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Upbeat Outlook for Twins 2018 Season

Posted on March 27, 2018March 27, 2018 by David Shama

A Tuesday notes column leading off with the Twins.

Optimism characterizes the outlook for the Twins’ 2018 regular season. Minnesota opens the season in Baltimore Thursday afternoon against the Orioles and Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners earlier this month he is “bullish” about the team.

After last season’s club unexpectedly made the playoffs, the early offseason outlook for 2018 was hopeful for more success, but a series of promising personnel acquisitions, including during spring training, has left observers even more upbeat.

“I think we feel very good about our team,” St. Peter said. “We believe we have closed the gap to some extent with the Cleveland Indians at the top of our division. We certainly look to our club to be not just in the hunt for the division (title) but certainly the Wild Card going deep into the 2018 season.”

St. Peter spoke before Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco was suspended by Major League Baseball for the first 80 games because of a drug violation, but that shouldn’t reduce the optimism by much about the team. Veteran Eduardo Escobar, 29, provides experience at the position and playing a utility role last season produced career highs in home runs with 29 and RBI, 71.

Sports Illustrated’s preview issue has the Twins finishing 86-76 after last season’s 85-77 record. The magazine likes the club but reminds readers the pitching staff needs an ace in the starting rotation. S.I.’s candidate is Jose Berrios and his emergence could mean the Twins “will flirt with 90 wins,” according to the magazine.

For now, though, the publication believes the Twins will fall just short of taking the last wildcard spot in the playoffs. That position will go to the improved Angels with a predicted 89-73 record.

Berrios, 23, was impressive last season, with a 14-8 record and 3.89 ERA. He is scheduled to start Sunday in Baltimore in the finale of the three-game series against the Orioles.

Vegasinsider.com reported last Friday odds are 25/1 Berrios will win the 2018 American League Cy Young award, per the Las Vegas Westgate SuperBook. No other Twins and only nine other pitchers had better odds.

Newly signed Jake Odorizzi will be the Twins’ starting pitcher Thursday. The No. 2 starter for the Rays last season, Odorizzi is making his first MLB Opening Day start. Kyle Gibson starts for Minnesota Saturday in Baltimore, after Friday’s off day.

The Twins are opening on the road for the seventh time in nine seasons dating back to the first season at outdoor Target Field in 2010.

The weather forecast in Baltimore for Thursday is for 70 degrees and cloudy around game time, according to Accuweather.com.

Members of the U.S. gold-medal winning curling team will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Target Field for the Twins’ home opener April 5. Minneapolis rapper Dessa will perform the National Anthem.

The IDS Building, Nicollet Mall, and the Target Corporate Building will be lit in Twins colors the week of April 2. The Lowry Avenue Bridge will be lit April 4 and 5, and the 35W Bridge April 5.

Minnesota’s home opener was announced as sold out on Monday. In eight home openers at Target Field the Twins have averaged 39,096.

Creativity in candidates is likely to be a priority when Gopher athletic director Mark Coyle searches to replace Don Lucia as hockey coach. Just look back at Coyle’s hiring of football coach P.J. Fleck who is skilled at promoting his program externally and internally including through social media, television and community volunteerism.

Gopher hockey fan Kirk Detlefsen bought 14 new season tickets for 2018-2019 last Tuesday after it was announced Minnesota will have a new coach. “I am optimistic ‘Pride on Ice’ will be back,” said the Lakeville resident who purchased four lower bowl season tickets and four club seats in 2017-2018.

Detlefsen, who has bought season tickets for more than 20 years, is renewing his tickets from last year along with buying the 14 new ones. He will gather with friends before next season and do a “ticket draft” to divide up the tickets. He had been doing that in the past too but found interest lacking. “Nobody wanted to go to games anymore,” he said.

Fleck will speak at the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association’s Clinic April 6 at the DoubleTree Hotel in St. Louis Park. There will also be a panel discussion that evening with former Gopher coach Glen Mason, Vikings executive Kevin Warren, and former Vikings and Ravens center Matt Birk. More at Mnfootballcoaches.com.

