Golden Gophers – Page 283 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Sano’s MLB Success Ahead of Schedule

Posted on September 10, 2015September 10, 2015 by David Shama

Miguel Sano did it again last night, having an impact on the Twins with a pinch-hit home run to defeat the Royals, but former Twins executive Jim Rantz is a little surprised by Sano’s success this season after not playing baseball in 2014.

The dramatic home run followed a bout with the whiffs for Sano who was called up by the Twins from Double-A Chattanooga in early July. He has struck out 11 times in his last 16 plate appearances, and been too anxious swinging at pitches. His timing could be off because of a troublesome hamstring that developed late last month. Manager Paul Molitor didn’t have Sano in the lineup Tuesday night, giving him a rest.

Faltering at the plate is a reminder to Twins fans the 6-4, 260-pound native of the Dominican Republic isn’t Superman. It’s just that there have been stretches where the 22-year-old slugger plays like it, hitting for average (.281) while clouting long home runs and driving in runs. As recently as last week Sano was finishing up a streak where he hit .333, with five home runs and 12 RBI in 10 games. He was so good in August he was American League Rookie of the Month after batting .278 with nine home runs and 26 RBI in 27 games.

Miguel Sano (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins)

Rantz, the Twins senior director of minor league operations before he retired in 2012, watched Sano when he was 16. “When I first saw him…he was hitting balls out of sight. We were looking and always looking for power type hitters, and he showed that right from the get-go at 16 years old.”

Sano hit 35 home runs in 2013 as he continued his advancement through the Twins minor league system. But then in March of 2014 he had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and missed all of last season. Sano’s arrival date in the big leagues was uncertain.

Rantz thought Sano would one day play for the Twins but he has exceeded expectations this year. ”When you miss a full season it takes awhile to get your swing down and get on the field,” Rantz said.

Sano has put up numbers that make Twins fans wish he had been with the club since the season start. He has 196 plate appearances but in a full season might have totaled 600. Right now he has 16 home runs and 43 RBI. Projecting those numbers over 500 to 600 at bats he would have been a good bet to best Twins rookie records for 33 home runs (Jimmie Hall) and 96 RBI (Rich Rollins).

Mostly a designated hitter, Sano has shown promise as a part-time third baseman with a strong arm. “His defense got a lot better as he moved up the ladder (in the minors),” Rantz said. “He improved tremendously. For a big guy he moves around pretty good. He’s got some athleticism. He’s not as slow on the base paths as you think. He doesn’t clog up the bases.”

But the Twins, who are playing meaningful games in September for the first time in five years, aren’t counting on Sano to be a difference-maker in the field or on the bases. It’s his power and producing runs that have filled a void on a club that is fighting to make the American League playoffs. Despite his late start, he has entered his name in the conversation for American League Rookie of the Year.

Sano has been a huge contributor to the Twins success after no one knew if he would arrive in Minneapolis this summer after being shut down last year. “He didn’t miss a beat (this year),” Rantz said. “He got in there and got in the groove. He’s got that confidence at the plate. He’s also got good patience at the plate. I’d be lying if I thought that he was going to take off (this season) like he did.”

Worth Noting

The Twins, 72-67, are close to overtaking the Rangers, 73-65, in the American League wild card race. The Yankees, 77-61, are better positioned to be one of the two qualifying wild card teams. The Twins are 5-4 in September, continuing a trend of playing around .500 baseball dating back to the months of July (12-13) and August (14-14). If the club makes the playoffs, Minnesota’s 20-7 record in May will be a big reason why.

“Fun is good” specialist Mike Veeck entertained the CORES luncheon group in Bloomington today with stories about himself and the Veeck family. The St. Paul Saints owner emphasized the importance of professional sports teams making their heroes accessible to the fans.

Game three of the Saints-Sioux City playoff series will be played Saturday night at CHS Field in St. Paul and comedian Bill Murray, another Saints owner, will be in attendance. Sioux City leads the series 1-0 and hosts the second game tonight.

