Twins – Page 88 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

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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Brian Dutcher Underpaid in San Diego

Posted on March 1, 2020March 1, 2020 by David Shama

If offered, Bloomington native Brian Dutcher almost certainly would have accepted the University of Minnesota men’s basketball coaching job in the past. Minnesota has hired three head coaches during the 21 years that Dutcher has been in San Diego, including 18 as an assistant for the San Diego State Aztecs and the last three as head coach for the west coast power.

If the Gophers’ job were to open this month, it’s unknown whether Dutcher will be interested despite earning a reportedly modest salary of $855,424. That amount is not even the most in the Mountain West Conference and about one-third of what Minnesota coach Richard Pitino is paid. Pitino has a seven-year 47-79 Big Ten regular season record.

Dutcher, son of former Gopher Big Ten championship coach Jim Dutcher, has his Aztecs at 28-1 this winter. The Aztecs, ranked among the nation’s elite teams, were the only undefeated major college team in late February before losing their first game.

Other schools are certain to come calling on Brian Dutcher after the season, but even if Minnesota has an opening it could well be that Gopher athletic director Mark Coyle doesn’t make him a target. Dutcher is not only an outstanding coach and recruiter but a high character individual. He also has a minimal contract buyout of a reported $950,000. However, Dutcher turns 61 years old in October, and Coyle could favor a young hire like he did when abruptly firing head football coach Tracy Claeys and replacing him with 36-year-old P.J. Fleck in 2017.

The Aztecs are expected to soon offer Dutcher a considerable salary bump, although there are budgetary restraints on a school like San Diego State that doesn’t receive rich revenues from its football program, nor its conference. He and his family have learned to love San Diego after living there for more than two decades. Whether Dutcher wants to coach five or ten more years, he might well want to stay in San Diego, even though it will never be a job that can pay like the lucrative athletic departments in the Big Ten and elsewhere.

Of course it is speculation now where Dutcher will be two months ahead, and whether the U will even have an offer for him. But a Dutcher homecoming to Minnesota and a program where his dad once coached, surrounded by his father and two sisters who live in the Twin Cities, would be a special story line. The one certainty now is the window is closing fast on the possibility of another Dutcher ever coaching the Gophers.

Worth Noting

This Florida visitor was recently impressed with the customer service at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers where the Twins play their spring training games. Friendly and helpful workers abound from the security gates to the press box.

Twins first base coach Tommy Watkins, 39, is a lifer with the organization, having spent 22 seasons with Minnesota as a player, coach and minor league manager.

TV viewing choices Sunday afternoon include: Twins and Rays on Fox Sports North, or NFL Network coverage of defensive backs (presumably including the Gophers’ Antoine Winfield Jr.) from the NFL Scouting Combine. Draft expert Mel Kiper predicted last month the Vikings will use their first round selection at No. 25 to select Winfield.

Returning as Twins official scorers at Target Field for a sixth consecutive season will be Stew Thornley, Kyle Traynor and Gregg Wong.

The name of Babe Ruth hangs over baseball like no other legend. In 2019 his game-worn jersey from 1928-1930 sold for $5.64 million, breaking the previous record for sports memorabilia of his 1920 jersey that sold for $4.4 million in 2012, according to an email last month from sales@collectiblexchange.com.

The Star Tribune’s Sid Hartman, who turns 100 March 15, will become one of about 80,000 centenarians in the United States.

Michigan State’s overreach this winter to hire Mel Tucker as its football coach could be leverage for more proven coaches like Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck when compensation discussions surface late next fall. Tucker, with one season of head coaching experience during which his record at Colorado was 5-7, will reportedly be paid $5.5 million and much more than predecessor Mark Dantonio, who ranks with the greatest coaches in MSU history. Fleck, who in three years has turned the Gophers into a nationally ranked program, makes $4.6 million.

The Gophers begin spring football practices this week with a session open to the public starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 8 at the Athletes Village.

Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl, who built North Dakota State into a FCS power, will be a featured speaker at the Minnesota Football Clinic March 26-28. The annual clinic, known as among the best in the nation, is a partnership between the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Golden Gophers. The MFCA is offering coaches a registration discount through today (March 1) via the organization’s website.

The Hobey Baker Award, started here in 1981 with organizers Chuck Bard and John Justice from the old Decathlon Club in Bloomington, is celebrating its 40th year to honor America’s best college hockey player. Fan voting is available at hobeybaker.com/vote.

The Capital Club will hear from former Minnesota North Star and now Minnesota Wild executive Mike Modano this Tuesday at 317 Washington in St. Paul—the same building that houses the corporate offices of the local NHL franchise. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrickklinger@klingercompany.com.

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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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