Twins – Page 85 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Changes Coming in Sports World

Posted on April 3, 2020April 3, 2020 by David Shama

The Minnesota Twins’ 2020 home opener was to have been played yesterday at Target Field against the Oakland A’s. Of course, it wasn’t and schedules for athletics on every level have come to a halt because of the coronavirus and all its implications. What can we anticipate in the months ahead?

There is speculation the Twins and their Major League brethren will start the 2020 season in July. However, there is no certainty on a timeline, nor is there as to whether teams will play in empty stadiums without fans. There is so much frustration among the public from the absence of live televised sports, the return of MLB or other sports will prompt a ratings bonanza.

An explosion in TV viewership will be fueled even more if sports like baseball become (for awhile at least) “studio television.” Geez, will they even use a soundtrack with crowd noise including a few “Bronx cheers”?

When crowds are invited back into stadiums and arenas, what will that look like? Imagine fans crowding the gates again at Target Field or U.S. Bank Stadium to watch the Vikings? Could the new norm be to herd fans into smaller groups and then allow them through security?

Even if the choice is there, who is going to attend games later this year or next year? A good guess is older fans will be reluctant to fill seats until the all-safe message rolls out regarding the coronavirus including a vaccine. The most gung-ho demographic figures to be teens and young adults. After all, part of their DNA screams, “We are invincible!”

Patrick Klinger is the former vice president of marketing for the Twins and still lives in the Twin Cities where he is president of Agile Marketing Partners. During his many years with the Twins, Klinger was known for his innovative promotions, events and marketing that enhanced the fan experience at the Metrodome and Target Field.

Klinger is an optimist, but also a realist who understands the sports and entertainment public. He believes when American sports resume there will be a great appreciation for the impact they have on our lives. He shared several other thoughts about what could lie ahead in the American sports environment in an email yesterday. The email was edited for publication below:

“I believe there will be a contingent of fans reluctant to go back into arenas, ballparks and stadiums (where strangers sit shoulder to shoulder) until there’s a vaccine for COVID-19, or an assurance that the crisis has completely passed. We’ve learned that ‘social distancing’ is the key to containing the spread of viruses. Sports attendance is unlikely to snap right back. However, I do believe it WILL come back in full force in time.

“I’m sure teams, leagues and venues are considering how to ensure fans are safe and comfortable when they return. Will a fan still be able (or want) to get a hot dog passed from a vendor through the hands of six strangers before it lands with the customer? Will concession stands still be manned by volunteers or part-timers with no professional experience with food service? If so, will they be required to wear masks?

“Will venues be completely wiped down with anti-bacterial solution following every game, a special challenge for MLB with its long homestands? Will additional hand washing stations and/or hand sanitizer be placed throughout the venues? There is also the need to keep high-priced players safe in the close confines of locker rooms and dugouts where sweat and spit is ubiquitous.

“We’ll likely think twice before high-fiving the person next to us after a home run, touchdown or game winning basket or goal. Just another way sports may look and feel different when the games begin again.”

Worth Noting

The opening pitch for yesterday’s Twins’ home opener was supposed to be 3:10 p.m. The temperature at that time was 60 degrees, with overcast skies, per AccuWeather. The coldest temp ever for a Twins opener was 33 degrees at Metropolitan Stadium April 14, 1962.

Viking wide receiver Adam Thielen’s foundation is partnering with KFAN and iHeart Radio Minneapolis to host the Thielen Foundation MN COVID-19 Relief Radiothon April 9. Programming throughout the day will feature Thielen on-air from his home with call-ins by Minnesota athletes, coaches, team executives and community leaders. Campaign donations will be equally divided between four charities and applied to their most urgent COVID-19 needs. The foundation has already committed $100,000 to organizations in need during the state’s crisis.

Former Golden Gophers head football coach Tim Brewster, long known as a top recruiter, will have an impact on the University of Florida’s success where he joined the Gators’ staff of assistants in February. Brewster left North Carolina for Florida, and the Tar Heels are No. 4 in the 247Sports recruiting rankings for the class of 2021. The Gators are No. 3.

The Gophers are No. 20 in the rankings.

State of Minnesota college hockey fans have reason to follow the April 10 announcements of the Hobey Baker and Mike Richter awards. Hibbing’s Scott Perunovich, a junior defenseman from UMD, is one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award recognizing the nation’s top college player. Minnesota State’s Dryden McKay, an Illinois native, is one of the five finalists for the Mike Richter Award given to college hockey’s top goalie.