In its NFL preview issue of September 7, Sports Illustrated predicts the Vikings (10-6 record forecast) will defeat the 49ers (9-7) in the opening game for both teams on Monday night in Santa Clara. Andy Benoit writes the 49ers have a problem with veteran quarterback Colin Kaepernick because he seldom sets up in the pocket:

“If Kaepernick’s initial read is not open, he’s liable to break down and flee, even before completing his drop-back.”

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had an impressive finish to his rookie season in 2014. Among all NFL quarterbacks from week 13 to 17 he tied for first in completion percentage (72.1), was second in passer rating (103), second in yards per attempt (8.79) and third in touchdown percentage (5.7).

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson leads all active NFL backs in opening games rushing yards with 823 and 10 touchdowns. Peterson has played in eight openers.

The Vikings return 19 starters from their 2014 opening game, with 10 on defense and nine on offense.

TCU was the No. 2 ranked team in the country when the Horned Frogs played the unranked Gophers last Thursday night at TCF Bank Stadium but the telecast on ESPN pulled a higher rating in Minneapolis-St. Paul than in Dallas-Forth Worth. Barry Horn, on the Dallasnews.com website, wrote last Friday that MSP led all 56 major markets with a 8.7 rating. Birmingham, Alabama was second at 8.2 and Dallas-Forth Worth third at 5.9.

Former Gophers linebacker and Minneapolis native Pete Najarian, the financial investing authority, will be a commentator on Saturday’s telecast for ESPNNEWS of the Indiana State at Purdue game.

One reason Gophers fans are optimistic this year about Minnesota ending its 10-game losing streak to the Badgers is the game will be played in Minneapolis on November 28. The Badgers are 68-7 at home since the 2004 season began. Only Boise State at 68-2 has a better home record in major college football.

Ryan James, writing on Monday for GopherIllustrated.com, reported Amir Coffey, the Rivals.com four-star player from Hopkins High School, might make his college choice by month’s end. James interviewed the senior shooting guard’s father, Richard Coffey, who played for the Gophers. “Amir has one other visit scheduled right now, and that visit is with Texas,” his father said. “Not this weekend but the following weekend. I think after that visit, I think there is a strong chance that Amir will make a decision. Very soon.”

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Playoffs, Super Bowl in Vikings Future

Posted on September 8, 2015September 8, 2015 by David Shama

Bob Lurtsema has come within one game of correctly predicting the Vikings’ records in two of the last three seasons, so he’s certainly worth listening to regarding 2015 wins and losses.

The Vikings finished 10-6 in 2012—exactly the number of wins and losses predicted by Lurtsema in a Sports Headliners interview before the season started. Last season he projected an 8-8 record after Minnesota had finished 5-10-1 in 2013. The Vikings, playing under new head coach Mike Zimmer, surprised most observers by going 7-9.

Lurtsema, 73, remains close to the team and talks with Vikings players. He is enamored with Zimmer who he likens to Vikings coaching legend Bud Grant. “He won’t tolerate mental mistakes, just like Bud,” Lurtsema said of Zimmer, the former Bengals defensive coordinator. “He’ll cut you. You see a good athlete getting cut, you know he made mental mistakes.”

Grant coached the Vikings to four Super Bowls including the last appearance by the franchise in 1977. “They’ll be in the Super Bowl in 2017,” Lurtsema said.

Lurtsema predicts a 10-6 record for this season. The playoffs? “They’ll sneak in the back door,” he said.

It takes more than the presence of a coach to fuel long-range Super Bowl optimism and Lurtsema knows that. He likes the Vikings’ talent on both defense and offense.

The Vikings jumped from 31st in NFL total defense in 2013 to 14th last season. Lurtsema raves about how Zimmer coached teams pursue ball carriers and gang tackle. “The defense is so strong,” the former defensive end said.

