Wild – Page 79 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Colabello Delivers Big Bang for a Buck

Posted on April 9, 2014April 9, 2014 by David Shama

Talk about a return on investment. Chris Colabello is co-leader in the American League in RBI with 11 while the Twins are paying him $505,000 this season, almost the lowest salary on the team.

Twins pitcher Kyle Gibson at $502,000 and catcher Josmil Pinto, $500,000, have lower salaries, according to a March 31 USA Today listing of major league opening day player salaries for all 30 teams. Over a 162-game schedule Colabello is paid $3,117 per game. Contrast that with Joe Mauer’s $141,976 based on his $23 million annual salary. Mauer has no RBI so far and is hitting .250.

Although the Twins have only played seven games, Colabello’s impact is evident. His 11 RBI (tied with the White Sox’s Jose Abreu) are five better than Kurt Suzuki who is second on the team. Colabello is hitting .370 with one home run and a team best slugging percentage of .630.

Prior to Monday’s home opener against the A’s came news he had been named AL Player of the Week with outfielder Josh Hamilton who earns $17 million with the Angels. Colabello made the honor look good by singling in the first inning and making a diving catch in right field during the second inning, his initial outfield start of the season. He is expected to play some outfield and first base with the Twins but his primary role is likely to be designated hitter.

The baseball world agreed before the season the Twins would be offensive- challenged this season. But the Twins, 3-4 so far, have averaged over five runs per game and their total of 37 is fourth best in the American League. If Colabello can produce 15 to 20 home runs, 80 or more RBI and hit over .280 this season, the Twins will be much more likely to improve their runs scored over last year when they had the third fewest in the AL.

Perhaps life begins after age 29. The 30-year-old journeyman (Colabello will be 31 in October) went to spring training not even knowing if he would make the Twins’ roster. Last December he turned down a $1 million offer to play for South Korea’s LG Lions.

That is just part of Colabello’s strange baseball story. The Massachusetts native played seven seasons in the Canadian-American Association before being signed by the Twins in February of 2012 and gaining the opportunity to move up from the depths of low level independent league professional baseball.

Playing for the Twins’ Class AA New Britain team in 2012, Colabello hit .284 with 19 home runs and 98 RBI. He was runner-up for Eastern League MVP.

Last season playing in 89 games for Class AAA Rochester, Colabello won the International League’s MVP award hitting .354 with 24 home runs and 76 RBI. He was also the league’s Rookie of the Year.

Part of 2013 was spent with the Twins and the hitting numbers were dramatically different than in the minors. Colabello hit .194 with seven home runs and 17 RBI in 55 games.

The 6-foot-4, 218 pound Colabello, whose father Lou played for Italy in the 1984 Olympics, has changed his batting stance this season, moving closer to the plate, and appears to have shortened his right-handed swing while sending hits to the opposite field. He looks confident and swings assertively while not being overly aggressive.

Batting cleanup for the Twins is a long way from independent league baseball three years ago. The Twins found a bargain.

Worth Noting

Graham Woodward has been released from his basketball scholarship at Penn State and will transfer to another school, according to a story this morning on the website of the Centre Daily News located in State College, Pennsylvania. Woodward, the former Edina High School guard, played as a freshman for Penn State this past season.

Gophers women’s basketball fans will expect to be entertained by the coaching style of Marlene Stollings. As head coach at VCU last season, Stollings’ team set school records with a 75.8 points per game average and 235 three-point field goals. The Rams scored 90 or more points five times and twice scored a school-record 112 points. Stollings met the media yesterday when she was introduced as the Gophers new coach.

Two of the Gophers’ highest profile women’s sports are hockey and volleyball. Both head coaches, Brad Frost and Hugh McCutcheon, are males. Perhaps the presence of those two influenced hiring a female to be the next women’s basketball coach, thereby providing more gender balance in the athletic department.

Admirers of former Gopher and NBA player Jim Petersen, now an assistant coach with the WNBA champion Lynx, might wonder if he had interest in the women’s opening at Minnesota. Petersen, a former McDonald’s prep All-American at St. Louis Park, not only has coaching and playing experience but his visibility in the state has remained high as the Timberwolves TV color analyst.

