Twins – Page 81 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Stay Tuned: Vikings and National Anthem

Posted on June 23, 2020June 23, 2020 by David Shama

A sports industry authority, speaking anonymously, said he was told by someone inside the Minnesota Vikings organization the club is expecting some of its players to take a knee during the national anthem if games are played this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asked how many Vikings may participate in social justice protesting at games, the source said, “More than a couple for sure.” Kneeling players aren’t expected to be fined or disciplined.

With speculation even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell might take a knee in protest over social wrongs and cultural practices, it seems certain there will be controversy at league games this fall with the possibility players from all 32 teams will protest by not standing for the Star Spangled Banner and presentation of the flag. Former Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, now with the Washington Redskins, said via online stories he will “without a doubt” protest by taking a knee.

The Sports Headliners source predicted over 50 percent of Vikings season ticket holders will react negatively to players taking a knee in what those fans view as disrespect for America. He guessed “10 to 15 percent” could end their ticket commitment to the club.

In these controversial and changing times former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has received more acceptance of late than he ever did in 2016 when he chose not to stand for the national anthem while creating a firestorm of criticism. Former Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, speaking on TMZ Sports last Sunday, compared Kaepernick and the late Pat Tillman, a U.S. Army hero who left the NFL after 9/11 to fight for his country. A national civil rights advocate, Kaepernick supporters contend he was blackballed from the NFL because of his views and willingness to sacrifice a football career for his cause.

That comparison by Favre, including the source it came from, may startle many Americans but there is no predicting who will say what next. A Saturday online story by the New York Post quoted Muhammad Ali’s son as critical of the Black Lives Matter organization and protesters who destroyed property.

Referring to the organization as “racist” for pitting different groups against one another, and describing looters as “devils,” Muhammad Ali Jr. said his famous father would have been disturbed by the violence in America since the brutal death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “Don’t bust up s–t, don’t trash the place,” he told The Post. “You can peacefully protest. …”

Ali, a Muslim like his father, made it clear in the article he is a supporter of law enforcement. “Not all the police are bad, there’s just a few. There’s a handful of police that are crooked, they should be locked up. I never had a bad scene with a cop. They’ve always been nice and protect me. I don’t have a problem with them.”

Worth Noting

Former Gopher basketball player and now Timberwolves executive John Thomas has a byline story in the current issue of Sports Illustrated about race in his hometown of Minneapolis and across the nation. “…People have a bunch of questions or biases about Black culture,” he told writer Chris Mannix. “Talk about them. Ask. The more we can humanize our approach, the more we can show empathy, the more we can have the right conversations, the better.”

The likelihood now of at least having a 60-game season is a good development for Minnesota Twins DH Nelson Cruz who turns 40 a week from Wednesday. It’s a short list of big leaguers who have ever played at a high level past the age of 40.

When Cruz hit .311 for the Twins last season it was his highest average in the big leagues since his .318 with the Texas Rangers in 2010. His 41 home runs with Minnesota was the third highest total of his MLB career that began in 2005. Known for his dedication in preparing his body and mind to play baseball, Cruz is an outlier but it’s unfortunate he and other big leaguers will see their playing time either reduced to less than half a season in 2020.

The Twins value Cruz for his first season production at the plate in 2019 and also his extraordinary leadership in the clubhouse. The commitment of front office executives Derek Falvey and Thad Levine is influenced, though, by Cruz’s age and the Dominican Republic native has only a one-year deal with the club. The next season or two will show whether Cruz can join a group that includes Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, David Ortiz and Ted Williams who could still terrorize pitchers in their early 40’s.

Cruz made national headlines Sunday night winning the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award as part of television’s ESPYS honors. The award, per a statement from the Twins, recognizes an athlete “whose continued, demonstrated leadership has created a measured positive impact on their community through sports.” Cruz has been praised for years in recognition for his charitable work in Latin America and the United States.

Other candidates for the award Cruz won included former Minnesota pro basketball stars Kevin Love and Maya Moore.

The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame recently announced candidates for the class of 2021 but no former Golden Gophers are on the ballot. Greg Eslinger meets the criteria and should be a candidate after one of the most honored careers for a lineman in Gopher history.

Eslinger won the prestigious Outland and Rimington awards in 2005 for his superb blocking as Minnesota’s center. He was named to two All-American teams in his junior season of 2004, and made six such teams in 2005.

Former national championship and Big Ten title coach Murray Warmath was at Minnesota for 18 seasons. He isn’t in the hall of fame because criteria for coaches includes a winning percentage of .600 or better. His winning percentage was .526.

