Twins – Page 99 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings’ Cook Looks Like ‘Mr. Breakout’

Posted on July 14, 2019July 14, 2019 by David Shama

Enjoy a Sunday notes column that leads off with Vikings third-year running back Dalvin Cook.

Do the simplest search of Cook’s name on Google and see the word “breakout” come up on your screen. Anticipation is prevalent that the sometimes injured Cook will be healthy and rank near the top among NFL comeback players in 2019.

The Vikings made it clear during spring practices their new assistant coaches will have the offense prioritizing running the football next season. No one is more important to achieving that goal than Cook who as a rookie in 2017 ran for 354 yards in his first four games before injuring his left knee and missing the rest of the season.

Last season he wasn’t always healthy but managed to play in 11 games, starting 10 and rushing for 615 yards, averaging an impressive 4.8 yards per carry. That is the kind of production the Vikings expected when they selected the former Florida State running back in the early second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Vikings will open training camp later this month with high expectations from the explosive runner if he is healthy. He can be one of the NFL’s better rushers and balance an offense that starts with expensive quarterback Kirk Cousins and two of the league’s best receivers in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. “…We expect Dalvin, the way he’s looked and if he can stay healthy, to have a big breakout season this year,” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman told Sports Headliners.

The Vikings have even changed their blocking scheme to more effectively blend the pass and run. “There’s no doubt about with what we’re doing offensively (emphasis on running), he’s going to get a lot of opportunity in the games,” Spielman said.

Backing up Cook could be rookie Alexander Mattison, a third round draft selection from Boise State who had consecutive 1,000-plus yard seasons for the Broncos. At 5-11, 220-pounds, he is powerfully built, and Spielman is excited about the rookie.

“He’s one of those guys, when you have to run the clock out, he has the ability to get extra yards after contact, keep the chains moving,” Spielman said. “But the thing that I think that surprised me a little bit was how well he caught the ball out of the backfield and how quickly he has picked up pass protection. …”

Tre Jones, the Duke sophomore point guard who played at Apple Valley, is the No. 8 college basketball player in the country for next season, per Andy Katz. The college basketball authority listed his top 25 players Friday on NCAA.com. Michigan State guard Cassius Winston ranked No. 1, while no Golden Gophers made the top 25 or a list of 15 honorable mention players that included Minnesota native McKinley Wright, who will be a junior guard at Colorado in the fall.

It would be an odd development but not unprecedented if New York Mets starter Zack Wheeler switches uniforms to the Twins this week. The Mets open a two-game Interleague series with the Twins on Tuesday and Minnesota is searching for trades to bolster the pitching staff. Wheeler is 6-6 this season, with 130 strikeouts in 119 innings.

Giants starting ace Madison Bumgarner’s name is linked to the Twins and other clubs regarding a possible July trade. The July 15 issue of Sports Illustrated points out the Giants, who already are out of contention to win the NL West Division, also have trade chips in bullpen pitchers with strong resumes—Sam Dyson, Will Smith and Tony Watson.

Sports Illustrated’s Joe Sheehan, writing in the current issue, refers to the surprising Twins “as real” after a pre-All-Star Game Break performance that had them leading the majors in home runs and taking first place in the AL Central. “They simply have more talent than the second-place Indians and will win their first division title in nine years,” Sheehan said.

Any chance 36-year-old Joe Mauer, in his first season of retirement, will contemplate a comeback next year? “No, I am good,” he told Sports Headliners.

What words would the former Twins great want on his tombstone? “Well, that’s a great question. A good person, and obviously I love to compete, and I love to play baseball. Just a good person, a good teammate and a good family man.”

Wild left wing Jason Zucker talking about next season: “I think a 30 goal season is something that I not only look forward to but something I know I can do. So that’s definitely where I am at.”

Zucker had 33 goals during the 2017-18 season, the only time he has scored 30 or more. The 27-year-old has spent his eight year NHL career with the Wild and his name has been rumored in trade talks. Zucker said the positive about that is other teams apparently want him, but he loves being part of this community.

Vikings single game digital tickets go on sale to the general public starting at 10 a.m. Thursday. Preseason ($20 and up) and regular season ($62 or more) tickets are available online only via Ticketmaster.

University of Iowa football single game tickets also go on sale Thursday, with $80 the cost to see the Gopher game in Iowa City on November 16. Among Iowa’s seven home games, that is the highest single game price except for Penn State at $95. (Youth tickets are $25 for all Hawkeye home games.)

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Twins Execs Need Win-Now Mentality

Posted on July 11, 2019July 11, 2019 by David Shama

The ninth inning performance of New York Yankees super reliever Aroldis Chapman in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game should have sent a message to Twins fans. Chapman, with his dominating fast ball, struck out the side to preserve the American League’s 4-3 win.

