Twins – Page 109 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Streveler Proves U Critics Wrong

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

Chris Streveler’s success, including now in the Canadian Football League, is a lot different than what the former Illinois high school all-state quarterback experienced with the Golden Gophers.

Like light years different.

Streveler enrolled at Minnesota in January of 2013 and participated in spring practice. By the spring of 2016 he was transferring to South Dakota, ending a Gopher career that included one meaningful game playing quarterback. Before Streveler transferred, he had been switched to wide receiver in an attempt to get him playing time and use the athleticism that helped produce over 1,200 rushing yards during his high school career.

In two seasons at South Dakota Streveler threw for 6,081 yards and 54 touchdowns. He was named Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year following last season. That wasn’t enough, though, to make an NFL team draft him. Instead, he signed a CFL deal with Winnipeg where earlier this season he became the first quarterback coming straight out of college to start a league game since 1994.

Injury and retirement thinned the Blue Bombers’ quarterback roster this year and prompted naming Streveler the starter for the first three regular season games. Streveler had impressed in the preseason including in his first game when he completed 10 of 10 passes, with an 80-yard touchdown pass.

Streveler started the first three regular season games for the now 2-3 Blue Bombers. He has also seen game action since then. He has completed 57 of 91 passes, with six touchdown passes (tops on the team) and two interceptions. He is the team’s second leading rusher with 228 yards and four touchdowns.

At Minnesota Streveler, whose completion percentage in high school was 68.8 percent, was labeled a quarterback who couldn’t pass after the one start of his career for the Gophers. He attempted seven passes and completed one as part of a game plan against San Jose State that clearly mandated running the ball. Streveler rushed 18 times for 161 yards and running back David Cobb had 207 yards on 34 carries in Minnesota’s 24-7 win in September of 2014.

Critics thought the Gophers had a running back disguised as a QB. They saw him as a dart thrower, perhaps as likely to toss an interception as a completion. Streveler played behind Mitch Leidner, the 2014-2016 starter who had his own critics. Leidner never found the consistency needed to maximize Minnesota’s offense.

Turns out Streveler could have been the type of quarterback talent that has often been nonexistent at Minnesota for decades. Since 1987 the Gophers have had two highly honored quarterbacks with end of season Big Ten recognition. Rickey Foggie was named second team All-Big Ten in 1987 and Adam Weber earned the same honor in 2008.

Streveler found opportunity at South Dakota where he listened to his coaches including head man Bob Nielson. In a June 3, 2018 story in the Winnipeg Sun, Streveler said “…the amount that I learned in those two years, from those guys, it took my game to a level that I didn’t even know was there. If I hadn’t gone to South Dakota I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be here right now.”

Among Streveler’s receivers in Winnipeg is former Gopher teammate and wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky. In the San Jose game it was Wolitarsky who caught the one pass from Streveler—a modest seven-yard completion.

Oh, how things have changed.

Worth Noting

Wolitarsky has eight receptions for 136 yards and a Blue Bombers best three touchdown catches.

Dick Jonckowski’s biography came out last week and copies of the book are available by calling him at 952-261-3013. “It’s All about Me—Dick Jonckowski, a Minnesota Treasure” includes his trademark jokes and nearly 50 color photos of celebrities from Hulk Hogan to Red Skelton. The popular banquet emcee and longtime Gopher public address announcer collaborated on the biography with Jim Bruton who has authored other sports books with Minnesota connections.

Jose Berrios, the Twins’ 24-year-old pitcher who participates in his first MLB All-Star Game Tuesday night, earns $570,000 this season, according to Spotrac.com, the website that tracks baseball salaries.

Joe Mauer, the Twins’ 35-year-old first baseman, hasn’t played in the All-Star Game since 2013. He has six career All-Star Game appearances including three consecutive from 2008-2010.

Murray’s Restaurant owner Tim Murray has visited all 30 MLB stadiums and 22 facilities no longer being used. On July 27 he will watch the Twins and Red Sox at Fenway Park, and then two days later he will be at Yankee Stadium to see the Yankees and Royals.

Condolences to former Gopher wide receiver and now local TV personality Ron Johnson on the passing of his father July 10. His dad, also Ron Johnson, was 62 and played defensive back for the NFL Steelers.

Appointment viewing: the NFL Network and Fox 9 will televise the Kirk Cousins-Vikings versus Case Keenum-Broncos preseason game from Denver August 11. Fox 9 will televise all four of the Viking preseason games starting with the Broncos.

The NFL Network will televise all 65 NFL preseason games.

Vikings single game tickets go on sale Thursday starting at 10 a.m. and are available only through Ticketmaster online. Tickets start at $20 for preseason games, $58 for regular season.

