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

Zimmer Gets Idea Guy in Dom Capers

Posted on February 11, 2020February 11, 2020 by David Shama

A Tuesday notes column starting with Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer who spoke to reporters on a conference call this morning.

Zimmer hired Dom Capers, with 32 years of NFL coaching experience, as his senior defensive advisor this week. It had been on Zimmer’s mind since late last season to add someone like Capers whose experiences include being an NFL head coach and defensive coordinator.

“We’ve been running this defense for a long, long time and I just thought it would be good to get some new, fresh ideas,” said Zimmer who has been leading the Vikings for six seasons.

Zimmer has long been known as a high IQ defensive mind, and even as head coach been involved with the details of the Viking defense. The defense, though, had more issues last season than anyone liked including a sometimes leaky pass defense.

Capers will be counted on for help. “He’s always been a guy that has been very innovative in the pressure package of his defenses,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer doesn’t see himself being any more or less involved with the defense than in the past. He has new co-defensive coordinators in son Adam Zimmer and Andre Patterson. Zimmer said he may call defensive plays but the decision will be made as the Vikings work through the spring and months that follow.

Gary Kubiak, a senior offensive advisor and assistant head coach last season, is now the new offensive coordinator. He has won a Super Bowl as a head coach and has 24 years of coaching experience.

Zimmer was “relieved” after the playoffs when Kubiak agreed to succeed Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator. “I thought he (Kubiak) did an outstanding job last year and I anticipate it will be even better (in 2020),” Zimmer said.

Zimmer expects some changes with the offense next season but said “the majority” of it will remain the same.

Faced with a salary cap problem this offseason, it seems plausible Vikings management will consider cutting loose some or all of the following: cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes, defensive linemen Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen, and offensive lineman Riley Reiff.

Perhaps also in the mix of juggling numbers could be asking quarterback Kirk Cousins to restructure the final year of his $84 million contract over a longer period.

With the recent trades of center Gorgui Dieng and forward Andrew Wiggins, only center Karl-Anthony Towns remains with the Timberwolves from the promising 2015-2016 roster the late Flip Saunders put in place. The Wolves former president had several young players in the group beyond Dieng, Towns and Wiggins—including Nemanja Bjelica, Tyus Jones, Zach LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad.

Eye-opener: The low-key Wiggins playing with the Warriors now and max-voltage competitor Draymond Green.

That was former Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman who convinced legendary Indiana Hoosiers coach Bobby Knight to return last weekend to Assembly Hall in Bloomington after a 20-year absence, per the Indystar.com.

Forbes.com writer John Perrotto yesterday described best-case and worst-case scenarios for the 2020 Twins season.

Best: “(Josh) Donaldson, (Nelson) Cruz and the rest of the Bomba Squad hit home runs in bunches again in 2020, and the Twins ride those power bats to another division title, overcoming a suspect rotation.”

Worst: “The rotation becomes a mess as (Homer) Bailey breaks down before spring training ends, (Rich) Hill is slow to recover from surgery, and (Kenta) Maeda doesn’t adjust well to switching leagues.”

Maeda, acquired this week from the Dodgers, was 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA last year. The 31-year-old likely emerges as Minnesota’s No. 3 starter and his presence could put the Twins second only to the Yankees among American League teams in preseason power rankings of MLB clubs.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners he would like to see the club draw around 2.5 million fans to Target Field this year. The franchise attracted 2,294,152 last season, ranking No. 15 among 30 MLB clubs, per Espn.com

Look for big changes coming in major league baseball in the next several years including a pitch clock to speed up the game. The average MLB game took over three hours and overall attendance declined in 2019.

The first Twins spring training game on Fox Sports North will be a 12:05 p.m. start February 23 from Fort Myers against the Blue Jays.

Did anyone else notice the Timberwolves and basketball Gophers announced home game attendances of over 10,000 and 11,000 respectively when they played head-to-head last week? The Wolves rank last in NBA attendance while the Gophers haven’t sold out a game all season and didn’t even come close to filling 14,625 seat Williams Arena on February 5 despite playing border rival Wisconsin.

If former Hopkins star Zeke Nnaji, now a 6-foot-11 freshman force for Arizona, had joined the Gophers to play with 6-foot-10 sophomore Daniel Oturu, Minnesota would have its best “Twin Towers” since Kevin McHale and Mychal Thompson played together in the late 1970s.

In its 2020 NBA mock draft yesterday, Nbadraft.net projected Oturu going No. 8 to the Wizards in the first round, and Nnaji being taken at No. 16 by the Nets.

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Twins Expect Leadership from Donaldson

Posted on February 6, 2020February 6, 2020 by David Shama

The Minnesota Twins start spring training in Fort Myers later this month with considerable attention focused on third baseman Josh Donaldson, the $92 million free agent the club recently signed. Expectations are in place, and not just on the field.

