The March 8 issue of ESPN The Magazine rates the top 100 baseball players and Mauer is No. 13. The next Twin is first baseman Justin Morneau at No. 51. First baseman Albert Pujols of St. Louis is No. 1.
Boston outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, whose name was rumored in trade talks with the Twins a few years ago, is No. 18. The world champion Yankees have four players in the top 25.
It was a long time ago, but the Twins never drew more than 1,483,547 playing outdoor baseball at Met Stadium from 1961-1981. In this era, two million or more fans per season is routine for big league teams.
Seldom did the Twins play a night home game at Met Stadium in the early weeks of the season. Among the Twins’ nine April home games at Target Field, three are scheduled at night.
Star Tribune writers Patrick Reusse and Dennis Brackin offer a comprehensive and fun to read decade by decade history of the Twins in the new book, Minnesota Twins: The Complete Illustrated History. The book includes a detailed description of how this area tried for years without success to secure major league baseball. What many Twins fans may not appreciate and know is that it was Minneapolis leadership and money that made a franchise here possible. The city, which flirted with moves by the Cleveland Indians and New York Giants before the Senators relocated from Washington, D.C., doesn’t receive enough credit for attracting major league sports including baseball.
The Wild will play its 400th game at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday when it hosts the Calgary Flames. The franchise is expected to extend its sellouts to 400 consecutive games, the longest current streak in the NHL and third longest recorded streak in league history.
Wild communications executive Bill Robertson said players will pay tribute to the fans on Sunday and fans who have purchased season tickets since the franchise’s inception will announce the ceremonial “Let’s play hockey!” The Wild will ask each of its five players who played in the Winter Olympics to bring their medals and be recognized on Sunday. Niklas Backstrom, Mikko Koivu and Antti Miettinen played for Finland, while Martin Havlat and Marek Zidlicky were with the Czech Republic.
The Wild are selling Olympic jerseys and t-shirts that are replicas of those worn by the Olympians. Robertson said in Minnesota Cal Clutterbuck’s Wild jersey is the top seller among Wild players. No. 2, 3 and 4 are Koivu, Derek Boogaard and Backstrom. Clutterbuck is active in the community and a fan favorite.
The late Herb Brooks won three national championships coaching the Gophers. You wonder what Brooks would think if he looked at this week’s USCHO.com ranking of top 20 teams. St. Cloud State, a program he helped start, is No. 4. Yale is No. 6 and Bemidji State No. 8. Ferris State is 13th and Nebraska-Omaha is 20th but Minnesota is unranked. https://www.uscho.com/rankings/.