David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Luis Arraez: Strike Zone Specialist

Posted on June 28, 2022 by David Shama

The Derek Falvey era can’t take credit for discovering Luis Arraez but that doesn’t make the Twins’ baseball boss hesitate in appreciating the American League’s leading hitter.

Minnesota signed the then 16-year-old Venezuela native as an undrafted free agent in November of 2013. Whether in the minors or the bigs, Arraez has hit over .300 every year except last when his average was still an impressive .294. “He’s never not hit,” said Falvey who joined the Twins in the fall of 2016.

Arraez is second among all MLB hitters behind Paul Goldschmidt’s .347 average. Arraez also leads the AL in on-base-percentage at .427. He is a career .320 hitter during four seasons with the Twins. His rookie average of .334 in 2019 is the best in club history for a first-year player. Rod Carew, the Twins’ legend and Cooperstown Hall of Famer, had a career mark of .328 over 19 seasons, including 12 in Minnesota.

“I am not that surprised at how well he hits,” Falvey told Sports Headliners while talking about Arraez. “When I first got to see him, when I first got to this organization, he had just recovered from a knee injury and he was in A-Ball. …I watched him hit in BP (batting practice), and then I watched him in a game. He knew the strike zone better than most big league hitters then. He just had a really good feel for what was a ball, what was a strike, and how to kind of get the bat to the ball. …”

Part of the success in 2022 is fueled by his performance during May when his .376 average was the highest in a month for a Twin since Joe Mauer’s .380 in August of 2010. In his last 30 games his average is .336 and it’s .298 in the prior 15.

The left-handed 25-year-old is hitting .383 against right-handed pitching. His average versus lefties is .212 . In the past that discrepancy sometimes caused manager Rocco Baldelli to bench Arraez against left handers.

Arraez has played in 65 of the Twins’ 75 games and has 232 at-bats. For awhile this spring there was concern he could finish the season with the American League’s best batting average but without the necessary 502 at-bats to be awarded the title. But Baldelli has made Arraez pretty much an everyday player since early May.

Falvey believes Arraez can win a batting championship, if not this season then down the road. “I certainly hope so. You keep your fingers crossed you get your players on the field as much as possible from a health standpoint.

“As long as he continues to play the way he is playing there is no doubt (he is going to be on the field). We viewed Luie as an everyday player right from the outset of the season, even if the position wasn’t locked in as much.”

A second baseman when he joined the Twins, Arraez has unexpectedly returned to that position this month with Jorge Polanco unable to play for awhile because of lower back tightness. Arraez has played 29 games at first, 24 at second and five at third base.

Arraez has infrequently been the team’s DH this season and in the past the Twins have also played him in left field. With regular first baseman Miguel Sano out for most of the season so far with a knee injury, Arraez may have locked up that position for this year and beyond.

Falvey believes Arraez is most comfortable in the infield. Arraez’s versatility in the field fits in with the trend in baseball to have players who can play multiple positions. “I think the more flexible your roster is the better off you are,” Falvey said.

Unlike most of his peers, Arraez isn’t focused on hitting home runs. He has 10 in his career including a first grand slam this spring. His 20 whiffs at the plate in 2022 are impressive and his ability to make contact with the ball can especially be a welcome contribution on nights the Twins are struggling for base runners.

Carew, a native of Panama, was a left-handed hitter with superb bat control and difficult to strike out. He won seven American League batting titles. Don’t bet against Arraez winning a few also.

Arraez’s batting stance and style of hitting, including line drives to all fields, is reminiscent of Carew who started his MLB career as a second baseman and transitioned to first base. The legendary Carew was selected 18 times for the All-Star game. Arraez should receive his first All-Star invite next month.

The two Latin American natives have multiple similarities but Arraez doesn’t have to be the next Carew. His plate production and versatility in the field make him plenty valuable just being who he is.

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Kevin Fiala Future Likely TBD at NHL Draft

Posted on June 26, 2022June 26, 2022 by David Shama

When do the Minnesota Wild determine whether restricted free agent Kevin Fiala will be with the team next season?

