Author: David Shama

The innings have been minimal but the results maximal for Twins second year reliever Pat Neshek.  In his role of late inning reliever but not the stopper (hello, Joe Nathan), the second year right hander may not even work a full inning in some games.  His 1.20 ERA is the best on the team among pitchers with six innings or more.  

Neshek’s record is 3-0, with 36 strikeouts in 30 innings.  His ERA is among the most impressive in the American League but he doesn’t have enough innings to qualify for a ranking among pitchers in major league baseball with the lowest ERA’s.

Called up by the Twins from AAA Rochester last season, the Minneapolis-area native was 4-2 with a 2.19 ERA as a rookie.  He was third in wins among American League rookie relief pitchers, trailing Detroit’s Joel Zumaya, six, and Baltimore’s Kurt Birkins, five.  Neshek had a streak where he didn’t allow a run in nine appearances for the Twins.

Neshek’s ERA now betters his already impressive averages in the minor leagues, 2.19 at New Britain in 2005 and 1.95 at Rochester last season.  Coming up through the Twins organization since 2002, Neshek has been a relief specialist and led Minnesota’s minor leaguers in saves in 2005.

The 26-year-old’s role is often to help the Twins hold a lead or stay in the game in the seventh or eighth innings.  Then the 32-year-old Nathan, the Twins’ bullpen star, takes over.  Neshek was asked if he aspires to be the team’s stopper some day, or even a starting pitcher, both opportunities that likely would bring more money.  The Twins could lose Nathan to free agency after next season. 

“No, not at all,” Neshek told Sports Headliners.  “I am very content with what I am doing.  I am content to put on a uniform every day and that would be awesome if I could do that for the rest of my career.  I’ve always said if that’s what they want me to do (relief pitching), that’s what I will do.  In college (Butler University) I was always a starter, and when they drafted me I said, ‘What do you want me to do?’” 

Neshek threw overhand at Park Center High School and developed arm trouble. Since becoming a submarine style pitcher his arm has been okay.  The unorthodox side arm style, combined with a good fast ball, is a challenge to hitters.  “When it’s cooking at the top of it, I can get up to 94 (miles per hour),” Neshek said.  “Couple times 95 but that’s kind of a stretch but usually I will set 90-92, 93 once in a while.”

In Johan Santana’s last four losses he has a 1.38 run support average with the Twins scoring just four total runs in 26 innings pitched. He has given up 13 home runs including seven in his last six starts.

Justin Morneau, with 17 home runs, has hit 11 in his last 30 games.

Murray’s restaurant co-owner Tim Murray travels to see major league baseball stadiums and so far has visited 24 of the current 30 stadiums.  His favorites, in order, are: Fenway Park in Boston, Wrigley Field in Chicago, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and Coors Field in Denver.  His least favorite: Dolphin Stadium in Miami.

The following potential players for the 2007 NBA Draft were scheduled to work out earlier today at Target Center for the Minnesota Timberwolves: Louisiana State forward Glen Davis, Providence forward/center Herbert Hill, Florida forward/center Chris Richard and Creighton center Anthony Tolliver.

Timberwolves president Chris Wright expects the NBA to discuss the lottery draft system at upcoming league meetings. The present system stacks the odds of drafting No. 1 in favor of the teams that finish with the worst records but the more likely outcome doesn’t always prevail.

Wright said the Portland Trail Blazers have sold over 2,500 new season tickets since lucking into the No. 1 pick in the June 28 draft.  Memphis, a team with the worst record during the regular season, fell to No. four in the draft.  It was a bitter disappointment for the franchise which had already started marketing with the assumption a higher pick would come to the Grizzlies. 

Six players who will be with the Gophers next fall have been invited to the 2007 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, New York August 3-11. Mike Carman (Apple Valley), Cade Fairchild (Duluth), David Fischer (Apple Valley, Ryan Flynn (Lino Lakes), Kyle Okposo (St. Paul) and Patrick White (Grand Rapids) are among a group of 45 players that are candidates for theU.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in late December and early January in the Czech Republic. Minnesota has more invitees to the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp than any other school.

 The Minnesota Wild, in partnership with Wells Fargo, has announced a 17-city promotional tour that begins Monday, June 25 and ends with the second annual Wells Fargo Wild Summer Bash Thursday, June 28 at Rice Park in downtown Saint Paul. 

Three MIAC baseball student-athletes have been selected to the 2007 American Baseball Coaches Association All-America team. Gustavus senior third baseman Tony Konicek was a first team pick, St. Olaf junior outfielder Andrew Schmiesing was second team, while Saint John’s senior first baseman Jay Kasner was a third team selection.

Two touchdown receptions in two seasons.  The number catches your attention like a Paris Hilton off to jail headline.   Vikings wide receiver Troy Williamson, the seventh player selected in the 2005 NFL draft, has been experiencing self-inflicted “restraints,” not able to break loose and fulfill the hype that followed him out of South Carolina after his junior season.

Prior to the draft a prediction expert even said Williamson was the best player available.  His extraordinary speed and explosive bursts were going to ease the loss of Randy Moss for 2005 and beyond.  Instead, Williamson has produced two touchdowns; both in his rookie season, and developed a well deserved reputation for dropping balls.

Dean Dalton was a Vikings assistant coach when Williamson was drafted.  Now an NFL media expert, Dalton was asked last week if the coming season could be career-ending if Williamson, 24, doesn’t change his performance.

“Well, no,” Dalton answered. “He’s still a very young receiver but it’ll be a huge year for him to rejuvenate his career.  He took a huge hit from the fans and all the pundits because he had a sub-par year. …His first year here he had an excellent technical coach, Wes Chandler, teaching him how to be a receiver because he was so raw coming out of the University of South Carolina.  And then he didn’t get the same detail oriented teaching a year ago when he really needed it.  If you look at his track record his rookie year, he improved as the season went on.  He only had two drops the entire year and at the end of the year he was making explosive plays.

“Last year he had numerous drops and his confidence level just fell off the cliff. What you saw there was that he had self doubt and he was so raw that his technique work was poor.  Now he’s got another teaching style position coach in George Stewart which I thought was a great off-season move by (head coach) Brad Childress. …He will maximize Troy’s physical talents and help him become a receiver. …”

Dalton said that in 2006 there were expectations Williamson could become the team’s No. 1 receiver.  The team lost Nate Burleson to free agency before the season and neither Koren Robinson nor Williamson emerged as Burleson’s successor.   “So that No. 1 hole was then forced upon him (Williamson) and he wasn’t ready as a receiver to take that spot,” Dalton said.  “He’s a good speed complementary guy.  A good No. 2 and that’s where he belongs.  So now he’s back in that role and that should help him.”

Can he become a No. 1?  “Yeah.  I think he has all the potential in the world and he has the work ethic,” Dalton said.  “He’s a good kid who is gonna stay passionately committed to improving himself as a football player. … “

Dalton talked to Sports Headliners after he had watched Williamson at the team’s mini-camp last Friday.  Dalton credited the Viking organization with supporting Williamson during the off-season including with eye tests.  He said Williamson caught thousands of balls and impressed him with his work ethic.  All of that, and with the addition of Stewart’s coaching, likely will produce “a much more mature and more refined Troy Williamson this year,” according to Dalton.  “I saw just today his confidence level is back to where he was as a rookie,” Dalton said. 

Was Williamson worth the No. 7 pick in the 2005 draft?  “He could justify that pick with his improved performance because he’s such an explosive athlete,” Dalton said.  “He can bring a dynamic to the offense that was sorely needed a year ago and he wasn’t able to do it.  Hopefully he can bring that dynamic…to this offense next year.”