NCAA – Page 30 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Carlos Correa ‘Mr. Clutch’ for Twins Just like Kirby Puckett

Posted on October 10, 2023October 13, 2023 by David Shama

Carlos Correa’s clutch performance for the Twins in the postseason prompts memories of the late Kirby Puckett. It was Puckett who made that still famous quote before Game 6 of the 1991 World Series, telling teammates to “jump on his back” because he was going to carry the team.

Correa is more than shouldering his load, too, including driving in three of Minnesota’s six runs Sunday night when the Twins tied their American League Division Series at 1-1 with the Astros. Fittingly, Correa even threw out the last Astros batter of the evening with a spectacular fielding play and throw in the 6-2 win.

In four postseason games this fall Correa is hitting .588, and it’s not just his performance at the plate that has been key for the Twins. His fielding, high baseball IQ and leadership have all been impactful. Before coming to Minnesota, the 29-year-old shortstop experienced six postseason years with the Astros.

Do-Hyoung Park, writing for MLB.com yesterday, offered this timely quote about Correa from manager Rocco Baldelli: “We’ve always heard all of the sayings and things: When the lights come on and the bright lights, there are some guys, they’re giants in the light. He’s one of them. That’s what he is.”

Correa, who joined the Twins in 2022 as a free agent and then re-signed with them last off-season, made history Sunday night with those three RBI. He now has 63 career postseason RBI, tied with David Justice for third best ever among big leaguers.

No doubt the Twins’ $200 million “Mr. October” looks forward to moving up that historical list (Bernie Williams tops at 80, Manny Ramirez second with 78) but the big prize right now is advancing to the World Series. To do that the Twins will need two more wins to close out the Astros and be able to win four games in the American League Championship Series.

That itinerary would put the Twins back in the World Series for the first time since 1991. Minnesota defeated the Braves in seven games, partially because of Puckett’s heroics in Game 6. The five-tool superstar robbed Ron Gant of an extra base hit and had three hits including an 11^th inning walk-off home run for the ages that won the game and tied the series 3-3 in front of a delirious Metrodome crowd.

Puckett was a centerpiece on World Series championship teams in 1991 and 1987. In 24 postseason games he hit .309, with five home runs and 16 RBI. He was also a leader who inspired teammates, just like a guy in the here and now—Carlos Correa.

Worth Noting

Twins Hall of Famers Johan Santana and Joe Mauer will do the ceremonial first pitch honors before this afternoon’s ALDS game at Target Field. Minneapolis-based vocalist Aby Wolf will perform the national anthem.

Today’s Minnesota starting pitcher Sonny Gray, who held the Blue Jays scoreless in last week’s Wild Card series win, faces the Astros for the third time this year. He is 0-0 and has a 2.77 ERA against the Astros, with four walks and 16 strikeouts in two starts.

Ryan Jeffers has been the Twins’ catcher in each of the four postseason games, after splitting assignments during the regular season with Christian Vazquez. Jeffers has excelled defensively and calling games for the 3-1 Twins but has just two hits in 13 at bats.

Knowledgeable and optimistic Twins fans know the World Series starts October 27 and potentially runs through November 4. Home field advantage in the best of seven series, just like in the ALDS and ALDCS, is determined by which two teams had the better regular season record.

Twins radio voice Cory Provus, who calls Big Ten Network football games, will also work BTN men’s basketball during the upcoming season.

By Friday, after the Wild’s home opener against the Panthers Thursday night, it’s anticipated that over a nine-day period about 300,000 fans in the Twin Cities will have attended games of the Twins, Vikings, Wild and football Gophers.

The Wild has only two players on its 21-man opening night roster that weren’t with Minnesota last year: forwards Pat Maroon (Tampa Bay) and Marco Rossi (Iowa). Defenseman Brock Faber is the youngest player on the roster at 21; while goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who turns 39 in November, is the oldest.

Hockey authority Bill Robertson predicts the Wild will finish seventh in the Western Conference and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. “Healthy (Kirill) Kaprizov and solid goaltending will be big keys for the Wild this year,” the former college hockey commissioner wrote via email. “Former Gopher Brock Faber will take a huge step forward and become an impact player for Minnesota.

