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.

The Amazing Mr. Lewis: ‘As Positive as They Come’

Posted on June 9, 2024June 9, 2024 by David Shama

An interviewer referred to Twins wunderkind Royce Lewis as the “amazing Mr. Lewis” last week when talking to Minnesota president of baseball operations Derek Falvey. This was the morning after the third baseman and hitter extraordinaire homered in his return to the lineup after more than a two-month absence with his right quadriceps strain.

“It never ceases to amaze you when he has these moments, when he hasn’t played in two months and he keeps going,” Falvey said Wednesday morning after Lewis’ performance.

Lewis was injured in the team’s March 28 season opener, a game in which he was two-for-two at the plate, including a home run. Then in his return last Tuesday night he walked twice and hit a home run. Add it up, Falvey pointed out, and his 25-year-old star didn’t make an out in his first five plate appearances of the season.

Now the baseball world is watching to see if Lewis will experience more than a curtain call this season. ACL injuries, a troublesome hamstring and oblique and quad strains have sidelined him during his professional career that began with the Twins drafting him No. 1 in 2017. In three regular seasons of work with the Twins, he has only played in 75 games and had 272 plate appearances.

But what a brief resume he has compiled! In an era where .300 averages are difficult, his career mark is .309, plus an attention grabbing 20 home runs and a .937 OPS. He has homered about 13 times per plate appearance and that’s among the best in MLB history for a minimum of 250 at bats.

And there are unforgettable moments such as last October when he became the third player in MLB history to homer in his first two postseason at bats. He set the stage for the dramatic during the regular season by hitting four grand slams in a 20-game span as he helped the Twins win the AL Central Division title.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound, right-handed hitting, right-handed throwing California native is a poster boy for the age old five-tool definition of a baseball player: speed, power, hitting average, fielding and arm strength. Yet, there is something else almost as intriguing about Lewis and that is his attitude toward life including its perils.

Lewis has consistently confronted the health issues in his life with an attitude that could make Mother Teresa proud. “He’s as positive as they come,” Falvey said. “When he’s been rehabbing, I’ve been shocked by it and there have been moments where candidly I have said to him, it’s okay to feel bad…to be a little disappointed in what you’re dealing with. And he does certainly (do that) in quiet moments, I am sure.

“But at the same time, what he does such a tremendous job with is focusing on the things that he can control—which is how do I go about my rehab? How do I take care of today? How do I get myself on a better track? Ultimately, every day he focuses on that. …”

Falvey admitted “sometimes we have to push and say, hey, Royce, I am not sure you’re as honest about this as you think you are. We know him well enough at this point to push him on that.”

Lewis dedicated the offseason to flexibility and movement training, only to be confronted with another physical setback on opening day. Falvey said: “He and I talked about it in spring training, and he felt like he was running as well as he ever had, knowing that he had dealt with some of these issues before. …”

Despite hard work and the best of intentions, there doesn’t seem to be an explanation for the Lewis health misfortunes. There was, for example, due diligence by various authorities trying to find the cause of the quad strain while running to third base.

“I wish we could (explain it),” Falvey said. “We tried. Everyone looked at it. You know, obviously watched a lot of video. Watched how he kind of hit second base (before running to third on his hit). Felt like one of those freak injuries that you don’t really anticipate because just a week before in spring training he had gone hard first to third in almost the exact same manner. …”

After all the Lewis mishaps it’s human nature to wonder about whether he has a freaky susceptibility to injuries. Falvey said Lewis isn’t any more tightly wound in his muscles than peers and that everyone is a little different in their makeup. There have been different causes, different issues with the setbacks. “He’s a tremendously strong and flexible kid,” Falvey said about the player who has had advice on everything from strength building to hydration to flexibility to nutrition.

Lewis has the sort of talent, determination and charisma to become the face of not only the Twins but perhaps baseball. Since returning to the Twins lineup, he has hit .333 with an OPS of 1.345. He no doubt would trade that success for a few wins, with the Twins having lost five straight since his return.

After playing last Tuesday and Wednesday, he rested for Thursday’s game in New York against the Yankees. In the weeks to come there “will be thoughtful” discussion, Falvey said, about how often Lewis is in the lineup.

There will be a mix of playing third base and filling the DH role. Rest may come after two games, or three or four. A lot of factors will be involved including how the general recovery is progressing, whether Lewis ran more than usual or had to stretch himself out on a defensive play in a previous game, as he builds “volume” in a return to full time play.

