David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Twins Goal Remains World Series

Posted on January 30, 2012January 30, 2012 by David Shama

The Twins lost 99 games last season and were unable to repeat as Central Division winners, but club president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners the franchise isn’t deflated about the news 2011 division champ Detroit has acquired slugger Prince Fielder. He also said his organization goes into each season with the goal of winning the World Series.

Baseball talk was prevalent over the weekend with fans attending the three-day TwinsFest at the Metrodome. In a few weeks the Twins open spring training in Fort Myers with only a few changes from the 2011 roster.

The Twins were World Series champions in 1987 and 1991. When will they win another a World Series? “We’re working hard. We’re trying,” St. Peter said. “That’s obviously the goal every year. …We do believe there’s still a core group of players (on the 2012 roster) that can contribute to a world championship.

“Our job as an organization is to continue to try to build on that base and to continue to acquire through all means—whether it means through the draft, whether it be free agency, whether it be trade—incremental players who are winners. At the end of the day that’s the road that we’re on and we feel good about that.”

The Twins won division titles in 2009 and 2010, but the Tigers were champions last year with a 95-67 record compared with Minnesota’s 63-99. In 2010 the Twins were 94-68. That record and season gives St. Peter optimism.

“I think it’s important to remember that the starting (pitching) rotation we’ll go to spring training with—mainly (Carl) Pavano, (Francisco) Liriano, (Scott) Baker and (Nick) Blackburn—those were the same guys that were the starters for us in 2010 when we won 94 games and a division championship. We believe in those guys. We think they all can contribute to a very successful season. …We’re looking for bounce back years from those guys.”

St. Peter said he wasn’t discouraged by news the Tigers signed Fielder last week for a reported $214 million. Fielder hit 38 home runs and drove in 120 runs for Milwaukee last year.

“…Hey, you respect the teams in your division, obviously,” St. Peter said. “We’ve been battling the Tigers for a decade. We’ve come out most of the time in this division. They’re the defending champs so they’re gonna defend.

“They had a significant loss in Victor Martinez and now they’ve replaced that bat with Prince. We tend to focus more on the Twins and what we can do. As long as our guys are healthy and we play at the level that we’re capable of playing, we like our chances to play and contend in this division, and that includes the Tigers. …”

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Worth Noting

Posted on January 30, 2012January 30, 2012 by David Shama

Twins president Dave St. Peter said the organization is hopeful major league baseball will decide in the “next couple months” to award the 2014 All-Star game to Minneapolis.

Camilo Pascual, who was the Twins first ever 20 game winner and ranks second all-time in shutouts, will be inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony July 14 at Target Field.

Twins manager Tom Kelly had 1,140 wins, ranking No. 1 in franchise history and No. 43 in major league baseball. He will become the seventh person in Twins history to have his number retired on September 8 as part of a pregame ceremony at Target Field.

Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith described Saturday’s 77-72 overtime win against Illinois as a victory Minnesota “desperately” needed. The win gave the Gophers a 4-5 Big Ten record and a win against a former top 25 team.

“We want Tyus!” That was the chant on Saturday night from the Minnesota student section encouraging Apple Valley High School sophomore point guard Tyus Jones to become a Gopher. Jones watched the game from near the Minnesota bench.

Mike Markuson, a 1982 Hamline graduate, is the new offensive line coach at Wisconsin. A Farmington, Minnesota native, Markuson was a defensive tackle for the Pipers. His coaching stops include Mississippi where he’s been the last five years (co-offensive coordinator).

Former Gophers golfer and New York Times best selling author Harvey Mackay shares advice from his UM golf coach in “The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World.” Les Bolstad told Mackay to approach every shot on the golf course as if it were his last. “Therefore, it better be my best,” Bolstad instructed.

United States Tennis Association Northern Section Hall of Famer Nick Pappas died last week. Funeral services are today starting at 11:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, 3450 Irving Ave. South in Minneapolis.

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A.D. Mystery at U to End Soon

Posted on January 27, 2012January 27, 2012 by David Shama

Expect an announcement soon on whether Joel Maturi will continue as Gophers athletic director.

Maturi’s contract ends in June and that deadline will direct a decision by new University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler who has been busy with many issues. If Maturi and Kaler decide a change is the best decision, expect a lot of speculation about candidates.

Among the names will be Stony Brook University athletic director Jim Fiore who is in his ninth year at the New York school, the same institution where Kaler worked until coming to Minnesota last July. Fiore’s teams have won numerous conference championships and he’s known as an effective fundraiser. He’s also consistently balanced the budget for his Division I school.

Fiore’s name was rumored with the North Carolina athletic director opening last fall. He was senior associate director of athletics at Princeton before taking over at Stony Brook. He is a native of Long Beach, New York, and he played college football at Hofstra.

Maturi has been the Gophers athletic director since 2002. He has spent most of his career at Minnesota working for president Robert Bruininks who preceded Kaler.

Among the reasons Kaler was hired as president is his commitment to athletics. Whether it’s with Maturi or someone else, there is a long to-do list of issues facing the athletic department in the next few years including whether to eliminate some sports to save money.

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