Congratulations to Larry Fitzgerald Sr. who won $103,000 last week playing poker at Running Aces Harness Park.
With less than two weeks until the regular season opener, the impression is the Twins will use the early part of the season to determine who can help in the bullpen. The eighth inning role looks iffy and that’s a pretty good term for the whole roster of relief pitchers except closer Joe Nathan.
The Twins optioned Luke Hughes to their Triple-A Rochester farm club earlier this week but he’s a prospect to follow with interest. The Twins have an ongoing need for infielders who can hit for power and the 24-year-old right handed hitter had 18 home runs in 99 minor league games last year. He hit over .400 for the Twins in spring training.
Speculation has the NBA in financial trouble and possibly one day stopping play but commissioner David Stern told the Washington Post it won’t happen. Stern said there might have to be changes in the league’s labor contract that expires in two years, https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/09/AR2009030902903.html
The five finalists for the Mr. Basketball award are Mike Bruesewitz, Henry Sibley; Raymond Cowels, Hopkins; Sam Dower, Osseo; Jordair Jett, St. Bernard’s; and Royce White, Hopkins. Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien said in a news release on Tuesday the winner will be announced within “two weeks.”
Former Minnesota Lynx staffer Bryant Pfeiffer is senior director of team services for Major League Soccer in New York. The league has a new franchise in Seattle and recently announced expansion franchises for Vancouver and Portland. What criteria does the league look for when considering an expansion franchise? “Key criteria right now for a prospective market would be a dynamic ownership group, soccer specific stadium solution and 40 million expansion fee to join league,” Pfeiffer said via e-mail to Sports Headliners.
What’s his view of the Minneapolis area? “Definitely an interesting market when you factor in some of (the) professional soccer history and very strong youth soccer numbers,” Pfeiffer wrote.
Soccer history here includes the Minnesota Kicks of the 1970s and the present day Minnesota Thunder, a member of the United Soccer Leagues who relocated last year from St. Paul to the National Sports Center in Blaine.
The Wild plays its second-ever NBC national game on Sunday, April 5 at Detroit in a telecast that begins at 11:30 a.m. Minnesota time. The telecast will be in high definition and seen locally on KARE 11. The Wild will also make eight national appearances on VERSUS this season, tied for the most in the NHL, including a home game on Tuesday, April 7 against Dallas.