“Boston is the best team in the NHL as they have depth from top to bottom and will be ready this year for the Stanley Cup Playoffs! No quick exit this year. Best player in the game is Edmonton’ s Conner McDavid as he is a superstar and can impact a game when he is on the ice. Conner has awesome skills.”

The Wild announced today that Kaprizov has been named an alternate captain.

Jim Harbaugh, who was a candidate for the Vikings head coaching job before Kevin O’Connell was hired in 2022, has the No. 2 college football team in the AP Poll but doesn’t make the top 10 in annual compensation among his peers. His $8.2 million at Michigan ranks No. 12, with Alabama’s Nick Saban No. 1 at $11.4 million and Michigan State’s embattled Mel Tucker No. 5 at about $10 million, per Usatoday.com last week.

Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck ranks No. 26 at $6 million.

The 1-4 Vikings and 3-3 Gophers are struggling but other state teams are excelling including St. Thomas, 3-0 in conference games and leading the Pioneer League, and Saint John’s, No. 8 nationally in the D3football.com rankings and tied with Carleton for the best league record in the MIAC at 3-0 each.

Happy birthdays: NFL legend Brett Favre is 54 today, October 10. Former Gopher athletics director Mark Dienhart turns 70 tomorrow.

Forward Parker Bjorklund from St. Thomas has been voted preseason first team All-Summit by the league coaches. The voting also predicted the Tommies will finish fourth in the standings behind South Dakota State, Oral Roberts and North Dakota State.

Comments Welcome

Pablo Lopez Can Flip Twins Series Outlook Tonight

Posted on October 8, 2023October 8, 2023 by David Shama

The way it looks now the Twins need a “W” tonight in Houston against the Astros if they are going to win their best of five American League Division Series. After losing Game 1 yesterday, the Twins can’t fall behind 2-0 in the series.

Those who think Minnesota can run off three straight against the defending World Champion Astros may also like Robert Kennedy’s chances in the 2024 presidential race.

It’s up to Pablo Lopez and the bullpen to control the Astros tonight, limiting Houston to a run or two while the Twins’ offense sends three or four runners across the plate. Otherwise, Minnesota has to win Games 3 and 4 in Minneapolis Tuesday and Wednesday, plus Friday back in Houston.

Whew!

Lopez likes pressure and he’s got it tonight after studying the Astro hitters yesterday in their 6-4 win. In Game 1 of the Wild Card series last Wednesday, he came through while pitching 5 and two-thirds innings and giving up one run to the Blue Jays. He delivered on the big stage in helping the Twins end their 18-game postseason losing streak.

Lopez’s goal tonight needs to be pitching beyond five innings. If he does, that means he’s sharp and his performance eases the toil on the bullpen. Yesterday the Twins used four relievers against the experienced Astros who are in the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season.

That bullpen, the fourth hardest throwing in the American League during the regular season, gave up three runs yesterday but none in the two game Wild Card sweep of the Blue Jays. Included in the results were four innings of no runs in relief of Sonny Gray in Game 2 of the Wild Card series last Thursday.

Gray and Lopez are two prime time starters that are the envy of many MLB teams. Ideally, when Gray, who pitched five shutout innings against the Blue Jays, goes to the mound Tuesday at Target Field he will be pitching to put his team ahead 2-1 in the ALDS series.

Worth Noting

One of the more curious moments in the Twins’ postseason came last Wednesday in Royce Lewis’ third time at bat. After homering in his first two plate appearances, Lewis faced a three balls and no strikes count, but wasn’t “green lighted” to swing away on the next pitch.

Likely driven by analytics and perhaps scripted for all Twins hitters before the game started, Lewis apparently was instructed by third base coach Tommy Watkins and manager Rocco Baldelli to take the next pitch, a called strike.

When the Gophers sold out their home game against Michigan Saturday night it was the first time since 2019 that Minnesota has twice filled its stadium in the same season. The Gophers also sold out their 2023 opener against Nebraska.

