BYRON BUXTON – Page 13 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Twins Not Parting Ways with Rocco

Posted on October 3, 2021 by David Shama

The Minnesota Twins end their regular season today with a series finale in Kansas City against the Royals. This could be the most disappointing year in franchise history dating back to 1961. Before the season started internal and external expectations were that the club would contend for an American League championship, not finish 17 or 18 games under .500.

Media speculation has manager Rocco Baldelli on the “hot seat.” His name is on the list of managers that could be fired soon but team president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners it’s not going to happen.

“We believe in Rocco,” St. Peter said. “We think he’s part of the solution. He’s certainly not the problem in our mind.”

Baldelli had no managerial experience when he took over the Twins for the 2019 season. His first club won the AL Central with a 101-61 record, the second most in franchise history. During a pandemic shortened 2020, the Twins were 36-24 and again led the division standings. This year’s team has underwhelmed with inconsistent pitching and injuries to key positional players.

St. Peter believes Baldelli, 40, is a better manager today because of what he has experienced the last three seasons. “Think about what he’s faced as a manager. He’s had 100 win teams. He’s had to deal with a world-wide pandemic. He’s had to deal with social justice issues. He’s had to deal with the loss of a bench coach (the late Mike Bell). He’s dealt with probably every injury you could ever imagine from all of his star players.

“And now he’s dealt with a really challenging season. A season where we’ve failed to meet expectations. Those things and 100 other things are going to help shape you as a leader, and Rocco Baldelli is still on the opening chapters of his managerial career. So there is no doubt in my mind his best managing is ahead of him.”

St. Peter doesn’t expect any major changes in the baseball front office. That includes the return of top executives Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. “Yeah, 100 percent (both return). I expect both of them to be part of our franchise for a long, long time.”

Dave St. Peter (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins)

The team president believes 2022 will be a “retool,” not a rebuild for the club. Much of the focus, of course, will be improving the pitching staff. He’s encouraged by the work of the bullpen over the last two months, labeling it as one of the best in MLB during that period. The starting staff will receive particular offseason scrutiny with the club looking for pitching help within the organization and outside of it through potential trades and free agent signings.

St. Peter predicted predicts young starters from within the organization are likely to join the Twins as the 2022 season develops. “That really excites me because that’s really the ticket to sustained success,” he said.

Worth Noting

The Golden Gophers earned some redemption yesterday with a 20-13 win over Purdue and moved their season record to 3-2. Minnesota players and coaches had spent last week trying to explain their stunning 14-10 loss to lowly Bowling Green at home September 25. Gopher defensive end Boye Mafe said this before going to Purdue: “…If we want to do what we want to do with the season, we have to really show up and really actually execute.”

The offense, led by quarterback Tanner Morgan, was much better yesterday than the week before. Morgan was the target of much criticism passing for 59 yards on five of 13 completions against BG. “Being the quarterback of the Minnesota Golden Gophers is something that I truly cherish, but at the end of the day that’s not my identity. My identity is who I am, as a child of God, and when you remember that I think it makes things a lot easier personally. But people have a right to be angry. That’s part of college football. …”

True freshman Joe Alt, from Totino-Grace and North Oaks, was on the field at left tackle for Notre Dame yesterday during the home loss to Cincinnati.

Short list: Twins slugger Miguel Sano has 30 home runs this season and he hit 34 in 2019. He is one of only seven Twins ever to hit 30 or more in multiple seasons, joining Harmon Killebrew, Bob Allison, Tom Brunansky, Brian Dozier, Gary Gaetti and Justin Morneau.

Byron Buxton has stolen 71 bases in 81 career attempts, a percentage of .876. That’s second best in MLB history (minimum 80 attempts). Alexi Casilla, with the Twins and Baltimore Orioles, is the leader with a percentage of .879.

It was 40 years ago last Thursday (September 30, 1981) the Twins played their final game at Met Stadium, moving into the Metrodome in 1982.

Minnesota native and baseball hall of famer Dave Winfield is 70 today.

A Minnesota Timberwolves source said former coach Ryan Saunders hasn’t decided on his next career opportunity. He and wife Hayley have two children under three and continue to live in the Minneapolis area.

“The Huddle” with Mike Max and Pete Najarian debuts next Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon on WCCO Radio. The show fills the time slot of “The Sports Huddle” show that hasn’t aired for about 18 months.

As of late last week, the Minnesota Wild had sold more than 1,200 Winter Classic jerseys since announcing them about a month ago. The jerseys honor the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and the 2022 Winter Classic that will be at Target Field.

