Twins – Page 185 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on May 23, 2012May 23, 2012 by David Shama

Patrick Klinger, the Twins vice president of marketing, may become a compassionate kidney donor. That means he would be willing to provide one of his kidneys to someone he doesn’t know.

A couple of years ago Klinger went through three days of testing at the Mayo Clinic to determine if a portion of his liver would be compatible for transfer to a college friend. Klinger wasn’t a match but a liver from a cadaver saved his friend’s life.

Earlier this year Klinger was ready to donate a kidney to former Twins player and manager Frank Quilici. A woman who is a family friend was a better match and about one week ago Quilici had successful surgery.

“I just think what greater gift can you give than the gift of life,” Klinger said.

The Twins, who are averaging about 33,000 fans per game at home, are likely to see an increase in attendance during June not only because schools will dismiss for summer vacation, but three teams with box office appeal, the Brewers, Cubs and Phillies, will be in town. Ticket inventory, Klinger said, is tight for those games.

Former Twins outfielder Mickey Hatcher, who was in his 13^th season as Angels hitting coach, was fired last week. The Angels rank No. 26 among major league teams in runs scored with 159.

The St. Thomas baseball team plays Christopher Newport from Newport News, Virginia on Friday in the Division III Baseball College World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin. The Tommies are 38-8 while their opponent is 34-8. The Tommies are in pursuit of their first national championship since 2009. The championship game will be played on Tuesday.

Minnesota State plays Southern New Hampshire on Saturday in the Division II Baseball College World Series in Cary, North Carolina. The Mavericks are 48-10 this season while Southern New Hampshire is 42-13. The tournament is double elimination as is the Division III competition. The Mavericks have made 31 NCAA tournament appearances.

Ricky Rubio received the second most points in voting by NBA head coaches when they determined the league’s All-Rookie team, announced yesterday. The Wolves point guard was second in points, 49, to Cleveland point guard Kyrie Irving who had 58. Wolves rookie forward Derrick Williams made the All-Rookie second team.

The Gophers football schedule for the 2015 and 2016 seasons (released on Monday) includes games against Ohio State in Minneapolis and Columbus. It’s the first time the Buckeyes have been on the Gophers schedule since 2010. Ohio State leads the series against Minnesota 43-7.

Only one date was left open on the schedules, the September 19, 2015 slot where the Gophers are still looking for a nonconference opponent, probably at home.

It was 10 years ago yesterday that former Gophers athletic director Paul Giel died. “If 100 people met Paul they wouldn’t like him. They would love him,” his friend Harvey Mackay said.

Former WCCO TV anchor Don Shelby has nearly 5,000 friends on Facebook, and he’s receiving well wishes for his May 27^th birthday.

The Wild are aggressively shopping their No. 7 pick in the first round of the June 22 NHL draft, a pro hockey source told Sports Headliners. “I hear they’re willing to take offers for an established or established players,” he said.

The Wild could also trade the pick to acquire additional draft choices, although that doesn’t seem as likely. The team is badly in need of scorers, and also lacks “leadership in the clubhouse,” according to the source.

“If you watch any of the playoffs you can see how far away the Wild are (from being a post-season team),” he said. The source’s opinion is the Wild needs “three or four” good players to be more equal with at least some playoff clubs.

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Worth Noting

Posted on May 21, 2012May 21, 2012 by David Shama

Tom Lehman, Fred Couples and 18 more of the top 20 players on the Champions Tour will compete in the 3M Championship in Blaine July 30-August 5. Arnold Palmer will also participate. Lehman, the Minnesota native, tied for second in last year’s tournament behind champion Jay Haas.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill expects today or tomorrow to see the classroom grades of his players from last semester. Kill and his staff have worked with players to significantly improve academic performance but that’s no guarantee there won’t be disappointments. “It’s one day at a time,” he said.

Kill hopes his players, including the quarterbacks, will volunteer their time to workout during the off-season this spring and summer. It’s not mandatory, but quarterbacks MarQueis Gray, Max Shortell, Phillip Nelson and Mitch Leidner are likely to be throwing to Gophers receivers in the weeks ahead.

