Author: David Shama

With the Twins loving the outfield defense of left fielder Delmon Young, center fielder Carlos Gomez and right fielder Denard Span, you wonder if injured right fielder Michael Cuddyer could switch to third base next season, a position he played in the minor leagues.  In 1999 Cuddyer was rated by Baseball America as the best defensive third baseman in the Florida State League.  The regular DH role seems a possibility, too.

Francisco Liriano, 9-0 in his last 10 starts in Rochester, looks like a sure thing to be a starting pitcher for the Twins next season unless he has an injury.  Best guess is Liriano, 24, replaces Livan Hernandez, 33, in an otherwise young starting rotation.  And, yes, Liriano should be recalled now to help the Twins’ pennant drive and he might replace Hernandez. 

Phil Humber, who was acquired from the Mets during the off-season in the Johan Santana deal, is also pitching for the Twins’ AAA team in Rochester and is 6-7 with a 5.38 ERA.  Kevin Mulvey, also part of the deal, is 4-8 with a 3.89 ERA.

The Sporting News issue of July 28 lists Jared Allen, the Vikings defensive end who came here from Kansas City, first among the “biggest off season acquisitions” made by NFL teams.

Don’t bet your bubble gum card money on it, but undrafted Illinois linebacker J Leman might make the Vikings roster.  He’s a classic effort guy and hard hitter.  Possible fit on special teams?

Vikings’ right tackle Ryan Cook was selected for the Mountain West Conference’s 10^th anniversary football team.  Cook, who played at New Mexico, was chosen for the offensive line as was Adam Goldberg, the former Edina high schooler who played at Wyoming and is now a reserve with St. Louis.  More at https://themwc.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072208aac.html

The Vikings’ first preseason game is Friday, August 8 against Seattle.  The team leaves its Mankato training camp the next Friday, August 15.

Best (trick) trivia question heard in a long time:  What are the two northern most cities ever to host the World Series?  (See bottom of the column for the answer).

Laker superstar Kobe Bryant praised former Timberwolf first round pick O.J. Mayo in a Los Angeles Times story on Wednesday.  Bryant said Mayo “can handle, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s fast, he’s quick, so that’s the whole package.”  Mayo is a member of the U.S. Select team that scrimmaged against the U.S. Olympic team.  More at https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-olyhoops30-2008jul30,0,2301755.story

Ken Lien was impressed earlier this week watching Gopher recruit Devron Bostick play in the Howard Pulley League in St. Paul.  Lien, chairman of the Minnesota Mr. Basketball committee, said Bostick “can really sky.”  The 6-4 former national junior college player of the year is likely to start for the Gophers, adding scoring and athleticism to the lineup.

Former Gopher wide receiver Michah Rucker, who transferred to Eastern Illinois,             is in camp with Pittsburgh and trying to make the Steelers’ roster as a free agent.

Wally’s Choice, the local race horse who didn’t race at all last year after a career threatening torn tendon in 2006, has run three times at Canterbury Park this season with a third place finish the best showing.  Wally’s Choice is owned by Wally “the Beerman” McNeil, his wife Joyce McNeil and Canterbury Park Board chairman Curtis Sampson.   With $432,955 in career earnings, the owners hope that one day Wally’s Choice can break Blair’s Cove’s all-time record of $533,528 for Minnesota bred race horses.  Wally’s Choice, a seven-year-old thoroughbred, received stem cells from his own body to help the healing process from the torn tendon.

Wally’s choice will be among the horses running in the 10th annual Claiming Crown races tomorrow (Saturday) at Canterbury Park.  Also racing is Chickster whose nine wins in 2008 make him the winningest horse in North America this year.  He is owned by Curt Johnson from Detroit Lakes.

Thunder general manager Djorn Buchholz told Sports Headliners last week that the probability is “pretty high” the team will add at least one player between now and late August when USL rosters are frozen for the season.  He mentioned adding a “central defender and goal scorer.”   Even though the franchise added goal scorers to the roster in the off-season, the team has been frustrated with a lack of scoring.  The Thunder scored eight goals in five league games in July, an improvement from June when the totals were four goals in six games.

Trivia answer:  Bloomington (1965) and Minneapolis (1987 and 1991).

Assistant coach Saul Smith told Sports Headliners last week that the Gopher staff plans to attract a “great” recruiting class next year and that’s part of the plan to have Minnesota competing for national championships.  Head coach Tubby Smith and his assistants recruited a group of incoming freshmen and junior college players this year that has drawn national attention and is regarded among the best in the Big Ten Conference.

Asked about recruiting success for next year, Saul said, “We expect a great class of recruits that are going to fit in our system and fit in our ways of winning basketball games. …”

When asked about competing for Big Ten Championships, he talked about NCAA titles, too.  “We do,” he said.  “We feel like that’s our goal is to compete nationally and win national titles and to compete (for) Big Ten titles.  We’re going to be all right. …”

Three of the Gophers five incoming recruits are in Minneapolis already, 6-10 forward/center Colton Iverson, 6-11 forward/center Ralph Sampson III, and 6-5 guard Devron Bostick.  Forward Paul Carter, a 6-8 junior college transfer, and guard Devoe Joseph, 6-3 from Toronto, haven’t come to town yet.

Iverson, Sampson and Bostick are playing in the summer time Howard Pulley League in St. Paul.  NCAA regulations prevent college coaches from watching the players but Saul Smith has impressions of all three from anecdotal reports and previous observations.

Iverson has a reputation for aggressive play, including offensive and defensive rebounding.  “I am excited about him,” Smith said.  “I knew he could do that because I had watched him as a high schooler.  I think that’s going to help us, too. …”

Listening to Smith talk about Sampson, he makes it clear the youngster isn’t his dad, a 7-4 phenom who some once thought could become basketball’s greatest center ever.  Smith described the elder Sampson as “kind of an aberration” and “just amazing.”

But young Ralph is impressive, too.  “He kind of does everything really well,” Smith said.  “He passes well. Defends well.  He can score with either hand. These are the things that we like.  His versatility.  He (even) does ball handling drills pretty well. …”

The summer reports on Bostick are he’s living up to his reputation as a scorer.  He averaged 19.3 and 18.2 points per game during two seasons at Southwestern Illinois where earlier this year he was named Division I National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year as selected by association coaches.  Because of Bostick’s experience and maturity, Smith is expecting the 20-year-old to help immediately next season. “He’s going to be ready,” Smith said.  “We expect him to be ready.”