Bally Sports North will televise the Timberwolves preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night from Target Center, with Bally Sports using its app to stream the Wild’s preseason game against the Colorado Avalanche from Xcel Energy Center on the same evening.

Kevin Harlan, the former radio voice of the Timberwolves, does the play-by-play for CBS on its TV coverage of today’s Minnesota Vikings-Cleveland Browns game.

Zero. In Minnesota’s win last Sunday the Viking defense held the Seattle Seahawks scoreless in the second half for the first time since the Tampa Bay Bucs did so in November of 2016.

Rookie left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who has yet to play for the 1-2 Vikings, perhaps could make his debut today if the game is one-sided. He was a full participant in practice last week after being sidelined with a groin issue.

The United States Hockey League had a record 375 NHL scouts and D-1 coaches at its recent Fall Classic Showcase held near Pittsburgh. Representatives of the Minnesota Wild, Golden Gophers, St. Thomas, and other Minnesota schools were in attendance. The USHL’s new president and commissioner is St. Paul native Billy Robertson.

Chris Meidt, president and CEO of Minnesota-based North Risk Partners, is the former quarterbacks coach of the Washington Redskins and ex-head coach at St. Olaf. As a Minneota High School quarterback in the 1980s he threw over 100 career touchdown passes for a then national prep record and was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd.”

A pair of senior MIAC quarterbacks, Bethel’s Jaran Roste, and Chris Backes from Saint John’s, are semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy. The award recognizes an individual as the best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership.

The program time to honor Minnesota prep football coaching legend Ron Stolski next Saturday has been changed from 4 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The event will be at the Northern Pacific Center in Brainerd.

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Berrios Trade May Help Keep Buxton

Posted on August 1, 2021 by David Shama

The Twins made a significant payroll dump Friday, trading away starting pitchers Jose Berrios and JA Happ. Their 2021 salaries are $4,142,980 and $5,204,285, per MLB payroll authority Spotrac.com.

Happ, 38, had a questionable future with the club but the 27-year-old Berrios was a foundational talent if he was willing to stay in Minnesota beyond the 2022 season. Front office executives Derek Falvey and Thad Levine decided the uncertainty of signing Berrios to a long-term deal starting with the 2023 season wasn’t worth losing the opportunity to acquire two of the Toronto Blue Jays’ best prospects.

After the 2022 season Berrios, who was Minnesota’s best starter, is on track to command a contract over $100 million. Before the trade, Falvey and Levine faced the prospect of Berrios and center fielder Byron Buxton both having new deals in 2023 for more than $100 million each, plus incentives to earn more.

Buxton, also 27, reportedly is more amenable to staying with the Twins after team control ends following the 2022 season. Although the oft-injured Buxton goes through stretches where he is sidelined more than being in the lineup, he has flashed superstar potential with his hitting, fielding and running the bases. The Twins are in a historically difficult place with the Buxton negotiations, trapped between his career history of physical woes but tantalized by performances that draw comparisons to baseball’s best player, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels.

Two years ago New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks, a former Twin, signed a reported seven-year $70 million deal. Hicks is a poor man’s Buxton. The Twins will try to lock up Buxton with a deal that includes incentives for playing in a certain number of games, or plate appearances. That could be a hang-up with Buxton and his advisors who are positioned to ask for sizeable guaranteed money—perhaps five-years, $110 million.

Negotiations will happen during the offseason with Buxton. He earns $5,125,000 this season, per Spotrac.com. That payroll authority also lists the $7,897,884 salary of DH Nelson Cruz, who was recently traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. If the Twins brought back Berrios, Cruz and Happ in 2022, on similar deals as this season, that totals about $17 million.

In the next offseason the team is likely to part with 31-year-old shortstop Andrelton Simmons who has a one-year deal at $10,500,000. Starting pitcher Michael Pineda, 32, makes $10 million this season but with unrestricted free agent status in the offseason he might be another payroll savings. Reliever Alex Colome, a first-year bust with Minnesota, is making $5 million in 2021 and unlikely to return. Other Twins like Max Kepler (due $6,750,000 in 2022, per Spotrac) could be expendable. The grand prize of payroll reduction is if the Twins find another franchise willing to take on third baseman Josh Donaldson’s deal paying him $21 million next year.

The point is the Twins, historically careful with high salaries, are potentially looking at a much reduced payroll the next couple years and they now may feel more comfortable about offering Buxton a new contract he will sign. Whether Buxton is worth a mega-deal to a franchise that fans are worried is headed for reset mode in 2022 and beyond is another question. Certainly securing Buxton for years to come will help the organization’s image and ticket sales. But Buxton and a ho-hum supporting cast won’t produce championships. Trout’s Angels have been mediocre for a long time and can only dream of playing in the World Series.

