Minor League Baseball is rarely boring. Mostly because of the entertainment in between innings at ballparks around the country. But fans at the Durham Bulls game on August 29 were treated to an unbelievable show during the third inning as Fernando Perez eluded a tag by the Charlotte Knights catcher not once, but twice before diving to reach the plate and called safe. It’s a video you have to see.

See the video after the jump.

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You’ve probably never heard of Mike Prochaska. He’s a minor league baseball player (well, was) for the Montgomery Biscuits. Prochaska was making the final appearance of his career on the mound Monday. In his final appearance, the 28-year-old left-hander unveiled a new pitch. Prochaska threw got the OK from the coaching staff to throw a knuckleball in his career finale.

Prochaska said he used throw the knuckleball back in high school and also said: “The knuckleball was the only way I could get out Josh Hamilton.”

Prochaska isn’t the only pitcher that has struggled to get out Hamilton. But maybe others can also resort to the knuckler when they face the left-handed slugger next time.

If the season ended today, is there a chance that Cliff Lee, ace of one of the worst teams in the American League, could win the Cy Young Award? Not only could this happen, but it should.

Lee, if you remember, had a horrible blow-up season with the Cleveland Indians in 2007. There was a time when Lee couldn’t find the strike zone and left games early enough to tire out the Indians bullpen with regularity. He was sent down to the minors and eventually left off Cleveland’s playoff roster. Yet, in 2008, Lee is totally different pitcher.

This season, Lee has been dominant. He started the year off with a 6-0 mark and a minuscule earned run average usually seen only in video games. By the time the All-Star break rolled around, Lee was 12-2 and named the starter for the American League in Yankee Stadium. Since then, Lee hasn’t lost. Sitting at 17-2, Lee is tops in the AL in wins and ERA (2.93). He’s also ninth in the AL with 134 strikeouts.

He could, and as of right now, should win AL Comeback Player of the Year, along with the Cy Young. You’ve seen several other teams taking the same approach with some of their pitchers as the Indians did with Lee, by sending them to the minors in order to regain what they once had.

Lee has yet to win a Cy Young award, although he did finish fourth in the voting following the 2005 season. By the end of this season, Lee should set career bests in wins, ERA, WHIP, innings pitched and runs allowed. It’s also possible that the former Arkansas Razorback could set a new career high in strikeouts (current career high is 161, set in 2004).

It’s an amazing story, but the only thing that could potentially hinder his chances at receiving some hardware very soon is the final standings of his club.

It’s another preview of some great upcoming promotions in the world of Minor League Baseball. This week Jay Buhner’s Everett AquaSox and the Vero Beach Devil Rays top the list of some of the interesting happenings this week.

Buhner is the co-owner for the AquaSox, so he is bringing back one of the Seattle Mariners promotions from the mid-90’s. One where Buhner will give you a buzz cut before the game on Friday, August 8.

Vero Beach is running an Olympic Night on Thursday, August 7. In between innings, fans can participate in various Olympic-style events, including a warning-track cycle race, archery, boxing, the 200-meter hurdles, among others. This would be my pick for the week. If you happen to be in the area of Vero Beach - check it out!

File this under ‘things you don’t see every day.’ Two men won an Ebay auction to be the play-by-play broadcasters for three innings of a recent Auburn Doubledays game. Well - apparently the two men didn’t want to do it the normal way, so they wore masks.

The description on the YouTube video reads: “It may be the first time in baseball history that a professional baseball game history which a game was telecast by two masked broadcasters on local radio and worldwide on milb.com.”

Check out the video for yourself.

Minor League Baseball games are still one of the best places to catch some very interesting acts and characters. Here’s another one for you. A few weeks ago, Dancing Christopher (from Las Vegas) performed at the Northwest Arkansas Naturals game in Springdale.

This is one video that you just have to see. Why? Because this guy plays all parts of the Village People in the act… Check it out

If you were brought in by the title it really says it all. In Thursday night’s Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Staten Island Yankees game something happen that I have never seen before. A switch hitter steps up against a pitcher that is ambidextrous. You have to see the video below.