If the Twins are to qualify for the postseason and have a chance against baseball’s “big boys,” they need to make quality additions to the pitching staff. Minnesota leads major league teams in multiple hitting statistics including most home runs, runs batted in and slugging percentage. Minnesota is tied with the Red Sox for the best team batting average at .272. The Twins’ gaudy offensive production is exciting to watch and at times has dominated opponents but adding big contributors to the starting and relief pitching staffs should be a must-do for the front office.

The Twins have a window of opportunity this season they can’t count on in 2020 or beyond. The kind of production the Twins have from their position players (including defense) isn’t something to expect every year. Front office execs Derek Falvey and Thad Levine are reportedly focused on adding pitchers and rightfully so because the franchise needs to maximize this season not only for themselves but for the fans.

The Twins drew less than 2 million fans to Target Field last season, with the lowest total attendance since the outdoor ballpark opened in 2010. Season ticket numbers have declined for awhile now. The Twins went into this season facing an apathetic fan base but the excitement of a power hitting club and first place position in the Central Division has brought both loyalists and the curious to Target Field in large numbers as of late.

The franchise has a longtime reputation of allegedly not being willing to spend money on players the way rivals do. Former GM Terry Ryan was a sharp baseball mind but seemed to be a conservative spender. The club has long maintained ownership is willing to spend additional and sometimes mid-season payroll dollars to attract talent that can put the club in the best position to contend.

Well, now comes an extraordinary opportunity with evidence mounting the Twins will need to upgrade the pitching to stay out front in the division. Minnesota was 15-12 in June and so far in July has lost a series to the Oakland Athletics and won one against the Texas Rangers. The Twins’ only rival for the division title, the Cleveland Indians, have cut Minnesota’s lead from double digits to 5.5 games. While the Indians have won six consecutive games and seven of their last 10, the Twins have been challenged with a run of injuries to key players including staff ace Jake Odorizzi and an overall pitching shortage.

In perhaps the most anticipated match-up of the season so far, the Twins play a three-game series in Cleveland starting tomorrow night. When everyone looks in the “rear view mirror” in September, the results could be seen as one of the key weekends for both teams.

Worth Noting

The Twins’ total of 166 home runs is the most in baseball history before the All-Star Game break. They have a .497 slugging percentage, fourth-best in baseball history prior to the break.

The club’s offensive production has headlined a “fireworks show” in major league baseball that has been attributed to hitters swinging for distance and the manufacture of long ball friendly baseballs. Multiple sluggers are in contention to reach the hallowed ground of 60 home runs or more. That prospect is a jolt to baseball purists who have mourned the rewriting of baseball records during the steroid and alleged juiced ball eras of the past.

Former Twins manager Paul Molitor told Sports Headliners he doesn’t want to “diminish some of the things people (hitters) are doing” but he is certainly aware of baseball’s power surge. “…It sure seems like some pretty funny swings at some pretty tough pitches are going a long way by some guys that don’t look like they would overpower a baseball,” he said.

There is no reason to anticipate a change in hitting headlines after the All-Star break. “It’s flying (the balls),” Molitor said. “Doesn’t matter where, what city, what ball park, we’re seeing record numbers and I don’t think that’s going to change at all during the second half.”

Longtime WCCO TV sports anchor Mark Rosen retired in January but continues to be heard on KFAN Radio. “It’s very liberating to be home at night,” Rosen told Sports Headliners. “I haven’t missed it (TV) for a minute. I really haven’t. It’s been great to be home. I keep more than my toe in the water with KFAN and got some big stuff coming up with the Vikings.”

Being at home more allows Rosen to spend more time with his wife of more than 40 years. Denise is dealing with cancer. “It’s a battle,” Rosen said. “Check ups every six to eight weeks with MRI. That’s the only way we know what’s happening. Other than fatigue, she is doing real well right now. That’s all we can do. We’ve got trips planned and really just doing day-by-day. ”

Goldy’s Locker Room has partnered with Karen Kaler (wife of former University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler) to publish a children’s book featuring Goldy Gopher. The book, including 47 photos, follows the popular mascot on a journey around the University as he explores various fields of study. Goldy discovers that with hard work he can be anything he wants when he grows up. Author proceeds, royalties and licensing fees from book sales support the Goldy Gopher Enhancement Fund benefiting future Goldys.

Karen Kaler dedicated the book to all the Goldys at the U throughout the years. “I was very fortunate to get to work with Goldy Gopher to tell his story,” she said in a news release statement. “Goldy and I both love children, so we want them to understand that studying and learning are important.”

