David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Notes Plus

Posted on August 31, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

When it comes to college football bragging rights in Minnesota, the honors go to Division II and III teams. Minnesota-Duluth, national champion two of the last three years, is rated No. 1 in the country in preseason rankings like D2Football.com. St. Cloud is No. 13 in the D2Football.com rankings.

Minnesota-Duluth coach Bob Nielson has turned plenty of heads with his work. His best players include junior offensive lineman Garth Heikkinen from Duluth Central High School. He’s a popular choice for preseason first team All-American. The Bulldogs open their season at Augustana (ranked No. 9 by D2Football.com) on Saturday.

MIAC powers St. Thomas, Bethel and Saint John’s have all received at least one top 10 national preseason ranking. The Tommies have been ranked fourth by The Sporting News, No. 5 by D3football.com and seventh by Lindy’s Sports. The Royals were ranked No. 4 by Lindy’s Sports, seventh by D3football.com and No. 15 by The Sporting News. The Johnnies were No. 9 in The Sporting News poll and No. 25 in the D3football.com poll.

In the preseason MIAC coaches poll, St. Thomas is the favorite to win the conference championship. The Tommies received six of nine first place votes while the Royals had two and the Johnnies one. Among the league’s outstanding players is St. Thomas wide receiver and returner Fritz Waldvogel, a former MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, who could be a first team Division III All-American.

The Lynx, who have won the first Western Conference championship in franchise history, are awaiting official playoff dates from the WNBA. The club has four regular season games remaining including a home game against New York Friday night and the season finale in Phoenix on September 11.

A WNBA source told Sports Headliners the Western Conference best of three games semifinals may start on Thursday, September 15 and end on Tuesday, September 20 at the latest. The WNBA finals are likely to begin on September 22. The Lynx will have home court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs and possibly in the finals.

Minnesota’s talented roster includes players like Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen who have been on winning NCAA, WNBA and Olympic teams. Moore will be Rookie of the Year, while Whalen and teammate Seimone Augustus are league MVP candidates.

Although the franchise has lost money for several seasons, the WNBA source said the Lynx revenue sources, including ticket sales and corporate revenues, have “dramatically increased” and the club is “nearing profitability.”

Twins starting pitchers finished the club’s 2-9 homestand on Sunday with a 7.04 ERA.

Ben Revere, with 25 stolen bases, is chasing the Twins record for most stolen bases by a rookie, 31 by Luis Rivas in 2001.

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Time to Scrutinize Twins Top to Bottom

Posted on August 29, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Now what for the Minnesota Twins?

The embarrassing 2011 season is only weeks away from ending but how the offseason goes will tell the more passionate and savvy fans a lot about this organization’s future.

Ownership and management could take a “cosmetic” approach in the months ahead. Make a few changes and rationalize 2011 as a tough luck season, mostly caused by an unusually high number of injuries. But rather than take the victim approach, the decision makers at Target Field are advised to audit the entire organization and everyone in it.

Best business practices call for nothing less. The process should include fact finding and opinion from not only the ownership and top management, but also the advice of consultants who can look more objectively at the organization and its people.

The Twins were 94-68 last season and have won six of the last nine Central Division titles, but even those ball clubs frustrated themselves and fans with their dismal playoff records. The Twins weren’t built to play with baseball’s best teams, and this year’s club couldn’t compete very well against past Minnesota championship teams.

The 2011 Twins are stumbling to the season’s finish line. The club has a 6-19 record in August and lost 15 of its last 18 home games. Minnesota is 10-28 against the powerful East Division, the American League’s best grouping of teams. The Twins have lost five straight series at home.

It’s time to look at everything and everybody involved with what the Twins do during the season, the offseason and spring training. The scrutiny certainly needs to start with general manager Billy Smith and the organization’s other talent evaluators, but the organizational analysis needs to go beyond that and try to answer questions about coaching, conditioning and best use of player payroll.

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Nishioka & Other Moves Draw Attention

Posted on August 29, 2011October 9, 2011 by David Shama

The Twins have made a series of unproductive personnel moves that are troubling, dating back to the trade of power pitcher Johan Santana to the Mets in 2008. From the Santana deal to the maneuverings that sent shortstop J.J. Hardy away for failed relief pitcher Jim Hoey, to the signing of Japanese shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka—the most expensive franchise bust within memory— it’s evident the front office has struggled multiple times to improve the ballclub.

In fairness, though, the Twins have made some productive personnel moves in recent years. Heading the list are the acquisitions of pitcher Carl Pavano and slugger Jim Thome. In past seasons the Twins’ success was aided by the acquisitions of Orlando Cabrera and Orlando Hudson, both starting infielders.

The organization’s evaluators are on the spot not just for the big league team, but the minor leagues, too. The farm system isn’t exactly dazzling and has been of minimal help to the Twins this season trying to plug holes. Power hitting, a priority need on the big league club, seems to be missing in the farm system. Power arms—candidates to become the team’s No. 1 starter—seem to be on the same missing-in-action list.

The players on the big league club need to do their own self-audits with analysis that includes how can they best condition themselves, and also define their roles to help the team. It wouldn’t be surprising, for example, if catcher Joe Mauer accepts part-time assignment next season in the outfield and at first base.

The fans have embraced the ballclub and the new ballpark, a public-private partnership partially funded by Hennepin County taxpayers. With that relationship and ticket prices that only a few years ago were seen at Vikings games—not at Twins games—the Twins’ bosses owe the public and themselves a thorough offseason evaluation of the business.

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