Twins – Page 132 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

U Nears 1,000 New Season Tickets

Posted on May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 by David Shama

As of Friday, the Gophers had sold 861 new football season tickets since January 6 when P.J. Fleck was announced as head coach. The total was obtained from an athletic department spokesman and is for nonstudent season tickets (a student season tickets total will be available later in the year).

Fleck’s outgoing personality, and the reputation he earned at Western Michigan for being one of America’s most promising young coaches has prompted some renewed interest in football at the U. The athletic department sold 253 season tickets in less than 30 days after the 36-year-old Fleck took over as coach.

Fan interest declined last year under head coach Tracy Claeys and the Gophers sold about 5,100 fewer nonstudent season tickets in 2016 than in 2015. The Gophers didn’t sell out a single home game in 50,805 seat TCF Bank Stadium and many sold seats weren’t occupied. Last year the athletic department sold about 23,000 nonstudent season tickets and student season ticket sales were around 7,000.

The new season tickets sold this winter and spring is being accomplished without a marketing campaign. Promotional efforts are expected to start soon and will likely play off of Fleck’s “Row The Boat” mantra to create excitement. The phrase refers to a never give up attitude, and Fleck paid Western Michigan $50,000 for the rights to “Row The Boat.”

Fleck has big ambitions for attendance at TCF Bank Stadium, a venue that ranks near the bottom in seating capacity among Big Ten schools. Sports Headliners reported last month that in three years Fleck wants to expand seating capacity to 85,000. (See April 2, 2017 column).

Worth Noting

Race Thompson told Sports Headliners he hears the encouraging words from Minnesotans to become a Gopher and he appreciates the hometown interest but he won’t be influenced by others in choosing a college destination.

Thompson, the junior power forward from Armstrong High School, has offers from more than 10 schools including the Gophers. The Rivals four-star player said he probably will choose a school next fall and is looking for the place he will feel most comfortable, including a “family atmosphere.”

Thompson will make some college visits after July 1 and could sign a National Letter of Intent in November, the first signing opportunity for class of 2018 players to officially commit to their colleges. While schools like Minnesota and Marquette have been recruiting Thompson for some time, Indiana is now showing interest, too. Thompson said he isn’t sure, though, if he will visit Bloomington.

Darrell Thompson, the Gophers all-time leading rusher in football, has said throughout the recruiting process that he and wife Stephanie won’t direct their son to play for the U, even though their suburban Minneapolis home would make travelling to watch him in college much easier than any other place.

Darrell leads Minneapolis-based Bolder Options, the nonprofit helping kids and teens learn life skills. The organization’s annual gala in Minneapolis last Thursday night raised over $160,000, a record for the event which is the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser of the year.

Another fundraising highlight for the organization is the WCCO Radio Gutter Bowl bowling event that most recently generated about $40,000. Morning show host Dave Lee is among those who have led the event.

The Twins have the first pick in the June MLB Draft and could select Hunter Greene from southern California. Greene throws fast balls over 100 miles per hour, plays with MLB range at shortstop, excels at the plate, and is the subject of considerable hype including from Sports Illustrated. The magazine’s latest issue has him on the cover and gushed the following:

“Baseball’s LeBron, or the new Babe? He’s 17. He mashes. He throws 102. Hunter Greene is the star baseball needs. (First he has to finish high school).”

Dalvin Cook, the former Florida State running back who the Vikings were excited to find available in the second round of Friday’s NFL Draft, was projected in last week’s Sports Illustrated to be the No. 23 pick in the first round by the Giants.

Vikings defensive end Brian Robison, who turned 34 last week, expects to do something with his “big-time passion” for fishing after he retires from football. He told Sports Headliners pro fishing could be his next career, or TV commentary about the sport. He has fished in pro-am tournaments in recent off seasons, and competed in the Texas Team Trail Bass Championships.

Doesn’t seem that long ago but it will be 17 years on Friday that former Gophers and Timberwolves coach Bill Musselman died. In Musselman’s first season at Minnesota, 1971-72, he coached the Gophers to their first Big Ten basketball title since 1937. In 1989-1990 he coached the expansion Timberwolves in their initial NBA season.

Mark Sheffert, the former Gophers football player who founded and leads Minneapolis-based Manchester Companies that provides management consulting, discussed corporate ethics and behavior yesterday on WCCO Radio’s News and Views program.

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Griffen Looks Forward to Hits on A.P.

Posted on April 25, 2017April 25, 2017 by David Shama

A notes column starting with reporting from Winter Park, the Vikings training facility.

Defensive end Everson Griffen spoke light-heartedly about playing against former teammate Adrian Peterson when the Vikings and Saints meet September 11 at U.S. Bank Stadium in the opening regular season game for both teams. “I can’t wait to hit him, it’s going to be fun,” Griffen said this morning.

