Author: David Shama

1. Twins first baseman Justin Morneau lifts weights with “bears” while promoting soft drinks for McDonald’s.

2. The Twins defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on April 12, 2010  in the first regular season game ever played at Target Field.

3. Francisco Liriano, the Twins’ on-and-off left-handed starting pitcher from the Dominican Republic, is nicknamed “Frankie.”

4. Former Twins outfielder and AL batting champion Tony Oliva was born in Cuba and grew up on a farm there.

5. The Twins won the Central Division title in 2002 and have won five titles since then.

6. Ted Robinson, who substitutes on Twins radio broadcasts for John Gordon, is well-known to tennis fans for his TV work covering the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

7. Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew, who played most of his major league career with the Twins before joining the Angels, was born on a train in Panama.

8. Gene Mauch’s Philadelphia team had a 6.5 games lead with 12 to play before blowing the National League pennant in 1964.  Mauch later managed other big league teams including the Twins but never had a team in the World Series.

9. Eloise Pohlad was a passionate Twins fan and with her franchise owner husband Carl regularly attended games at the Metrodome to cheer on the Twins.

10. Twins outfielder Jason Kubel was born in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, a small town near the Black Hills.

11. The Town Ball Tavern at Target Field has a wood floor once used by the  Minneapolis Lakers at the Minneapolis Armory.

12. Nick Punto, now playing in the National League with St. Louis, was a Ron Gardenhire favorite but annoyed the manager when he slid head first into first base.

13. Tom Kelly succeeded Ray Miller as Twins manager during the 1986 season and went on to win World Series championships in 1987 and 1991.

14. Joe Mauer had the last inside the park home run for the Twins, hitting it against Scot Shields of the Angels in 2007 at the Metrodome.

15. Jim Hughes won 16 games for the Twins in 1975, the most ever in one season for a Twins rookie pitcher.

16. Glen Perkins’ father was a mailman and Sid Hartman’s residence was on his route.

17. In 1969 Harmon Killebrew was the American League Most Valuable Player after he hit 49 home runs and drove in 140 runs.

18. Joe Crede was a home run hitting third baseman for the Twins in 2009 after playing with the White Sox but his career was slowed by back problems.  He has been out of the majors since 2009.

19. Jim Perry, who ranks fourth all-time for the Twins in wins and innings pitched, was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame earlier this year.

20. Catcher Earl Battey hit .302 for the Twins in 1961 and became the club’s first .300 hitter ever with a minimum of 502 or more at bats.

21. The Twins have hosted two All-Star games, the first in 1965 at Metropolitan Stadium and the last in 1985 at the Metrodome.

22. Twins’ relief pitcher Joe Nathan, the franchise’s all-time leader in saves, played college baseball at Stony Brook University.

23. Twins’ pitching coach Rick Anderson pitched in six games during the 1987 season for Kansas City.

24. This was an easy answer, mate.  Twins infielder Luke Hughes is a native of Australia.

The 20-year-old Williams gives the Wolves a promising roster now that includes Love, 22, and 20-year-old point guard Ricky Rubio, 23-year-old shooting guard Wes Johnson, and 26-year-old Darko Milicic.  Even before the draft Ronzone was intrigued about the team’s future.

“We are gonna get better,” he said.  “We are gonna win more games.  You can see the talent we got on the floor.  We’re excited for the future.”

Love led the NBA in rebounding last year at 15.2 per game.  He also averaged a career high 20.2 points and is easily the most advanced of the team’s players.

Rubio’s arrival on the roster after being drafted in 2009 has teammates excited.  Reserve forward Anthony Randolph, 21, told Ronzone he has never played with a point guard who will get him the ball.  If the Wolves win games, Ronzone doesn’t even care if Rubio scores.  “Jason Kidd (Dallas point guard) said his goal one day was to get a triple double without scoring,”  Ronzone said.

Ronzone believes Johnson’s talent is “off the charts.”  He was inconsistent during his rookie season and often played without intensity.  But Ronzone said it’s typical for NBA players to make a lot of improvement from their first to second years and expects that progression for Johnson who is so athletic and basketball skilled he could be among the league’s better players offensively and defensively.

Milicic started the most games of his much criticized NBA career last season, his first full year with the Wolves, averaging a modest 8.8 points and 5.2 rebounds.  His overall consistency and intensity was an issue and Ronzone admits this is a “big year” for the 7-foot center who has not only size but exceptional skills including shot blocking and passing.

Ronzone predicts this next season will be one for both Milicic and the Wolves to make evaluations. “See how committed he is,” Ronzone said. “How bad he wants it. I feel he will do it.  I believe in him.”

Milicic, Love and Rubio could form one of the better passing trios seen in the NBA in a long time.  The prospect of that had Ronzone enthused.  “(If) we guard, we can score with anybody in the league.  We did that this year.  We just couldn’t finish games.”