Author: David Shama

Terry Ryan was talking about Kevin Slowey last winter when a lot of fans hadn’t heard of the 23- year-old right- handed pitcher.  The Twins general manager identified Slowey, who was drafted out of college by the Twins in 2005, as a prospect to watch in spring training. 

The Twins recognized Slowey as their Minor League Player of the Week last week.  He was 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA, striking out 13 batters and walking two.

So far this season at AAA Rochester, Slowey’s record is 6-2 with a 1.54 ERA.  He’s walked five batters in 64 and one-third innings. 

The guess is Slowey will join the Twins before the week is over, replacing Ramon Ortiz as a starter.  Management admires Slowey’s poise, competitiveness and control of his pitches.  He’s distinguished himself from teammate Matt Garza who many media thought would be with the Twins instead of Rochester.  Garza, who even drew mention as a possible American League Rookie of the Year candidate this spring, has struggled with his emotions and willingness to mix his pitches at Rochester where his record is 2-5 with a 3.21 ERA.  He has walked 22 batters in 56 innings. 

Garza reportedly wasn’t happy with the decision to send him to Rochester.  Twins pitcher Boof Bonser is a former roommate and buddy of Garza. “All I can say is he’s hungry,” Bonser said.  “He wants to be up here and who doesn’t?  It’s the big leagues.  Plus, he got a taste last year. …” 

Garza pitched in 10 games with the Twins in 2006, with a 3-6 record and  5.76 ERA.  He was here long enough to excite observers with his power pitching.  “He’s got a great arm,” Bonser said.  “It’s still fresh.  He’s got good stuff.  He’s got to learn to mix up his pitches. That’s all it is.” 

Bonser, who joined the Twins last season after pitching with Garza at Rochester, has less familiarity with Slowey.  “I didn’t see much of him (in spring training) but he was the big talk and he’s got great command (of his pitches),” Bonser said.  “He knows how to pitch.  Obviously he’s proven it right now.  I read about all those guys down there in the papers. ….”

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.”