Former Gopher assistant football coach Dan O’Brien, now head coach at St. Thomas Academy, has ex-U star Rickey Foggie as his quarterbacks coach, and two promising sophomore offensive linemen in Michael Bagley and Joel Vascellaro. Michael is the son of Vikings front office executive Lester Bagley and Joel’s parents are WCCO TV anchors Frank Vascellaro and Amelia Santaniello.

Comments Welcome

Jerry Kill: New Rule Helps Gophers

Posted on July 10, 2018July 10, 2018 by David Shama

A Tuesday notes column:

The NCAA’s recent decision allowing Division I college football players to play in up to four games and still preserve their redshirt status will help the Golden Gophers starting this fall.

In prior years a player lost his redshirt status just by taking one snap in a game. Effective this season coaches will have more roster depth because they can use players that in the past were sidelined so they could redshirt, allowing five years to complete four seasons of eligibility.

The five years and four seasons status remains, and former Minnesota coach Jerry Kill likes the rule change. “I think you get banged up (with injuries) and it gives you a chance to look at some of those freshmen for four games and it doesn’t count as a year,” he told Sports Headliners on Monday.

Kill rebuilt Gopher football from 2011-2015. He and his staff upgraded the coaching and the talent. Although Minnesota became a winning program, Kill struggled to build adequate depth. That’s a challenge that also faces second-year coach P.J. Fleck going into this fall where he will have a much anticipated freshmen class.

When injuries hit most of the programs in college football they often don’t have the talent in reserve they would like. “It hurt us in a couple bowl games we played because we had no depth,” Kill said. “It made it tough on us. I think there’s no question that it helps Minnesota, and I think it helps everybody else, too.”

Kill is the new athletic director at Southern Illinois and has made a number of hires including Jeff Jones and Andy Harris. Jones worked for Kill at Minnesota as director of player personnel, and now is an administrator with Southern Illinois, his alma mater. Harris, who was involved with equipment when Kill was with the Gophers, is director of equipment operations with the Salukis.

Jamar Diggs, who runs the Twin Cites Pro Am summer basketball league at DeLaSalle, sees a variety of players including those still in high school. Among the youngest players who have impressed him is DeLaSalle High School guard Tyrell Terry who is headed to Stanford in 2019. “His skill set is through the roof,” Diggs said.

The Capital Club will have golf executive Hollis Cavner, who is bringing a PGA Tour event to Minnesota next year, as its speaker July 26 at Town & Country Club in St. Paul. Kate Mortenson, who heads up the 2019 Minneapolis Final Four Local Organizing Committee, speaks to the group August 14. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrickklinger@klingercompany.com.

Klinger founded the Capital Club in November of 2014, almost five years ago. The club focuses on well-known speakers who provide perspective on what they do.

Jay Weiner, whose byline was seen on the Star Tribune sports pages for years, announced on Facebook he starts a new job this week in communications for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Most recently he worked for seven years as a speech writer for University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler.

Jeff Seeman, a Minnesota native and U alum, is returning for his 17th season as an NFL official. His father, the late Jerry Seeman, was one of the most revered officials in league history.

The Vikings are one of four NFL teams with the latest reporting date to training camp for veteran players. The Vikings, Broncos, Cardinals and Chargers all report to camps on July 27.

The Vikings rookies report to the TCO Performance Center in Eagan on July 24, three days before the veterans.

Jose Berrios will be on the American League All-Star pitching staff for the game against the National League All-Stars later this month in Washington, D.C. Berrios, 24, will be a first-time All-Star but he is likely to be selected multiple times in what looks like a long and promising career. Former Twins pitcher Jack Morris described Berrios as “almost unhittable” at times earlier this year.

Berrios, 9-7, beat the Royals last night while pitching seven innings and giving up one run. It was his 12th quality start of the year and the ninth time he has pitched seven innings or more.

Berrios could be pitching to former Twin Wilson Ramos in the D.C. All-Star Game. The Rays’ catcher has also been with the Nationals since Minnesota traded him to Washington on July 29, 2010 for relief pitcher Matt Capps. The Twins have struggled to solidify their catching for years, while Capps was gone after the 2012 season.

It’s not every day baseball fans can watch a 53-year-old player but former MLB star Rafael Palmeiro is with the American Association’s Cleburne Railroaders who take on the St. Paul Saints tonight at CHS Field.

The 2018 Schwan’s USA Cup youth soccer tournament at the National Sports Center in Blaine will generate $36 million in economic impact during its nine-day run, July 13-21. The economic impact from visitors staying overnight will be $28.1 million alone, according to a statement released yesterday by a Cup spokesman. Visitor spending will also generate a projected $233,515 in local tax revenue.

The 34th annual tournament will draw 1,150 teams, representing 20 different countries, 20 states, and four Canadian provinces. The tournament is the largest soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere.

Comments Welcome

Twins’ Molitor Likely Safe for Now

Posted on July 8, 2018July 8, 2018 by David Shama

The Twins haven’t historically made a habit of firing managers during the season, but that doesn’t stop speculation Paul Molitor’s job could be in jeopardy.