Wild owner Craig Leipold told Sports Headliners “it’s likely we’ll come to some conclusion at the NHL Draft.” The event is July 7-8 this year in Montreal.

Why then? Leipold said: “We love him. He’s a good kid. It’s going to be really difficult to re-sign him. We likely will need to trade him for draft picks which will help our future, and hope that we can find a win-win for a good place for him and a good place for us.”

The Wild’s 25-year-old forward is one of the team’s best point producers but the franchise faces salary cap restrictions. Leipold said GM Bill Guerin, his management team and scouts work on the Fiala dilemma every day. “It’s their big project trying to find a way to keep him. He was a huge part of our success last year. We hope it will work but if it doesn’t we’ve gotta keep our options open.”

The Wild had a disappointing first round loss to the St. Louis Blues this spring. The outcome stung the team, the fans and the owner who stayed away from his St. Paul office for about a month following the series.

“Oh, yeah, that thing,” said Leipold who also lives in Racine, Wisconsin. “It was a hard loss. Probably the most difficult loss that I had to go through in sports as an owner in 24 years. We think we’re a better team than we played. We didn’t do our best, but we’ll make the changes that are necessary. We have one goal in mind and we’re going to get a Stanley Cup. We know what we need to do to do that, and we’ll make sure that we fix it.”

Liepold didn’t detail those changes but he did talk about pending superstar Kirill Kaprizov. In just two seasons the young Russian has convinced at least some Wild historians he is the most gifted and exciting player in franchise history.

“I mean he has no weakness,” Leipold said. “He is the total package. We’re glad we have him signed for four more years and hopefully when those are getting close to ending we’ll sign him for eight more.”

Karprivov set a team record last season scoring 108 points. He also came up big in the 4-2 playoff series loss to the Blues, producing seven goals and one assist.

Leipold described the 25-year-old forward as not only a “bundle of excitement and energy and passion,” but remarkably humble. “His English is probably better than he might let on but players love him. He’s great in the locker room.”

Fans feel anxiety about Kaprizov returning to his homeland in the offseason, with Russia involved in war with Ukraine. But Leipold doesn’t seem overly concerned and pointed out many Russian hockey players have been able to get in and out of the country.

The Wild played before raucous sellout crowds at home this year, much different than the pandemic restrictions that in the past forced NHL teams to compete in empty arenas. With success in 2022 and an economy rocked by inflation, the Wild is implementing about a five percent increase in ticket prices. “We hate to do it but we gotta stay competitive,” Leipold said.

Single game tickets aren’t on sale yet but Leipold said season sales are close to 13,000 because of increased interest in the team. The total for 2022-2023 will likely be capped at 13,000 or 13,500, so that inventory for several more thousand seats is left for single game and group tickets.

“We’re an exciting team,” Leipold said. “We think we’re going to get a lot of fans that will come in and buy season tickets. …”

Worth Noting

The best of birthday wishes to former University of Minnesota athletics trainer Jim Marshall who turns 92 on July 3. He served Gophers athletes and coaches for 42 years before retiring.

Defending champion Juli Inkster is returning to play in the second annual Land O’Lakes Legends Classic presented by The Meadows at Mystic Lake, an official tournament on the Legends of the LPGA schedule. She is a 31-time LPGA Tour champion with seven major championship titles on her resume.

The August 12-14 event will be a 36-hole tournament and feature a field of 40 Legends of the LPGA—ages 45+. There is no cut in the tournament. Four top senior women amateurs from the region will play alongside the Legends and fill out the field of 44. https://www.legendsclassicmn.com

Wayzata High School alum Karl Gregor is the Wilson Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III National Coach of the Year after his Tufts men’s team made the NCAA “Final Four” this spring for the first time in program history.

Caleb Truax, the former IBF super middleweight champion from Osseo, is the latest guest on the “Behind the Game” TV show with hosts Patrick Klinger and Bill Robertson. Truax, 38, wants to continue boxing for awhile before retiring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnrdQAA70H8

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Gophers Earn Preseason Recognition

Posted on June 19, 2022June 19, 2022 by David Shama

With the Gophers’ opening game against New Mexico State approaching two months out, preseason publicity for Minnesota football is coming from national sources. The trend is to laud center John Michael Schmitz and label the team a dark horse to win the Big Ten West Division.