Griffen had reporters laughing when he made that remark, and also when recalling how during practices he and other defensive players were never allowed to hit Peterson, the future Hall of Fame running back.

Last week it was announced the Vikings-Saints matchup will be one of two NFL ESPN televised Monday night games on September 11. Then today reports confirmed that Peterson, who played for the Vikings from 2007-2016, was signing on with the Saints. Griffen wondered if the NFL office has known for awhile that Peterson was New Orleans-bound and that A.P. playing against his old team would create high drama in the Minneapolis Monday night game.

There’s no doubt it will be an electric atmosphere in the stadium that night with the game generating high TV ratings. Look for the Purple faithful to give Peterson a standing ovation. StubHub.com listed 6,764 tickets available for the game as of early afternoon today.

Apparently Peterson’s days as a part-time Minnesota resident are also over. Mike Max reported on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” show on Sunday that movers were at Peterson’s suburban Minneapolis home last Saturday.

Veteran Vikings defensive end Brian Robison, per earlier media reports this spring, is likely to retire after the 2018. But Robison told Sports Headliners today he might play longer if the Vikings offer him another contract. “I think the only chance for me would be if I got brought back here to Minnesota. I am not going to move my family across the country. It’s just something that I don’t really want to do.

“To me there’s more important things than just making money in this business. There’s always been the other things that are important to me. The respect of my peers. Being in the right place.

“Minnesota is definitely the place that I want to be. If that opportunity arises where I am able to come back here another year, or two, then yea, I might stick around…but otherwise…I am pretty much positive I am going to hang it up.”

Robison’s wife Jayme Miller has an ongoing career as an accomplished rodeo barrel racer. Robison said barrel racers may compete even into their 70’s.

Drew Wolitarsky, a senior last fall for the Gophers and now hoping to sign on with an NFL team, is reportedly excelling in workouts against pro defensive backs. A source said the Vikings may have interest in signing the California native as a free agent.

The same source also said Mitch Leidner, another senior for the Gophers last season, is impressive working out under the direction of ex-Vikings quarterback Rich Gannon. An NFL team may use a late round draft pick on the Minnesota quarterback and Lakeville native.

Condolences to Gophers linebacker Jonathan Celestin after the unexpected death last week of his father in Georgia. Donations are being accepted to assist with funeral and burial arrangements for Frederick Celestin. More information about donations is available by contacting Eric Raines at 229-435-4813.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association’s clinic March 30-April 1 drew record attendance of 1,700, according to an email from MFCA executive director Ron Stolski. Speakers at the clinic in St. Louis Park included Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck, Duke’s David Cutcliffe, North Dakota State’s Chris Klieman and Dartmouth’s Buddy Teevens.

The MFCA Recruit Combine takes place Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Rockford Community Center in Rockford. For a cost of $50 per participant, athletes from the high school classes of 2018, 2019 and 2020 can be tested in speed, strength and agility in front of Midwest college football coaches. More information is available at Preptree.com.

Jim Dutcher expects son Brian Dutcher, 57, to include the state of Minnesota in his recruiting territory now that the former Bloomington resident is head coach at San Diego State. Brian, who earned his undergraduate degree at Minnesota in 1982, succeeded Steve Fisher as head coach earlier this month after being an assistant at San Diego State for 18 seasons.

Twins authority Roy Smalley told Sports Headliners before the season his old team could win a dozen or so more games this season than last year’s win total of 59 but it won’t happen without improvement from veteran starters Kyle Gibson and Phil Hughes. How are the two pitchers doing for the 9-10 Twins who have lost seven of their last 10 games?

After four starts Gibson is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA. In his last start on Sunday he lasted 2.2 innings, giving up eight hits and six earned runs. Hughes is 3-1 with a 4.71 ERA and was the winning pitcher Monday night against the Rangers, giving up two runs in six innings.

Former Chaska High School baseball coach Dale Welter emailed that three former Chaska youth players are playing professionally as pitchers. Jake Esch and Brad Hand are with the San Diego Padres organization, while John Straka is on the Saint Paul Saints roster.

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Paul Molitor: Twins Playing ‘Okay’

Posted on April 21, 2017April 21, 2017 by David Shama

The Twins are 7-8 so far this season after losing to the Indians yesterday at Target Field. What does manager Paul Molitor think of the club that is coming off a 59-102 record in 2016?

“We’re playing okay,” he told Sports Headliners yesterday morning.

The Twins third-year manager believes the team record in 2017 can be “significantly” better than last season. He knows there are no guarantees the team can move to about a .500 record by early fall, but in the first three weeks of the schedule the pitching and defense have impressed. Molitor also sees a Central Division that has a kingpin in defending AL champ Cleveland but also has a membership of clubs Minnesota can compete with.

