Farewell to 2 Fish

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This article was published 03/09/2019 (2238 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE Winnipeg Goldeyes’ regular season finale on Monday at Shaw Park against the Sioux Falls Canaries meant nothing in the standings.

Both teams were eliminated from playoff contention and players already had their flights booked home after a gruelling 100-game season.

Despite that, the Goldeyes’ 9-5 win over the Canaries will go down as one of the more memorable moments at Shaw Park. The game wasn’t just a goodbye to the 2019 season, but also a farewell to two of the most important people to ever wear a Goldeyes uniform — outfielder Reggie Abercrombie and hitting coach Tom Vaeth.

Abercrombie, a 39-year-old who is coming off of his 20th season of professional baseball and sixth year with the Fish, announced his retirement. Vaeth, who has spent the last 17 years in Winnipeg helping Major League castoffs fix their swings and enjoy the game again, has decided to move on and pursue a new opportunity. Both can say they left the Goldeyes knowing they have nothing left to prove or accomplish.

Vaeth won three championships in Winnipeg and helped the team finish in the top five in the league’s batting average 14 times in the past 17 years.

As for Abercrombie, his name is all over the American Association record book, as the former Major Leaguer is the all-time leader in games played, runs scored, base hits, home runs and RBIs. Abercrombie, who spent four seasons with Sioux Falls, also owns the Goldeyes’ franchise records for most runs scored, home runs and RBIs. A teary-eyed Abercrombie was given a standing ovation as he stepped up for his final at-bat on Monday. He finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

But those records likely wouldn’t have been claimed by Abercrombie if it wasn’t for the man working with him in the batting cage — Vaeth. After every broken record, the slugger always give credit to his coach.

“You know, to have that kind of talent that you get to work with on an everyday basis is very rare, especially in independent baseball,” said Vaeth, who stood beside Abercrombie on the pitcher’s mound prior to the game during the national anthem.

“Just to be able to call that man a friend, after this is all said and done (is special). And that’s what I told him (Monday), which was probably the most emotional part of the day.”

Vaeth doesn’t have anything lined up for next season, but the Baltimore, Md., native would love to get his shot at being a manager. That almost happened this past off-season as Vaeth was told to fly to Texas for a press conference to be announced as the manager of the Cleburne Railroaders. But Cleburne’s ownership changed their minds at the last minute and Vaeth returned to Winnipeg for his 17th season.

Vaeth said he’s proud of his long tenure in Winnipeg, but it’s time to see if he can take the next step and become a manager. Rick Forney has been leading the Fish for the past 14 years and that’s likely not going to change any time soon, so Vaeth will need to go elsewhere to get a promotion.

“We all do this to move on. The next step up from being a coach in this league is to manage,” said Vaeth.

“I feel like, as stated before, outside of Rick Forney and George Tsamis in St. Paul, no one has longer tenure in this league than I do. So, I feel like I know it pretty well and I know what it takes to succeed in this league and I know what you need to do to be a good manager in this league. I feel like I’m ready.”

 

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31