Author: David Shama

David Shama is a former sports editor and columnist with local publications. His writing and reporting experiences include covering the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Gophers. Shama’s career experiences also include sports marketing. He is the former Marketing Director of the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. He is also the former Marketing Director of the United States Tennis Association’s Northern Section. A native of Minneapolis, Shama has been part of the community his entire life. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota where he majored in journalism. He also has a Master’s degree in education from the University of St. Thomas. He was a member of the Governor’s NBA’s Task Force to help create interest in bringing pro basketball to town in the 1980s.

Twins Need Catching Help Now

Posted on June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 by David Shama

A Tuesday notes column:

Catcher is the position where the Twins, currently with a 28-34 record, have their biggest need. The position is unsettled on the franchise’s major league roster, and in the minor league system the talent is thin. It wouldn’t be surprising if front office decision makers Derek Falvey and Thad Levine announce a trade this month involving a catcher, or acquiring a player at another position who can help the struggling offense.

Only seven of 30 MLB teams have scored fewer runs than the Twins. Minnesota is 3-13 in one-run games, and 17-26 in games decided by two runs or less.

Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto might be available. The 27-year-old is hitting .301 and is a rising star. Miami is a bad team, struggling to draw fans and has a front office that can be unpredictable.

Falvey and Levine possess some trade pieces that could be attractive to other clubs including 30-year-old starting pitcher Kyle Gibson. Despite a 1-4 record and an inconsistent career path, Gibson this season has held opponents to two or fewer runs eight times. Gibson could be expendable because the Twins have depth in their starting rotation and quality prospects in the minor leagues.

The Twins also have numbers in middle infielders and that could mean minor league prospects and veterans Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar are likely to come up in trade talks. Both are free agents after this season.

The 31-year-old Dozier, who led the Twins in home runs the last two seasons, is struggling this year with a .239 batting average. The 29-year-old Escobar, though, is hitting a career high .289 that also includes 12 home runs, three more than Dozier. The Twins could be more likely to retain Escobar because he can play three infield positions and figures to command less money as a free agent than Dozier.

Rob Fornasiere’s last day as Golden Gophers assistant head baseball coach is July 2. The 62-year-old Fornasiere is retiring from his position at Minnesota and is unsure of future plans. For now he “will take a deep breath.”

Fornasiere is paid $79,000 annually at Minnesota and he has supplemented his income with baseball camps. Fornasiere said he and his wife Ruth have worked with a financial planner and “prepared for over 20 years” for retirement, leaving the couple confident they can maintain a lifestyle they are comfortable with.

Who will succeed the popular and admired assistant who has coached 33 years at Minnesota? Fornasiere doesn’t know but he praised former Gopher Dan Wilson when asked about him. “In my 39 years as a college coach, he is the greatest kid I ever met,” Fornasiere said.

Wilson works for the Mariners where his responsibilities include scouting and it’s not publicly known whether he would have an interest in coming to Minnesota. His son Eli is a catcher with the Gophers who has proven to be a productive leader and player. Minnesota went 33-7 when Wilson was the regular catcher.

Fornasiere couldn’t have asked for a better last season with the Gopher program. Minnesota won Big Ten regular season and conference tournament championships. For the first time ever during Fornasiere’s tenure with head coach John Anderson the Gophers were able to win an NCAA regional tournament.

The dream run ended last weekend in the Super Regional against an Oregon State team with better talent and playing on its home field. Fornasiere thinks the Beavers might win the NCAA title and “arguably has” the best pitcher in the country in Luke Heimlich, 16-1. He was outstanding in a Beaver win Friday night, striking out nine Gophers in 8.2 innings.

Jim Carter, who has been a close observer of the issues that led to the lawsuit by former and current Gopher football players against the University of Minnesota, said the two sides failed to reach a settlement before the lawsuit was filed. Carter, a former Gopher football captain in the late 1960s and loyal supporter of the program under ex-head coaches Jerry Kill and Tracy Claeys, said the nine players are seeking $45 million in damages, or about $5 million per player.