Despite a difficult day yesterday giving up 11 hits and six runs against the Indians, the Twins pitching staff’s ERA of 3.18 ranks as the sixth best among 30 major league teams. A surprise showing this spring by Twins pitchers includes lights-out performances by No. 1 starter Ervin Santana who is 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA. Closer Brandon Kintzler has three saves in six games with a 0.00 ERA.

Minnesota is tied with two other clubs for fewest errors in the big leagues, with four. Shortstop Jorge Polanco and third baseman Miguel Sano were hardly Gold Glove candidates coming into the season but their work in the field this spring has been professional. The outfield defense pretty much lets nothing drop except rain, with center fielder Byron Buxton perhaps having more range than anyone in baseball.

The Twins, though, have lost seven of their last nine games this season. Five of the team’s seven defeats have been by one or two runs. Of those five games, the club scored only a single run four times. Minnesota has a total of 60 runs this season, with just nine other big league teams scoring fewer.

Max Kepler (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins).

Maybe the Twins will pick up the offensive production when the weather warms and more bats find their rhythms. Maybe. Truth is the Twins have several inexperienced hitters in their everyday lineup including Buxton, right fielder Max Kepler, left fielder Eddie Rosario and Polanco. None of them can say they don’t have a lot to prove as hitters.

Sano had a news-making rookie season two years ago, then slipped in 2016 when he learned feasting on big league pitching was no given. This season will show if his work ethic and commitment are improved. Can he return to more consistency in 2017?

Outside the Twins organization, fans and media have all but given up on Joe Mauer leading the offense and the locker room. Coming off of seasons when he hit .277, .265 and .261 with a total of 25 home runs, he is off to a .218 start this spring with no home runs and six RBI. At age 34, Mauer shows no sign of producing the kind of numbers that years ago made him a batting champion and one of baseball’s best hitters.

With a glitzy career resume, $23 million salary, and a lifelong commitment to the Twins, you might think Mauer would be a clubhouse leader. But neither today, nor in the past, are there consistent reports about the quiet Minnesotan being a voice in the locker room. The Twins found that voice two years ago when outspoken veteran outfielder Torii Hunter helped lead the Twins to a surprise 83-79 record in Molitor’s first year of managing. Brian Dozier, the 29-year-old second baseman, hit 42 home runs last season and he has tried to be a club leader.

Molitor’s hopes of at least turning the Twins into a .500 or better team this year partially rest on new baseball boss Derek Falvey not trading Dozier away. Ditto Santana. The idea of both going away in return for prospects looks legit if the Twins are struggling in July.

Falvey, 34, was named the franchise’s chief baseball officer last fall. Known as one of the game’s more astute young minds, Falvey and new general manager Thad Levine place an emphasis on obtaining the best information possible on everything baseball related and place a high reliance on analytics. Under Falvey’s watch, the Twins are expanding their information gatherers and number crunchers.

Some early results are already in on the Falvey influence. His offseason signing of free agent catcher Jason Castro looks like a winner. Castro is one of baseball’s best at framing pitches—the term for positioning the catching glove so umpires are more likely to call strikes. The team’s pitching staff does seem improved and Castro is deserving of praise.

Veteran reliever Matt Belisle signed with the Twins as a free agent in February. He has helped the bullpen and his numbers show that with seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings and a 2.84 ERA. Both Belisle and Castro are potential locker room leaders all season.

Since the 2011 season the Twins have lost more than 90 games five times. Because of their dismal records the club has been given high draft choices but Minnesota doesn’t have a lot to show for its opportunities. There is a talent-gap on the roster that could have been assisted by better draft results.

Starting with the 2011 MLB June drafts, the Twins have selected the following players with first round picks: shortstop Levi Michael (2011), outfielder Byron Buxton (2012), pitcher Kohl Stewart (2013), infielder Nick Gordon (2014), pitcher Tyler Jay (2015) and outfielder Alex Kirilloff (2016). Buxton, who is hitting .082, is the only player currently on the major league roster. If you go back to the 2009 draft, the Twins used their No. 1 choice on Kyle Gibson, who is one of their starters but he is coming off a 6-11 record with a 5.07 ERA season last year.

This June the Twins will have the overall first selection in the MLB draft. How Falvey and his associates ultimately do with that opportunity will be another evaluation of their progress in rebuilding a franchise that won the World Series in 1987 and 1991, and division titles in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2010.

For right now, though, the Twins need to just end a four game losing streak starting tonight at home against the Tigers. They want to avoid the kind of spring that last year stopped the season before it even started—losing 53 games in April, May and June. At a minimum this club needs to live up to the manager’s evaluation yesterday of playing “okay” while crossing collective fingers for a .500 year.

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