Leaf Peepers? Thunder Chickens?! Coming to the Minors this year
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.
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.
On Jan. 30, the Hartford Yard Goats announced that they would play a game this season as the Thunder Chickens. One week later the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies unveiled another alternate identity: the Leaf Peepers.
These offseason unveilings are now a matter of course for Minor League Baseball teams as, over the last decade, alternate identities have evolved from curiosities to promo schedule standbys. They generally have a local connection, celebrating food, history, culture and natural surroundings in an irreverent manner. From Steamed Cheeseburgers to Bouncing Pickles to this year’s crop of Thunder Chickens and Leaf Peepers, the Yard Goats have been dedicated practitioners.
"I’m surprised that other sports and other industries haven’t really picked up on this trend just yet, because it’s refreshing for the people who work in your office. It’s refreshing for the fans. It can bring in new fans. When we announced Bouncing Pickles a couple of years ago, when tickets went on sale that was one of the first games that sold out," said Yard Goats general manager Mike Abramson, speaking on The Show Before the Show podcast.
"From a national retail perspective it’s become a commonplace practice, especially in the food and beverage industry," he continued. "You look at popular sodas, candy, snack foods, they are rolling out these seasonal alternate identities all the time. … If somebody loves Skittles, they love the fact that once a year they come out with turkey-flavored Skittles or whatever."
Turkey-flavored Skittles seem unlikely, but Abramson came up with that example because turkeys have recently been on the brain. Though this may be news to you, Thunder Chickens is a slang term for a turkey because (per the Yard Goats press release), "of the loud gobbling sound they make." Connecticut is home to an estimated 35,000 wild turkeys, so there you have it.
"When you’re around [Minor League Baseball] for a long time, when you hear the name you just know," said Abramson. "I think a lot of it is the consonant-vowel combinations. It’s got to be something that really punches, which was the thing we loved about the Yard Goats so many years back. And also just the fact that it’s funny, it’s interesting, you can tell a story with it. But I also think it really works if you have a local tie."
Enter Leaf Peepers, which flips the term on its head by depicting a leaf with bulging eyes. You’re not peeping at the leaf; the leaf is peeping at you.
"Ten million people every year come to New England just to look at the leaves change color. It’s a big deal. That was one of the names that came up, and we thought we’d try to capitalize on it. The logo is a leaf peeping, but we got there in a roundabout way. We started with several iterations of a person with binoculars huddled in bushes and peeping out and it just never seemed catchy enough."
Creating an alternate identity is generally a multi-year process, from brainstorming to designing to receiving the requisite MLB approvals to ordering (and waiting for) merchandise and player uniforms.
"We have a couple of brainstorming sessions each year where we get our full staff together," said Abramson. "Ply them with drinks and food and everybody starts to throw ideas around. … We always start off those conversations by saying there are no bad ideas and there are, in fact, a lot of bad ideas. As the afternoon goes on we start to call out the bad ideas a little more quickly and passionately. But it’s fun. It’s a great team-building exercise and the people you least expect are the ones who come out with the names [that are chosen]."
Given this timeline, be assured that the Yard Goats -- and many other teams across Minor League Baseball -- are currently working on alternate identities for 2026 and beyond.
"It’s a lot of fun," said Abramson. "Everybody loves to come on to the socials and say, 'It’s a cash grab!' and, it is in that we are a for-profit business. When you work in the same sport every year and it’s cyclical, you have to amuse yourself somehow and alternate identities are a great way to do that. It gives you something to feel proud of and work at, to figure out how to market differently."