The 52-10 beat down by No. 2 ranked Michigan was a reminder of the talent gap between the Gophers and the best teams in college football. Minnesota at 3-3 will be challenged to win six games and qualify for a bowl game.

This week’s bye week ideally is an opportunity to have linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who hasn’t played all season, and running back Darius Taylor, out for the last two games, back in the lineup and recovered from injuries. Their return would help but nothing is more vital than improvement by the offensive line and quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis who has been a disappointment including last night with two interceptions returned for scores by the Wolverines.

Vikings superstar receiver Justin Jefferson goes into today’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Chiefs leading the NFL in receiving yards with 543.

What’s the over-under for Patrick Mahomes TV commercials today in the Chiefs-Vikings game? Six.

How about the over-under for mentions of the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance? Same. Six.

Since the beginning of the 2022 season, Mahomes leads the NFL with 49 touchdown passes. Viking QB Kirk Cousins is third with 40.

A broadcast crew that critics consider the best in the land covers today’s game for CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson.

Minnesota icon Dick Jonckowski has a special birthday October 22. “I will be 80,” he said. “Jeez cripes, I can’t believe it.”

The “Polish Eagle” wants everyone to know he is still available for public speaking and emcee duties. He is inviting friends and fans to stop by Mancini’s Char House on the evenings of October 14 and 20 when he will be joining the Midas Touch band and playing his trombone kazoo. Best news from the “Eagle” is being 13 months cancer free.

Jeff Drown image courtesy of Coady Photography

Longtime local horse racing supporter Steve Erban emailed a reminder that Minnesota owners have thoroughbreds who will be competing in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships next month at Santa Anita Park. Those horses are Zandon, owned by Jeff Drown from the St. Cloud area, and Zozos, owned by Barry and Joni Butzow from Eden Prairie.

Zandon will run in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4, and televised by NBC with a post time of 5:40 p.m. Zozos will also run November 4, competing in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Classic, with FanDuel televising and a 1:30 p.m. post time.

Both thoroughbreds competed in the 2022 Kentucky Derby and are coming off recent wins. Zandon won the Woodward Stakes at Belmont, while Zozos triumphed at the Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Erban and wife Dorothy, along with Drown and the Butzows, are longtime owners of race horses at Canterbury Park in Shakopee. “Canterbury Park is a first-class Minnesota horse racing facility that could become one of the country’s premier summer race tracks with a higher purse structure,” Erban said via email. “It’s time the Minnesota State Legislature recognizes the need for a higher purse structure for the Minnesota horse racing industry. Minnesota, why not have the best?”

Comments Welcome

Twins Transformation Excites Club Prez for October

Posted on September 24, 2023September 24, 2023 by David Shama

Twins president Dave St. Peter is excited about his club’s expected hosting of an opening American League Wild Card series starting October 3 at Target Field. Minnesota should have a couple of clear advantages in the best two of three games series.

The starting pitching tandem of Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray, with their experience and talent, is an asset past Twins playoff teams have often been without. “We have enough depth with the starting staff, and enough talent at the top of the rotation, that I think teams are concerned about matching up against the Twins,” St. Peter told Sports Headliners. “And that hasn’t always been the case in the postseason where we maybe haven’t had the starting pitching depth.”

Who would the game three starter be in the playoffs? Nobody of authority is saying right now but it’s clear the Twins can choose between two solid starters in Kenta Maeda and Joe Ryan.

The other first round advantage for the AL Central Division champion Twins is they will be playing all games at home. “We would much rather play at home and have players in their own beds in an environment that they’re very comfortable,” St. Peter said. “But the reality is we’re going to have to pitch well. We’re going to have to play good defense. We’re going to have to get some timely hitting if we’re going to win. We recognize other teams are in the postseason for a reason. But would we rather play at home? Yes, there’s no question about that.”

The trade that brought Lopez to the club in the offseason in exchange for 2022 AL batting champion Luis Arraez was controversial for many Twins fans. Arraez, now on his way to a NL batting title, has come through for the Marlins but so too has Lopez who has given the club a second quality veteran starter to pair with Gray in the regular season and playoffs.

