Posted August 5, 2010
“Wally the Beerman,” interviewed in the most recent issue of ESPN The Magazine, says Vikings fans drink the most among local sports audiences he serves. Wally told the magazine he once sold 35 cases at a Vikings game but his all-time record is 44 at the National Golden Gloves.
Decision Time Coming with Kubel or Cuddy
Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan suggested on July 11 that the Twins trade left fielder Delmon Young for a starting pitcher. Since then Young has made a place for himself among baseball’s best hitters. His performance indicates that following previous seasons of mediocrity he’s ready to make good permanently on his considerable offensive potential.
The opportunity to vote for shipping Young out of town for a quality starter could have created long lines at the polling booths earlier this year. Souhan’s suggestion made sense then but now the 24-year-old Young is hitting .362 in his last 10 games with two home runs and nine RBI, and he’s fifth among American League leaders in both batting average at .330 and RBI with 82.
The Twins, though, may yet part with an outfielder in a trade, likely for a good starting pitcher. That move won’t be this season but could come sometime in 2011 and involve either Jason Kubel or Michael Cuddyer, both of whom have played most of their big league careers with the Twins in the outfield.
The Twins have options on the contracts for both players next season. After that, or before, the front office will need to make some decisions.
Kubel looks like the least expensive option. He is finishing a two-year deal that pays $7.2 million, according to Cots Baseball Contracts website. Cuddyer is in the last season of a $24 million three year contract, per Cots.
Ball players are usually not looking for smaller paychecks from their next contracts unless their careers are clearly near dead end. That isn’t the case for Kubel, 28, and Cuddyer, 31, although age and money figure to be factors involved with decisions by the Twins on who to retain.
The Twins will have plenty of payroll demands in the near future including commitments to top earners Joe Mauer, Joe Nathan and Justin Morneau, and those looking for larger contracts like Francisco Liriano, Matt Capps, Denard Span and, oh yes, that left fielder named Young. But if there are enough bucks in the piggy bank, Cuddyer seems the better option for the Twins to keep around.
Both are good guys but Cuddyer is more of a leader. He’s also a superior fielder with a stronger arm. Cuddyer is the more versatile player, too, able to play a fancy first base and even willing to help out at third base.
Cuddyer’s hitting resume is more established than Kubel. Cuddyer began his career with the Twins in 2001, playing in eight games. Coming into this season he had a major league average of .270 with 107 home runs and 429 RBI. Kubel has played with the Twins for five seasons through 2009, compiling a batting average of .278, with 71 home runs and 279 RBI. He hit 28 home runs last season while Cuddyer had 32, and both are figures that may remain career highs regardless of how long either plays.
Kubel hits left-handed but the Twins are already formidable from that side of the plate with Mauer, Morneau and Span. And Kubel struggles hitting left-handed pitching.
The futures for Kubel and Cuddyer with the Twins are also likely to be impacted by Aaron Hicks and Ben Revere. They are both outfielders and two of the better prospects in the club’s farm system. Both show promise as hitters and fielders, and like other beginning major league players their payroll cost comes cheap.
Throw out the payroll considerations (a heavy toss) and Cuddyer is the preferred choice to keep around for a few more years. But regardless of who stays it sure looks like one of them is a bargaining chip to fill a major Twins need, another quality starting pitcher.
Worth Noting
The NFL is re-positioning its umpires in games this season from the defensive side of the ball to the offensive side. It’s a move designed to reduce injuries to them.
Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said yesterday he isn’t surprised about the amount of time quarterback Brett Favre is using to make a decision about playing. “You figure with Brett (Favre) things are going to start happening at some point, particularly this time of year,” Bevell said. “I know it’s a decision that he wrestles with. He is a great player and great competitor. He mulls things over, he is an emotional guy and he thinks things through long and hard. He takes his time with his decision. I am not surprised that things started to come out. We will just have to wait and see.”
Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian has a python named Roscoe.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, for years a supporter of war veterans, has a brother in the Marine Corps.
A majority of fans, 72 percent, voting in a Washington Post online poll believe the Nationals got the better of the trade that sent All-Star reliever Matt Capps to the Twins. Only 17 percent said the Nationals shouldn’t have traded Capps.
Part of that trade included high potential Twins catching prospect Wilson Ramos who the Nationals have assigned to AAA Syracuse. Today the Chiefs and Ramos play against his former AAA team Rochester.
The Twins finish their four-game series at Tampa Bay today without having to face former teammate Matt Garza who was chosen major league baseball’s co-player of the week with Toronto’s Jose Bautista after recently throwing a no-hitter. Garza threw the first no-hitter in franchise history.
The Twins acquired pitcher Carl Pavano on waivers from Cleveland on August 7 last year. This Saturday (August 7) Pavano is expected to be the Twins starter in Cleveland against the Indians.
After winning eight consecutive games, major league baseball moved the Twins’ ranking from No. 11 to No. 8 this week in the power rankings. Ahead of the Twins are the Yankees, Rays, Padres, Rangers, Cardinals, Braves and Giants. See www.mlb.com.
Notes Plus
In its August 2 issue Sporting News magazine lists the top 100 prep football recruits from across the country. There’s not a single player from Minnesota, and the Gophers aren’t included on the possible college destinations for any prospect.
Big Ten football media day (televised by the Big Ten Network) wasn’t without interesting moments on Monday. A reporter asked 83-year-old Penn State coach Joe Paterno if he plans to die coaching. Paterno, who has been head coach in Happy Valley since Lyndon Johnson was president in 1966, answered the question politely and said he plans to coach indefinitely. Wisconsin’s Brett Bielema said coaches “brainwash players” but he doesn’t. Illinois coach Ron Zook, on the hottest coaching seat in the conference, said his team “on paper” is the equal of the Illini’s 2008 Rose Bowl team.
Gophers coach Tim Brewster has a local media lunch today and then his team opens practice tomorrow.
Independence Party candidate for governor Tom Horner is the son of the late Jack Horner, a pioneer sportscaster on television here.
For the fourth consecutive year Canterbury Park is promoting non-wagering races involving camels and ostriches. Those races are part of “Extreme Race Day” on Sunday that also includes unconventional horse racing.
Members of the C.O.R.E.S. and Minnesota Minutemen organizations will have their annual golf tournament on September 2 at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. The registration deadline is August 23. For more information contact Duane McEwen at 651-484-5614 or mcewendh@aol.com.
Tim Brewster