Carter predicted it could be a “couple of years” before the lawsuit is tried in federal court before a jury. The players allege they were the victims of racial and gender discrimination involving a 2016 incident.

Jirehl Brock, the four-star running back from Quincy, Illinois, visited the U over the weekend and spent time with No. 1 Gopher quarterback Tanner Morgan, according to recruiting authority Ryan Burns from GopherIllustrated. Burns told Sports Headliners Brock will make a seventh visit to Iowa June 22, and then a decision regarding his college choice is expected by month’s end.

Burns said Vic Viramontes decided to give up on his future as a quarterback after not meeting his expectations this spring. Viramontes wants to play linebacker and decided not to try that position at Minnesota because of the competition for playing time, opting instead to gain experience this fall in junior college, according to Burns.

Viramontes’ departure leaves the Gophers with one scholarship quarterback in redshirt freshman Morgan who has never played in a college game. That’s not only an unusual situation but a precarious one if Morgan is injured. True freshman Zack Annexstad is the backup and Burns said tight end Seth Green will be an emergency back up at the position.

The Vikings have their third offensive coordinator in two years and veteran defensive end Brian Robison sees the benefit of that for his unit. “The things that they’re doing, it kind of has changed from year to year,” Robison said. “It kind of allows us to see a broad spectrum of plays and a broad spectrum of the way the offense likes to do things. For us that keeps us on our toes and it’s kind of ever evolving as far as our learning process.”

Some NFL authorities see the Packers, with injured Aaron Rodgers recovered, as more likely to win the 2018 NFC North title than the defending champion Vikings. But Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen said he is focused on spring work at OTAs and hasn’t heard the word. “Oh, yeah, I haven’t even noticed,” he told Sports Headliners. “I haven’t heard anything about it.”

Thielen, a Minnesota native, enjoyed talking with Gophers coach P.J. Fleck at OTAs last week. “I got a ton of respect for him and what he’s doing with that program, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what they’re going to do in the future,” Thielen said.

Ross Miller defeated Robert Bell and Don Berry in a playoff to win the 47th Tapemark Charity Pro-Am at Southview Country Club last weekend. Jeff Sorenson finished two strokes behind the leaders. Sorenson shot a course record 62 this spring to win a tournament at Redwood Falls Golf Club.

Ex-Cretin-Derham Hall and University of St. Thomas basketball guard Sean Sweeney, who has been on the NBA Bucks staff since 2014, will remain an assistant under new head coach Mike Budenholzer. Sweeney is valued for his defensive expertise and relationship with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story last Friday described the two as “virtually inseparable.”

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Mauer Future Looks More Uncertain

Posted on June 6, 2018June 6, 2018 by David Shama

Go ahead and speculate whether Joe Mauer’s latest battle with concussion symptoms will be a major or perhaps deciding factor in whether he continues to play professional baseball after this season.

Mauer hasn’t played for the Twins since May 18. A history with concussion symptoms is a part of his storyline as a major league player. Mauer’s well-publicized concussion in 2013 led to his switching from catcher to first base. He is and was more valuable to the Twins behind the plate, but he is less likely to sustain blows to the head playing first base.

The three-time American League batting champion hasn’t been the same hitter in recent years that he was earlier in his career. In the last four seasons (starting with 2014) Mauer has hit for averages of .277, .265, .261 and .305. In the four years prior to that (beginning with 2010) his averages were .327, .287, .314 and .324.

Dating back to high school who knows how many other concussions Mauer may have experienced in athletics? Mauer’s wife Maddie has a background in nursing and it’s a good guess her medical expertise has her more concerned about Joe’s health than many spouses would be. The Mauers have young children and concerns about having a healthy dad could play into any future decisions regarding Joe’s playing career.

Mauer is 35 and will be a free agent after this season. Known to be wise with his money, Mauer is finishing up the $184 million deal he and the Twins agreed to starting with the 2011 season. He doesn’t need to continue playing for the money and could be uninterested in what the Twins or other clubs might offer for his services in 2019 and beyond.