“For Josh, it starts with his play on the diamond but…what he brings off the field is going to be equally important. Much like Nelson Cruz did a year ago,” Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners.

Veteran DH Cruz was a clubhouse leader on last season’s team that won 101 games on its way to the AL Central title. Now Donaldson adds more leadership and offensive power to a lineup that hit a MLB record 307 home runs in 2019.

Donaldson, 34, struggled with injuries in 2018, but played 155 games last season with the Braves. He was named National League Comeback Player of the Year after hitting 37 home runs, with 94 RBI, 96 runs scored, 100 walks, and a .379 on-base percentage and a .900 OPS, per statistics provided by the Twins.

He finished fourth in league walks and was one of only two players in the majors with at least 30 doubles, 35 home runs, 90 RBI, 90 runs scored and 100 walks. He was second among all MLB third basemen with 15 defensive runs saved (per FanGraphs), trailing only the Athletics’ Matt Chapman (18).

Since 2013, Donaldson ranks second in the majors in Wins Above Replacement, trailing only Mike Trout of the Angels, according to both FanGraphs (40.6 to 62.6) and Baseball Reference (43.6 to 61.5). During that seven season period he ranks seventh in the majors in walks (541), 10th in home runs (209) and runs scored (617), 11th in RBI (608), extra-base hits (430) and slugging percentage (.520), and 13th in OPS (.895).

“He’s been one of the elite third basemen in the game,” St. Peter said. “He plays a great defense (and) he had a really strong offensive year in Atlanta bouncing back from a year of injuries. I think we’re confident we’re getting a great player.

“We (also) like the intangibles that Josh brings. He brings, I think, an intensity. He brings an urgency to his game that we think can be a very positive thing for our club—particularly young players in…modeling some of those things that may be difference makers for our team.”

St. Peter expects the presence of Donaldson will give manager Rocco Baldelli even more flexibility in making out his batting order. Depending on the game, Donaldson could hit anywhere from two through five. “I think for the most part that’s where Rocco sees it,” St. Peter said.

Miguel Sano (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins).

The arrival of Donaldson is all but a no-brainer in strengthening the club’s infield defense because erratic third baseman Miguel Sano will now be the regular first baseman. Sano has previous experience playing first and will work with various instructors in spring training including coach Tony Diaz. Twins Hall of Famer and former first baseman Justin Morneau is likely to be an instructor, too. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see Justin spend a fair amount of time with Miguel early in spring training,” St. Peter said.

Sano, 26, has struggled with his weight in the past and with injuries. “He’s in great baseball shape,” St. Peter said. “He’s ready to roll. He’s healthy, and I know he’s very excited to be in Fort Myers.”

Sano, who the Twins signed this winter to a new three-year contract worth $30 million, hit all 34 of his home runs last season after May 1. That was the sixth most in the American League following that date.

Worth Noting

The Twins have a pending trade to acquire starting pitcher Kenta Maeda, according to multiple reports. The 31-year-old native of Japan pitched for the Dodgers last season, compiling a 10-8 record and 4.04 ERA.

St. Peter said earlier in the week three of the team’s five starting pitching spots appear committed to Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi and Homer Bailey. Presumably Maeda could now fill a fourth spot, with several other candidates competing for the fifth during the season including Michael Pineda and Rich Hill who won’t be available early in the year.

It wouldn’t be that much of a surprise if with more frequent off days early in the season, manager Rocco Baldelli and pitching coach Wes Johnson decide to use a four-man starting rotation for awhile.

Today’s composite 247Sports 2020 college football recruiting rankings have Minnesota’s class No. 36 in the nation. Big Ten West Division rivals ahead of the Gophers are No. 20 Nebraska, No. 25 Wisconsin, No. 33 Purdue and No. 34 Iowa.

Gophers point guard Marcus Carr had 10 assists last night, more than the entire Badgers team in Minnesota’s impressive 70-52 win over Wisconsin. The Big Ten victory improved Minnesota’s chances of earning an NCAA Tournament invitation in March.

Last Sunday’s Super Bowl prompted dedicated Gophers basketball fan Steve Hunegs to email Sports Headliners regarding Minnesota’s January 28, 1990 upset win over coach Bobby Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers at Williams Arena. That game 30 years ago was played on Super Bowl Sunday with No. 21 ranked Minnesota defeating No. 12 Indiana, 108-89. The surprise Gophers, coached by Clem Haskins, went on to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Millions of American workers ditched work this Monday following the Sunday Super Bowl between the Chiefs and 49ers. Last Friday “The Rundown” by Jeff Crilley (using information from a survey by Kronos Inc.) projected over 17.5 million workers to miss work Monday. About 11 million would use pre-approved time, with millions more calling in sick or just not showing up for their jobs.

