Author: David Shama

Former Twins Cy Young award winner Johan Santana, now starting his second season with the Mets, is the most valuable pitcher in major league baseball, according to Sports Illustrated.  In its baseball preview issue last week the magazine listed a PVR (Player Value Ranking) for big league players.  Francisco Liriano, who starts for the Twins tonight and is the hoped-for new Santana, has a PVR among pitchers of 55.

Among everyday Twins players, Justin Morneau (49) and Mauer (59) have the best PVR’s.

The Carol Fitzgerald Community Celebration will be Saturday at Martin Luther King Park in Minneapolis.  The event celebrates the life of the deceased wife of media personality Larry Fitzgerald Sr. and son Larry Jr.  Among those expected to attend the 1 to 4 p.m. event are NFL stars Larry Jr., Tommie Harris, Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen.

On Friday American Idol winner Jordin Sparks will perform for the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund Benefit, an event to be held at the Metropolitan from 6 to 9 p.m.  For information on Friday and Saturday activities, call 612-305-2959.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic last week had about 1,000 attendees including exhibitors and outstanding speakers like former Super Bowl coach Brian Billick.  Congratulations to clinic leaders Don Swanson, Ron Stolski, Jim Dotseth and Dave Nigon.

Billick could coach again in the NFL but is facing a trend where jobs go to assistants instead of former head coaches.  Billick, who was the Vikings offensive coordinator before being head coach of the 2001 Super Bowl champion Ravens, has vacationed at Lake Vermillion in northern Minnesota.

Here’s a guess as to Tubby Smith’s early season starting lineup next fall: forwards Damian Johnson and Trevor Mbwake, center Ralph Sampson III, and guards Lawrence Westbrook and Al Nolen.

St. Cloud Tech’s outstanding guard, Nate Wolters, has a scholarship offer from Colorado State, according to a prep basketball source.

The state’s prep Mr. Basketball winner will be announced on WCCO Radio tomorrow morning at 7:20 a.m.  Candidates are: Mike Bruesewitz, Henry Sibley; Raymond Cowels, Hopkins; Sam Dower, Osseo; Jordair Jett, St. Bernard’s and Royce White, Hopkins.

The Lynx will honor newly-acquired Kelly Miller on May 14 with a celebration in her hometown of Rochester, Minn.  “Kelly Miller Day” will be highlighted by a Miller appearance at her former high school, Rochester Mayo.

Miller, Noelle Quinn and their Russian Club, Spartak Moscow, have advanced to the EuroCup Finals.  The EuroLeague consists of the top women’s teams in the world and is the most-coveted championship in European basketball.

Lynx star Seimone Augustus recently led Istanbul-based Galatasaray to the EuroCup Championship Series.  In a victory against Dynamo Kursk, she scored 38 points while the Russian club had 39.

Former WCCO TV sportscaster Ralph Jon Fritz is retired and living in the Fort Myers area where he’s been playing golf or tennis every day.

After the completion of fall and winter NCAA Division III championships, nine MIAC schools rank in the top 100 of the Division III Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings. St. Thomas, 17^th nationally, is the MIAC leader with 381.50 points. Gustavus follows St. Thomas in 27th place with 337.50 points.  Other MIAC scools in the top 100 are: Carleton (29th place, 311.50 points), Saint John’s (56th, 162.00 points), Augsburg (61st, 154.00 points), Concordia-Moorhead (64th, 150.00 points), Saint Benedict (78th , 137.00 points), St. Olaf  (84th, 125.00 points), and Bethel (100th, 113.00 points).

Amherst (Mass.) leads the midseason, unofficial standings with 679 points.  Official standings are published following completion of the spring season.  More at www.nacda.com.

Jordan Schroeder, the College Hockey News choice for National Rookie of the Year, could be among the first 10 players selected in June’s NHL Entry Draft.  That’s the opinion of an NHL scout who follows amateur players and describes the Gophers’ forward as a “remarkable kid.”

Schroeder, who was also the WCHA’s Rookie of the Year, led the Gophers in assists with 32 and was second in goals with 13.  Although only 18 and not so big at about 5-9, 180, he centered the team’s top line all season, scoring points in 28 of 35 games, including 15 multiple point games.

What makes him special?  “I think his greatest asset is his hockey IQ,” said the scout who requested anonymity. “That isn’t to say he hasn’t got a lot of other things because he does.  But he isn’t a spectacular guy who is going to wow you every game.  …You gotta see him awhile and realize the things he does. …”

The scout said he couldn’t count all the times Schroeder made a key pass leading to an important goal.  Impressing him, too, is that with the Gophers, and before then in junior hockey and also at St. Thomas Academy, Schroeder is always a top scorer on the team.

“He scores from places you don’t expect people to score from, and suddenly,” the source said.  “And he’s got that instinct when to shoot and everything.  …He’s got not only a very hard shot but he’s so quick in getting it away. …”

Concerns?  “I think some people will be questioning how he will stand up in the really physical play of the NHL,” the scout said.  “But he’s so smart.  He’s much stronger than he looks.  He’s not big at all.  He’s very solid on the skates and very strong.  His size is definitely the No. 1 concern they always have. …”

The scout expects Schroeder, who is from Prior Lake, to be drafted at least by the middle of the first round and wouldn’t be “surprised” if he is taken among the top 10 players.  He also hopes the team drafting Schroeder will encourage him to stay another year with the Gophers, improving his game and maturing physically.

Eden Prairie High School defenseman Nick Leddy, who won the state’s Mr. Hockey award, is expected to play for the Gophers next fall as a freshman and the scout predicted Leddy, like Schroeder, will probably be drafted in the first round. “Not only can he skate like the wind, but he’s got good puck skills,” he said.  “He can handle the puck.   He can score a little himself. I think he’s going to be very good.”