Falvey and GM Thad Levine were hired by the Twins in the fall of 2016. Their first MLB Draft for Minnesota came with the overall No. 1 selection. The brain trust saw, Falvey said, a “tremendous athlete” who was still “pretty raw” at age 17. He observed that “this kid’s makeup was a little different” in how dedicated he was to the game, how much he cared and how charismatic he was.

Falvey said when injuries hit Lewis in the minor leagues, he wondered how that missed time would impact the youngster’s development of fundamentals. “So, I was a little bit worried about that, candidly—that he didn’t get the reps and the routine in the minor league journey. However, the thing that kind of impressed me more than anything else is it just feels like when he has those less fundamental moments or routines, there’s a special play in there somewhere along the way that he finds a way to maybe do it a little differently than everyone else does. And when the lights turn on and the big moments are there it seems like he shines.”

There is the hope, of course, that the Amazing Mr. Lewis will shine for a long time—free of mishaps that can slow or even derail his star lined destiny. The physical talent, combined with his exemplary attitude, has Lewis positioned to become not only the face of the team but also its clubhouse leader eventually.

“(Twins) players feel it in the clubhouse already, even at a young age (for Lewis),” Falvey said. Minnesota counts veterans Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton among its current leaders. Falvey said players like Correa can help Lewis continue to grow as a leader who the whole organization looks up to.

Falvey said: “There’s not that old school approach that, hey, if you’re young just stay in the corner. Be quiet. I’ve heard that a lot … (With the Twins it) is a little bit of, hey, you’re here to help us. You’re here to make us better.

“Now you’re (also) here to be respectful. You’re respectful…of every teammate, but it doesn’t matter if you have had a day in the big leagues or 10 years in the big leagues, you’ve got to be part of this team and be the best version of yourself.

“But I think what Royce has adapted is… (he’s the same player) you see every day on the TV. That’s the kid we see inside, too, even when the doors are closed, too. He’s just a fun loving (player who) enjoys baseball, loves being there, loves trying to help people left and right. And hopefully he can grow into that kind of leader you’re identifying.”

That’s part of why he’s the Amazing Mr. Lewis.

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Quartet of Local Stars Reminds of 4 Greats 20 Years Ago

Posted on June 5, 2024June 5, 2024 by David Shama

The sensational return of third baseman Royce Lewis to the Twins’ roster yesterday and the announcement of a new contract for Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson on Monday is a reminder that this town’s four major pro sports teams each has a superb young player who likely will entertain fans for years to come.

Lewis, Jefferson, shooting guard Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves and wing Kirill Kaprizov of the Wild are cornerstones for their teams, and prompt memories of the best foursome who ever played at the same time in this area for Minnesota’s big four teams. Twenty years ago, Minneapolis-St. Paul lit up with star power having Marian Gaborik from the Wild, Kevin Garnett of the Wolves, Joe Mauer from the Twins and Randy Moss of the Vikings.

Mauer goes into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum this summer, while Garnett and Moss are already enshrined in the basketball and football halls. Only Gaborik isn’t enshrined in his sport’s hall of fame.

Jefferson and Edwards look like they’re on track to be hall of famers for sure. Lewis has flashed the potential to be mentioned among baseball’s best players in today’s game. Kaprizov brings fans out of their seats in anticipation of what he might do but he has to build on his success to become a hall of famer.

Lewis, who turns 25 today, has played in just 72 games (counting 2024) over three seasons as the injury gods have been cruel to him and his adoring fans. But, oh my, what anticipation the gifted hitter has set for all who follow him. Last October he became the third player in MLB history to homer in his first two postseason at bats. He set the stage for the dramatic during the regular season by hitting four grand slams in a 20-game span as he helped the Twins win the AL Central Division title. Last night after his return from a severe quadriceps strain, all he did was produce one of only two Twins hits in their loss to the Yankees, hitting a home run and making a terrific play in the field.

Jefferson, 24, is a three-time Pro Bowler who in his first four seasons set an NFL record for receiving yards with 5,889. He has produced four consecutive seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards. In 2022 he became the youngest player in NFL history to lead the league in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809). His new deal, reportedly for $140 million, makes him the highest paid non-quarterback in league history.

Edwards, 22, is already a two-time All-Star Game selection. This spring he was named second team All-NBA for the first time in his four-year career. An explosive scorer, he emerged this season as the alpha on the team averaging a career-high 25.9 points per game. He became the first player in franchise history to average 25-plus points per game, and five-plus rebounds and assists. He was often brilliant in the playoffs as the Wolves reached the Western Conference playoffs for the first time in 20 years.