It will be interesting to follow the Washington State football program the next couple of seasons. Head coach Mike Leach is known as an offensive master but for years the Cougars have often struggled defensively. Now with former Gopher head football coach Tracy Claeys in Pullman, Leach has one of the best defensive minds in college football as his coordinator.

Eric Musselman, who nearly coached Nevada to the Final Four this year, might have been the Gopher coach had Richard Pitino turned the job down in the spring of 2013. It’s believed that Musselman was athletic director Norwood Teague’s next choice before hiring Pitino. At that time Musselman, who had never been a college head coach, was an assistant at Arizona State.

The Timberwolves (42-33) looked panicky in the closing minutes of last night’s 101-93 loss to the Grizzlies (20-54). The Wolves scored only 11 fourth quarter points in a loss that could contribute to not qualifying for the playoffs.

Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns has double-doubles in 62 games this season—the most in the NBA. Last night Towns had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Becky Cantellano, who was the Executive Director for St. Paul Urban Tennis, left that organization this month to become ED at the United States Tennis Association Northern Section which promotes the sport in this region. She had been Director of Tennis Programs and Services at USTA Northern prior to joining St. Paul Urban in 2012.

Comments Welcome

Wolves Owner Fine with Wiggins

Posted on March 18, 2018March 18, 2018 by David Shama

After reading news media reports this month about Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves fans might be wondering about both the past and future of the team’s high-potential 23-year-old guard-forward.

Multiple websites last week reported Wiggins is unhappy about being a “third option” on the team after forward Jimmy Butler and center Karl-Anthony Towns. Until Butler was injured and sidelined in February, Wiggins was less a part of the offense than in the past when Butler was playing in Chicago for the Bulls. Speculation Wiggins might ask for a trade next summer is part of the “third option” story.

Wolves’ owner Glen Taylor spoke to Sports Headliners Friday about Wiggins. “He said he didn’t say it, and that’s the end of it for me,” Taylor said.

1500 ESPN reported on the “third option” story, and also earlier this month said there was reason to believe Taylor wouldn’t allow Wiggins to be included in the 2017 trade that sent Butler to the Wolves for Minnesota’s first round draft choice and guards Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine. Station talk show hosts were critical of the possibility the owner overruled his basketball authorities in not allowing Wiggins to be included in trade discussions.

Taylor said he didn’t “recall” Wiggins’ name came up in conversations with Chicago. “If they asked for Wiggins, it probably never even got to me,” Taylor said.

Taylor has owned the Wolves since 1995 and watched a lot of basketball. He has his opinions about players. Would he nix a trade, or other potential personnel move the front office is promoting?

“Yeah, and I have in the past,” Taylor said. “…Sometimes coaches and GMs (general managers) fall in love with a guy and we really don’t need that guy.” (As an example, Taylor said there have been instances where he differed in acquiring a player because the skill set didn’t match the roster’s future needs.)

Wiggins is in his fourth season with the Wolves. A former overall No. 1 NBA draft pick, he is often targeted for criticism by media and fans who question the consistency of his effort during games, but not his talent. “I want him to play as hard as he can.” Taylor said. “Do I think that he can play better? I certainly do. He’s got a lot of potential. My expectation is he should do that (play hard) during the whole game.”

Taylor, though, didn’t single out Wiggins when first asked about effort, and he spoke about how coach Tom Thibodeau talks about the need for better work ethic by all his players throughout games. “It appears sometimes that they rest a little bit, they’re tired or something,” Taylor said. “If you’re going to be an elite player, there’s very little time to do that during the game. It’s kind of between games that you’re going to do that (rest).”

There’s opinion throughout the Wolves organization and elsewhere in the NBA that Wiggins’ basketball skills are so exceptional it’s difficult to define his limits. He is an extraordinary athlete and capable of becoming an all-star offensively and defensively.