Among the changes the Wild might make this offseason is adding former Gopher Thomas Vanek to the roster, according to a hockey source who spoke to Sports Headliners on condition of anonymity. Vanek is a potential 30-plus goal scorer and while he is a high priced talent his addition to the Wild payroll could be balanced by letting Dany Heatley go, the source said. Both earn similar annual salaries.

Vanek, who has played with three teams this season, has scored 27 goals and would boost the Wild’s scoring. He will be an unrestricted free agent during the offseason.

The Wild will make the playoffs for a second consecutive season. The source said if the Wild fail to impress in the postseason a change in head coaches is possible with Mike Yeo losing his job.

The Wild, who play tomorrow night at home against the Blues, have finished the road schedule for the season at 17-17-7. The Wild earned points in seven of its last eight road games (5-1-2) and earned 26 points in the last 20 away games (11-5-4). As of yesterday morning, only the Bruins and the Avs had better road records than the Wild since the start of 2014.

After outstanding seasons by the winter teams, including three men’s titles and two women’s, St. Thomas is in first place in the MIAC All-Sports standings for both genders. St. Olaf is in second place in the men’s standings while Saint Benedict is second among women.

KARE TV’s Randy Shaver will speak at the May 8 CORES luncheon at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. Shaver was a sportscaster at the station for almost 30 years before becoming a KARE weeknight news anchor. A booster of high school sports, he started the “Prep Sports Extra” in 1984 and has coached football at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. He is a Hodgkin’s survivor, and the Randy Shaver Cancer Research & Community Fund has raised almost $5,000,000 for cancer research and patient aid in Minnesota.

CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans. Reservations for the lunch and program can be made by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

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Expect U to Address Jerry Kill Salary

Posted on December 2, 2013December 2, 2013 by David Shama

Look for negotiations to begin soon regarding Jerry Kill’s annual compensation as Gophers head football coach.

Kill is the lowest paid head coach in the Big Ten Conference, according to multiple sources including USA Today. He earns $1.2 million per season as stated in a November 7 USA Today article listing the earnings of major college football coaches throughout the country.

Kill finished his third regular season as Minnesota coach last Saturday. His present compensation was influenced by what he earned as head coach at Northern Illinois. His salary with the Huskies was reported at $381,000, according to Internet reports. USA Today’s article said current Huskies coach Rod Carey earns $375,000 from the school.

The salaries of major college coaches are determined by not only their previous contracts at other schools but also the competition for their services and what athletic departments can afford to pay. Kill came from Northern Illinois and the Mid-American Conference where salaries are dramatically lower than in power leagues like the Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12.

But after three seasons of success in rebuilding the Gophers, it’s a sore spot with Kill boosters that the coach has the most minimal pay in the Big Ten. A source in the athletic department told Sports Headliners earlier this month school officials would wait until season’s end before addressing a change in Kill’s compensation.

That time is here after Kill coached the Gophers to eight total wins, the most since 2003, and four victories in the conference, the most since 2005. The Gophers’ highlights included their first victory over Nebraska since 1960 and a four-game win streak in the Big Ten. And it wasn’t just the wins, but also how competitively the Gophers often played that encouraged program followers.

Former Gophers coach Glen Mason knew Kill was an exceptional coach even before Minnesota hired him. “I am somewhat surprised they won eight games,” Mason said. “It’s a tremendous credit to the coaches.”

Multiple sources will attest to the affection University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler has for Kill. Kaler admires his coach for more than wins and losses. Kill has made a dramatic impact on the academic work of his players and the coach’s struggles with epilepsy have inspired even non-football fans. So, too, has Kill’s good deeds in the community and the way he represents the University.

Increasing Kill’s compensation would be both a reward for his work and indication the Gophers are serious about discouraging other schools from pursuing him. His $1.2 million pay is almost embarrassing. Purdue coach Darrell Hazell — who a year ago was hired from MAC member Kent State and in 2013 led the Boilermakers to a winless season in the Big Ten — earns $2.1 million, according to USA Today. Dave Doeren, who took over for Kill at Northern Illinois in 2011, left the Huskies after last season to become head coach at North Carolina State where he reportedly earns $2.5 million per season.