Offensively the Vikings showed improvement in 2014 despite working through a season of injuries and the absence of superstar running back Adrian Peterson. Both defensively and offensively the Vikings have drafted promising talent and the parade is led by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater who started 12 games last season and set almost every franchise record for a rookie quarterback.

Mike Wallace (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Of course, Lurtsema knows the Vikings’ drive to an improved record in 2015 and eventual trip to the Super Bowl could be derailed by problems including the need for a better passing game. During the offseason the team acquired speedy wide receiver Mike Wallace from the Dolphins to open up the vertical passing. Lurtsema stressed the offense needs a big play receiver who can combine with Bridgewater on long passes.

“The biggest thing (needed) is they’ve got to have a deep threat,” Lurtsema said. “If you don’t have a deep threat, the corners can press you more. If they press you more, that affects your running game, even your short passes.”

Other concerns for the Vikings include an offensive line that had to be shuffled during the preseason because of injuries, and a schedule of opponents which includes seven teams ranked among the top 15 in ESPN.com’s NFL power rankings. Lurtsema, looking for positives, expects the line to get a boost with an improved performance from left tackle Matt Kalil who played injured last year.

What about the schedule? “That’s the part that kind of throws a curveball at you,” Lurtsema said.

The Vikings open their season away from home, playing in Santa Clara next Monday night against the 49ers. Lurtsema said NFL teams and players are annually primed for opening games and thinking about a successful season. “Home field advantage doesn’t really come into play on the first game of the season, so I’ve always liked starting on the road,” Lurtsema said. “It works out so well for a player’s psyche.”

Lurtsema offered one more prediction—this one about the outcome of Monday night’s game against a 49ers team labeled mediocre. “They (the Vikings) will win,” Lurtsema said. “You can put that down.”

Worth Noting

Lurtsema disagrees with critics of NFL preseason games who see the exhibitions as too numerous and unimportant. He said the games are important for the role they play in developing player endurance, toughness, and setting team expectations. “Winning is a habit,” he said.

The ESPN.com power poll out today has the Vikings No. 17 among 32 NFL teams. The seven teams in the top 15 who the Vikings play are the No. 1 Seahawks, No. 3 Packers, No. 5 Broncos, No. 10 Cardinals, No. 12 Lions, No. 13 Chargers and No. 14 Chiefs.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said offensive lineman Josh Campion who missed the TCU game last Thursday because of a concussion has resumed practice. Ben Lauer, another key offensive lineman, played some in the game but has struggled with a knee injury and didn’t practice yesterday.

Kill said Jonah Pirsig may start on Saturday at the left tackle position that he, Campion and Lauer have all played recently. The interior offensive starters at Colorado State could be Pirsig and Campion at tackles, left guard Jon Christenson and right guard Connor Mayes, with Brian Bobek at center.

Sophomore wide receiver Jake Wieneke from Maple Grove High School was a major contributor last Saturday when FCS South Dakota State earned its first win ever over an FBS team, defeating Kansas 41-38 in Lawrence. Wieneke had five catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns by early in the second quarter as the Jackrabbits jumped off to a 31-7 lead.

As a freshman last season he led the team with 73 receptions for 1,404 yards and a school-record 16 touchdowns.

Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber provided the color commentary on the FSN telecast of the Kansas-South Dakota State game. Ex-Vikings offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson provided commentary on Sunday’s Marshall-Purdue game on FS1.

Zach Zenner, the former Eagan football player who starred at South Dakota State, made the Lions’ final 53-man roster after leading the NFL in rushing during the preseason with 183 yards. Zenner, a rookie, was an undrafted free agent.

There is a lot of buy-in St. Paul will be the site of a new soccer stadium intended to host a Twin Cities MLS team some day. That may prove to be true but the media and public should know after following baseball and football stadium site fights for more than 40 years that such sagas can have multiple storylines and outcomes.