“Pablo Lopez has been everything we thought he would be and more,” St. Peter said. “We feel like it’s a win-win trade probably for both teams because Louie really impacted the Marlins in a lot of special ways.”

St. Peter is excited anticipating October baseball. There will be an opportunity to see how far Minnesota can advance while ending the franchise’s streak of 18 consecutive postseason losses.

Dave St. Peter photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins.

His enthusiasm dates back to when the club left spring training, but he believes the Twins are only now beginning to play their best baseball after a first half to the season characterized by hitting and run scoring woes while the pitching was excellent. The offense, including clutch hitting, has complemented the pitching as the Twins moved toward winning the Central Division. “…I think we’re seeing what this team can be, and that’s why I am so excited about the month of October,” St. Peter said.

Injuries are always present, though, and there will be scrutiny in coming days as to who is on the postseason roster. Personnel may include pitchers Brock Stewart and Chris Paddack who could add quality to a bullpen that St. Peter already has confidence in.

The Twins will accomplish a baseball “hat trick’ if key regulars Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis are all able to play. Hopefully, Buxton’s knee problem will at least allow him to DH even if he can’t play center field and be aggressive running bases. He has been out of the lineup since August 1 and first was sidelined with a hamstring strain.

Buxton has played in 85 games and will again miss the 100-game target. Only once in Buxton’s nine-year MLB career has he played in 100 games.

Still, St. Peter remains optimistic about the 29-year-old talent who is having difficulty with the same right knee that has troubled him in the past and been one of multiple injuries that have limited his career development. St. Peter is hopeful about Buxton playing in the postseason and “we expect he’ll be a huge part of the 2024 Twins.”

Correa has been able to play “gold glove” caliber shortstop most of the season, despite having plantar fasciitis in his left foot, St. Peter said. “He’s been a pros pro. So, we’re very lucky to have him in our organization and ultimately, we’re going to need him in order to be in a position to make an October run.”

Correa went on the 10-day Injured List last Wednesday. It seemed like a move to allow him to rest his foot for the playoffs, with the Twins near clinching the division title.

Lewis’ left hamstring has sidelined him for games where Mr. Grand Slam might have been building a stronger resume for the AL Rookie of the Year. “…I can’t imagine there’s a rookie in baseball that’s had more of an impact on his team than Royce Lewis,” St. Peter said.

Lewis has been playing third base, but in the years ahead perhaps he will move to center field where he played briefly last season before tearing an ACL in his right knee. “He’s certainly a guy that brings versatility,” St. Peter said. “We know he can go play shortstop. We know he can play second base. He certainly could play the outfield. But that will be up to the manager over the long haul.”

Worth Noting

In partnership with the Star Tribune the Twins will give away Homer Hankies at postseason games at Target Field. The promotion dates back to the 1987 World Series in the Metrodome.

That building, much maligned by media and fans over the years, remains the only facility in the nation to host a MLB All-Star Game, World Series (two), Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four while also being home to MLB and NFL franchises, a Big Ten football team and for one season an NBA club.

It was a sad loss for the football Gophers in Evanston last night, blowing a 31-10 fourth quarter lead and losing 37-34 in overtime. Minnesota was outcoached by Northwestern late in the game and the players underperformed. Defensive breakdowns in pass coverage are alarming and there are too many inconsistent moments on offense.

Second year starting guard Ed Ingram said today’s game for the 0-2 Vikings is “definitely a must win.” The offense has to improve its consistency running and passing.

“We gotta get it (the offense) going,” he said. “Once we get it a lot of teams (are) going to be afraid of us.”

Ingram has struggled during his NFL career and admitted coming into camp last year as a rookie was a “little scary.” Knowing technique and the system now has increased his confidence. His intent is to build on a finish last season where he improved.

Mike Max, WCCO TV sports director who did news reporting during the social unrest in Minneapolis in 2020, is the latest guest on “Behind the Game.” The Gaylord, Minnesota native played baseball and basketball in college at Hamline. The show is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeuJ4x7npHQ&t=898s

Comments Welcome