The Big Ten’s highest paid coaches are Ohio State’s Urban Meyer at $4.6 million and Michigan’s Brady Hoke at $4.1 million, according to the USA Today listings. The average compensation paid per school to the league’s 12 coaches is $2.6 million. It seems reasonable to think the Gophers will offer to increase Kill’s earnings to about $1.8 million. That would be a 50 percent increase and move him ahead of Kevin Wilson from Indiana and Tim Beckman of Illinois. Kill would be the 10^th best paid coach in the Big Ten but close to Hazel, Gary Andersen from Wisconsin at $2 million and Mark Dantonio from Michigan State at $1.9 million.

In any contract negotiations involving Kill, a couple of things are assumed by those who know the coach. One is that Kill is interested in remaining at Minnesota, having expressed a liking for the job and working here. Another is any negotiations he does for himself will also include looking out for assistant coaches. And Kill will want assurances the school is committed to improving practice facilities for the football program.

The athletic department has budget issues but football is the bell cow for revenues. Interest in the Gophers is growing among fans and so too is money coming into the department. Kill has leverage in forthcoming discussions because of his “brick-by-brick” results and comparative compensation versus his peers.

It doesn’t hurt to have a president who admires him.

Worth Noting

Washburn running back Jeff Jones has yet to schedule official college visits but his coach expects favored destinations will be Michigan State, Minnesota and Missouri. “I think if he had to choose today he would be a Gopher,” coach Giovan Jenkins told Sports Headliners on Friday.

Jenkins said Jones, who has received scholarship offers from all three schools, has a GPA of about 2.1 and the Rivals.com four-star running back is awaiting the result of his second ACT test. Jenkins expects Jones to have no problem in academically qualifying for a college athletic scholarship.

The Eden Prairie High School football program has seven teams, three freshmen, two sophomore, one junior varsity and one varsity. The Eagles, who won their third consecutive state title on Friday, celebrated with a banquet last night at Grace Church in Eden Prairie.

When the Vikings found themselves playing in overtime yesterday against the Bears for a second consecutive week they weren’t interested in another tie like they experienced with the Packers. “It’s been two long weeks for us, there’s no doubt about it,” quarterback Matt Cassel said after Minnesota’s 23-20 win. “…Our mentalities were we have to get out of this thing with a win no matter what it takes.”

Groundbreaking for the new Vikings stadium will be at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) in the east parking lot of the Metrodome. Governor Mark Dayton, mayor R.T. Rybak and Vikings owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf will participate.

Count former Gophers All-American Lou Nanne among those who is just “okay” with the new Big Ten hockey league. He misses Minnesota’s historical ties to programs like North Dakota and even Denver, but expects the new Big Ten grouping to become more appealing as teams are added. The six team Big Ten hockey league was all driven by the Big Ten Network, he said.

The Wild have some “good young kids” but will have to “battle to make the playoffs,” according to Nanne. Injuries have limited the availability of the team’s top two goalies, Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding. “That is surprising to me,” the former North Stars president said.

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Tyus Jones Open to Early College Exit

Posted on October 23, 2013October 23, 2013 by David Shama

Debbie Jones, mother of Apple Valley senior point guard Tyus Jones, told Sports Headliners her son is open to playing only one year of college basketball. “If the opportunity presents itself, then absolutely,” Debbie said.

Leaving for the NBA after one season has been discussed with coaches recruiting Jones. The possibility of playing only as a freshman hasn’t deterred the biggest names in college coaching from pursuing Jones who is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 5 player in the nation for the prep class of 2014.

The final schools Jones is considering signing a Letter of Intent with are Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Minnesota. NCAA rules allow high school seniors to sign from November 13-20. There is a second signing period next spring from April 16-May 21.

Jones plans to sign with a school in November. An announcement regarding his college choice will come during the first or second week next month, according to his mom.

How the announcement will be done hasn’t been determined but Debbie said, “We’ll probably do something at the school (Apple Valley).” She indicated her son’s announcement is likely to happen at the same time as Jahlil Okafor’s. A well publicized pact between Jones and Okafor to attend college together is likely to remain in place. Okafor is a center from Chicago’s Whitney High School and is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 1 player nationally in the 2014 class.

Debbie said it’s “doubtful” her son and Okafor will choose separate schools, and acknowledged the Chicago superstar doesn’t have the Gophers on his final list of possible colleges. “If they go together to school that unfortunately would eliminate the Gophers,” Debbie said.