The electric Kaprizov, who turned 27 last month and is a three-time All-Star, easily broke Gaborik’s franchise rookie record of 36 points. The Russian native had 51 points to lead all NHL rookies in 2020-2021. In Kaprizov’s second season, he broke the franchise record for goals (42) held by Gaborik and Eric Staal. His 47 goals were part of his 108 points season (100 points a first in franchise history) while helping the Wild to a record number of wins at 53.

Worth Noting

Dawson Garcia, who led the basketball Gophers in scoring last season at 17.6 points per game, has a Name, Image and Likeness deal with Dakotah Sport and Fitness in Prior Lake. The former Prior Lake all-state player grew up working out at the facility.

Charles Barkley’s TV commentary on the Timberwolves’ playoff games this spring prompted a favorite memory from Dave Mona. He recently wrote about it on Facebook reminiscing about how his company had produced a lithograph honoring the 50 greatest players in NBA history. It was back in 1997 that Mona and his wife Linda were in Cleveland charged with obtaining signatures from the players—including Barkley—on all 250 lithographs.

“About halfway through the signing it was clear he was starting to tire,” Mona said on Facebook. “He was cracking his neck and flexing his fingers. Linda, who was standing over his right shoulder, started to give him a back rub and it was obvious he loved it.

‘Can you come up to my hotel room after we’re done here,’ he suggested. ‘You’d have to ask my husband,’ she said. ‘He’s the one handing you the sharp pencils.’

Mona wrote that Barkley smiled and said: “He can come too.”

Rob Fornasiere, the longtime assistant coach to Golden Gophers head baseball coach John Anderson, emailed several eye-catching stats about his former boss who retired at age 69 this spring. The statistics, gathered by Joel Rippel from the Star Tribune, include these gems: Anderson coached in over half of all games the baseball Gophers have ever played—dating back 136 years—and his 1,390 wins is 49 percent of the program’s total victories.

Anderson took over as Minnesota’s head coach in 1981 and since then there have been 55 other Big Ten coaches. He and Fornasiere coached together for 1,943 games over 33 seasons, winning 1,164 games.

Minnesota sports and entertainment icon Dick Jonckowski will emcee next Monday’s tribute for the late Jim Carter, the well-known South St. Paul and former Golden Gophers athlete. At Minnesota Carter played hockey but was best known as a physical running back who was a key contributor to the 1967 Big Ten title team and captained the 1969 football Gophers. The tribute, organized by former football teammate Jim Brunzell, will be held at 7 Vines Vineyard and Winery in Dellwood, and will be attended by former Carter teammates and other friends. Carter passed away in California last November.

Per a news release yesterday from the University of Minnesota Athletic Department, Golden Gophers athletes continue to excel academically. The cross country, men’s golf, gymnastics and women’s hockey programs earned a perfect academic progress rate score for the 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.

Twelve programs earned a perfect APR score in the most recent reporting year of 2022-23: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, gymnastics, women’s hockey, softball, women’s swimming, women’s tennis and volleyball. https://gophersports.com/news/2024/6/4/athletics-minnesota-continues-to-shine-in-academic-progress-rate

Belated Happy Birthday to Lou Nanne who turned 83 Sunday. Over a period of 25 years Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey was a player, coach, GM and president of the NHL North Stars.

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A-Rod Committed to City, Eyes Site for New Arena

Posted on June 3, 2024June 3, 2024 by David Shama

A chance encounter with Alex Rodriguez at Target Center led to timely comments by the man, who along with partner Marc Lore, is in litigation to acquire controlling interest of the Timberwolves and Lynx. “This team will never leave here. We’re going to build down the street,” Rodriguez said recently to Sports Headliners.

Rodriguez and Lore have been in a pay-as-they-go process since 2021 to acquire the franchises from majority owner Glen Taylor. As outsider investors from the east coast, they have prompted speculation about where the NBA Wolves and WNBA Lynx may call home in the future, with talk about relocation to Seattle and Las Vegas. If the two wrest control from Minnesota native Taylor, it appears a new arena near downtown could replace Target Center as the home venue for the Wolves and Lynx.

While Rodriguez didn’t elaborate on his comments during the brief encounter, multiple sources tell Sports Headliners he and Lore are targeting land adjacent to the Minneapolis Farmers market at 312 East Lyndale Avenue North. It’s not known what plans Taylor will have regarding a new arena, with the 83-year-old owner telling Sports Headliners awhile back to ask the question of Rodriguez and Lore. At that time the ownership transition was on track.