Nelson and Leidner are freshmen but Kill said no decision has been made on redshirting. “We’ll make those decisions after two-a-days end,” Kill said referring to scheduled practices in August.

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said it’s “inevitable” college football will go to a national championship playoff. “It’s what the public wants,” he told Sports Headliners.

Gophers women’s basketball coach Pam Borton promoted Curtis Loyd to associate head coach. Loyd joined the staff as an assistant coach in 2010 and is credited with improving Minnesota’s defense. Last season the Gophers held opponents to a program record low field goal percentage of .375.

It will be 20 years ago this summer the Dream Team that included Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan competed in the 1992 basketball Olympics. The Timberwolves’ Christian Laettner was on that team.

The Wild will have an 18-community promotional trip that includes players and other celebrities. The trip begins June 25 and ends June 28. www.wild.com

Hamline is sending three men and three women to next weekend’s NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships in Claremont, California including senior Devin Monson who ranks among the five best performers nationally in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

Former Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek, born in Minneapolis, celebrates his 52^nd birthday today.

The Twins will see former teammate Orlando Hudson when they open a three-game series tomorrow night in Chicago against the White Sox. The second baseman was released by San Diego last week but signed with the White Sox. He’s playing with his fifth major league club in five years.

Major League Baseball just finished its first weekend of Interleague baseball this season. Next season, with Houston switching from the National League to the American, there will be Interleague play throughout the season.

The Twins, who won two of three Interleague games against the Brewers in Milwaukee Friday-Sunday, are 150-117 in Interleague competition, among the best records in baseball.

By the way, who was the last Twins pitcher to hit a home run?

Jim Kaat in 1972.

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Worth Noting

Posted on May 18, 2012May 18, 2012 by David Shama

Maturi said the Gophers will receive a maximum of $300,000 from the Vikings for each of the NFL team’s games played at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers will charge rent and receive a share of certain revenues including concessions.

He also said seating expansion of TCF Bank Stadium will include but not necessarily be limited to adding bleacher seats in the west end zone. While the Vikings will be able to play games in the Metrodome during coming seasons, it’s already clear they will sometimes have to host games at TCF Bank Stadium while their new facility is constructed near the dome.

Monster Energy AMA Supercross has booked the Metrodome for April 13, 2013, returning to Minneapolis after a five year absence. The best attended AMA Supercross event at the dome was 60,049 in 1997.

Former Wolves All-Star Kevin Garnett, whose Celtics team leads the Sixers 2-1 in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs, will be 36 tomorrow.

Ex-Vikings coach Bud Grant, still active with travelling, hunting and fishing, celebrates his 85^th birthday on Sunday.

The Vikings report to training camp for a 47^th consecutive year in Mankato on July 26 with the first team practice the next day. The Vikings will break camp on August 16.

Gophers football players will report for the coming season on August 2 and practice begins August 3. The Gophers open the schedule at UNLV on August 30.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed that Henry Ellenson, the Rice Lake, Wisconsin high school freshman, was offered a scholarship this week by the Gophers. His older brother, Wally, will be on scholarship as a college freshman this fall for the Gophers.

With this week’s announcement by major league baseball that the 2013 All-Star game will be awarded to the Mets, it sets up further speculation Target Field will host the 2014 game.

Twins rookie shortstop Brian Dozier has only one error in 11 games since his recall from Class AAA Rochester. He’s hitting .298 with two home runs and five RBI.

The Twins projected starting pitchers for the three game series against the Brewers that opens tonight in Milwaukee: Carl Pavano, 2-3, 5.14 ERA; Scott Diamond, 2-0, 0.00 ERA; Jason Marquis, 2-3, 6.68 ERA.

Close followers of the Twins organization will be surprised if super prospect Miguel Sano won’t be playing for Minnesota in two years. Sano, the 19-year-old Beloit Snappers third baseman, leads the Midwest League in home runs with 11.

Canterbury Park opens its live racing season tonight. The Shakopee track will have racing every weekend through Labor Day. Special promotions will include ostrich and camel racing on July 21.

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