Okafor’s list of schools is reportedly Baylor, Duke and Kansas. He and Tyus visited Kansas together last weekend and over Labor Day weekend were at Baylor. Okafor is expected to join his friend at Duke this weekend.

Jones and his mom leave tomorrow for Duke, the last official visit the two will make in narrowing down the list of schools. On Saturday they will watch the Blue Devils in an exhibition game against Bowie State.

Tyus has been one of the most coveted athletes in Minnesota prep history. Debbie said the family is appreciative of all the attention but it will be a relief to end the selection process.

She also said there haven’t been any offers from schools that are in violation of NCAA rules. “I think people kind of know who we are. They know they’re dealing with people who don’t operate that way.”

Worth Noting

Debbie Jones’ youngest son, eighth grader Tre Jones, starts tryouts with the Apple Valley High School varsity on November 11. She said Tre will know after the first week of practice whether he made the team — as older brother Tyus did as an eighth grader.

The Timberwolves play the Sixers tonight who have a preseason roster that includes former Gophers Royce White and Rodney Williams. White leads the Sixers in personal fouls per game, 4.25. In five games he is averaging five points. Williams has played in one game for 19 minutes and didn’t score but had one block, rebound and assist.

Look for the Vikings to honor Cris Carter at their home game on November 7 against the Redskins. The former wide receiver was enshrined earlier this year in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Despite the combined dismal 1-10 record of the Vikings and Giants, their Monday night game was the most watched NFL telecast on ESPN in three weeks, according to a story yesterday on Sportsmediawatch.com.

Fans are welcome at the Gopher Gridiron Luncheon program starting at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at Jax Café in northeast Minneapolis. The program includes a Gophers coach and two players with Mike Grimm as emcee. More information is available at GoalLineClub.com. Membership in the Goal Line Club is not required to attend the luncheon which previews Minnesota’s game at home on Saturday against Nebraska.

A hockey source requesting anonymity told Sports Headliners that Wild owner Craig Leipold’s “patience” with coach Mike Yeo may not last more than a few more weeks. “They should be (playing) better than they are,” the source said earlier this week before the Wild defeated Nashville 2-0 last night.

The Wild is 4-3-3 in the first few weeks of the season. Not only is the win total disappointing but the team isn’t reaching its potential in creating “scoring chances,” the source said. The Wild had one goal last night until scoring on an empty net with 24 seconds remaining.

This is Yeo’s first NHL employment as a head coach and third season with the Wild. The team made the playoffs last season after a five year absence but the source suggested the Wild isn’t playing at last year’s level when the final record was a mediocre 26-19-2.

With a ho-hum start, the Wild has been behind the Vikings, Gophers football and even the Timberwolves (season hasn’t started) in generating local sports interest.

Sam Warning, the Gophers 21-year-old junior wing, is tied for the nation’s scoring lead in points with Kevin Roy from Northeastern. Warning has nine points in four games after scoring 23 last season in 29 games. He is the first Missouri native to ever play for the Gophers.

The Gophers men’s and women’s hockey teams are ranked No. 1 in the country in the USCHO.com polls.

Daydreaming about the Twins? What if the front office used some Target Field revenues to acquire Tigers stopper Max Scherzer who is expected to sign with another MLB team during the offseason. Scherzer in a Twins uniform gives the club a No. 1 starting pitcher and signing with Minnesota weakens Central Division rival Detroit. Thoughts of a starting staff in a few years of Scherzer as the No. 1 guy, Alex Meyer No. 2 and Kyle Gibson No. 3 is intriguing.

Yesterday’s announcement that Paul Molitor will join the coaching staff with responsibilities that include in-game strategy leaves Twins followers wondering just how “hot” Ron Gardenhire’s manager seat is.

Local business leaders Dave Mona and Susan Adams Loyd are volunteer co-chairs for the National Senior Games to be held at various Twin Cities venues during July of 2015. The National Senior Games is the largest multi-sport event in the world for adults 50 and over, and 12,000 athletes and 30,000 guests are expected to attend the 2015 gathering. Loyd competes in track and field events for seniors, while Mona’s sports interests include co-hosting WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle.”

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