New co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson on who is going to be calling the defense during games: “It’s up to the boss (head coach Mike Zimmer).”

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MLB Missed All-American Opener

Posted on June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 by David Shama

The decision makers of Major League Baseball may yet salvage a season this summer but for sure they have messed up the possibility of its 30 teams playing opening day on July 4. Contentious negotiations between the ruling powers of baseball and the players association have soured the public on MLB, and the window has closed on a best practice public relations move that would have scheduled the Minnesota Twins and other clubs playing for the first time in 2020 on Independence Day.

Imagine the Twins on the Fourth of July playing at Target Field against one of their American League Central Division rivals. No fans in the seats but a six-figure Upper Midwest TV audience watching from homes in Minneapolis-St. Paul and small towns across the region. America’s pastime showcasing the “boys of summer” on the nation’s 244th birthday of independence.

The diversion of baseball is always welcome by the game’s fans but it would be more so than usual this summer. COVID-19 and social unrest have hit this region hard in recent months. Washing down a hot dog with a beer (or two) while watching the home town team sounds like a brief prescription to feeling better.

How interesting it would be to see the long-awaited debut of the Twins’ newest star, slugging third baseman Josh Donaldson. Opening day starter José Berríos could take another step toward becoming one of MLB’s more dominant pitchers. Might a healthy Byron Buxton save the game for the Twins with a spectacular catch in center field? How about a perfect day at the plate for Luis Arráez, the terrific rookie who last year showed he might become Minnesota’s best second baseman since Hall of Famer Rod Carew.

MLB is embarrassed and should be, that there is still no final plan to have a 2020 season. It’s definitely too late to have a few weeks of training as a prelude to a July 4 opener—as cool as that would be. Summer time is baseball’s annual window but instead it’s looking like basketball, football, hockey and soccer could be center stage.

Perhaps there will yet be a MLB 2020 season, but the game has struck out on an Independence Day opener, missing a crackerjack opportunity to kiss and make up with its fans.

Worth Noting

This is supposed to be the Twins’ 60th season in Minnesota. The Washington Senators relocated here for the 1961 season and became the Twins. That year the Twins opened the season in New York, playing their first game in Minnesota franchise history. A mediocre Twins team defeated the mighty Yankees of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and other stars, 6-0.

With economics threatening the existence of minor league baseball, have to wonder if 69-year-old St. Paul Saints owner Mike Veeck could be interested in selling. A baseball source thinks the Saints might fetch $20 million in a sale.

Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak indicated yesterday in a Zoom call with media that Justin Jefferson, the team’s No. 1 draft choice this spring, is likely to play regular minutes at the slot position versus outside receiver. The slot was a primary position for Jefferson with national champion LSU last year.

Special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf raised the possibility of Jefferson returning punts as he did for the Tigers. The Vikings may use two punt returners at times to improve returns, an assignment Maalouf indentified as a special teams priority. “He (Jefferson) could possibly be one of those guys,” Maalouf said.

The Vikings rotated multiple players in the punt return role last year without much impact. Fifth round draft choice and wide receiver K.J. Osborn is a definite candidate to return punts. Maalouf praised the rookie’s explosiveness, vision and skill in catching the football. He said veteran corner Mike Hughes is a possibility, too.

Kubiak said quarterback Kirk Cousins has shown his leadership in the offseason, despite COVID-19 preventing players gathering in team workouts. “…I think Kirk came out of last year with a lot of confidence as a person and a player,” Kubiak said.

Kubiak talking about how communications with players and others has been mandated by technology because of the pandemic: “I know a hell of a lot more about computers than I did six months ago.”

When the Minnesota Wild begins playing there will be a focus on 23-year-old wing Kevin Fiala, who might emerge as the most exciting young talent on any professional sports team in the Twin Cities. His offensive skill set is so impressive he draws comparisons to Marian Gaborik and Dino Ciccarelli—two of the most gifted scorers in Minnesota pro hockey history.

Fiala had a fast close to the 2019-2020 season that ended early because of the pandemic, but he created a big impression. “He made everybody in the league look bad,” a longtime NHL observer told Sports Headliners.

Fiala tied his NHL career high of 23 goals last season. In the last five games he had seven points including four goals. He was acquired from Nashville during the 2018-19 season in what now can only be described as a smart move by former and much criticized Wild general manager Paul Fenton. Fiala now must show his skills consistently over a full season.