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
Wind Aided: Saints Lose Fourth Straight 12-7 To I-Cubs
DES MOINES, IA (May 16, 2025) - With steady winds of 25 mph and gusts over 40 mph, the ball was flying at Principal Park on Friday night between the St. Paul Saints and Iowa Cubs. The teams combined for 19 runs on 29 hits, 13 extra base hits, including
Saints Stunned In Game Two Of Doubleheader, Lose 8-7 On Walk-Off Homer In 8th
DES MOINES, IA (May 15, 2025) - The St. Paul Saints took a four-run lead into the last inning in game two of their doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. They gave up four runs in the seventh and the game went into extras. The Saints scored two in the eighth only
Saints Fall In Game One of Doubleheader 8-2 To I-Cubs
DES MOINES, IA (May 15, 2025) - The St. Paul Saints had trouble getting the third out of the inning in game one of their doubleheader to the Iowa Cubs. All eight runs they allowed came with two outs as they lost 8-2 on Thursday afternoon at Principal Park. The
Saints and Semper Fi Flo Join Forces To Collect Items For Military Care Packages At May 21 Game
ST. PAUL, MN (May 14, 2025) - The St. Paul Saints have honored military members through their Hero of the Game program, they’ve handed out free tickets to military members, and they’ve recognized important dates for the military through various promotions. Several members of the Saints staff have family members
Saints Strand Franchise Record Tying High 15 In 10-5 Loss To I-Cubs
DES MOINES, IA (May 14, 2025) - It was one of those days on Wednesday afternoon at Principal Park. The St. Paul Saints outhit the Iowa Cubs, 12-9, they drew 10 walks, but issued nine of their own, and despite having 22 baserunners they left a franchise record tying 15
Saints Win For 11th Time In Last 13 With 6-4 Victory Over I-Cubs
DES MOINES, IA (May 13, 2025) - The St. Paul Saints are playing with a lot of confidence these days. They have won three consecutive series with their last series loss coming April 15-20 at Iowa. They got off on the right foot on Tuesday night against those same Iowa
Hey Mickey You're So Fine: Gasper Named IL Player of the Week
ST. PAUL, MN (May 12, 2025) - After being optioned to Triple-A St. Paul for the second time this season on May 5, all that Saints utility man Mickey Gasper has done is hit since coming down to the minor leagues. The league office has announced that Gasper is the
Bullpen Carries the Load As Saints Take Five of Six From Bisons In 3-2 Win
ST. PAUL, MN (May 11, 2025) - Everything is clicking for the St. Paul Saints. With an opportunity to put an exclamation mark on an impressive series, the bullpen tossed 5.0 shutout innings and nursed a one-run lead until the very end. The Saints took five of six from the
Rodriguez's All-Around Game Lifts Saints To 2-1 Victory Over Buffalo
ST. PAUL, MN (May10, 2025) - Emmanuel Rodriguez drove a first-pitch fastball out to left field for his second home run in as many days to flip a one-run deficit into a one-run lead late as the Saints clinched a series win 2-1 in front of 6,203 on Saturday afternoon
Saints Five-Game Win Streak Comes To Screeching Halt In 17-3 Loss To Bisons
ST. PAUL, MN (May 9, 2025) - There would be no walk-off for the St. Paul Saints on Friday night at CHS Field. The Buffalo Bisons made sure of that in the first inning when they scored six runs and didn’t stop. The Saints had their five-game winning streak halted
Same Pitcher, Different Hitter, Same Result, Mickey Gasper's Three-Run Walk-Off Homer Gives Saints 13-10 Win
ST. PAUL, MN (May 8, 2025) - On Wednesday night it was Mike Ford with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth off Josh Walker. On Thursday night at CHS Field the Buffalo Bisons went to the same left-hander, but this time it was Mickey Gasper with the
Mike Ford Plays Hero With Three-Run Walk-Off Homer In Ninth In 8-7 Saints Victory
ST. PAUL, MN (May 7, 2025) - The most veteran hitter on the St. Paul Saints roster came up with the biggest clutch hit of the season. Down two in the bottom of the ninth, Mike Ford drilled a walk-off homer to send the Saints to their fourth straight victory,
Saints-Bisons Followed by Saint Anthony Village-DeLaSalle High School Caps Off Baseball Across MN On May 10
ST. PAUL, MN (May 7, 2025) - The baseball community in Minnesota is coming together to throw an incredible weekend celebration that honors the sport and its traditions across the state. Games will be played across the state from T-Ball to professional ballparks helping promote the National Pastime. The St.
