Author: David Shama

The Twins begin interleague play tonight at Colorado in a three game series, the first time ever that Minnesota has played regular season games in Denver.  The Twins and Rockies played regular season games in the Metrodome in 2003 with Minnesota winning two of three games.

The schedule for the 12th season of interleague competition between the American League and the National League will have 252 games played in two segments: Friday thru Sunday and from June 13-29, according to a major league baseball press release. American League East teams will play primarily against the National League Central; the N.L. East versus the A.L. West; and the A.L. Central against the N.L. West.

Interleague play drew a record 8,795,939 fans in 2007, an all-time high of 34,905 fans per game. The average 2007 interleague attendance was 7.3 percent greater than the season’s average intraleague attendance of 32,529.  Since its inception in 1997, interleague play has drawn an average attendance of 33,034 fans, a total that is 11.9 percent higher than the intraleague average of 29,517.

The American League had a 137-115 interleague record last season. It was the fourth consecutive season the A.L. won the season-series and extended its all-time lead over the N.L. to 1,387-1,317.

Canadian native and hockey fan Justin Morneau of the Twins is pulling for Pittsburgh in the NHL playoffs.  He wants to see Sidney Crosby be part of a Stanley Cup champion.

The Amazing Hondo, the well-known local magician who played basketball at Winona State, e-mailed to report he entertained earlier this month for Joe Mauer’s golf benefit to provide funding for St. Paul playgrounds and ballparks.  “He’s about as nice a kid as they come,” Hondo wrote.

Candice Wiggins’ dad, Alan, played seven seasons of major league baseball and died in 1991 from AIDS, a Minnesota Lynx spokesman told Sports Headliners.  Candice, the Lynx’s No. 1 2008 draft choice, makes her WNBA debut Sunday night at Target Center against Detroit.

There’s conflicting opinion about whether the Timberwolves want to trade Rashad McCants, a talented scorer who can be inconsistent in his performance and emotions.  McCants averaged 14.9 points in 2007-2008, the first time in three NBA seasons he’s been in double figure scoring.  He was the team’s second leading scorer after Al Jefferson, 21 points per game.

Even in today’s college football with teams having multiple captains, it’s unusual to have a sophomore captain like Adam Weber of the Gophers.  This week he was named one of Minnesota’s captains for next season, along with junior wide receiver Eric Decker, senior linebacker Steve Davis and senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg.  Weber’s captaincy reflects coach Tim Brewster’s expectation of leadership from his starting quarterback.

Weber was a third-team freshman All-America and freshman All-Big Ten selection by The Sporting News last season. He started all 12 games, passed for 2,895 yards and 24 touchdowns, setting school records for pass completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes. Weber ranked second nationally among freshmen and third overall in the Big Ten with 241.2 passing yards per game.

Kent Patterson, who played with Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League the past two seasons, has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Gophers. Patterson, a 6-1, 180-pound goaltender, was recruited to replace junior Jeff Frazee who recently signed a pro contract with New Jersey.  Patterson, who played prep hockey for The Blake School, was a fourth-round draft choice by the Colorado Avalanche and the 113th player taken overall in the 2007 NHL draft.

Steve Erban, who owns race horses that run at Canterbury Park and operates Creative Charters for local sports fans, e-mailed to report that Gayego is running in the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore with a Minnesota connection.  Steve’s dad, Ed Erban, is rehabilitating in a Stillwater nursing home with a picture of Gayego signed by trainer Paulo Lobo, exercise rider Jody Piper and owners Carlos Juelle’s and Dr. Jose Prieto. They all met previously at the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. Two days before the Kentucky Derby earlier this month the owners sent Ed a Gayego hat to wear on Derby Day.  He can wear it again Saturday for the running of the Preakness.  Gayego’s jockey will be Mike Smith who was riding horses at Canterbury Park in the 1980s.

Four MIAC students who participate in winter sports have been awarded NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships of $7,500.00 each. Concordia’s Melanie Hageman and Gustavus’ Margaret Dorer, Trevor Wittwer, and Connor Ziegler received the honor. To qualify for a scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree.

Gopher basketball coach Tubby Smith has one scholarship remaining for next season after adding five recruits, three incoming freshmen and two junior college transfers.  He told Sports Headliners the final scholarship could go to a transfer from another school but didn’t predict it will happen, or offer specifics.

In recent weeks the staff has come close but lost out on Palmdale, California center Kris Faber and Champaign, Illinois guard Verdell Jones.  Minnesota may have pursued other players, too.  “We’re not going to find a freshman right now that can contribute,” Smith said. “The kids that committed elsewhere, they were going to be guys that would give us some depth but I didn’t see them as starters.”

The Gophers were 20-14 overall in Smith’s first season, finishing in sixth place in the Big Ten Conference standings with an 8-10 record.  Although the Gophers will be without three starters who used up their eligibility, Dan Coleman, Spencer Tollackson and Lawrence McKenzie, Smith said the team can be better next season.

“How good can we be?” Smith asked. “I never know how good we are. I just know that if they do the things we ask them to do and we can stay healthy, then I think we can be an improved team.  Now whether that equates into more wins is another thing.”

With a team that must prove it has talent and depth, the Gophers can’t afford to have eligibility challenges.  “We won’t lose anybody academically,” Smith said.  “Everybody had a good semester first semester.  Some guys gotta get some things done with exams, but, no, we’re not worried about losing anybody.”

The Gophers will have only three power forward-center types, and two are incoming freshmen, Ralph Sampson III of Duluth, Georgia and Colton Iverson of Yankton, South Dakota.  Jonathan Williams, a redshirt senior next season, averaged 3.0 points per game and shot free throws at 0.406 percent.   He played about 13 minutes per game.

“Jonathan Williams, we gotta make sure that he continues to grow cause he’s going to be our only front court player with experience in the Big Ten, other than Damian (Johnson),” Smith said. “And Damian gives away so much as far as weight (about 195 pounds) is concerned. …”

The much discussed off-season topic of improving the Vikings’ passing game most often focuses on 25-year-old quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.  The improvement must come from better performance among the team’s wide receivers, too.  Rick Spielman, the team’s vice president of player personnel, spoke with optimism last week when he discussed a group that includes young receivers Sidney Rice and Aundrae Allison.

Rice and Allison were rookies last season.  Rice, 21, caught 31 passes for 396 yards, a 12.8 average, and had four touchdown receptions.  Allison, 22, caught eight passes for 122 yards and a 15.3 average.

“Sidney Rice, we’re very excited about,” Spielman told Sports Headliners. “He’s a young, talented receiver that I think will just make another jump, and (he) made some impact for us last year.”

Spielman describes Allison as “maybe our most gifted athletic receiver.”  He also said Allison is an “explosive kickoff returner.”   Last season Allison averaged 28.7 yards on 20 returns including a 104 yarder for a touchdown.

Anticipation about the receivers, of course, includes how free agent acquisition Bernard Berrian will play.  The assumption is he will make a major impact on the team’s deep passing game.  His numbers last year included 71 catches (five touchdowns) and a 13.4 average per reception.

The arrival of Berrian allows Bobby Wade to become more of a secondary option than a long ball threat.  It’s a role that suits Wade better.  Last season he caught 54 passes (three touchdowns) and averaged 12.0 yards per reception.

Spielman said not to “discount” veteran wide receiver Robert Ferguson.  He will be playing his eighth NFL season in 2008 and Spielman praised his blocking.