Condolences to the family and friends of former Gophers All-American and Minneapolis Lakers star Dick Garmaker, who recently passed away. Garmaker was one of the many natives of Hibbing, Minnesota who earned fame in sports, entertainment and politics. (Personal note: his wife Darlene was my seventh grade art teacher at Ramsey Junior High School in Minneapolis.)

Legendary Gopher football tackle Bobby Bell turned 80 yesterday.

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Gophers’ Meyer Ranks with Glen Perkins

Posted on June 2, 2020June 2, 2020 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column…

The Minnesota Twins, selecting at No. 27 in next week’s MLB Draft, aren’t positioned to acquire University of Minnesota pitcher Max Meyer from Woodbury. Speculation this spring is the sophomore right-hander will be selected among the first 10 picks, and Gophers coach John Anderson told Sports Headliners Meyer “may be top five.”

Anderson, the Gopher coach since 1981, ranks Meyer and Glen Perkins his two best pitchers ever. The St. Paul-born Perkins was selected No. 22 in the first round by the Twins in June of 2004, and later became a big time reliever for Minnesota.

Anderson said Meyer has a superb work ethic and trained hard to achieve his success as both a reliever and starter for the Gophers. Meyer caught the attention of scouts this spring with a slider moving at an impressive spin rate. His other top pitches are a changeup and fast ball that has reached 100 miles per hour, Anderson added.

Meyer finished his Gopher career with a lifetime 2.07 ERA (fourth best all-time in the program), with 187 strikeouts in 148 innings pitched. His 18 saves are the third-most in 132 seasons of the program’s history.

Jerry Kline Jr. told Sports Headliners yesterday there have been “no conversations” with Treyton Thompson or his family this spring about transferring to Cretin-Derham Hall. Conjecture in recent weeks has Thompson, a top 100 prep player for the class of 2021 and a verbal commit to the Gophers, playing his senior season for coach Kline.

Thompson, a native of Alexandria, Minnesota and a power forward, played as a junior at La Lumiere School in Indiana last year. He and his family inquired more than 12 months ago about a transfer to CDH but that wasn’t possible because metro area residence is required. It’s not known if Thompson is looking at other options than La Lumiere for his senior season.

The Raiders lose four starters from last season’s team but return Trejuan Holloman, a junior point guard drawing national attention from recruiters. He is an unselfish playmaker who consistently gets others involved. “He’s a fun player to play with, and he’s a fun kid to coach, and he’s all about team,” Kline said.

No high school player from the state will be the object of more attention next winter than Minnehaha Academy 7-footer Chet Holmgren, who both ESPN and 247Sports rank as the No. 2 prep player nationally in the class of 2021. Despite his size, he has extraordinary versatility including ball handling. Holmgren’s shooting and shot blocking are also among his most noticeable skills.

Kline refers to him as unique. “He’s just a phenomenal player and he’s only going to get better,” Kline said.

Chet weighs less than 200 pounds and is similar in size to his father David Holmgren who played four seasons as a reserve for the Gophers from 1984-1988. “He hadn’t really filled out yet when I had him,” said Jim Dutcher, who coached David his first two seasons.

A scholarship player, David played in 57 games, starting three times during his Gopher career. He averaged 1 point and .08 rebounds per game in limited minutes during at Minnesota after being a standout center at Prior Lake High School.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) was originally supposed to be the last day college basketball players could withdraw their names from the NBA Draft and still be eligible for next season. The NCAA nixed the June 3 date awhile ago and has yet to announce a new deadline. That gives Marcus Carr, Minnesota’s best player if he returns to the team, more time to contemplate whether his immediate future is with the Gophers or pros.

My guess as to Carr’s draft appeal to NBA clubs? At best, mid to late second round.

Happy birthday to Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne who turns 79 today.

It was eight years ago yesterday that media icon Dark Star (real name George Chapple) died at his home in Minnetonka. A character among characters, Dark loved sports including horse racing and is a member of Canterbury Park’s Hall of Fame.

The current issue of Sports Illustrated devotes its cover and 10 inside pages to the financial “crisis” facing minor league baseball. The article begins with this: “In response to an SI survey on the effects of the pandemic, three-quarters of teams express serious concerns over either their survival or that of fellow clubs.”

College football is second only to the NFL in “core fans,” per a news release last week from the National Football Foundation. The release cited a Gallup poll that reported college football’s popularity surpassed the American professional sports of baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer.

The Gophers had the third largest jump in attendance among FBS schools in 2019, with an average of 8,275 more in average announced attendance for seven home games. Minnesota’s average for the season was 46,190 versus 37,915 in 2018.

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