Athlon Sports has Schmitz as its first team preseason All-American center. Lindy’s Sports lists the Gopher senior as the second best center in the nation behind Notre Dame’s Jarrett Patterson. Perhaps no source commands more respect annually than Phil Steele Publications. That outlet also named Schmitz a second team preseason All-American.

Schmitz and eight other Gophers have earned recognition from Phil Steele. Schmitz was named first team All-Big Ten, while defensive tackle Trill Carter and running back Mo Ibrahim are second teamers. Offensive lineman Chuck Filiaga, rush end Thomas Rush, linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin, long snapper Brady Weeks and wide receiver Dylan Wright are third team All-Big Ten. Running back Trey Potts was named to the fourth team offense.

Gophers drawing recognition from Lindy’s include wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell and tight end Brevyn-Spann Ford, both named third team All-Big Ten. Safety Tyler Nubin and punter Mark Crawford earned third team defense recognition along with Sori-Marin. Ibrahim is included on the second team offense.

Lindy’s predicts the Gophers will finish fifth in the West Division behind Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue and Nebraska. The magazine frets about the quality of the offensive and defensive lines, and points out quarterback performance must improve.

Athlon forecasts Minnesota placing fourth behind Wisconsin, Purdue and Iowa. Minnesota’s record will be 7-5 overall, 4-5 in the Big Ten, per Athlon. Ibrahim is a member of the magazine’s All-Big Ten second team while Sori-Marin and Nubin are third teamers on defense.

Ouch. If there’s one place Gophers fans don’t want to return for a bowl game, it’s Detroit. But that’s where Athlon says Minnesota will have a date in the Quick Lane Bowl against Central Michigan. If that rendezvous works out, there could be Christmas parties that attract larger crowds.

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s teams have been known to exceed expectations. His 2019 and 2021 teams both surprised prognosticators with respective records of 11-2 and 9-4. The 2019 team finished a stunning No. 10 in the country in two polls and last year’s Gophers won a third consecutive bowl game under Fleck. In his last 39 games he has a 27-12 record with the Gophers.

A prickly subject is Minnesota’s streak of seven consecutive losses to Iowa dating back to 2014 (Fleck’s first Gopher team was 2017). You can bet defeating Iowa November 19 in Minneapolis is a Row the Boat obsession.

Minnesota has won two of its last four games in its other border rivalry. Wisconsin could be the school to beat in a West Division that in preseason national rankings will be without a top 10 team. The division isn’t daunting and the Gophers, despite having to play five conference road games versus four at home, will be thinking “why not us?”

The first four games of the 12-game schedule should tell a lot about the season. The Gophers need to start 3-0 against nonconference opponents New Mexico State, Western Michigan and Colorado (all at home). They need to play at a high level, win or lose, in their Big Ten opener September 24 at Michigan State. The Spartans are one of the better teams in the East Division and possible top 20 program in 2022.

Cornerback Justin Walley, named to the 247Sports True Freshman All-American team last year, is being slighted in early recognition of Big Ten players. But his team is, too, and you can be sure Walley and the Gophers will value accolades at season’s end a lot more than in June.

Gophers Football Notes

If the Gophers win the West Division they will face an intimidating history in the Big Ten championship game against the East Division representative. The West champion is 0-8 in Big Ten title games.

Fleck makes his annual appearance before the Twin Cities Dunkers Thursday at Interlachen Country Club.

Grumbling Penn State fans don’t think the Gophers are worthy of being designated their annual White Out game opponent. Minnesota plays in Happy Valley October 22.

Former Gophers two-time All-American tackle and Outland Trophy winner Bobby Bell turned 82 Friday.

Ex-Minnesota head coach Glen Mason took a bad fall earlier this year, fracturing seven ribs. However, he told Sports Headliners he is “going strong now.”

The Goal Line Club will again raise money for the football program by staging its annual golf tournament. The Gopher Football Golf Classic at StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater is open to Goal Line Club members and their guests. More at the Goal Line Club website.

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