Author: David Shama

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners the club has sold 19,500 season tickets so far for its first year at Target Field.  The total may top 20,000 and far exceeds the previous franchise high of 11,000 for season tickets.  The season ticket total will place the Twins among the top 10 franchises in major league baseball, according to St. Peter.

St. Peter expects the Twins to be in the three million range for fan attendance in the new downtown stadium.  While not willing to offer specifics, he said the club isn’t budgeting to lose money in 2010.

With Target Field capacity at about 40,000, single season ticket buyers will need to be more proactive in purchasing tickets than in the past when the Twins played in the Metrodome with a larger capacity and the season ticket total was considerably less.  Group ticket sales are also completed in advance of game dates and will add to the reduced inventory available to single game buyers.

Demand for tickets for the team’s first regular season series at Target Field will far exceed availability so the club is promoting registration via a random drawing to provide selected fans the opportunity to purchase seats.  https://secure.mlb.com/min/ticketing/ticket_opp_form.jsp

Registration for the opening series ticket opportunity began on Friday and ends February 10, according to the team’s Website.  The initial Target Field series is April 12, 14 and 15 against Boston.

St. Peter had no comment on contract negotiations with Twins catcher Joe Mauer. Mauer and the Twins have a mutually strong interest in agreeing to a new contract that will keep him with the organization for several seasons.

However, concerns on both sides may increase if a deal isn’t completed prior to the start of the regular season in April.  Mauer becomes a free agent after the season and is able to then entertain other offers.  Also, players usually prefer not to be distracted with negotiations during the season.

Gophers coach Tim Brewster expects at least seven players to be walk-ons, adding to his 2010 recruiting class.  Among those expected to walk-on is Isaac Fruechte, wide receiver from Caledonia, according to https://www.winonadailynews.com/sports/e88f5a22-0c96-11df-a747-001cc4c03286.html.

Seantrel Henderson is included on the final list of 25 candidates for the state’s Mr. Basketball award.  The winner will be announced in March prior to the boys’ state tournament, according to an announcement last week from Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien.

Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin and offensive tackle Philip Loadholt were named to the NFL all-rookie team in the January 18 issue of Sporting News magazine.  Harvin also was the magazine’s choice as kick returner on both its all-rookie and all-pro teams.  Other Vikings on the all-pro team were running back Adrian Peterson, offensive guard Steve Hutchinson, defensive end Jared Allen and defensive tackle Kevin Williams.

When the Colts and Saints play in the Super Bowl, two former Gopher assistants will be coaching.  The Colts offensive coordinator is Tom Moore (1972-73 and 1975-76), while the Saints special teams coach is Greg McMahon (1983-84).

A players poll in the January 18 issue of Sports Illustrated selected former Timberwolf Kevin Garnett as the “NBA’s biggest trash talker.”  Garnett, now with the Celtics, had 62 percent of the votes, while Kobe Bryant of the Lakers was second at a distant seven percent. 

Joel Przybilla, the former Gophers center from Monticello, is rehabilitating his torn right patella tendon in Brookfield, Wisconsin, according to friend John Bell Wilson.  He said Przybilla has been told by his personal trainer it’s “80-20” he could play for his Portland team by April.  Przybilla, originally from Monticello, makes his home in Brookfield.

Canterbury Park’s thoroughbred stakes schedule for 2010 features 34 races totaling $1.71 million in purses, including six Claiming Crown races and seven on Minnesota Festival of Champions Day.  The 62-day meet begins May 14 and closes on August 29, festival day.  The 12^th Claiming Crown, an event attracting top jockeys and claiming horses from throughout the country, will be July 24.

The St. Thomas men’s baseball team is ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls by the American Baseball Coaches Association and D3Baseball.com.  Interim head coach Chris Olean will have 19 of 25 players back from last season’s NCAA championship team.  Practices start today.

The Gophers (4-4) and Ohio State (5-3) have similar Big Ten Conference records and both aspire to qualify for the NCAA tournament in March, but Sunday’s game in Columbus is intriguing for more than that.  At least some players don’t have much liking for one another and there’s enough history to believe this could be a physical game.

“…I expect a lot of dirty play, to be honest with you,” Gopher Lawrence Westbrook said.  “It will be a war.”

Westbrook and Ohio State star Evan Turner “talked trash” in the Gophers’ win over the Buckeyes in Minneapolis earlier this month, according to a January 10 story by the Star Tribune.  The newspaper reported that game officials warned the players at halftime about their disapproval of such behavior.  After the game there was reportedly shoving and verbal exchanges involving players from both teams, but other details haven’t been confirmed.

The Big Ten office is expected to alert its game officials about the potentially emotional situation on Sunday, a game that will begin at noon Minneapolis time and be televised by CBS.  Early in the game officials will probably be quick to blow their whistles when they judge there is too much contact between players.  “Trash talking” will likely be monitored closely and technical fouls could result.

When asked recently about potential problems, Gophers coach Tubby Smith made a brief response, saying he doesn’t anticipate incidents.  That’s an expected reply to the media, but emotions will surely be a topic that Smith discusses with his players prior to the game.

As badly as the Gophers could use a signature win against No. 20 ranked Ohio State, it will be a surprise if they win.  The Gophers haven’t impressed much away from Williams Arena.  They have one quality win on a neutral court (Butler) and have lost three of four conference road games.  With a less than glittering 13-7 overall record, the Gophers have three of their next four conference games on the road and with that an opportunity to enhance their potential NCAA tournament resume.

The Gophers were nationally ranked before the season began.  But they lost starting point guard Al Nolen to academic ineligibility earlier this month, and high potential forwards Trevor Mbakwe and Royce White have yet to play in any games because of suspensions.

“I love my team,” Smith said.  “…This is a remarkable group.  I really am proud of the way they have conducted themselves and handled themselves despite some of the…distractions.”