The book is only available at Goldy’s Locker Room stores throughout the Twin Cities and online at goldyslockerroom.com.

Basketball is a lucrative sport at Duke where former Apple Valley star Tre Jones will be a sophomore starter in the fall. A Duke fan emailed that a public season ticket costs $2,660, plus a minimum donation of $8,000.

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City Fighter Seeks Bigger Spotlight

Posted on June 25, 2019June 25, 2019 by David Shama

Jamal James of Minneapolis is the No. 5 ranked middleweight by the WBC and is positioned for more notoriety. He headlines the July 13 pro boxing card at the historic Minneapolis Armory that will include nationally-televised bouts.

James, 25-1, fights Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco, 33-7-1, in a 10-round bout that will be seen on FS1. James has 12 career knockouts, DeMarco, 24. DeMarco is a former world lightweight champion.

James fights in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions. His bout with DeMarco is listed as a welterweight matchup, but middleweight is where he could make an even bigger name for himself. A local boxing insider emailed this prediction about James: “…Definitely in the global conversation for a title fight.”

The middleweight division is loaded with talent including WBA title holder Manny Pacquiao, 61-7-2. He fights Keith Thurman, 29-0, next month. IBF, WBO and WBC are other organizations where James might have a path to title opportunities.

Professional boxing has found a home at the Armory and continues to generate awareness in this marketplace. The building was once the site of Minneapolis Lakers and city high school basketball games. Renovated now and being used for corporate events and entertainment, three previous boxing cards have attracted announced attendances of 3,149, 3,320 and 3,417.

Attendance of more than 3,000 is expected again in July and as of late last week 1,678 tickets had been sold. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250, with the average at $115.

Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions is the promoter for the July 13 card. PBC fights are seen on Fox and FS1, with recent cards being watched in approximately 1.5 million homes.

Boxing has been struggling for decades to regain its foothold with the American public. In the first half of the 20th century boxing was one of the most popular sports along with baseball, horse racing and college football.

Worth Noting

The Minnesota Wild’s 2019-20 regular season schedule was released today. The Wild opens the season in Nashville on October 3, the first of three straight road games. Minnesota has its home opener on October12, hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild plays 17 of its first 26 games of the season on the road (October 3 thru November 30). The nine home games in October and November are the fewest in franchise history.

Charlie Danielson, the 25-year-old Osceola, Wisconsin native accepted a sponsor exemption into the 3M Open today. The Illinois alum and 2016 Big Ten Player of the Year recently qualified for the U.S. Open. The new PGA Tournament begins next week at TCP Twin Cities in Blaine.

The Twins, who split four games on the road with the Royals in their most recent series, hold the No. 3 spot in yesterday’s Yahoo.com power rankings of MLB teams, trailing the No. 1 ranked Dodgers and No. 2 Yankees.

Cbssports.com dropped the Twins from No. 2 to No. 3 in its rankings that came out yesterday. The Yankees are first, the Dodgers second.

The Twins, who start a home series tonight against the Rays, are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing by displaying a full-sized statue of Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit at Target Field. The statue is accessible to all fans, and is located outside the Bat & Barrel entrance on the Delta SKY360° Club level.

A Forbes.com June 11 article lists the top 100 wealthiest athletes in the world, with $25 million the cutoff figure to be ranked. Lionel Messi, with $127 million in earnings in the last 12 months, leads the list. He is followed in the top 10 by Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Canelo Alvarez, Roger Federer, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. The top three in earnings are all soccer players, followed by boxer Alvarez.

The Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins is No. 91 with a reported $26.1 million in pay. He is the only Minnesota athlete to make the list.

Romain Metanire, the Minnesota United defender who will play in the July 31 MLS All-Star Game in Orlando, reportedly earns $305,000 in base salary, according to multiple news sources.

The United has seven of its next 10 matches in St. Paul at the much acclaimed Allianz Field that includes the Brew Hall with its many local beers. Unlike soccer venues in Europe, fans fan consume beer in the seating areas at Allianz.

Ex-Gophers Amir Coffey and Jordan Murphy will have tryouts respectively with the NBA’s Clippers and Timberwolves. They could eventually play in the NBA’s development league. During the 2018-19 season, players with G League contracts earned base salaries of $7,000, or $35,000 for five months.

Prior Lake five-star forward Dawson Garcia continues to attract impressive scholarship offers, with news yesterday Kansas hopes he will be part of its 2020 recruiting class.

Gophers’ football marketers are trying to improve ticket sales in 2019 after last season’s announced average attendance of 37,914 for seven home games. That figure was reportedly the lowest since 1992. Season tickets in 2019 are offered for as low as $35 per game. Mini-plans starting at $60 (three games) went on sale yesterday.

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