McCusker Mashes Two More Homers, Saints Take Down Bisons 6-2
ST. PAUL, MN (May 6, 2025) - The St. Paul Saints single-season home run record is 21. Carson McCusker is nearly halfway there just one-third of the way through the season. He hit two more home runs on Tuesday night, David Festa dominated once again, and the Saints defeated the
It's A Marathon Not A Sprint During Saints May 6-11 Homestand
ST. PAUL, MN (May 5, 2025) - We’ve gotten through the April showers portion of the season, now let’s pace ourselves for the May flowers and the rest of the summer. Our passion for our fans really moves us when we put together our promotional calendar. The holy grail of
Saints Exorcise Demons, Take Four of Five In Series Against Clippers With 3-2 Win In 10
COLUMBUS, OH (May 4, 2025) - Entering Sunday afternoon the St. Paul Saints had already secured their first winning series in nine tries at Huntington Park against the Columbus Clipper. They were looking for the cherry on top. They got that with a 3-2 come from behind victory in 10
Copy and Paste: Saints and Clippers Doubleheader Cancelled Due To, Wait For It...Rain
COLUMBUS, OH (May 3, 2025) - Mother Nature is batting an impressive .297 against the St. Paul Saints this season. If she keeps this up it will be hard to keep her off the Major League roster. For the 10th and 11th time in 37 days the Saints had games
Morales Blasts Two Homers, Saints Win Rain Shortened Game One of Doubleheader 6-4, Game Two Postponed, Doubleheader Saturday
COLUMBUS, OH (May 2, 2025) - The St. Paul Saints are now one postponement away from reaching double digits. Jeferson Morales hit two home runs for the first time in his career and the Saints won a rain shortened first game of a doubleheader, that ended in the top of
Blame It On The Rain: Game Two of Saints-Clippers Doubleheader Postponed By Rain, Play Two Friday
COLUMBUS, OH (May 1, 2025) - By the end of the season the St. Paul Saints might be able to do an NCAA tournament style rain postponement bracket. They have eight of their 68 already filled out as Game 2 of the doubleheader between the Saints and Columbus Clippers was
Saints Start Strong, But Fall 5-2 To Clippers In Game One of Doubleheader
COLUMBUS, OH (May 1, 2025) - The St. Paul Saints were hoping to use their momentum from the first two games of the series to exorcise all the Huntington Park demons. They started well, plating two runs in the first, but the Columbus Clippers got three in the bottom of
How the Turn Tables, Saints Win Back-To-Back Games At Huntington Park For First Time In Franchise History, 8-7 In 11
COLUMBUS, OH (April 30, 2025) - Even a one-run comeback victory at Huntington Park should be celebrated for the St. Paul Saints. For that matter, any win in general should be celebrated. The Saints have one of the lowest winning percentages by any Minor League team in any ballpark over
Feline Friends For Life, Saints Bring Back Cat Video Festival On August 14, Video Submissions Being Accepted By Twin Cities Film Fest
ST. PAUL, MN (April 30, 2025) - We heard your pleas, your cries, and we have the (cat) scratch marks to prove it. After a one-year trial run with the inclusion of all pets for a video festival at CHS Field, the St. Paul Saints, and Twin Cities Film Fest,
Unlucky Seven, Saints and Clippers Rained Out In Game Two of Doubleheader
COLUMBUS, OH (April 29, 2025) - At least they played one game. The tote board climbed one number higher for the St. Paul Saints when it comes to rainouts. For the seventh time this season the Saints were washed out when game two of their doubleheader against the Columbus Clippers
Festa Dominates, Saints Hit Three Homers In 4-2 Victory In Game 1 Of Doubleheader Over Clippers
COLUMBUS, OH (April 29, 2025) - David Festa made his first start for the St. Paul Saints since being optioned. He looked like a Major League arm against the Columbus Clippers. He pitched 6.0 stellar innings, the Saints hit three long balls, and they took game one of the doubleheader
Toby Gardenhire Wins 300th As Saints Manager In 5-3 Victory Over Indianapolis
ST. PAUL, MN (April 27, 2025) - The lone manager in St. Paul Saints Triple-A history continues to pile up the victories. The Saints scored three runs in the first two innings and hung on from there for a 5-3 victory over the Indianapolis Indians at CHS Field in front