Since May 21, 2009 the White Sox are 3-10 in games with the Twins that have been decided by two runs or less. The White Sox lost to the Twins 3-2 on Wednesday and are eight games back of first place Minnesota in the Central Division.
Former Twins pitcher Glen Perkins is 0-4 with an 10.72 ERA pitching for AAA Rochester.
Local sports writer and announcer Dave Wright will be in Las Vegas next Wednesday signing copies of his new book, 162-0. The book is about the greatest wins in Twins history and came out six weeks ago. About 760 books have been sold so far.
The Gophers announced earlier this week that football season ticket holders can purchase tickets for the team’s five away games. It’s easy to spot the bargain with Middle Tennessee State tickets priced at $25 each. Wisconsin and Michigan State tickets are $49 each, Purdue $46 and Illinois $45.
Lynx point guard Lindsay Whalen and teammate Seimone Augustus are two of the top paid players in the WNBA earning about $110,000 each per season, the league maximum. Many players play in Europe during the WNBA off-season but salaries are about half what they earn in America.
Whalen, 28, is one of the WNBA’s best point guards and figures to help the Lynx compete with the better teams in the league. Her impact goes beyond the court, though, and franchise officials are crediting the former Gopher for more interest among ticket buyers. Season ticket sales are expected to reach about 2,000, several hundred more than last year, according to Lynx chief operating officer Conrad Smith.
Single game and group ticket sales will increase in 2010. WNBA teams rely on game day ticket buyers and the club hopes to sometimes sell 1,000 walk-up tickets.
The Lynx open the regular season tomorrow in Tulsa against former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson. The Lynx home opener is Sunday against Washington with a 6 p.m. start at Target Center. Attendance could exceed 10,000 for the opener.
The Timberwolves are interested in re-signing 7-foot center Darko Milicic who ended the last weeks of the season in Minneapolis after coming here from the Knicks. That interest will be contingent on Milicic accepting a salary for less money than this past season, according to an NBA source.
Milicic was treated much better by Wolves fans than in previous NBA stops, according to the same source who spoke anonymously. That could be a factor in Milicic re-signing with the Wolves rather than playing in Europe.
The Wolves might have a new European center in Nikola Pekovic who was chosen in the second round of the 2008 draft, but so far has remained overseas. He’s contractually available to play for the Wolves next season. At 6-11, he’s a low post player and not Milicic’s equal as a shot blocker. Because he was a second round pick, Pekovic can command open market money on a contract with the Wolves.
If former Wolves executive Fred Hoiberg doesn’t make it as a successful head coach in his new assignment at Iowa State he might try Hollywood. He looks like a young Harrison Ford. See photo at right.
Minnesota Wild prospect Kris Foucault had 16 points in 23 playoff games to help the Calgary Hitmen win the Ed Chynoweth Cup and become Western Hockey League champions. The Hitmen will open play Saturday in the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, the top competition in Canadian junior hockey.
Fans can enter a contest at Wild.com to have this summer’s Wild Road Tour kick off at their house. The Wild will have players and broadcasters on a state road tour visiting various communities. This summer’s road tour will stop in 18 cities from June 21-24.