Author: David Shama

Joe Nathan, who became one of baseball’s best relievers beginning in 2004, will be free to join another team after this season if Minnesota doesn’t pick up the option on his contract.  Even with the option, Nathan can leave the team after the 2008 season if a new multi-year contract isn’t agreed to.  He told Sports Headliners last week that although there were past discussions about keeping him here, there’s no communication now between his agent and team management. 

The Twins face major contract decisions regarding Nathan, Johan Santana, Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer and Torii Hunter.   Nathan could be seen as the most expendable of the five because Santana is arguably baseball’s best pitcher, the other three are every day star players and the Twins have a history of developing bull pen stoppers.

Nathan would welcome more contract talks (currently “leaving here is the furthest thing from my mind”) but team precedent has been to deal with contracts before and after the season, not during.  However, the closer Nathan comes to free agency the more likely he will want to listen to other clubs.  Coming into this season he had 123 saves during the last three seasons, second in the major leagues to Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera (130 each).   His salary is $5,250,000 according to espn.com.  The Web site lists Hoffman’s at $7 million and Rivera at $10,500,000. 

Nathan said his new contract doesn’t have to be the richest among major league relief pitchers. “I don’t want to say I am only going to take that (the highest), but it’s something where you are compared to guys and it’s got to be at least in the ballpark. …”

A possible willingness to take a “little less” than market price could be influenced by multiple factors including bonus money, contract length and the team’s commitment to winning.  Not only does Nathan express a desire to stay here but he’s appreciative of how the Twins have showcased him as a top reliever and used restraint in not over working him.  He said his career has been lengthened by the team’s bullpen depth. 

Although he will be 33 in November, Nathan doesn’t think his next contract is necessarily the last.  “I am still young,” he said.  “I am 32 but I feel like I am younger than that because I haven’t been pitching that long so I feel like I’ve got plenty of good innings in my arm.  I haven’t shown any signs that would be different. …”

Torii Hunter is the player of choice in a Sporting News feature regarding high profile center fielders that will be free agents after this season and possibly move to other teams.  Hunter was preferred over Andru Jones of Atlanta and Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle.  The article praised Hunter’s club house leadership and potential for improvement, mentioning that even at age 31 the Twins’ center fielder is having a career season with a .305 average, 11 home runs and 45 RBI.  

High energy Gopher football coach Tim Brewster will be promoting ticket sales to University students.  “I would like to see 25,000 show up for games,” he said.   That total would more than double recent past seasons but Brewster looks at a campus enrollment of over 50,000 and becomes excited. 

Brewster’s philosophy on non-conference scheduling is focused on playing schools that appeal to recruits.  He plans to upgrade the non-conference schedule and wants to play a prestige BCS opponent. 

The Gophers will play at least four of their seven home games this season at night.  Brewster considers night football appealing to fans and players, most of whom spent their high school careers playing on Friday evenings.  “I would like to play every game at 7 p.m.,” he said.  

The Vikings expect a renewal rate in the low to mid 90% range, according to vice president of marketing Steve LaCroix.  He said seats are available to prospective season ticket purchasers. 

Ken Lien, who for 31 years has been a committee member or chair of the Mr. Basketball Committee, suggests that the four state champions from each class play a week after their tournaments in a prep Final Four to determine one champion.  A move like that would provide much needed interest for Minnesota high school basketball. 

Lien’s nephew, 7-foot-1 Alex Jacobson of Brea, California, graduated from high school on Saturday and enrolled in summer school yesterday at Arizona where he will play for Lute Olson’s Wildcats.

Dave Tentis will be trying to repeat as champion of the Tapemark Pro-Am Friday-Sunday at Southview Country Club in West St. Paul.  Tentis won the tournament four times and his competition includes seven time champion Don Berry.  Former Twins John Castino and Tim Laudner will also play in the tournament that has raised more than $5.5 million to support people with developmental and learning disabilities since it began in 1972.  Admission is free.

Look for final resolution of whether the Minnesota Vikings obtain public funding for a new stadium to be a crisis decision made later rather than next year.  Last week’s state legislative session ended with no specific plan identifying a public funding source and timeline for building a new retractable roof stadium on the Metrodome site for a near $1 billion cost. 

The Vikings have been in pursuit of a stadium since Arne Carlson was governor in the 1990s.  A team official privately said back then the Vikings were being told to wait until the Twins’ stadium needs were addressed.  About 10 years passed and the Twins now have their stadium but the Vikings are still waiting. 

The Vikings’ stadium experience is likely to follow that of the Twins who finally received governmental approval when the team no longer was contractually bound to stay in Minnesota and play at the Metrodome.  The Vikings’ lease at the dome expires after the 2011 season and the franchise can relocate to another city.   

Although team management and representatives of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission would love to gain approval for funding a new stadium on the Metrodome site during next year’s legislative session, the issue probably willl not be resolved.  Members of the House of Representatives are up for re-election in 2008 and funding a proposed $1 billion stadium requiring both public and private funding is a subject legislators seeking re-election likely want to avoid. 

Funding the stadium is obviously a controversial issue.  The Twins stadium, projected at about half the cost, was a divisive topic for years among the public and politicians.  The Vikings’ stadium drive will be no easier, perhaps more difficult because of the higher cost and because Hennepin County is already providing sales tax revenue to the Twins stadium.  Talk of a metro sales tax to fund the Vikings stadium and other community needs will be appealing to some, but Anoka County, once the proposed home for the stadium, may line up first among opponents from various counties. 

Drawing attention, too, from stadium opponents will be the financial success of the NFL.  Although the NFL doesn’t make public the profits of its privately held teams, the Vikings are believed to be among the lowest money makers in the 32 team league for many years.  However, it’s also believed the Vikings made an annual operating profit of several million dollars until last year when the franchise lost money.   Plus, franchise value is impressive since Red McCombs reportedly purchased the team in 1998 for about $250 million and sold it in 2005 for approximately $600 million. 

The NFL is a money- making machine with its TV, merchandising and ticket revenues.  The NFL has also more successfully controlled labor expenses than other professional leagues.   As America’s most popular sport, the NFL is riding high with no end seen to its growth as it now explores product expansion into Europe and Asia. 

The drive for a new stadium will be based on more than the Vikings.  A retractable roof facility will replace the Metrodome and provide a site for a long list of events that benefit the community.  Whether it’s high school events filling a community need because of inclement weather, or big time events like an NCAA basketball tournament bringing economic vitality to the region, the argument is that a new domed stadium will serve Minneapolis and the entire area in a valuable way.  Look for that theme to be spread by stadium proponents in the months ahead. 

The Vikings enormous popularity in Minnesota will be an asset in pursuing a stadium.  If the team can become a winner on the field that will create even more support for a stadium.  But even with sold out games and local TV ratings that dwarf those of Minnesota’s other pro teams, the stadium proponents best tool of persuasion is a ticking clock and expiration of the lease.  In the end the Vikings probably will get their stadium but don’t expect a decision until 2009 or later.