Rabe stays upbeat despite logjam in Twins outfield

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Being an outfielder in the Minnesota Twins’ farm system can be like pitching an offbeat reality TV show to Fox.

They’re a dime a dozen.

The Twins’ starting trio is rock-solid, with Shannon Stewart, Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones.

The understudies include the three Michaels — Cuddyer, Restovich and Ryan — and spark plug center fielder Lew Ford.

What’s a boy to do?

If you’re Josh Rabe, you keep plugging away and remember the principles your parents taught you years ago, when you were toiling from sunup to sundown on their farm in west-central Illinois.

”They taught me to come to work every day and to bring it every day,” Rabe says. “When it’s your time, make it your time to shine.”

Rabe has held up his end of the bargain throughout his four-year minor-league career, and he’ll begin this season with the Rochester Red Wings.

”We’re looking for a lot from Josh,” Wings manager Phil Roof says. “He’s got a lively bat, and we think last year’s experience can only help him this year.”

Rabe hardly set the world on fire during his 38-game stint with the Wings in 2003, hitting just .237 with 5 home runs and 11 RBI.

That includes a homer in his Triple-A debut at Frontier Field.

But while Rabe slumped during his time as a Red Wing, he has padded his resume with impressive seasons climbing the Twins ladder.

Selected by Minnesota in the 11th round of the 2000 draft, Rabe hit .282 in his first full season at Class A Quad City.

In 2002, he nearly made baseball history. Rabe reached base in 67 consecutive games for Fort Myers, placing him second among minor-leaguers to Kevin Millar’s 71 since the statistic was first tracked in 1996.

During the streak, Rabe posted a .446 on-base percentage. He hit .340 in 85 games for Fort Myers and earned a mid-season promotion to Double-A New Britain, where he slumped to .235.

Last year, he was hitting .303 for New Britain when he was called up to Rochester.

Though his Red Wing numbers were down, Rabe actually enjoyed a stellar season. He finished third among Twins minor-leaguers in RBI (83), fourth in runs (78) and fifth in stolen bases (21).

He is a career .283 hitter in his four seasons.

Rabe is an only child, and he worked hard on his parents’ corn and soybean farm in Quincy, Ill.

Dennis and Debbie Rabe made sure their son learned the value of giving your best all the time.

”If you didn’t get the work done, you’d have nothing to show for it,” Rabe says. “It’s the same with baseball. No one is going to help you.”

New Wings third baseman Terry Tiffee has been Rabe’s roommate since low-A ball. He says his friend has a work ethic that will get him far in life — and in baseball.

”He brings hard grit and determination,” Tiffee says. “He doesn’t like to fail at what he does.”

Fortunately for Rabe, he doesn’t fail often.

Now if only he could do something about all those outfielders in front of him.

Red Wings win

Matt Guerrier allowed one run and struck out four in five innings as the Rochester Red Wings defeated the Pawtucket Red Sox 3-2 Sunday at the Minnesota Twins’ minor-league complex in Fort Myers, Fla.

Third baseman Terry Tiffee added an RBI double in the Red Wings’ two-run fourth inning.

The game marked the spring debuts of Justin Morneau and Michael Restovich in the Rochester lineup.

Today the Red Wings (3-4-1 this spring) play the Louisville Bats, the Cincinnati Reds Triple-A affiliate.