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Twins Need Catching Help Now

Posted on June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 by David Shama

A Tuesday notes column:

Catcher is the position where the Twins, currently with a 28-34 record, have their biggest need. The position is unsettled on the franchise’s major league roster, and in the minor league system the talent is thin. It wouldn’t be surprising if front office decision makers Derek Falvey and Thad Levine announce a trade this month involving a catcher, or acquiring a player at another position who can help the struggling offense.

Only seven of 30 MLB teams have scored fewer runs than the Twins. Minnesota is 3-13 in one-run games, and 17-26 in games decided by two runs or less.

Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto might be available. The 27-year-old is hitting .301 and is a rising star. Miami is a bad team, struggling to draw fans and has a front office that can be unpredictable.

Falvey and Levine possess some trade pieces that could be attractive to other clubs including 30-year-old starting pitcher Kyle Gibson. Despite a 1-4 record and an inconsistent career path, Gibson this season has held opponents to two or fewer runs eight times. Gibson could be expendable because the Twins have depth in their starting rotation and quality prospects in the minor leagues.

The Twins also have numbers in middle infielders and that could mean minor league prospects and veterans Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar are likely to come up in trade talks. Both are free agents after this season.

The 31-year-old Dozier, who led the Twins in home runs the last two seasons, is struggling this year with a .239 batting average. The 29-year-old Escobar, though, is hitting a career high .289 that also includes 12 home runs, three more than Dozier. The Twins could be more likely to retain Escobar because he can play three infield positions and figures to command less money as a free agent than Dozier.

Rob Fornasiere’s last day as Golden Gophers assistant head baseball coach is July 2. The 62-year-old Fornasiere is retiring from his position at Minnesota and is unsure of future plans. For now he “will take a deep breath.”

Fornasiere is paid $79,000 annually at Minnesota and he has supplemented his income with baseball camps. Fornasiere said he and his wife Ruth have worked with a financial planner and “prepared for over 20 years” for retirement, leaving the couple confident they can maintain a lifestyle they are comfortable with.

Who will succeed the popular and admired assistant who has coached 33 years at Minnesota? Fornasiere doesn’t know but he praised former Gopher Dan Wilson when asked about him. “In my 39 years as a college coach, he is the greatest kid I ever met,” Fornasiere said.

Wilson works for the Mariners where his responsibilities include scouting and it’s not publicly known whether he would have an interest in coming to Minnesota. His son Eli is a catcher with the Gophers who has proven to be a productive leader and player. Minnesota went 33-7 when Wilson was the regular catcher.

Fornasiere couldn’t have asked for a better last season with the Gopher program. Minnesota won Big Ten regular season and conference tournament championships. For the first time ever during Fornasiere’s tenure with head coach John Anderson the Gophers were able to win an NCAA regional tournament.

The dream run ended last weekend in the Super Regional against an Oregon State team with better talent and playing on its home field. Fornasiere thinks the Beavers might win the NCAA title and “arguably has” the best pitcher in the country in Luke Heimlich, 16-1. He was outstanding in a Beaver win Friday night, striking out nine Gophers in 8.2 innings.

Jim Carter, who has been a close observer of the issues that led to the lawsuit by former and current Gopher football players against the University of Minnesota, said the two sides failed to reach a settlement before the lawsuit was filed. Carter, a former Gopher football captain in the late 1960s and loyal supporter of the program under ex-head coaches Jerry Kill and Tracy Claeys, said the nine players are seeking $45 million in damages, or about $5 million per player.

Carter predicted it could be a “couple of years” before the lawsuit is tried in federal court before a jury. The players allege they were the victims of racial and gender discrimination involving a 2016 incident.

Jirehl Brock, the four-star running back from Quincy, Illinois, visited the U over the weekend and spent time with No. 1 Gopher quarterback Tanner Morgan, according to recruiting authority Ryan Burns from GopherIllustrated. Burns told Sports Headliners Brock will make a seventh visit to Iowa June 22, and then a decision regarding his college choice is expected by month’s end.