If Mauer wants to continue his career would the Twins offer any more than $6 million per year for two or three seasons? Does the front office really want him to return? The Twins already have at least two Mauer successors at first base in Miguel Sano and Logan Morrison. The club doesn’t need Mauer at the box office as was the case several years ago when the Minnesota native was one of baseball’s big names and the franchise was moving from the Metrodome to Target Field.

Does Mauer have the passion to continue playing? The Twins don’t look like a World Series contender anytime soon. Playing on the biggest of stages might motivate a Mauer return but perhaps only with the Twins if they were a strong postseason contender. He has played his entire big league career in his home state. With a loaded bank account, history of concussions and a young family, would Mauer really want to play elsewhere?

It’s going to be an interesting period for Mauer between now and next year.

Worth Noting

Minnesotan Tyler Simmons, along with two other amateurs and professional Jason Dufner, won the Pro-Am part of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio last week. Simmons, an insurance executive who lives in suburban Minneapolis, shot an 88 at the famed Muirfield Village Golf Club while Dufner had a 71. Playing best ball, Simmons and his partners shot 13 under par for the one day 18-hole tournament.

Dufner told the group the course rough was U.S. Open-style difficult and “the greens faster than Augusta,” the site of the Masters. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” said the 42-year-old Simmons who is a seven handicapper and plays at the Windsong Farm Golf Club in Maple Plain.

Mike Zimmer, who turned 62 yesterday, is the second oldest head coach in Vikings’ history. Jerry Burns was 64 in 1991, his last year as head coach.

Golden Gophers head football coach P.J. Fleck attended Vikings practice on Tuesday. Fleck had new Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins speak to the Gophers awhile ago.

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen, who visited with Fleck yesterday at practice, has now gone from being undrafted in 2013 to No. 36 on the top 100 list of NFL players as voted on by his peers.

Individuals with Minnesota connections being considered for 2019 induction into the College Football Hall of Fame include Blake Elliott (Saint John’s), Ross Fortier (MSU-Moorhead) and Marcus Harris (Wyoming);

The baseball Gophers might not have junior All-American shortstop Terrin Vavra if the University of Wisconsin had a baseball program. Vavra, from Menomonie, Wisconsin, could be the best player in the Big Ten Conference. The Badgers eliminated baseball in 1991 because of budget concerns and longtime athletic director Barry Alvarez apparently has no interest in reviving it, even though Wisconsin is the only program in the Big Ten not playing the sport.

Gopher basketball coach Richard Pitino writing in his blog about Brock Stull, his Wisconsin-Milwaukee transfer guard: “Brock Stull is exactly what we needed to add with our last scholarship in the spring. He’s a Big Ten-ready guard right now. I watched a lot of film on Brock when we recruited him. I was extremely impressed when he put up 23 points versus a future Final Four team, Loyola-Chicago, in conference play. He’s tough, versatile and plays the right way.”

Blake James, the Coon Rapids, Minnesota native who has been the athletic director at Miami since 2013, recently was given a long-term contract extension with the Hurricanes, according to online reports.

There will be horse racing buzz this week when Justify tries to become a Triple Crown winner in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Trying to win for the third time since early May, the three-year-old could become the first Triple Crown winner since 2015 and only the second since 1978. Advance wagering for the Belmont starts Thursday at Canterbury Park.

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Gophers ‘Lucky’ to have John Anderson

Posted on June 4, 2018June 4, 2018 by David Shama

Sometimes it takes a stretch of success to remind us how special someone is. Today’s “Exhibit A” is Golden Gophers baseball coach John Anderson who has led the program for 37 years, and given this town a scrapbook full of great memories including last weekend’s Minneapolis Regional.

“We’re lucky to have him,” said Jerry Noyce, who could have been speaking for so many Minnesotans and alumni of the University of Minnesota.

Noyce was the Gophers’ successful tennis coach when athletic director Paul Giel appointed Anderson to lead the baseball program in 1981. Noyce’s last season in the athletic department was 1988 but he has remained a friend of Anderson and close observer of Minnesota baseball over the years.

Anderson’s teams have won a lot of games and he has operated his program with integrity. “He’s done it all the right way his whole career,” Noyce said.

