Joe Nathan’s future with the Twins seems uncertain after this season. At 36 he’s yet to show his arm is healthy and his salary is a load on the budget-conscious Twins who have a reported payroll of $113,237,000, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts website. Nathan earns $11,250,000 and is in the final year of his contract, according to Cot’s. He is on the disabled list after pitching in 17 games with a 7.63 ERA.
Ex-Chaska prep Brad Hand was recalled by Florida earlier this week and pitched last night for the Marlins, giving up one hit over six innings in a 1-0 loss. The Minneapolis-born left-hander was 7-1 with a 3.53 ERA at Jacksonville in the Southern League before being recalled.
Outfielder Paul Giel III is a third team National Junior College Athletic Association Division III All-American. Giel played for Century College in White Bear Lake this spring and is transferring to Concordia, St. Paul. He is the grandson of the former Gophers All-American baseball and football player.
Former Gophers center Joel Przybilla, 31, is successfully rehabbing his patella injury and awaiting contract offers. The ex-Monticello prep only played in 36 games last season for Portland and Charlotte. He finished up a five-year, $32 million contract, according to a Przybilla source. Another of his former teams, Milwaukee, might be a fit for next season where starting center Andrew Bogut has been a disappointment. Przybilla’s rebounding and shot blocking would be an upgrade for the Timberwolves too, but the price and commitment is probably too much for the local team.
Mr. Basketball Chair Ken Lien presented the Mr. Basketball Trophy on Sunday to 2011 winner Joe Coleman of Hopkins at his high school graduation open house. (See photo).
New Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale was the 1976 Mr. Basketball winner after playing for Hibbing High.
Hopkins High School wide receiver Andre McDonald is rated among the top 20 prep senior wide receivers in the nation by Athlon Sports’ Big Ten football magazine. McDonald has made a verbal commitment to play for the Gophers. Minnetonka coach Dave Nelson is impressed with the 6-3 McDonald’s ability to catch the ball. “He has size and great hands,” Nelson told Sports Headliners.
Nelson visits the Mayo Clinic in Rochester at month’s end for a checkup, but said his “health is great” after surgery earlier this year for prostate cancer. Nelson will be in his 10th season as Minnetonka coach this fall.
The 40th Tapemark Charity Pro-Am starts Friday at Southview Country Club in West St. Paul. Among those playing will be 2010 champion Ryan Helminen. Other past champions in the field will be Mike Barge, Jeff Sorenson, Mike Zinni and Craig Brischke. A Friday night event will recognize the Tapemark’s impact through the years on the benefitting agencies (Arc MN, Arc Greater Twin Cities, Children’s Home Society and Family Services, Dakota Communities, and ProAct). Guitar player Billy McLaughlin will provide entertainment. Tickets for Friday night are $25 each and can be purchased either at the door or in advance at www.tapemarkgolf.org.
Vikings’ head coach Leslie Frazier will give an inspirational talk to children, youth and families from North Minneapolis, an area hard hit by a tornado this spring. The ticketed event ($30) will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15 at the Ukrainian Center in Northeast Minneapolis. For more information, contact the Sanctuary Community Development Corporation, 612-339-1812, or www.sanctuarycdc.org.
Canterbury Park’s Summer School, a one night course for beginners and intermediates to learn more about horse racing and wagering, debuted last week. The course is taught by track analyst Angela Hermann and others. The next class is the night of Friday, June 17.