Burns said Vic Viramontes decided to give up on his future as a quarterback after not meeting his expectations this spring. Viramontes wants to play linebacker and decided not to try that position at Minnesota because of the competition for playing time, opting instead to gain experience this fall in junior college, according to Burns.

Viramontes’ departure leaves the Gophers with one scholarship quarterback in redshirt freshman Morgan who has never played in a college game. That’s not only an unusual situation but a precarious one if Morgan is injured. True freshman Zack Annexstad is the backup and Burns said tight end Seth Green will be an emergency back up at the position.

The Vikings have their third offensive coordinator in two years and veteran defensive end Brian Robison sees the benefit of that for his unit. “The things that they’re doing, it kind of has changed from year to year,” Robison said. “It kind of allows us to see a broad spectrum of plays and a broad spectrum of the way the offense likes to do things. For us that keeps us on our toes and it’s kind of ever evolving as far as our learning process.”

Some NFL authorities see the Packers, with injured Aaron Rodgers recovered, as more likely to win the 2018 NFC North title than the defending champion Vikings. But Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen said he is focused on spring work at OTAs and hasn’t heard the word. “Oh, yeah, I haven’t even noticed,” he told Sports Headliners. “I haven’t heard anything about it.”

Thielen, a Minnesota native, enjoyed talking with Gophers coach P.J. Fleck at OTAs last week. “I got a ton of respect for him and what he’s doing with that program, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what they’re going to do in the future,” Thielen said.

Ross Miller defeated Robert Bell and Don Berry in a playoff to win the 47th Tapemark Charity Pro-Am at Southview Country Club last weekend. Jeff Sorenson finished two strokes behind the leaders. Sorenson shot a course record 62 this spring to win a tournament at Redwood Falls Golf Club.

Ex-Cretin-Derham Hall and University of St. Thomas basketball guard Sean Sweeney, who has been on the NBA Bucks staff since 2014, will remain an assistant under new head coach Mike Budenholzer. Sweeney is valued for his defensive expertise and relationship with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story last Friday described the two as “virtually inseparable.”

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Mauer Future Looks More Uncertain

Posted on June 6, 2018June 6, 2018 by David Shama

Go ahead and speculate whether Joe Mauer’s latest battle with concussion symptoms will be a major or perhaps deciding factor in whether he continues to play professional baseball after this season.

Mauer hasn’t played for the Twins since May 18. A history with concussion symptoms is a part of his storyline as a major league player. Mauer’s well-publicized concussion in 2013 led to his switching from catcher to first base. He is and was more valuable to the Twins behind the plate, but he is less likely to sustain blows to the head playing first base.

The three-time American League batting champion hasn’t been the same hitter in recent years that he was earlier in his career. In the last four seasons (starting with 2014) Mauer has hit for averages of .277, .265, .261 and .305. In the four years prior to that (beginning with 2010) his averages were .327, .287, .314 and .324.

Dating back to high school who knows how many other concussions Mauer may have experienced in athletics? Mauer’s wife Maddie has a background in nursing and it’s a good guess her medical expertise has her more concerned about Joe’s health than many spouses would be. The Mauers have young children and concerns about having a healthy dad could play into any future decisions regarding Joe’s playing career.

Mauer is 35 and will be a free agent after this season. Known to be wise with his money, Mauer is finishing up the $184 million deal he and the Twins agreed to starting with the 2011 season. He doesn’t need to continue playing for the money and could be uninterested in what the Twins or other clubs might offer for his services in 2019 and beyond.

If Mauer wants to continue his career would the Twins offer any more than $6 million per year for two or three seasons? Does the front office really want him to return? The Twins already have at least two Mauer successors at first base in Miguel Sano and Logan Morrison. The club doesn’t need Mauer at the box office as was the case several years ago when the Minnesota native was one of baseball’s big names and the franchise was moving from the Metrodome to Target Field.