Target Center is the 29^th oldest NBA arena, exceeded in age only by venerable Madison Square Garden in New York. Privately financed by original Wolves owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner, Target Center was built with a budget conscious approach and opened in 1990.

The facility doesn’t begin to compare with other modern palaces in the league that are creating significant revenue returns for team owners and communities. Technology and other innovations have considerably improved the fan experience at NBA venues since 1990. Customers want to be entertained in every way imaginable—think something like an axe throwing room in the arena, a premier seating section where only fans of the home team sit, high tech gambling opportunities in the building or at a casino down the street. As always, sight lines, proximity to the court and luxury experiences in suites and restaurants draw and retain customers whether they’re spending their own dime or the company’s.

Target Center was built on a small footprint. Because of that and its age, the building is limited in space for the basketball teams and the many other events using the arena. Eighteen-wheel trucks parked off-site have been needed for storage. If the Wolves had reached the NBA Finals, they would have been challenged to accommodate the many needs expected of the host venue by the league office. Target Center is the only arena in the NBA that doesn’t have a path going around the interior space to better facilitate infrastructure.

Land adjacent to the Farmers Market has long been a potential site for pro teams. The United soccer club wanted to buy land in the area and build a stadium. In the 1990s the Twins, looking to escape indoor baseball at the Metrodome, had the area on its list of possible sites for a stadium.

A former executive with an NBA team with knowledge of the Farmers Market area calls it a “pretty appealing” site for an arena. A big challenge will be buying up land from individual owners. Once the word is out the Wolves are interested, landowners are likely to “jack up” prices, the source said. However, because some owners in the area have changed in the last 25 to 30 years, he doesn’t expect them to be as unreasonable as when the Twins were shopping.

The location assets of the Farmers Market area start with the fact there is potentially open land, and the site is on the edge of downtown. Infrastructure including freeways are nearby and the area is served by light rail and commuter train. The site could also be promoted as a link between downtown and north Minneapolis, a connection that politicians and citizens have long criticized as not being in place for the betterment of people in both parts of the city.

It’s not clear whether the Rodriquez-Lore ownership would privately or publicly fund a new arena. Either way politics will play a huge role in whether their dream can be accomplished of building a facility that might cost $1 billion or more.

Minneapolis owns the Target Center, having acquired it from Wolfenson and Ratner in 1995. Several years ago, the city and the United couldn’t agree on some public support for a privately funded stadium for the new Major League Soccer franchise. Instead, club ownership made a deal more to its liking in St. Paul and built Allianz Field in the midway area of the city.

It’s known the city has limited financial resources to keep up with Target Center improvements and probably limited intent to help with a new arena. Members of the council are viewed by many Minnesotans as having anti-business positions and for taking controversial stances such as their spring ordinance for higher pay for Uber and Lyft drivers that almost ended badly needed service in the city for everyone from bar patrons to people with disabilities needing transportation for medical appointments.

“That city council is kind of crazy,” said the former NBA insider.

A former city insider said council members “don’t get it” as to where money comes from to run the state’s largest municipality. She cited a lack of awareness about how important city sports and entertainment venues are to tax revenues. During and after the pandemic and George Floyd phenomenon, the number of downtown workers and visitors dropped dramatically. A saving grace for city coffers, she said, are the ticket tax revenues generated by patrons at Target Center, Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium.

Hennepin County, which funded Target Field, won’t be any slam dunk for help with a new arena either, the source said. Her opinion is the county has leadership “worse” than that of the city.

The state of Minnesota is likely the best source of public support (in whatever form) for a new arena. In the legislature there are those who understand that the cultural, tax and economic vitality sports, concerts, and other entertainment contribute to Minneapolis, the hub of the region. They understand how such venues benefit the hospitality, retail and transportation industries, including generating taxes and employment.

Support and funding for new venues is always a struggle and such important issues deserve public debate and transparency. Both the Twins and Vikings began pursuing new homes in the 1990s, and it was a long process. Target Field opened in 2010 and U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016.

Target Center opened about 34 years ago as the home of the Wolves. Xcel Energy Center opened in 2000 to house the NHL Wild. Now St. Paul is reportedly seeking as much as $300 million to renovate that building.

With the Wild committed to St. Paul, and the Wolves committed to Minneapolis, it could be that their future homes will be the” X” and a new arena in the Farmers Market area. History tells us neither will be accomplished soon.

Talking about the possibility of the Wolves’ plan to build near the Farmers Market, the former NBA insider said: “It can be done but it will be a huge political battle.”

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