Midway Stadium and the St. Paul Saints. It's like Johnsonville and brat. The two minor league baseball monikers just fit together.

Not next week, though.

Starting Sunday, the Saints will still be the Saints but Midway will be known as Skinny Water Park.

The Skinny Water name will be spread all over the park -- on the stadium facade, on the outfield wall, in the parking lot.

Skinny Water, a flavored "multi-functional" drink, bought the stadium naming rights for a week. The City of St. Paul, which owns the ballpark, granted its permission, allowing the team to receive an undisclosed sponsorship fee.

"It makes them one of our top five sponsors for the week," said Saints spokesman Sean Aronson.

The Saints -- with their ever-popular massages, haircuts and hot tub in the stands -- long have been a minor-league marketing leader.

On Aug. 9, the Saints players will wear special Skinny Water uniforms. But you won't be able to tell the players by the numbers. Each will be wearing the number 0, reflecting Skinny Water's slogan of "0 calories, 0 sugar and 0 guilt."

Topping things off, a Mini Cooper -- called, what else, a Skinny Mini -- will be given away if a Saints player hits a home run through a "0" atop the right-field fence.

Don't be surprised if the Saints figure out a way use their mascot pig as a Skinny prop, too.

Skinny Water Park, err ... Midway Stadium, has been the home of the Saints for all 16 of its seasons.

David Phelps • 612-673-7269