That’s former Gophers and Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz appearing on the Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” program Monday-Friday starting at 6 a.m. Central Daylight time. Holtz has long been an avid player and describes golf as “the greatest game in the world.”

Holtz is also working for Sirius XM, hosting college football shows (Friday and Saturdays) and a golf show (Tuesdays). When Holtz was an assistant football coach at William & Mary decades ago, he was also the school’s golf coach.

Minnesota native Ron Rabinovitz, who made friendships with baseball great Jackie Robinson and president John Kennedy, will speak to the “Breakfast with Leroy” group on Saturday at the Bloomington Knights of Columbus, 1114 American Blvd West. A breakfast buffet starting at 9 a.m. precedes Rabinovitz’s remarks, with more information available by contacting Pat Rickert at 612-861-3981. Group attendees are mostly athletes from the Minneapolis public schools in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, many of whom went on to college and professional careers.

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ESPN’s Mark May: Gophers to Go 9-3

Posted on September 4, 2015September 4, 2015 by David Shama

Longtime ESPN football analyst Mark May told Sports Headliners last night he believes the Gophers will finish the season with a 9-3 regular season record. May made the prediction at TCF Bank Stadium prior to kickoff but he indicated win or lose he is buying into the program, saying a “win tonight catapults them into the national title picture.”

The Gophers lost 23-16 to No. 2 ranked TCU, a team that was 12-1 a year ago and a favorite to win the national championship. Nobody will have Minnesota in national title discussions anytime soon but May expects the Gophers to be better than last year’s 8-4 team and to contend for the West Division championship in the Big Ten Conference.

May praised Minnesota’s fifth-year coach Jerry Kill who inherited a bottom-feeder program in 2011. “I think you’ve got the right guy, for the right job,” he said about Kill who has made a career out of rebuilding programs.

There’s no reason for Gophers fans to be too discouraged about last night’s loss, despite the usual irrational comments from some disappointed fans who had unrealistic expectations. TCU is one of college football’s best teams and was favored by about 16 points. The Gophers, not even ranked in the top 25 nationally in polls, came within seven points of winning. Near the game’s conclusion Minnesota was within one long touchdown of tying the game and going ahead with an extra point.

Minnesota’s defense, predicted to be among the best in the Big Ten, exceeded expectations. TCU averaged 46.5 points per game last season and returns 10 of 11 starters including Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Trevone Boykin. But the Horned Frogs could produce only two touchdowns and three field goals last night. One of the touchdowns came after Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner fumbled, setting up an easy Horned Frogs touchdown starting at the Gophers’ 15 yard line.

Playmakers on defense were numerous including true freshman outside linebacker Julian Huff who made an impact rushing Boykin. Another Gopher in his debut game, redshirt sophomore middle linebacker Cody Poock, had seven tackles. Redshirt senior cornerback Briean-Boddy Calhoun made nine tackles (seven solo).

As expected, the Gophers’ offense looked like a project and the challenge of producing points was made more difficult playing without two of the best offensive linemen, redshirt senior tackle-guard Josh Campion and redshirt junior tackle Ben Lauer. The blocking was inconsistent, a word that described the work of the entire offense.

The Gophers are in search of playmakers and are without two of their stars from 2014, running back David Cobb and tight end Maxx Williams who have moved on to the NFL. Last night senior wide receiver KJ Maye caught four passes for 73 yards including a 22-yard catch in the fourth quarter that made the score 23-17. Redshirt freshman running back Rodney Smith showed changes of speed and elusiveness in the open field like Cobb did last season. Smith, replacing senior Rodrick Williams whose first half fumble in the TCU was another game-changing miscue, ran for 88 yards and a touchdown.

Redshirt junior quarterback Mitch Leidner was impressive at times including on that late fourth quarter drive putting his team within seven points of going ahead. He completed 19 of 25 passes for 197 yards. He had some poor throws but despite challenging moments he demonstrated leadership and a strong will.

