Based on their aggressive player acquisition moves in recent seasons and willingness to sign Joe Mauer to a $184 million contract, look for the Twins front office to improve the team during the off-season.

The Twins have two choices before next season begins.   Management can make a few minor adjustments to the roster and probably win another Central Division title.  Or option two is to face the reality that without a major personnel move or two there’s not much possibility of the team advancing to the World Series after winning the division.

In the post-Carl Pohlad era the Twins are likely not satisfied with just packing the home ballpark and being Central Division champs.  The club is receiving criticism following another winless post-season when the team looked overmatched in ability and emotion.

Acquiring right handed pitcher Fausto Carmona from the lifeless Cleveland franchise would be a good start for the Twins.  Carmona, 6-4, 230, is only 27 and might develop into a strong starter for the Twins.

The Twins have to be searching for pitchers who can do more than pitch to contact.  They need a few overpowering arms capable of occasionally silencing the bats of the Yankees and the other best teams in the American League.

Carmona, although an innings eater and a pitcher who might be available, isn’t a strikeout starter but there’s a “hometown boy” out there who is intriguing.  Josh Johnson was born in Minneapolis, became a major league prospect in Oklahoma, and has been a power pitcher for Florida.  The Marlins right-hander, 26, had an extraordinary season in 2010 with an 11-6 record, 2.30 ERA and 186 strikeouts in 183.2 innings.

Kansas City’s Zach Greinke, a 27-year-old right-hander, could really perk things up around here, too.  He struck out 242 batters in 229.1 innings in 2009.  The Royals need to find ways to improve their ball club a lot and might listen to the right deal.

The Minnesota roster needs a few bats that won’t whimper in the playoffs, too.  It seems like bringing 41-year-old Jim Thome back is a mandate because of his power and experience.  If Justin Morneau doesn’t play next season because of his concussion, a Thome return is even more vital.

It will be an interesting off-season in the Twins front office when things “heat up” this winter.

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The University regents will not be involved in selecting the next Gophers football coach.  “That’s not our job,” said regent Dean Johnson.

NBC will televise Sunday night’s Vikings at Green Bay game and KARE 11 president John Remes believes interest in the game will be similar to last year’s impressive TV numbers when the two teams met in an October game.  He emailed Sports Headliners that last year’s household rating was 58.3, meaning 58.3 percent of this market’s 1,732,000 homes were tuned in.  That translates to 1,009,756 actual homes.  He predicts a 44.6 rating on Sunday’s telecast for people 18 or older…1,477,000 viewers.

The Vikings defense has allowed 83 first downs in five games, the least in the NFL.

Wide receiver Randy Moss is ninth in career NFL receptions with 944 after catching five passes last Sunday in the win over Dallas.

Vikings “escape specialist” Percy Harvin and Josh Cribbs of Cleveland are the only players in the league to return three kickoffs for touchdowns in their careers.  Harvin set a Vikings record for the longest return last Sunday, 95 yards.

Vikings third year reserve running back Albert Young had hoped to be playing more this season.  He’s frustrated with participating in two of five games, having three carries for two yards.  “You do what you can do,” he said.

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton is involved with 3D Sports Technology, an innovative developer of animation and software tools that help with instruction and understanding for participants, coaches and fans.  https://www.f5-sim.com/commerce/inthenews/inthenews.asp?id_passed=239

Gopher senior goalie Alex Kangas is third in school career saves with 2,674.  Kellen Briggs (2,968 saves) and Adam Hauser (3,777 saves) are the only players ahead of Kangas.

After a 5-2 impressive start in pre-season, predictions have the Timberwolves winning six to 12 games more than last season (15-67 record).  Forward Kevin Love may prove worthy of NBA All-Star game consideration.

Minnesota State High School League executive director Dave Stead will be the speaker at the C.O.R.E.S. luncheon on Thursday, November 11 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington.  C.O.R.E.S. organization members can make reservations by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.  (C.O.R.E.S. is an abbreviation for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans).

Brainerd’s Ron Stolski and Verndale’s Mike Mahlen, the two state prep football coaches with the most all-time career wins at 327, both won games on Wednesday night.  Brainerd is 8-0 while Verndale’s record is  2-6.

Former KSTP TV sports anchor Rod Simons is hosting a new show debuting Sunday on Fox 9 at 10:30 a.m.  Game On! will offer fans interviews and an in-depth look at the Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, Twins and Golden Gophers, plus an MIAC  segment each week.

A Homecoming crowd approaching 7,000 is possible at UST’s O’Shaughnessy Stadium tomorrow.  No. 4-ranked St. Thomas (7-0 overall, 5-0 MIAC) and No. 20-ranked Bethel (6-0, 4-0) will meet in a much anticipated game with kickoff at 1 p.m.  With a win Bethel can move closer to its fifth MIAC title in 11 seasons, while UST is trying to open a season 8-0 for the first time since 1956.  Bethel has 20 rushing  touchdowns and allowed just one.  UST has impressive offensive balance in touchdowns (20 rushing, 21 passing) and yards per game (215 rushing, 217 passing).  There will be a video web cast at www.mnsportsnetwork.com.

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The names will come fast and furious now in the search for a new Gophers football coach.  Head coaches and coordinators with jobs, and ex-coaches without jobs will pursue the position.

Agents for coaches will call the University Athletic Department.  Former players, fans and influential donors will be touting the names of coaches they think should be considered.

And why not?  Despite 40 years of fleeting triumph mixed with mediocrity and embarrassment, the head football coaching job at the University is a darn attractive position.

Minnesota is an admired land grant school with membership in the prestigious Big Ten Conference.  The campus is located in one of America’s most attractive urban areas.  The two-year-old stadium is stunning not only for its amenities but in comparison to the relics from the 1920s that so many college teams call home.

There’s no other major college football program in the state to battle for high school recruits, and the recruiting base isn’t nearly as bad as the naysayers have argued for years.  That feeder system is certainly competitive, if not better than found in Iowa and Wisconsin where prep players from those states have made major contributions over the years to top 20 teams for the Hawkeyes and Badgers.  (See prep film on the likes of Minnesotans Steve Walsh, Joe Mauer, Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, James Laurinaitis, David Gilreath, Karl Klug, Broderick Binns, Seantrel Henderson and others).

And if all that’s not enough, the Gophers job has the potential to pay damn well. Basketball coach Tubby Smith makes about $2 million.  The football job has the potential to pay a lot more with a stadium that can be expanded to 80,000 seats.  In a major market like this fees from TV and radio shows, and other sources of outside income such as camps, have high buck potential.  Plus, corporate leaders will kick in major dollars to keep the right man happy.

Who is the right guy?  Before answering that question go read Monday’s Sports Headliners if you haven’t already done so.  Click on the archives to find the October 18 column that describes the criteria for making the correct hire.

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