Does Mauer have the passion to continue playing? The Twins don’t look like a World Series contender anytime soon. Playing on the biggest of stages might motivate a Mauer return but perhaps only with the Twins if they were a strong postseason contender. He has played his entire big league career in his home state. With a loaded bank account, history of concussions and a young family, would Mauer really want to play elsewhere?

It’s going to be an interesting period for Mauer between now and next year.

Worth Noting

Minnesotan Tyler Simmons, along with two other amateurs and professional Jason Dufner, won the Pro-Am part of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio last week. Simmons, an insurance executive who lives in suburban Minneapolis, shot an 88 at the famed Muirfield Village Golf Club while Dufner had a 71. Playing best ball, Simmons and his partners shot 13 under par for the one day 18-hole tournament.

Dufner told the group the course rough was U.S. Open-style difficult and “the greens faster than Augusta,” the site of the Masters. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” said the 42-year-old Simmons who is a seven handicapper and plays at the Windsong Farm Golf Club in Maple Plain.

Mike Zimmer, who turned 62 yesterday, is the second oldest head coach in Vikings’ history. Jerry Burns was 64 in 1991, his last year as head coach.

Golden Gophers head football coach P.J. Fleck attended Vikings practice on Tuesday. Fleck had new Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins speak to the Gophers awhile ago.

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen, who visited with Fleck yesterday at practice, has now gone from being undrafted in 2013 to No. 36 on the top 100 list of NFL players as voted on by his peers.

Individuals with Minnesota connections being considered for 2019 induction into the College Football Hall of Fame include Blake Elliott (Saint John’s), Ross Fortier (MSU-Moorhead) and Marcus Harris (Wyoming);

The baseball Gophers might not have junior All-American shortstop Terrin Vavra if the University of Wisconsin had a baseball program. Vavra, from Menomonie, Wisconsin, could be the best player in the Big Ten Conference. The Badgers eliminated baseball in 1991 because of budget concerns and longtime athletic director Barry Alvarez apparently has no interest in reviving it, even though Wisconsin is the only program in the Big Ten not playing the sport.

Gopher basketball coach Richard Pitino writing in his blog about Brock Stull, his Wisconsin-Milwaukee transfer guard: “Brock Stull is exactly what we needed to add with our last scholarship in the spring. He’s a Big Ten-ready guard right now. I watched a lot of film on Brock when we recruited him. I was extremely impressed when he put up 23 points versus a future Final Four team, Loyola-Chicago, in conference play. He’s tough, versatile and plays the right way.”

Blake James, the Coon Rapids, Minnesota native who has been the athletic director at Miami since 2013, recently was given a long-term contract extension with the Hurricanes, according to online reports.

There will be horse racing buzz this week when Justify tries to become a Triple Crown winner in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Trying to win for the third time since early May, the three-year-old could become the first Triple Crown winner since 2015 and only the second since 1978. Advance wagering for the Belmont starts Thursday at Canterbury Park.

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U Targets Elite Illinois Recruits

Posted on June 1, 2018June 1, 2018 by David Shama

The football Gophers are making an impact in the state of Illinois recruiting players for the class of 2019 and could end up with commitments from two of the top three prospects, according to Ryan Burns from GopherIllustrated.com.

Defensive end Jason Bargy from Momency, Illinois has already verbally committed to Minnesota. Burns said the top three 2019 prospects in Illinois are Bargy, Crystal Lake offensive tackle Trevor Keegan and Quincy running back Jirehl Brock. All three are four-star recruits and Brock is more likely to verbally commit to the Gophers than Keegan, who is considered the No. 1 prospect in the state.

Brock will make an official visit to Minnesota on June 8. Burns wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually chooses Minnesota, although the recruiting authority acknowledges Iowa is the favorite. Brock, Burns said, has made six visits to Iowa City and that could be interpreted two ways. Likely it shows how interested he is in Iowa, but Burns speculates all those trips may indicate doubts—perhaps searching for a reason not to become a Hawkeye.

The Gophers have 10 commitments for the class of 2019, with three players from the state of Illinois already on board. The three are Bargy, three-star defensive back Tyler Nubin from St. Charles, and three-star offensive tackle J.J. Guedet from Washington. Burns said all three are “in the ear” of Brock to become a Gopher.

