Author: David Shama

While managing a Twins game last week, Ron Gardenhire received a text message from son Toby.  Toby inquired as to how long he should cook a steak on each side.  Toby, a minor leaguer in the Twins farm system, is living in his dad’s Florida home.

Although the Twins won only three of seven games on their opening home stand of the season, the pitching was surprisingly effective. Starters had a 3-4 record, with a 3.89 ERA.  In 44 innings they allowed 19 earned runs, 46 hits, struck out 21 and gave up only one walk.

A reader wrote to ask who succeeds Torii Hunter on the Twins as a team leader.  Michael Cuddyer is my guess.  He’s an outstanding person, respected on and off the field.  He gave teammates motivational t-shirts this spring.

Twins president Dave St. Peter is featured in the April issue of Twin Cities Business.  The story headline: “The Nicest Guy In Baseball.”

Those who thought the Gophers could hire in-demand basketball coach Tony Bennett of Washington State last year might have been wrong.  A source told Sports Headliners that Bennett, a Wisconsin native, was Indiana’s first choice for the Hoosiers’ job that opened up earlier this year.  The source reported Bennett said no to Indiana, as did another respected young coach, Sean Miller of Xavier.  Third choice and the man who took the job earlier this month replacing Kelvin Sampson was Marquette’s Tom Crean.  So if Bennett wouldn’t leave Washington State for Indiana with all of its recruiting advantages, then he probably wasn’t interested in the Gopher job either.

As of Sunday night, there were single seats left for each of the Wild’s four potential home Western Conference quarterfinal games. Tickets can be purchased at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office and at all Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com) locations or by calling Ticketmaster at 651-989-5151.

Lou Nanne thinks the Stanley Cup playoffs will be competitive with several teams, including the Wild, possible candidates for the finals.  Goal tending is the key to the Wild’s chances, the former Minnesota North Stars president said.

Nanne plans to be on the state tournament hockey telecasts again next year.  It will be his 45^th year of providing commentary.

Nancy Lindahl, co-chair with husband John for TCF Bank Stadium fundraising, plans to visit every county in the state seeking donations for the new Gopher football stadium.  That project begins later this spring and Lindahl said fundraising is within $8 million of being completed for the facility that opens in September of next year.  Financing for the $288.5 million facility is coming from various sources including private donations.

The first brick in the new stadium will be placed today by Hilding Mortenson, a 100-year-old former brick layer.  He laid the first brick in Memorial Stadium in 1924.

Dave Mona said his new book, Beyond the Sports Huddle: Mona on Minnesota, will be sent to reviewers in July and available to the public later in the summer.  The co-host of WCCO Radio’s Sunday morning Sports Huddle program is finishing up a book devoted to interesting sports and other personalities he’s known.

The Minnesota Wild, who have won six of their last nine games (three straight) and are in first place in the Northwest Division, must wait until Sunday to learn who they will play in the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Defenseman Keith Carney joined the Wild for the 2006-07 season and has played in 85 playoff games in his NHL career that began in 1991-92.  He told Sports Headliners recently that he likes the team’s recent play and mental approach.

There was a stretch in late February when the team lost a shootout game and then three straight in regulation.  There have been other times of frustration and coach Jacques Lemaire has been demanding of the team and individuals, sometimes in the newspapers.  Doesn’t matter, according to the 38-year-old Carney, who was asked about team chemistry.  “It’s very strong,” he said. “We get along well. You have to. You have to play hard for each other and we do that. On the ice you can see that guys are helping each other. …”

The Wild have a home game tomorrow (Thursday) night against Calgary and then close the regular season at Colorado on Sunday.  Carney, a defenseman, hopes for more results like the recent games that have sent the Wild into first place in the division and third place in the Western Conference with 95 points.

“We’re only positive at this point,” he said. “We know that we’re very close.  We can play with any team.  We’ve made that commitment to play our game, play hard defensively. …The guys are excited not only the way we’ve been playing lately but how we’ve had to play this last stretch to get ourselves the best possible playoff position. Those things are going to help us going into the playoffs.”

The Wild has a mix of experienced players like Carney and forward Brian Rolston (52 career playoff games) who play with younger talent such as defenseman Brent Burns (five playoff games) and forward James Sheppard (none).  Carney is “pretty optimistic” about the Wild’s playoff chances and not repeating last year’s first round playoff exit, praising the team’s defense, power play, penalty killing and goal tending.

“Experience is a big factor,” he said.  “We have a lot of older guys that have been in the post-season, that played many years in the league, and know what it takes.  And also the young guys that are gaining experience from last post-season.  Last year we didn’t get the result we wanted but we battled hard and we had a tough first round opponent in Anaheim.  The experience that the young guys gained from that will definitely bode well going into this post-season.”

Wild single game tickets for first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs go on sale Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office and at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com) locations, or charge by telephone via Ticketmaster at 651-989-5151.  A limit of four tickets per game may be purchased per person.

Twins outfielder and designated hitter Craig Monroe was asked his opinion as to how important it is for the team to start fast this month since the club plays 16 of its first 28 games against Central Division teams. “It’s a long grind,” he said. “It’s 162 games; you don’t make your season in April.  Yeah, of course, we all like to get off to good starts, get this thing going and be in this race early, but at the same time, if you can just be consistent and play good baseball. This is a marathon. It’s not a sprint. …”

Monroe, who played for Detroit and the Chicago Cubs last season, was asked what team other than the Twins he respects most in the American League.  “On paper, I gotta respect the Tigers,” he said. “They went out and did a great job of getting some really big name players. But those big name players have got to swing the bat and they’ve got to catch the ball. ….”

The Twins will again sell over 10,000 season ticket equivalents, according to Patrick Klinger, vice president of marketing.  Last year’s total was about 10,200 and this season will be similar, he said.

Klinger said it’s not certain the Twins will sell naming rights to the new ballpark. A decision will likely be made in the next 12 months. The franchise is determined to find a naming rights partner that is a good fit for all concerned.

Expect an interesting variety of food offerings including a Minnesota theme at the new stadium.  While Klinger said menus haven’t been decided, possibilities could include walleye fingers, Spam burgers and wild rice soup.

Because Randy Foye has only played in 30 games, missing much of the season due to a left knee stress reaction, he’s still learning how to direct the Timberwolves’ offense, according to coach Randy Wittman.  Foye has become the team’s starting point guard since Sebastian Telfair injured his left ankle on March 8.  Wittman was uncertain earlier this week as to when Telfair will play again.

Through games of last week, the Timberwolves, 19-54, had a better home attendance average than the New Orleans Hornets, a team with the best record in the Western Conference, 51-22.  The Wolves were averaging 14,102, the Hornets, 13,816.  The SuperSonics are likely relocating to Oklahoma City because Seattle won’t build a new arena, but it’s the Hornets, playing before feeble fan support in New Orleans, that should look for a new home.

Don’t be surprised if the Dallas Mavericks, who lost in the NBA finals to the Miami Heat just two years ago, don’t even make the playoffs this season.  That will lead to speculation about coach Avery Johnson staying with the team.  What if flamboyant owner Mark Cuban named himself as Johnson’s successor?