I tweeted this “gem” on Wednesday: “Anyone remember in 1998 when on April Fools’ Day Burger King introduced ‘left-handed whoppers?’ ” (Sure hope nobody tried to order a “lefty” at BK drive-thru this week).

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Vikings Could Draft St. John’s Tackle

Posted on March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 by David Shama

Enjoy a Friday notes column referencing the Minnesota Vikings upcoming draft, regular season and playoff predictions for the Minnesota Twins, and more.

The Vikings’ offseason campaign to upgrade the offensive line could include a draft eligible player from inside the state’s borders. St. John’s left tackle Ben Bartch has earned praise in the months leading up to the April NFL Draft despite playing Division III football.

Pete Najarian, the former Gopher linebacker who has been an ESPN college football analyst, has a son who attends St. John’s. Najarian has watched Bartch’s career as the Oregon native has transitioned from a tight end to tackle while dramatically increasing his weight to about 310 pounds. Despite an impressive NFL Scouting Combine performance this winter, Najarian told Sports Headliners a lot of observers “don’t really understand how good he is.”

Najarian believes the 6-foot-6 Bartch, who could play tackle or guard in the NFL, might be drafted in the fourth round. “He’s athletic as heck,” Najarian said.

Najarian is also a fan of Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts who he thinks the Vikings should pursue, perhaps in the second round. The Vikings don’t have an athletic quarterback with the skill-set of Hurts who also was a star at Alabama. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Hurts ran a 4:59 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

“…I think he could be a quarterback not too dissimilar to a Dak Prescott, or some of the other quarterbacks that are considered dual-threats including Lamar Jackson,” Najarian said. “I think he is somewhere in that category, and his combine numbers say a lot about how fast and big he really is.”

Najarian, best known as a financial whiz on television, played for the NFL’s Tampa Bucs, who have acquired 42-year-old quarterback Tom Brady. The team is known for its offensive talent, but not at quarterback. Last season the Bucs had a 7-9 record. Najarian believes the arrival of Brady, considered by many to be the NFL’s greatest quarterback of all time, transforms the Bucs into Super Bowl contenders.

“I think he’s that good,” Najarian said. “I think he still has the ability to play at a high enough level—probably not the highest level he ever played at—but a higher level than most quarterbacks in the NFL still. So it gives Tampa what they have been missing, which is somebody secure at the quarterback position.”

Sports Illustrated’s spring baseball issue predicts the Twins, who won 101 games last season and became American League Central Division champs, will again finish ahead of the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. The Twins will have a 93-69 regular season record but will lose their AL Division series to the Houston Astros (will they cheat?), according to S.I.

S.I. points out the Twins hit an MLB record 307 home runs but at least as impressive was that the pitching staff struck out a franchise record 1,463 batters. “The dingers got the attention last year, but the biggest change was the embrace of modern approaches under new pitching coach (Wes) Johnson,” the magazine said.

The publication forecasts the New York Yankees will defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Yesterday the website BetOnline.com gave Minnesota the third best odds to win the American League playoffs, and sixth best chance of any MLB club to win the World Series.

Former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, now the Tigers’ skipper, saw his team lose 114 games last season and could be on track for a similar total in 2020. While the Twins had nine players slug more than 20 home runs, no Tiger hit more than 15 last season.

Former Twins infielders C.J. Cron and Jonathan Schoop, now with the Tigers, hit 25 and 23 respectively last season.

It will be interesting to see if former Timberwolves player and coach Sam Mitchell, who resigned from his assistant’s position with the Memphis Tigers about a year ago, gets back into coaching. Mitchell, 56, now has both NBA and college coaching experience.

Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle speaks to the CORES lunch group Thursday, May 14 at the Bloomington Event Center, 1114 American Blvd. More information is available by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

The retirement celebration for prep football coaching legend Ron Stolski has been moved from April 4 to June 13 at Cragun’s Legacy Clubhouse in Brainerd. He coached football in Minnesota for 58 years, including the last 45 at Brainerd.

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Don’t Bet on Oturu Return to Gophers

Posted on March 4, 2020March 4, 2020 by David Shama

Enjoy a Wednesday notes column focused on the Gophers and Twins:

University of Minnesota sophomore center Daniel Oturu is likely closing out his college career this month. A college and pro authority told Sports Headliners multiple sources believe the former Cretin-Derham Hall star will declare for the NBA Draft in the spring.