Wiggins is averaging 17.9 points per game, third best on the team. He is often guarded closely and Taylor believes that creates the possibility of more offensive efficiency, emphasizing that his young star should drive more to the hoop. “I’d rather see him go to the basket and kind of open up that space,” Taylor said.

The Timberwolves made a mega commitment to Wiggins last offseason with a contract extension reported as five-years, $148 million.

Worth Noting

Butler had meniscus surgery on his right knee February 25. He was the team’s best all-around player, and fourth quarter closer, before injured. There are 12 games remaining on the Wolves’ regular season schedule and the team is trying to make the payoffs for the first time since 2004. When will Butler return?

“I don’t think I have anyone on the medical staff who has given me a date,” Taylor said.

Nemanja Bjelica, Butler’s replacement, has at times been impressive including 13 fourth quarter points in last week’s win against the Wizards. Bjelica becomes a restricted free agent in the offseason. Taylor is an admirer of the Serbian, but cautions, “We only have so much money, and we know we have Karl coming up,” he said.

Center Karl-Anthony Towns becomes a restricted free agent during the 2019 offseason. A potential top five player in the NBA, Towns will command a mega contract.

That was former Timberwolves assistant coach Eric Musselman, now head coach of Nevada, on live TV using the f-word in the locker room in celebrating his team’s opening NCAA Tournament win over Texas Friday afternoon.

Isaiah Washington (photo courtesy of Minnesota Athletic Communications)

It seems likely Gophers coach Richard Pitino will use his one remaining scholarship on a point guard. Theoretically that person could be a graduate transfer, junior college or high school player. Heading into next season Isaiah Washington is the replacement for Nate Mason at point guard, but Washington was unsteady as a freshman. Even if Washington improves, the Gophers need depth at the position.

It’s timely to follow Courtney Ramey, the Scout.com five-star prep point guard from Missouri who decommitted from Louisville earlier this winter. He had been recruited by Pitino’s father, former Louisville coach Rick Pitino, and could be interested in the Gophers.

Gopher women’s basketball coach Marlene Stollings can achieve the biggest win in her four years at Minnesota tonight if the Gophers can upset Oregon in their second round NCAA Tournament game on the Ducks’ home floor. Minnesota is seeded No. 10 in the Spokane Region, Oregon No. 2. The Gophers have never won a second NCAA Tournament game under Stollings.

Stollings once told Sports Headliners she had simple tastes in celebrating a Gopher win: A trip to Taco Bell and a Mountain Dew.

Good news for the Shake Shack location at Mall of America? New Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins reportedly had a postgame win ritual of stopping at a Shake Shack in the Washington D.C. area, according to Vikings.com.

Comments Welcome

Fans to Put Cousins in Hot Seat

Posted on March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 by David Shama

All the elements are in place for Vikings fans to put more pressure on Kirk Cousins than probably any quarterback in franchise history. An announcement is expected today that the Redskins’ free agent quarterback has signed a reported three-year $84 million contract with Minnesota making him the highest paid at his position in the NFL.

That kind of money—reportedly guaranteed—commands attention and expectations. He’ll get plenty of both from Vikings fans who anticipate immediate success from their new quarterback and old team. Cousins, while regarded as the best free agent QB in the NFL class of 2018, has a losing record against winning teams while playing six seasons in Washington. His leadership skills have also been questioned.

Cousins, though, has produced some of the best individual passing stats in the NFL in recent seasons. At 29 and healthy, he could give the Vikings one of the league’s best quarterbacks for years to come, but he will have to earn his way into the hearts of Minnesota fans.

Case Keenum (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

The majority of fans were fond of Cousins’ three predecessors who departed this week to play quarterback for other teams. Many loved Teddy Bridgewater, and they also liked Sam Bradford and Case Keenum. There were a lot of purple hearts that hoped a couple of them would remain on the roster for next season.