The hitter for the Cyclones is Ralph Enriquez and the pitcher for the Yankees is Pat Venditte. It’s a crazy sequence of events and the video is something that needs to be watched just to believe it took place.

It’s another great week for Minor League Baseball promotions. This week, I’ve come across three that are outstanding to say the least. If you happen to attend one of these great events, I’d love to hear how it went. Here are the top three MiLB promotions for this week.

You know it’s going to be a great night when you come to the ballpark and it’s David Hasselhoff night. At least that’s what the Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks are hoping. Tonight (Tuesday, June 17), the Blue Rocks are celebrating the legend with various events, such as a chest hair competition. There will also be Hasselhoff songs being played throughout the night. You can’t miss this one!

Wednesday (June 18) night is the night to be at the ballpark in Bakersfield, where the Blaze are hosting “Must Win Wednesday.” This means that if the Blaze don’t win their game on Wednesday night, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to a future home game. Bakersfield is currently just one game over .500, so you have just about a 50-50 chance of getting a free ticket.

If you are in New Jersey on Saturday, June 21, you should attend the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws game at FirstEnergy Park. Why? Because Mick Foley (also known as Mankind) will be in attendance. Not only will Foley be at the game, he is participating in a promotion for the BlueClaws where he will be cutting hair during the game as part of a hair donation for Pantene Beautiful Lengths. So, not only can you see Foley toss out the first pitch, but you can get his autograph, get a hair cut and donate to charity. You will feel better after this event. Check it out.

Photo: Newscom

The dizzy bat race is one of the greatest staples that Minor League Baseball teams have at their disposal for in-game promotions. Check out the video from Sunday’s Class AA Arkansas Travelers game in Little Rock where two lucky participants competed in the dizzy bat race.

The winner of the race rolls across the finish line after taking a tumble near the first-base line. It’s always a great promotion to get everyone at the game laughing, even the umpires and players.

You will notice that I am intrigued by some of the promotions that these Minor League Baseball clubs can come up with and pull off. So why not just bring you a post every week dedicated to the top promotions of the week. And you really can’t make this stuff up… these promotions are all real and happening soon.

The Class A Asheville Tourists of the South Atlantic League are hosting a ‘Speed Dating Night’ on June 5. For $29, you can take a chance a meeting Mr. or Mrs. Right while the Tourists take on the Hickory Crawdads. The speed dating will begin at 6:30 p.m. and continue until 8:10 p.m. before all participants take part in the All-American Buffet. If you are interested, you can contact the Tourists’ front office at (828) 258-0428. Nothing like speed dating and baseball…

Friday, June 6, the Lexington Legends, also of the South Atlantic League, are giving away Abe Lincoln bobbleheads.

“Abe Lincoln has been honored with his own memorial in Washington, D.C., and his face graces both the penny and the five dollar bill. But, as anyone knows, the best way to pay tribute to a great American leader is to immortalize him (or her) with his (or her) very own bobblehead doll. The Legends will be doing just that on Friday, when they will distribute President Abe Lincoln Bobbleheads to the first 1,000 fans in attendance. The evening will also include a live tribute to Lincoln, who is certainly one of the greatest individuals to ever hail from the great state of Kentucky (he’s right up there with Florence Henderson and Chuck Woolery).”

Umm… I don’t even know what to say… Now if they were giving away Chuck Woolery bobbleheads - I’d be there! One thing that is disturbing about the Legends’ Web site is that they still have a picture of Roger Clemens in their header.

The Legends could be outdone by the Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic League also), who are giving away Elizabeth Schulze bobbleheads on June 7. The Suns are commemorating D-Day on June 6, but giving away Schulze bobbleheads on June 7. What? You have never heard of Schulze? Me either. But, she has nothing to do with D-Day. She is the music director for the Maryland Symphony. Wow… just… wow….

The coolest giveaway of the week is happening at the Class AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs game on June 8, when 2,500 lucky fans will be getting….. a Mr. Potato Head doll! You have to be 12-years-old or younger to receive one of these Mr. Potato Head dolls, which features an IronPigs hat.