The Twins were predicted to contend for the Central Division title before the season started. Injuries and player performances below expectation have resulted in the team being 10.5 games out of first place as of today and 16 games out of a wild card spot. The club’s 38-48 record puts Minnesota 10 games under .500. The team has lost 10 of its last 16 games, although most recently the club has won three consecutive home games against the Orioles, who have the worst record in the American League at 24-64.

A friend of Molitor who has spent part of his professional career working in the business side of baseball said it’s been an unfortunate first half of the season and he hopes the manager is not “a casualty of it.” Molitor managed the Twins two years ago when they lost 103 games. But last season Minnesota finished with a surprising winning record and earned a wild card spot in the playoffs. “I don’t think he got stupid since last year,” Molitor’s friend said.

Molitor was named the 2017 American League Manager of the Year. He is known for his baseball intellect and steady manner. From the outside he looks like a manager most players would prefer to play for. “He’s a great ambassador for the organization,” the source said. “He’s a world-class guy. I would hate to see anything happen with Paul.”

Sometimes change occurs and it’s not an indictment of the people in charge. Management can decide it’s prudent to have a new leadership voice in the clubhouse. The Twins organization, though, is known for its loyalty and didn’t terminate Ron Gardenhire during seasons when he lost 99, 96 and 92 games. Gardenhire was, however, removed as Twins manager after the 2014 season and following four consecutive years of mostly disappointing results.

Back then Terry Ryan headed the baseball department but he hasn’t been in charge since two years ago. Baseball bosses Derek Falvey and Thad Levine inherited Molitor when club president Dave St. Peter hired them in November of 2016. Last season Molitor was in the last year of his three-year contract and despite a successful summer performance by the team, the two decision makers took their time on a new deal. They waited until the season was over to ask Molitor to return, giving him a reported three-year deal.

There has to be doubt among the many Molitor loyalists on whether Falvey and Levine think they have their ideal field boss. The two decision makers are decades younger than the 61-year-old Molitor. They have also come up through a different era of baseball than Molitor and are data-driven executives.

If the Twins continue to falter this season, Falvey and Levine’s commitment to Molitor will be tested. The two seem like deliberate decision makers and a verdict on Molitor could more likely come after the season than during it. The decision on the manager is likely to be theirs, not that of St. Peter or owner Jim Pohlad who is long ago on record as a Molitor admirer.

If the Twins finish the season with an embarrassing performance and record, the most likely scenario could still be a Molitor return in 2019 but with a revised coaching staff. There’s no doubt most of the team’s failures so far are the result of misfortune with injuries and players not maximizing potential, but coaching always plays a role in team performance. Molitor has some staffers with limited MLB resumes who seem more deserving of scrutiny than the manger.

“This is a lost season,” Molitor’s friend said. “The chances of coming back (at mid-season) are impossible, or near impossible.”

The Molitor supporters just want to know the Hall of Fame player and Minnesota native will be in the dugout next season.

Worth Noting

Didn’t get enough fireworks the last several days? The Twins will have a fireworks show after their game Friday night against the Rays. The first 10,000 fans at Target Field that evening receive an Eddie Rosario bobblehead.

Sports Headliners reader Dana Marshall emailed a reminder that pitcher Eddie Bane made his professional debut 45 years ago on Wednesday, July 4, 1973 at Met Stadium. Bane was selected out of Arizona State by the Twins in the June 1973 amateur draft, and a crowd of 45,890 came out to see the beginning of the left hander’s career on July 4. Although Bane impressed in his debut against the Royals, the Twins didn’t win the game. He only had seven MLB victories during his career.

Former Viking wide receiver Ahmad Rashad is featured in the current issue of Sports Illustrated. The article references the part-time work Rashad did with WCCO TV during his career with the Vikings and how the experience helped his post-football broadcast career.

The feature describes the many relationships in sports and entertainment that have defined Rashad’s life. In Rashad’s 1988 autobiography, he tells of his close friendships with Bill Cosby and O.J. Simpson, according to S.I. More recently he’s known for being pals with Michael Jordan.

The S.I. issue is themed “Where Are They Now?” and among the stories about famous figures from the past is an article on another former Vikings wide receiver, Percy Harvin, who was troubled by severe anxiety during his NFL career and retired early.

Athlon Sports ranks former Eden Prairie star J.D. Spielman, now at Nebraska, the No. 17 wide receiver in college football. Gopher redshirt sophomore safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is one of the 50 most underrated players in college football, per Athlon.

Transfer Noah Rasinsk, after spending the first two seasons of his college career at Concordia University St. Paul, will play for the Gophers this fall and will have two seasons of eligibility. The Lakeville South High School alum was the Golden Bears’ top scorer in each of the past two seasons with an average of 75.64 as a freshman and 73.15 as a sophomore.

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