If Cousins starts poorly in the first couple of games—and the Vikings are losing— fans at U.S. Bank Stadium and on social media will be hyper critical. One of the loudest stadiums in the NFL will turn into a boo-box. Cousins likely is experienced enough to handle the emotional drama and remain confident. The potential jeering could be similar to the beat down this fan base gave Christian Ponder in his early and formative seasons. The vote of no confidence didn’t contribute anything positive to Ponder’s development and early washout to his career.

Cousins inherits a team that was one win from the Super Bowl. Most of the coaching staff and personnel are back for the 2018 season—another way of stating expectations are skyscraper high. The Vikings haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 1977, although they’ve had close calls including in 1999 and this year.

In this town passion runs deep for the Vikings. Those emotions include frustration and the fan base doesn’t want to go through any more disappointing seasons or rebuilding projects. Not with how long fans have waited for success, and not when gameday customers at U.S. Bank Stadium are paying premium prices for tickets and concessions. Win now, and win big, is the mentality.

Quarterback is the most important position on an NFL team. Welcome to Purple Land, Mr. Cousins.

Worth Noting

P.J. Fleck said on WCCO Radio Sunday morning he’s been impressed with the leadership qualities of redshirt sophomore quarterback Seth Green, but a position switch is a possibility if that’s the best way to get the athletic 6-4, 229-pound player on the field. Potential positions are on both offense and defense including tight end.

Former Gopher football player Jim Brunzell said via email longtime friend and pro wrestling icon Ric Flair, who spent part of his youth in Edina, is feeling much better after almost dying last year. “He’ll never have a drink again,” Brunzell wrote.

Scout.com ranks incoming Gopher freshman Daniel Oturu the third best prep center in the country. In Pitino’s five years at Minnesota he’s never had a player ranked that high in a position category.

Pitino writing in his March 12 blog about scheduling: “Let’s face it. There’s nothing better than a quality opponent in your building on national TV. The Miami environment (Nov. 29 at Williams Arena) was one of the best crowds since I’ve been here. We have to be able to reward our season ticket holders.”

Dave Stead’s last day assisting with the transition role of Executive Director at the Minnesota State High School League is April 2. “I didn’t want to leave on April Fools’ Day,” joked Stead who has been helping replacement Erich Martens learn the job of Executive Director.

Stead was director for 30 years and will be available as an advisor to the MSHL in the future. Stead was principal at New Ulm High School when he first met Martens who was a student there. Martens, who was the principal at Sauk Rapids High School before joining the MSHSL, is the organization’s seventh Executive Director in its history.

Stead said there is a waiting list of about 2,000 for all-sessions tickets to the Boys’ Class 2A Hockey Tournament held annually at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Gopher athletic director Mark Coyle will be pulling for Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament because of his relationship with Wildcat head coach John Calipari. They formed a friendship years ago when Coyle worked in the athletic department at Kentucky and they have stayed in touch.

John Lindahl, who with wife Nancy have been hall of fame benefactors for Gopher athletics, said $2.75 billion has been raised for the $4 billion fundraising campaign by the University of Minnesota scheduled to end in 2021. The Lindahls are co-chairs for “Driven: The University of Minnesota Campaign” raising monies for scholarships, research and other endeavors.

Walt Jocketty, the Minneapolis native who graduated from Marshall-U High School, is executive advisor to Cincinnati Reds CEO Bob Castelleni. Jocketty has been in executive positions since 1980 with the A’s, Cardinals, Reds and Rockies. He was president of the Cardinals from 1994-2007 and held the same title with the Reds from 2008-2016.

Walt’s brother Peter Jocketty, who played hockey for the Gophers and later coached at Washburn, is retired from a career that included working for the Minnesota North Stars.

The Twin Cities Dunkers saluted longtime club administrator Sandy Olson with a luncheon Wednesday at Interlachen Country Club. Almost all the program chairs from Sandy’s 20 years with Dunkers were able to attend the event organized by Dave Mona.

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