Noyce and thousands of Minnesotans have been captivated by the 2018 edition of U baseball. The Gophers won the Minneapolis Regional yesterday and are headed to Corvallis, Oregon this week to play in a Super Regional they hope will earn them an entry later in the month to the College World Series.

Minnesota earned a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament by winning both the Big Ten regular season championship and conference tournament title. Anderson has coached the Gophers to 11 regular season titles and 10 conference tourney championships. Anderson’s teams have been in the NCAA Tournament 19 times but yesterday was the first time his Gophers have won their region. Twice there have been four-year stretches where Minnesota qualified for the NCAA Tourney. Ten seasons there have been 40 wins or more. This spring Anderson’s fellow conference coaches voted him Big Ten Coach of the Year for a seventh time—the most in league history.

Anderson and his staff are known for the consistent way they teach, develop players and offer guidance. Neither the state of Minnesota nor Big Ten is known as a hotbed of college baseball. It’s not easy to win against schools with warmer climates and access to more and better players—places like Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Anderson seems to know when to push the right buttons. Against Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals the Gophers were behind. “He told us to calm down, relax a bit, and get back to having a plan,” said Minnesota outfielder Toby Hanson. “After that, we took a deep breath and got back to being us. We got some big hits and just kept on going (winning 8-1).”

Last Saturday night at Siebert Field in the Minneapolis Regional, Minnesota had to use extra innings to defeat UCLA. “I just kept telling the guys the last few innings: Siebert Field. Siebert Field magic,” Anderson said. “We’ve won a lot of games this way in my career here, at the old Siebert Field and now here. Just keep believing in Siebert Field magic. Give ourselves chances to win and we’ll find a way.”

Anderson has probably had several opportunities to go elsewhere and coach. He likely could have relocated to jobs with better access to players and for more money, but the Minnesota native and former Gopher baseball player is too committed to the U to leave. “Nobody is more loyal than John,” Noyce said.

The employment agreement Anderson signed with the University of Minnesota about two years ago calls for an annual salary of at least $225,000. The agreement provides bonus compensation including $12,500 for winning a Big Ten title, $7,500 for the Big Ten tournament championship, $7,500 for making the NCAA Tournament and $5,000 for conference Coach of the Year.

Anderson could have bettered himself financially elsewhere—perhaps even in pro baseball—but he has stayed through both good and trying times at Minnesota where he gas worked for a lenthy list of full-time and interim athletic directors. Along the way he’s inspired a lot of players and other admirers who are loyal to him.

One of Anderson’s financial donors to his program recently wrote this in an email to Sports Headliners: “He is a class act, a complete gentleman, and a terrific ambassador for Gopher baseball.”

U Football Scheduling

Coming off a losing season and two final defeats by a combined score of 70-0, Golden Gopher football ticket sales figure to be flat headed into summer but the box office could get a boost with favorable start times for home games. Five of the seven start times have been announced and so far none are at the dreaded 11 a.m.

Not only that but three games are set for night kickoffs. Some of Minnesota’s best home crowds since 2000 have been for evening games including against TCU in 2015 when a TCF Bank Stadium record attendance of 54,147 was announced.

Minnesota will open its season August 30 with a 6 p.m. game against New Mexico State at TCF Bank Stadium. The bad news is that a work weeknight game isn’t ideal and Minnesota has to battle the State Fair for attention, but positives include the Twins and Vikings are on the road.

Minnesota’s other two home nonconference games on September 8 and 15 begin at 6:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively against Fresno State and Miami (Ohio). Gopher Big Ten home games with Iowa on October 6 and Indiana October 26 will have mid-afternoon and early evening kickoffs. Only the Purdue game November 10 and Northwestern November 17 don’t have start times yet among the seven home games this season.

Indiana is traditionally a poor draw but the October 26 date comes on a Friday evening and if Minnesota is off to a winning start, and the weather is favorable, the Gophers could sell the game out. This is a night sports town on weekends and Gopher fans remember the crowd of 62,374 on a Friday night (October 10, 2003) at the Metrodome when Minnesota played a thriller in losing to Michigan.

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