Historically the state of Illinois hasn’t been a target for Minnesota recruiting, with the Gophers even pulling more players and big-time contributors over the years from Wisconsin and Michigan among nearby states. That’s changed, though, under second-year coach P.J. Fleck who is an Illinois native, played collegiately at Northern Illinois and recognizes the opportunity in his home state where there are annually many top prospects.

Burns said the Gopher shopping list in Illinois includes other players than those referenced above and when the 2019 class is finalized Minnesota could end up with something like five of the top 15 players from the Land of Lincoln. “So not only are they going into the state of Illinois, and getting quality kids, they’re getting the top echelon,” Burns said.

University of Illinois football is sending out “distress signals” and schools like Minnesota, Iowa and Iowa State are among those trying to capitalize on the opportunity to recruit Illinois prep players skeptical about the Illini’s future under head coach Lovie Smith who is 5-19 in his first two years leading the program. The 60-year-old Smith, who took the Illinois job after many years in the NFL, is 2-16 in Big Ten games.

Burns described the 37-year-old Fleck as “much more of a dynamic recruiter” than Smith. “P.J’s enthusiasm just really resonates with 17 and 18 year old kids,” Burns said. “…P.J. is texting these kids, (and) facetiming them—while I don’t necessarily think Lovie is making sure to make an effort to do that on a daily basis.”

Minnesota offensive line coach Brian Callahan has recruiting responsibilities in Illinois and deserves credit along with Fleck for progress the Gophers have made in the state. “That’s a place where Minnesota wanted to go more last year,” Burns said. “They got some quality kids (class of 2018) from there like Elijah Teague, a defensive tackle who I expect to contribute early on. They signed a middle linebacker named Mariano Sori-Marin from there, but they knew that they wanted to get inroads into this 2019 class and I think you’ve seen that.

“Illinois is consistently producing 25, 30 legitimate BCS kids a year. To get not even into June yet, and you’ve already landed three of the top eight from the state of Illinois, I can tell you Lovie Smith and staff are not very happy with P.J. Fleck because these are kids that Illinois thinks they should be keeping (at) home. But P.J. is going in there and winning some pretty important recruiting battles.”

Worth Noting

Among the Gophers’ other recruiting targets is three-star, pro-style quarterback Jacob Clark from Rockwall, Texas. Burns said Clark’s dad visited Minnesota’s campus this week. Burns predicted a college decision by mid-June with the quarterback choosing either Minnesota or California.

June is an international travel month for the University of St. Thomas football team. Coach Glenn Caruso has arranged a 13-day trip to Ireland and Italy including a game in Rome on Saturday against one of Italy’s top Division I teams. NCAA rules allow teams to take an international trip for competition every three years.

The MIAC announced yesterday that St. Thomas has won the Men’s and Women’s All-Sports Competition for the past school year. It’s the 11th consecutive year the Tommies have been No. 1 in overall MIAC competition for both genders.

Customers at St. Paul Saints games are alert for Bill Murray sightings. The comedian and actor doesn’t live in Minnesota but is sometimes spotted at CHS Field watching the team he is part owner of. Mike Veeck, also a Saints owner, said Murray doesn’t have “handlers” and fans “absolutely love him because he is so approachable and they can get autographs. They feel the relationship with him.”

The Twins, 22-30 on the season, aren’t winning close games. Last night they lost 9-8 to the Central Division first place Indians. Minnesota, 6.5 games behind the Indians, has seen 11 of its last 12 games decided by three runs or fewer, and has a 3-8 record in those games.

Miguel Sano, who hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning, had three RBI last night—the most he’s had this season.

Cheryl Reeve, the Lynx coach who has led her team to four WNBA titles, was quoted extensively in a May 27 New York Times article while analyzing a Western Conference NBA finals game between the Warriors and Rockets. She is a fan of Golden State forward-center Draymond Green. “There’s just an element to the way he plays,” Reeve told the Times.

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