Author: David Shama

Circle the date:  Sports Headliners has learned the Twins ground breaking event for the new stadium will be Thursday, August 2.  Details are still being finalized but the public is welcome at the early evening event and FSN North may televise it. 

Twins president Dave St. Peter said the team might announce its naming rights partner for the new stadium by late next year.  Sports Headliners has suggested Wheaties Field. 

Every Sunday morning when the Twins are at home manager Ron Gardenhire pitches batting practice to young children of Twins players and others affiliated with the organization.  St. Peter said Gardenhire has been following the same routine since he was a coach back in the early 1990s.

Tom Mee, whose 58 years in baseball includes the last 17 as the Twins’ official scorer, will work his last game for awhile on Wednesday.  He’s headed to a family residence up north for the summer and not sure whether he will work any games in September and October. 

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster will be in Brewster, Minnesota on Thursday.  Brewster is a small town with about 500 people located near Worthington, and is one of several communities athletic department personnel are stopping at as part of a spring promotional tour. 

Several players on the Ottawa and Anaheim teams in the Stanley Cup finals are Minnesotans.   Players on the winning Stanley Cup team receive the option to have the cup for one 24-hour period during the summer so it could make a visit here, according to an e-mail from Bill Robertson of the Wild front office. 

Twins’ MVP Justin Morneau, a passionate hockey fan, is picking Anaheim to win the cup.

Minnesota favorite Tim Herron returns to the Colonial golf tournament in Fort Worth, Texas next week hoping to improve his game and repeat as tourney champion.  Herron, the 37-year-old Minneapolis area native and resident, won a playoff last year to become champion of the tournament that was known as The Bank of America Colonial but has been renamed the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.  The Golf Channel and CBS will have weekend coverage. 

Herron’s win was the fourth major PGA title of his career that began in 1993.  During an interview with Sports Headliners earlier in the week the former University of New Mexico golfer talked about his goals. 

“I’ve surpassed a lot of my goals, so now it’s time to re-evaluate and try to figure out my goals coming ahead,” Herron said.  “One of my goals was being on the tour for 10 years and making a certain amount of money, and that’s surpassed. … It’s time to probably make some different goals and try to get myself re-motivated for the latter part of my career.” 

Asked to be more specific about future goals, he said, “Every dream goal is to win a major.  I usually don’t set my goals that specific and that high.  I let myself have a little time to reach some goals but I’d love to win a few more times out on tour.”

Herron ranks 123^rd on the PGA Tour.  He’s played in 13 events with one top 25 finish this year, according to pgatour.com.   “Right now I don’t have that many strengths but I think mentally I am probably in a better spot even though I haven’t been playing well,” he said.  “With my game I’ve kind of seen everything the last six months.  A lot of different shots and a lot of shots that aren’t really going to affect me. …” 

After the Colonial tournament Herron, who has about $14 million in career earnings, will play during the next few weeks in the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio and the Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis. “I’ve got three weeks here (that) I want to keep a really good focus on and hopefully gain some confidence playing a little better golf,” he said. 

Herron said it’s important for him to remember the good life he has playing golf. “The career’s been fun,” he said.  “If you just remember that it is a sport and it is supposed to be fun.  If you start making a game a job, that’s when it becomes more difficult. …” 

Herron admitted the fun element can get away from him.  “Oh, yeah. There’s a lot of trap. You worry about money and worry about performing. Those are things that are kind of out of your control. If you play good golf the money will come.  It’s not worth worrying about.  Performing, if you stay on task with practice and good mental approach it will eventually come together.”

 A touring pro’s expenses are his responsibility.  Herron said a good guess is that his career expenses are in the range of $1.5 to $2.5 million.  “I try not to even think about my expenses,” he said.  “There’s quite a bit of expenses now.  …I don’t spend a lot of money. But I like to live somewhat comfortable on the road, a nice decent hotel, fly around in first class, so there’s some things that I spoil myself with but on the other hand I don’t do crazy stuff with my money.  I do like to save it for a rainy day.”

If the Vikings are winning games and Adrian Peterson is making lots of big plays, the rookie running back could be on his way next fall to becoming the most popular sports figure in this town since Kirby Puckett of the Twins. 

The Sporting News rates the Vikings’ Kevin and Pat Williams as the best defensive tackle pair in the NFC.  The publication describes them as “arguably the NFL’s best running stop duo.” 

Here’s a popular view on 30-year-old Randy Moss: his physical skills have diminished but coach Bill Belichick will be so smart about how he uses Moss that he’ll receive enough production out of the controversial former Viking to make New England’s trade acquisition from Oakland worthwhile. 

The NBA Draft Lottery will be Tuesday, May 22 at the NBA Entertainment studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.  The Timberwolves hope to improve on their No. 7 position. 

The last three NBA MVP awards have been won by foreign players, Canada’s Steve Nash (twice) and Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki.  The influx of European players will grow but what’s really interesting is the development of players in China.  The world’s most populous country may be exporting many players in the next 10 years including a “young Pete Maravich.”  

My proposed name of Wheaties Field for the downtown baseball stadium drew some support from Twins players but they were more ready to express concerns about playing outside in cold weather during April. 

The Twins have been running a fan poll on their web site asking whether Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer or Mike Redmond should be the No. 3 hitter in the lineup while Joe Mauer is on the disabled list.   

Kent Hrbek’s Tales from the Minnesota Twins Dugout is a new book by the former Twins first baseman.  He will autograph copies from 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29 in the Barnes & Noble store at the Mall of America, according to kenthrbekoutdoors.com. 

Brian Lawton, the local player agent, interviewed last week for the Phoenix Coyotes’ general manager position.  Lawton was the first American ever drafted No. 1 when the Minnesota North Stars chose him in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. 

The Minnesota Wild has begun season ticket renewal and historically the rate has been 95%-plus, tops in the NHL.