Minnesota Wild president Matt Majka is the latest guest on “Behind the Game,” the Twin Cities cable TV program co-hosted by Patrick Klinger and Bill Robertson. “Behind the Game” episodes can also be viewed on YouTube.

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Vikes’ 2021 Super Bowl Path Unclear

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

The Vikings, while deserving of a top 10 ranking among NFL teams, are clearly inferior to the two teams playing in tonight’s Super Bowl—the Chiefs and 49er’s. The question in this town is whether in the next 12 months Minnesota can transition to a Super Bowl quality team.

During the regular season the AFC Champion Chiefs, playing without star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, defeated the Vikings 26-23 in Kansas City. In the playoffs, the 49er’s dominated the Vikings and embarrassed them 27-10 in Santa Clara. The Vikings’ best moment in either the regular season or playoffs was their opening postseason win, 26-10, versus the Saints in New Orleans. Minnesota mostly struggled against quality opposition in a 10-6 regular season.

Whatever the Vikings lack, whether it’s more star power, team speed, work ethic, player development or better coaching, general manager Rick Spielman, head coach Mike Zimmer and other decision makers better execute on a to-do list in the offseason. There is a truism in football that warns: “Your team either gets better or worse from season to season, but never stays the same.”

The 2018 Vikings failed to make the playoffs, so 2019 was a laudable upgrade. Spielman will be forced to make changes not only based on performance, but salary cap issues. Expensive quarterback Xavier Rhodes, who turns 30 years old in June, seems all but certain to be gone from next season’s roster. Cornerback play was a soft spot last season and needs to be fixed as does the inconsistent offensive line. Those struggling included guard Pat Elflein, who had many difficult moments.

Addressing the offensive line problem feels like the movie “Groundhog Day,” the Bill Murray classic where events keep repeating themselves. As the NFL draft approaches this spring, there will be the usual speculation about the Vikings targeting an early-round offensive lineman.

The draft could give the Vikings a boost as it did in 2019, with promising center Garrett Bradbury. He needs to be one of several players who have break-out performances to help the team improve overall.

A trade of talented but temperamental wide receiver Stefon Diggs seems possible. He and Rhodes led the team in visible temper tantrums in 2019. With wide receiver Adam Thielen fighting off injuries late in the season and playoffs, the front office could be cautious in moving the 26-year-old Diggs.

Minnesota has young star power in 24-year-old running back Dalvin Cook and 25-year-old defensive end Danielle Hunter, but this is an aging team in some starting positions on defense and offense. It will be intriguing to see which way the Vikings trend in the next 12 months.

Worth Noting

It wouldn’t be shocking if 31-year-old Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins quit the NFL after next season at the end of his three-year, $84 million contract. NFL stars Rob Gronkowski, Luke Kuechly and Andrew Luck retired before they were 30 years old. Football is a collision sport, Cousins is a great family man, and suitors from the private and public sectors will be lined up at his door when he transitions from football. He is that impressive of a person.

History lesson: not only are the Vikings 0-4 in Super Bowls, their closest loss was by 10 points in the games (losing 16-6 to the Steelers in 1975). Overall, the Vikings were outscored by 61 points in the four games.

Linebacker Damien Wilson can become the first former Gopher to play on a Super Bowl-winning team since 2009 if his Chiefs win today. Ex-Gopher tight end Matt Spaeth played on the 2009 Super Bowl champion Steelers.

A Michael Bloomberg TV commercial on tonight’s Super Bowl telecast cost an estimated $10 million, per the January 17 Wall Street Journal.

Early departures for the NFL by three Wisconsin standouts including running back Jonathan Taylor could make Minnesota the pre-season favorite to win the Big Ten West and advance to a first conference championship game in Indianapolis. January top 25 national rankings for the next season included SI.com’s placement of the Gophers at No. 11, with the Badgers at No. 13.

It’ll be interesting to see what local golf courses new Twins super slugger Josh Donaldson frequents on his days off next summer. Nicknamed “the bringer of rain” for his baseball power, Donaldson appeared on the Golf Channel in 2014 and hit a golf ball an estimated 309 yards in a simulator.

Harvey Mackay, the University of Minnesota alum and former Gophers golfer, signed copies of his new book at Barnes & Noble in Edina last week. The book jacket of You Haven’t Hit Your Peak Yet includes this endorsement from former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz: “Harvey Mackay may be the most talented man I’ve ever met.”

Former pro wrestling “High Flyer” Jim Brunzell is wearing an immobilizing brace this winter after a third surgery on his right knee. Following a career of 5,000 matches over a 25-year career, Brunzell has had both knees replaced, plus a shoulder and hip. The ex-Gopher football receiver has undergone eight total surgeries in the last 10 years.

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