The authority, a former college coach now with NBA connections, has seen Oturu play both collegiately and as a prep. “I’ve heard he is gone for sure,” the source said about the Gophers’ leading scorer and rebounder, who was named a mid-season All-American by Sporting News in January.

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Oturu has experienced a breakout season after averaging 10 points and seven rebounds as a freshman. His averages this year of 20.2 points per game and 11.4 rebounds rank with the best stats for centers in the country. With exceptional athleticism, he has multiple skills including shot blocking, attacking off the dribble, and scoring inside and outside. NBAdraft.net projects him as the No. 7 first round selection in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The source (he asked that his name not be used) places a “high ceiling” label on the 20-year-old regarding his potential. At No. 7 in the draft, Oturu would be a coveted pick and receive millions of dollars in a multi-year guaranteed deal. The source believes it will benefit Oturu to leave college because he can concentrate 24-7 on basketball, with all the coaching, training, dietary and practice expertise offered by professional teams.

The Gophers, 7-11 in the Big Ten and 13-15 overall, will play at Indiana tonight and then finish the regular season Sunday with a home game against Nebraska. With a possible opening elimination loss in next week’s Big Ten Tournament—and with prospects for a national postseason tournament invitation iffy because of Minnesota’s record—Oturu could be down to his last three games playing for the hometown team.

Minnesota will face a Hoosier roster that includes 6-8 redshirt sophomore forward Race Thompson, the former Armstrong star and son of U all-time football great Darrell Thompson. Race, a reserve who averages 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds, had season highs of 25 minutes and 10 rebounds in the IU win over Minnesota last month.

Although the Gophers haven’t sold out a single home game this season, there is still plenty of interest in the program. The Big Ten Network reports last Sunday’s game between No. 24 Wisconsin and Minnesota averaged 693,272 viewers on BTN, making it the most-watched regular season game in network history as well as cable TV’s highest-rated college basketball game of the day.

The basketball evaluator mentioned above is also familiar with gifted Minnehaha Academy senior guard Jalen Suggs, who has committed to Gonzaga. He said if prep players could declare for the draft out of high school, Suggs would be selected in the first or second round.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners yesterday that center fielder Byron Buxton continues to progress from the shoulder injury he sustained last season and is expected to soon play in a spring training game. The aggressive and spectacular fielding Buxton was on the Injured List four times last season. It’s anticipated he will now make changes in the field to enhance the likelihood of not hurting himself.

“It’s going to be up to him,” St. Peter said. “No one with the Twins has mandated anything with Byron relative to that (change). I think Byron has come to the realization on his own that perhaps there is another way of playing and still help the team win as an elite defensive player.”

Kenta Maeda, who figures to be the Twins’ No. 3 starting pitcher, has pitched in 24 division, championship and World Series postseason games. Contrast that with top starters Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi who have each pitched in one division postseason game. Berrios also has a game of wildcard experience.

St. Peter acknowledged part of the “intrigue” in wanting to acquire the 31-year-old Maeda was his experience pitching in big games including the postseason. Beyond that the Twins believe he can pitch a lot of innings, while relieving the workload on a bullpen that at times last season had to bail out the club early in games.

Fernando Romero, the Dominican Republic relief pitcher who appeared in 15 games with the Twins last season, has a visa issue and is not in Florida for spring training. “Not sure when he is going to be in camp,” St. Peter said.

The Twins like Romero’s potential. “He’s a guy that still could be in the mix,” St. Peter said. “Obviously at this point I think it’s a long shot he could make our club on opening day but he’s certainly a guy that we continue to believe can impact us at the big league level, and will impact us at some point here in 2020.”

The Twins home opener April 2 against the Athletics is close to a sellout. “If you don’t have your opening day tickets, you might be out of luck,” St. Peter said.

Keoni Cavaco, the Twins 2019 number one draft choice, hit only .172 last year for the GCL Twins but the 18-year-old infielder has one of the best arms in the minor leagues, according to Baseball America.

The Twins made outfielder Alex Kirilloff, shortstop Royce Lewis and outfielder Trevor Larnach as their first round draft choices in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively. Per Mlb.com’s Jonathan Mayo, Minnesota’s four top prospects are Lewis (No. 9 among all minor league players), Kirlihoff (No. 32), Larnach (No. 81) and pitcher Jordan Balazovic (No. 86).

None of the prospects is expected to make the opening day roster.

Hockey authority Kevin Gorg told Sports Headliners “it’s hard not to like” Warroad to win the Class A boys’ hockey state tournament title. He believes Warroad would even be a force in the larger schools Class AA where “parity is immense.”

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