving up five runs.
After getting the first out in the fourth inning, Varland gave up four straight hits as the RailRiders pushed their lead to 4-0. But when he returned to the mound for the top of the fifth he had a 5-4 lead, thanks to home runs by Ryan LaMarre and Hernan Perez.
Varland exited after surrendering a two-out double in the fifth.
“My (velocity) declined a little bit in the fourth and the fifth,” he said. “I think they made a good adjustment, so I tip my cap to them.”
While happy for Ober, Varland acknowledged the competitive nature of the business, knowing that he could have been the one getting the call. Instead, he’ll continue to do what he can to hone his craft.
“I think just fine tuning my pitches,” Varland said. “Maybe hit my location better, especially my fastball with two strikes. I tend to throw it harder and in the zone when I am trying to get it up out of the zone.”
Briefly
Varland saw his earned run average go from 1.80 to 5.59. … After experiencing a rare snow delay on Friday night, the Saints had a pig delay on Saturday. The new ball big, “Mud Grant,” got away from its handler when an inning was about to start and had to be corralled by infield coach Tyler Smarslok. “Never a dull moment around here,” Smarslok said.