On both sides of the ball last night, and on special teams, the Gophers showed grit. That will be a key ingredient if they’re to make good on May’s prediction of a 9-3 season.

Worth Noting

Scout ranks the Gophers No. 35 in the national recruiting listings for 2016. Under Kill Minnesota has never finished that high in the rankings. Ryan Burns, publisher for Scout’s GopherDigest.com, told Sports Headliners the close game last night is “something they (Gophers recruiters) can point to” in building further momentum.

Burns said nine players the Gophers are recruiting will be on campus for the Michigan game at TCF Bank Stadium on October 31, Halloween night.

TCF Bank Stadium football capacity is 52,525 but a record crowd of 54,147 attended the game including fans who paid $40 for standing-room only tickets.

The M Club Room in the stadium where University of Minnesota letter winners and their friends and families socialize for Gophers games can accommodate about 200 people. On the walls are the names of about 7,000 individuals who have lettered in athletics at Minnesota.

The fourth season of selling beer and wine at the stadium for Gophers football games began last night. The commission revenues the previous three years were: $185,023, $325,567, and $557,597 last season. Athletic department spokesman Chris Werle said alcohol is provided as a service to fans and issued this statement via e-mail:

“Our philosophy is to provide the best in-game experience to our many fans and given that we reside in a market with multiple professional sports teams that serve beer at their events, our fans prefer that we do as well.”

Sports Illustrated describes the Vikings as “the sleeper’s sleeper” in its NFL preview issue that came out this week. The magazine predicts the Vikings, 7-9 last season, will finish at 10-6 and in second place in the NFC North but will just miss the playoffs. Writer Chris Burke praises the defense but frets about the offensive line.

S.I. forecasts the Packers winning the division at 12-4, followed by the Vikings, Lions (8-10) and Bears (3-13). The Ravens will defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl 50.

College basketball coaches are cautious about the number of quality opponents they schedule for nonconference games. Gophers fans want to see nonconference games between Minnesota coach Richard Pitino and his father, Louisville coach Rick Pitino. It probably doesn’t enhance the likelihood of a multi-game series between the two now that Louisville has made a three-year commitment to play Indiana in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Gophers prep basketball recruits Eric Curry and Amir Coffey attended last night’s Minnesota-TCU football game on official visits to campus. Curry, a power forward from Little Rock, is a Rivals.com three-star recruit while Coffey, the shooting guard from Hopkins High School, is a four-star.

During the last school year 989 MIAC student-athletes were academic all-conference, achieving at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average. More than 6,000 athletes—over 70 percent of them coming from the state of Minnesota—are expected to participate in MIAC sports again in 2015-2016.

The first game of the season involving an MIAC football team was played last night when Bethel won a nonconference matchup at Wisconsin-Stout, 35-20 as the Royals rallied with three fourth quarter touchdowns. Saint John’s, the preseason favorite to win the MIAC title as voted in a coaches poll, opens at home on Saturday against Buena Vista in another nonconference game.

Morning show host Dave Lee congratulated Sid Hartman earlier this week on his 60th anniversary of being on WCCO Radio. Hartman, who has been writing for Minneapolis newspapers even longer, turned 95 last March.

Wild regular season single game tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. on September 19, exclusively at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office. Beginning at noon that day, they will also be available at Ticketmaster locations and Wild.com. Tickets for preseason games are on sale now.

The four newest members of the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame will be honored in a ceremony Saturday. They are former jockey Tad Leggett; Minneapolis Star Tribune sports reporter Rachel Blount; state veterinarian Dr. Richard Bowman; and retired thoroughbred Wally’s Choice who ranks third all-time in earnings at Canterbury. “Wally the Beer Man” (Wally McNeil) and his wife Joyce McNeil and Canterbury Park board chair Curtis Sampson have been longtime owners of Wally’s Choice.

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