It takes a roster of high performers to win championships and no team goes deep into October without pitching. Falvey and Levine substantiated that need in their flurry of trades late last week when six of the seven new players acquired were pitchers.

Worth Noting

Austin Martin, 22, the infielder-outfielder acquired from Toronto in the Berrios deal, could be Buxton’s successor in center field if the veteran leaves Minnesota either by trade or free agency. Martin has been ranked the Jays’ second best prospect and 16th overall in baseball, per Mlb.com.

Joe Ryan, acquired this summer from the Rays for Cruz, is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA as a starting pitcher for Team USA in the Olympics. The Americans have now advanced into the medal round.

Best player from the Twins organization ever to play for the U.S. in the Olympics? Jacque Jones, 1996.

Condolences to family and friends of Tom Duffy of Minneapolis, who passed away in late July. Retired from IBM, Tom was the second person Hollis Cavner hired to help run the 3M Championship Tournament in 1992. Tom told Cavner he would work for one year in sales and marketing, but stayed for 19.

Cavner said he learned a lot from Tom including how to deal with people. “He is one of the finest gentlemen I ever met in my life,” Cavner said.

Expectations are Cavner’s 2021 3M Open Tournament will gift a minimum of $1.5 million to charity. The figure is in line with previous years.

Next year’s 3M Open will be July 18-24 and again following the British Open. Cavner likes that positioning and hopes for it indefinitely because he sees top players wanting to play here, and then taking a break for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Big Ten men’s basketball coaches like to brag on their league but the players aren’t doing much to captivate NBA scouts. In the last two NBA drafts only two conference players have been selected in the first round, Maryland’s Jalen Smith in 2020 and Michigan’s Franz Wagner in 2021.

No Big Ten team has won an NCAA title since Michigan State in 2000.

Congratulations to Edina resident and prominent Minnesota businessman Ron Leafblad on his upcoming induction September 10 into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. Leafblad was a tight end on the 1963 UW Rose Bowl team and captained the 1964 squad. The Chicago-area native has been an exemplary supporter of UW through the years including with the school’s alumni association and letter winners club. He was a student representative of the Athletic Board while in school. He and his wife Diane have generously donated funds to assist academics, football and alumni efforts at UW.

Leafblad is the owner of a diverse group of companies whose products range from retail apparel to corporate uniforms, and from website development and fulfillment to precision parts for the computer and medical equipment industries. His Gold Country business has for several years been part of the Sports Headliners group of advertisers.

Scheels in Eden Prairie has been promoting an appearance today by University of Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck. A $50 ticket at the meet and greet includes an autographed copy of his new book, Row the Boat, with proceeds benefiting the U Masonic Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House.

Former Minnesota North Stars Neal Broten and Mike Modano have scheduled signings at Scheels Eden Prairie August 14 and 21.

It looks like WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle, the much listened to Sunday show that started in 1981 and aired through early 2020, won’t be returning to the air.

Comments Welcome

Twins Prez: Little Merit in ‘Standing Still’

Posted on July 18, 2021July 18, 2021 by David Shama

The Minnesota Twins, prior to the season considered a World Series favorite, were 11 games under .500 during last week’s MLB All-Star game break in the schedule. “I don’t think there’s a lot of merit in standing still when your team is in the position we’re in,” club president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners Friday.

The MLB trade deadline is 3 p.m. Minneapolis time on July 30. St. Peter said as the deadline nears front office leaders are obligated to assess their personnel and listen to what rival clubs are offering. “There’s no mandate from ownership around moving players for the sake of moving players, or saving money. That said, we also want to look for ways to improve our club.”

St. Peter isn’t predicting a fire sale by Minnesota but it sounds like there will be at least minimal change to the roster. “I guess I would be surprised if we didn’t see some movement considering where we’re at and considering the number of good players that we believe we have that other teams certainly have interest in. But it ultimately comes down to what you’re getting in return—so hard to predict how that market will evolve over time.”

Trading high potential young players always prompts anguish for organizations but St. Peter believes it’s wise to consider trades involving all personnel. “I think every player is on the table for discussion,” he said about the Twins.

Speculation is 41-year-old DH Nelson Cruz should keep his suitcase nearby, with a possible landing spot in Tampa Bay with the Rays. Wherever Cruz might go, he is unlikely because of his age to command much in trade return other than lower level prospects with promising potential.

