Author: David Shama

The Vikings open training camp in Mankato on July 29 and the Brett Favre saga will be decided by then, according to Dean Dalton.

“…I don’t think that Brad Childress will allow this to go past the start of training camp,” the former Vikings assistant coach told Sports Headliners.  “There will have to be a decision made in the next six weeks.”

There’s been speculation that the 39-year-old quarterback has been stringing out the process of possibly playing with the Vikings to avoid the team’s spring practices and the extra time they demand.  That theory took a hit on Sunday night when ESPN reported that Favre had surgery last month on his right shoulder.

Dalton spoke to Sports Headliners on Saturday and said this: “If he’s healthy I think he’d have been here for the practices.  Not that he would have enjoyed it but I think he would have been there. …”

For some time Favre has reportedly been evaluating his right throwing arm and a tendon injury.  Neither he nor agent Bus Cook seem to have determined whether he will resume a storied NFL career that includes 16 seasons with Green Bay, and one last year with the New York Jets.

Dalton, who remains close to the NFL scene including as a host for Sirus Satellite Radio, thinks a healthy Favre can still play and “would be a huge upgrade for this team” (the Vikings).  Dalton emphasized how two years ago Favre led the Packers to a 13-3 record and last year had the Jets at 8-3 before his arm injury.

For Favre to come here, and Dalton believes he’s interested, the future hall of famer must convince himself and the Vikings that he’s physically healthy. The other aspect Dalton said will be whether Favre is “mentally ready” to compete in the fury of the NFL and join another new team (third system in three years to learn).

For a franchise that finished the 2008 season last in home runs among American League teams, the 2009 Twins have so far been a welcome surprise to those who love power baseball.

The Twins hit 111 home runs last year, the second lowest total in major league baseball (San Francisco had 94).  Through 59 games of the 2009 season, the Twins have 62 home runs, tied for sixth best in the American League with Baltimore and along with the Orioles eighth highest in the majors.

When the Twins arrived here as the transplanted Washington Senators in 1961 they weaned this town’s fans on power baseball.  Led by Harmon Killebrew, who finished his career with 573 home runs, and accompanied annually by a handful of players capable of hitting more than 20, the Twins of the 1960s out long balled their opponents every year except one.  Contrast that with this decade when the Twins have been out homered by opponents each year except 2004.

That season the Twins hit 191 home runs, the fifth best total in franchise history.  Tops are the 225 and 221 totals in 1963 and 1964, following by 196 produced in both 1986 and 1987.

For those who yawn over small ball, stealing bases, sacrificing base runners and bunching singles together, the 2009 Twins are cause for some excitement, although a recent three game road losing streak and run shortage has been no fun.  Justin Morneau, who the Twins have come to expect to be their No. 1 power guy, leads the team in home runs with 15.  But he has 96 more at bats than Joe Mauer who is second on the team with 12.

It seems like at 26 years old Mauer is growing stronger.  He’s averaging one home run per 10.5 at bats.  Going into this season he was averaging a home run every 46.7 at bats.  With one more home run he equals his 2006 total of 13, a career best.

The power surge has been aided by Michael Cuddyer and Joe Crede, who both have hit nine home runs, and Jason Kubel has seven.  No other Twins player has more than four home runs.

If Mauer and Morneau could hit 30 or more, and Cuddyer, Crede and Kubel flirt with 20 plus each, the Twins could easily be headed to a home run total north of 150.  That’s good news for those who love a power trip.

Every major league team heading into this week’s amateur draft (starts tonight at 6 p.m. on the MLB Network and MLB.com) knows that despite preparations their exercise isn’t close to perfect.  The most obvious reminder is Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria, the 23-year-old third baseman who was never drafted.  He leads the American League (along with Boston’s Jason Bay) in RBIs and was a big winner in Sports Illustrated’s recent annual player poll of baseball executives and scouts. The poll asked: “Who are the top five active players you would pick to start a franchise?”  Longoria finished second behind Albert Pujols of the Cardinals.

The rest of the top five as reported in the June 8 issue of the magazine: Zack Greinke, Royals; Joe Mauer, Twins; and Hanley Ramirez, Marlins.  Former Twin Johan Santana, now with the Mets, finished sixth.

The Vikings report to training camp in Mankato on July 29, with the first practice on July 31. The last practice will be August 12 and the opening exhibition game is August 14 at Indianapolis.

Michael Smith, the brother of former Gophers football player Mark Smith, has joined Bill Snyder’s Kansas State staff as an assistant coach.  Michael Smith was at Arizona earlier this year.

Harrison Barnes of Ames, Iowa, considered the No. 1 small forward basketball recruit in the country, is among the players participating in the Twin Cities based Howard Pulley AAU program but there’s no indication the Gophers are in a favored position to have him attend Minnesota in 2010.  Barnes told Sports Headliners last month that Minnesota is one of 12 schools on his list.

Wolves’ forward Kevin Love is working as a reporter for NBA TV during the Lakers-Magic playoff finals. www.nba.com

Local basketball fan John Bell Wilson reports that Dan Coleman’s team recently won a Portugal league championship and that Sunday night Troy Bell’s team won an Italian league title.  Coleman is the former Gopher from Hopkins High School, while Bell played at Boston College after being at Academy of the Holy Angels.