Twins – Page 207 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers, Twins & Other Notes

Posted on November 18, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday but was in the office about 5 a.m. Tuesday. That’s a typical arrival time for him.

GopherIllustrated.com. reports that defensive back Jeremy Baltazar from Blinn College in Brenham, Texas has given a verbal commitment to the Gophers for 2012. He visited campus last weekend.

Cornerback Kyle Henderson, who transferred to the Gophers from Minnesota State-Mankato State, said perhaps six to eight of his former teammates could have played Division I football. “The talent level is not terrible in Division II by any means,” he said.

Because of a commitment to play MarQueis Gray at quarterback, Gophers freshman Max Shortell has been on the field for only a few plays since he started the Michigan game on October 1. Kill said he’s “pleased with the progress” of the 19-year-old quarterback. “…Actually he’s probably farther along than what I thought he would be when he came here,” Kill said. “He’s worked hard.”

Round one of the 32-team NCAA Division III playoffs are about to start and no game has more local interest than St. Thomas hosting St. Scholastica. UST will be at home for the noon start tomorrow and hopes to improve its all-time first-round playoff record to 3-0. The MIAC website reports that the Tommies’ Fritz Waldvogel tied a Division III record by catching a pass in each of 40 career regular season games.

Twins executive Jim Rantz describes newly signed infielder Jamey Carroll as a “young” 37 year old. He said Carroll has taken care of himself and his personality will be a positive in the clubhouse.

Rantz said minor league pitching prospect Kyle Gibson won’t throw with “any velocity” until June or July after his Tommy John surgery. Rantz wouldn’t predict whether Gibson’s recovery schedule will allow him to pitch in organized baseball in 2012.

Max Kepler, the native of Germany who the Twins signed at 16, turns 19 in February and Rantz said the former infielder is considered a prospect at all three outfield positions. It’s possible Kepler will play for the Twins Class A Beloit team next year.

Coach Don Lucia’s No. 1 ranked Gophers hockey team has scored a goal in the last minute of regulation play in five of 12 games this season and only one goal has been an empty-net goal. Seven times this season the Gophers have scored during the last five minutes. Minnesota plays at St. Cloud State tonight and tomorrow night.

The Wild has the second-ranked prospects in the NHL, according to an ESPN Insider story this week. Mentioned in the article were Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Jonas Brodin and Johan Larsson. ESPN Insider discounted any player who had begun his entry-level contract.

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Sporting News Makes Twins Prospect POY Candidate

Posted on October 19, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Jim Rantz has worked in the Twins farm system since 1970 but in four-plus decades has never seen a Twins 18-year-old prospect with the power of Miguel Sano. Word has spread quickly about the Dominican Republic native since the Twins signed him to a contract as a 16-year-old in 2009.

The October 10 issue of Sporting News Magazine lists Washington’s Bryce Harper and Sano as the publication’s top candidates for Minor League Player of the Year in 2012. Rantz, senior director for Twins minor league operations, hadn’t heard about the prediction but sounded more pleased than surprised when told by Sports Headliners.

Sano hit 20 home runs for the Elizabethton minor league team last season and Rantz said Baseball America ranked the power hitting third baseman the best prospect in the Appalachian League. He hit .292 with 59 RBI in 267 at bats in that rookie league.

So how good can Sano become? “I don’t want to go out on a limb and put a monkey on his back and jinx him,” Rantz said. “Let’s put it this way. If he does not get hurt and progresses like he has been, he is a can’t miss guy.”

Rantz said the 6-3 Sano has put on about 35 pounds in the last “couple years,” increasing his weight from 195 to 230. “There is no fat on this kid,” Rantz said.

Sano started out as a shortstop with the Twins organization and might play the position again, according to Rantz. He made 26 errors in half a season with Elizabethton playing, both shortstop and third base. Rantz rates the teenager’s speed only average but Sano does have a strong arm. “He’s got some work to do on defense,” Rantz said.

The Twins are pleased with Sano’s progress in learning English. Rantz believes one day Sano could be a leader on the field.

For now Sano is back in the Dominican Republic but won’t play winter baseball because many of the players are major leaguers. The Twins want to protect his development and won’t bring him to the major league camp in 2012. Rantz expects Sano, who won’t be 19 until next May, will be assigned to the organization’s Class A Beloit team.

“He is something else, especially with the bat,” Rantz said.

That’s what Sporting News believes, too, forecasting that Sano will be in the majors with the power hungry Twins “by the end of 2012.”

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Rosen Commitment: Connect with Viewers

Posted on October 7, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

By the late 1980s Rosen became the station’s No. 1 sports anchor. His success ties back to being himself on and off camera. He both celebrates and suffers with the fortunes of Minnesota teams and athletes, but won’t hesitate to “call out” a nice guy like Vikings coach Leslie Frazier if appropriate.

Rosen’s commitment to journalism is appreciated by viewers who are looking for more than scores and sound bites. Last year, for example, he was the first in town to report that catcher Joe Mauer was close to agreement on a new contract with the Twins.

Years ago former Viking turned sportscaster Ahmad Rashad told Rosen he was going to propose to Phylicia Ayers-Allen on NBC-TV. It was the night before Thanksgiving and Rosen informed his WCCO audience to watch NBC the next day for the proposal. “Now if I did that today, everybody would know about it around the country because it would be on Twitter and Facebook,” Rosen said.

He gushes recalling some of his career experiences including covering the “greatest sporting event ever” — the U.S. Olympic hockey win over the Soviet Union in 1980 at Lake Placid, New York. Nor is there any forgetting his interview with baseball legend Sandy Koufax who was his childhood hero.

“I interviewed him (and) I didn’t even know where I was,” Rosen said. “I was so gone.

“I had a great color picture taken with him. That’s one of my prize possessions because he really was my idol growing up and he was so pleasant.”

A lot of pleasant memories will be in Rosen’s new book and while it’s far from a “tell-all” adventure in journalism, Rosen admits there will be details about the difficult times in his life, too. How could there not be during a 40-year career?

But what are those details?

You will have to read the book.

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