Several other Twins players are part of trade chatter across the country, including pitcher Joe Berrios and center fielder Byron Buxton. Both are cornerstones for having a winning team during the next several seasons but they will be free agents in 2023 and it’s uncertain how long they will be in Minneapolis. Rumors are the Twins are trying to secure them long term but St. Peter declined to talk about contracts. It might take deals of more than $100 million each to retain Berrios and Buxton.

While Berrios has emerged as the staff ace, Buxton has only played in 27 games because of injuries. He was one of baseball’s best hitters and complete players before his latest injury (left-hand fracture) sidelined him again. In only 103 at bats he is hitting .369 with 10 home runs and 19 RBI, along with a .767 slugging percentage and 1.176 OPS.

At the time of his late June injury Buxton was playing in his third game back after being sidelined with a right hip strain. St. Peter said Buxton’s hand injury initially left him feeling down and frustrated, but the 27-year-old is resilient and a terrific teammate even when not playing.

“He’s a special person,” St. Peter said. “There’s no question he’s dealt with his share of adversity and it has made him stronger.”

From wisdom teeth to serious injuries, a lot of problems have kept Buxton sidelined over the years. St. Peter thinks Buxton’s goal for the remainder of 2021 will be to stay healthy and play as many games as he can.

What does St. Peter want to see from his club before the season ends? Play better and more consistent baseball, and move toward a .500 record. He added that the attitude of players is the season isn’t over. “I think that’s step No. 1 (getting to .500),” St. Peter said. “We get there and start to think about what’s the next step.”

The Twins are third among MLB teams in home runs with 130. Their runs scored total of 425 ranks 12th. “Offense really has not been the problem,” St. Peter said. “We’ve struggled at times in clutch situations, runners in scoring position, but for the most part offensively we think we’re scoring enough runs. Where the regression has taken place is on the mound. So I am optimistic that we’re going to see improvement there.”

Berrios leads the starting rotation at 7-3 with a 3.48 ERA. No other starter has won more than five games for Minnesota and 2020 club ace Kenta Maeda has a 4-3 record with a 4.71 ERA. In 2019, when the Twins earned what would be the first of two consecutive AL Central championships, the team had five starters who won 10 games or more.

The Twins are among the MLB leaders in giving up the most earned runs. The bullpen has faltered too, including offseason acquisition Alex Colome. He was supposed to be a late inning lights out guy, maybe even the team’s ninth inning stopper. The 32-year-old had a resume of relief pitching success including as recently as 2020 with the Chicago White Sox when his ERA was 0.81 in 21 games during the pandemic shortened season.

“The Horse” has been more like a colt for the Twins, with shaky pitching and just two saves to go with his 4.83 ERA. St. Peter believes Colome’s “stuff” is as good as ever but the reliever’s confidence is off in locating his pitches.

“When you miss, particularly in the zone in this league, you’re going to get hit,” St. Peter said. “He also, I think, had some bad luck early on as well. But it hasn’t worked out. He’s pitched better of late. …”

The Twins started the season 5-2 but by late April weren’t even close to playing .500 baseball. The team had a difficult spring, losing a lot of close games and sometimes both strategy and execution was questioned. Rocco Baldelli, the 2019 AL Manager of the Year, became the target of unhappy fans.

St. Peter said Baldelli, 39, will be the team’s on-field leader for years to come. “We love Rocco Baldelli and everything he represents, and we believe he will be our manager for a long, long time.”

Baldelli, St. Peter said, is admired inside and outside the Minnesota organization. “Rocco Baldilli is one of the more respected managers in the game. Just talk to other managers, talk to other executives. This guy has done a tremendous job here in 2019, 2020.

“2021 hasn’t worked out as well. I think some of the adversity we’ve dealt with collectively…over time will certainly help Rocco. Make him an even better manager going forward.”

This has been a challenging year for the Twins at the box office, too. The club hasn’t fulfilled expectations and the social unrest that hit downtown in 2020, along with the alarming ongoing Minneapolis crime reports, has created an image of the city that keeps some fans away from the ballpark.

“We believe very strongly that Target Field is a safe place to come to,” said St. Peter, who has been with the organization since 1990. “We don’t buy into the premise that it is not. The statistics, the reality would show that our fans have been very safe attending games. There have been…no incidents of note that have taken place in our home schedule, this year or…in previous years.

“There’s a perception issue. We have a lot of work to do as a community to deal with that. We’ve taken strides locally to try to ensure that there is a heavier infusion of security measures but at the end of the day we believe in an urban ballpark. We believe in playing downtown Minneapolis and frankly that’s going to include a number of night games which…most of our fans prefer because of their ability to get to those games.”

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