David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Sonny Gray Could Be in Last All-Star Game for Twins

Posted on July 11, 2023 by David Shama

Sonny Gray’s spot on the 2023 American League All-Star team prompts a question about his future with the Twins?

Gray, 4-3 this season with one of the better ERAs of any MLB starter, is an All-Star for the third time in his career but if he sees action in tonight’s All-Star Game in Seattle it will be a first for him. He was also an All-Star in 2015 (with the Athletics) and 2019 (with the Reds). An unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season, this could be Gray’s last All-Star Game representing Minnesota.

At age 33 Gray is the third highest paid Twin in base salary, earning $12.7 million, per Spotrac.com. In the offseason Gray is likely to be looking for a multi-year deal approaching $20 million per year or more. The man nicknamed “Pickles” (reportedly for his fondness for the popular condiment) should be searching for the richest and most secure contract of his career and one that could take him to retirement.

The Twins have benefited from Gray’s often dominant pitching but seem unlikely to offer the best deal to keep the right hander in Minneapolis. Twins’ front office boss Derek Falvey could be willing to extend a one- or two-year deal, and significant raise, but three years at big money seems like a Twins deal breaker for an aging arm. But don’t bet against teams less budget conscious than Minnesota offering Gray a contract he can’t turn down (even if it’s for two years at bigger money than the Twins offer).

Fans may speculate if Gray will be dumped before the MLB trading deadline August 1, but that seems very unlikely. The Twins are a contender to win the AL Central and advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. A mediocre team playing in a soft division, the Twins would turn off their fan base and media big time if they traded away their best pitcher in the next couple weeks.

Gray has been a major contributor to the Twins having the third best team ERA in baseball. He is a thinker on the mound, capable of delivering a variety of pitches and being effective against right and left-handed batters. In today’s power prioritized baseball, he has given up only three home runs, while striking out 101 batters in 99.2 innings.

Glen Taylor Reserved about NBA In-Season Tournament

This fall the NBA In-Season Tournament debuts involving all 30 league teams. The tournament starts November 3 and ends with the semifinals on December 7 and championship game December 9 in Las Vegas. All games, except for the championship, count as part of the regular season results and standings. Teams will continue to have 82-game regular season schedules, with the playoffs to follow as in the past.

There is more detail than that involved, and fans may find it all confusing. “Well, it’s something they want to try,” Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners. “I am not as enthused about it as the league is. I think it’s going to be kind of complicated.”

Taylor said the league has been talking about the tournament for six years. It’s a potential revenue generator for the NBA, and something that will bring more attention to the league during football season.

Taylor believes the NBA is committed to the tournament and growing its popularity for years to come. There will be a learning curve about not only how it works but why it’s happening early in the season. “…I think it’s confusing to understand, what is the importance of it,” Taylor said.

Many of the NBA’s best players are committed to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup including Wolves star guard Anthony Edwards who is on the U.S. team. While Wolves fans mostly cheer Edwards’ participation, there are concerns about center Rudy Gobert playing for his native France in the tournament that starts August 25 and runs through September 10 (close to the start of Minnesota’s training camp).

Gobert, 31, played for his national team last summer in EuroBasket 2022 and at times seemed lethargic during the NBA season. He had a lingering back issue in the playoffs last April and the hope from Wolves fans and probably the front office was the 7-1, 258-pound defensive specialist, who reportedly earns $41 million in base salary next season, would not put extra stress on his body by playing in the FIBA tournament.

Taylor considers the decision by NBA players to participate in the FIBA Basketball World Cup as something best left to each individual. He recognizes the national pride involved for many players and takes a supportive approach to Gobert’s decision making.

The Wolves’ 82-year-old owner is upbeat about the recent NBA Draft where his team didn’t have a first-round pick but managed to select two players in the second round that management is optimistic about in forward Leonard Miller and guard Jaylen Clarke. Miller and Clarke were two of four players on basketball boss Tim Connelly’s wish list right from the “very beginning” as the Wolves prepared for the June draft, Taylor said.

Taylor is also encouraged by the performance of his other team, the WNBA Lynx. The team started slow losing eight of the first 10 games. “Those first few games, they played like they were going to tank,” Taylor said chuckling. ”There was no intention (to do that for better draft position). They just couldn’t hit a shot no matter what.”

But the Lynx, 9-10 on the season, have been playing winning basketball since early June and won five of their last six games. One reason for the success is that often the defense has been dominating, “doing everything right,” Taylor said.

The Lynx, who have started two rookies in Dorka Juhász and Diamond Miller, are a possibility for the playoffs but are not in the class of the league’s elite teams. “We still are building,” Taylor said.

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Gophers-Badgers Football Recruiting Rivalry Heats Up

Posted on July 9, 2023July 9, 2023 by David Shama

Two coveted high school offensive linemen have changed the recruiting storyline between the Gophers and Badgers. Minnesota’s recruiting class of 2024 has a verbal commitment from Nathan Roy of Mukwonago, Wisconsin, while Irondale High School’s Emerson Mandell has announced he will play for the Badgers.

For the Gophers and Badgers, trading off the No. 1 ranked recruits in their states is uncommon for sure. 247Sports has Roy as No. 1 in the state of Wisconsin in both its composite recruiting rankings and its own rankings. 247 has Mandell No. 3 in Minnesota in its rankings but No. 1 in the composite.

Although the Gophers have commitments from Roy and two other offensive linemen, they wanted Mandell who announced for Wisconsin a few days ago. The Badgers aren’t used to having the top players in Wisconsin say no to them and receiving a commitment from Mandell is something to crow about even though Roy is the more hyped prospect.

New Badgers coach Luke Fickell and his staff have seen their 2024 recruiting raise eyebrows so far. The 247Sports ranking of the state’s top five players show three commitments to Penn State, with one each to Minnesota and UCLA.

For about 30 years the Badgers have pretty much kept the state’s best players at home, but this year has been different with the program holding only two commitments so far among the 247Sports top 10 Wisconsin natives. The change in coaching staff may have had an impact, with relationships in the state starting over at Wisconsin high schools. Another change is the Badgers are abandoning their old-school meat grinder offense for an Air Raid attack.

Maybe this year is just a fluke for Badger recruiting in the state. Roy reportedly considered the Badgers, but he is relatively new to the state having lived elsewhere growing up. The Gophers, including respected offensive line coach Brian Callahan, capitalized on the opportunity to get Roy who 247 ranks as the No. 9 offensive line prospect nationally for the class of 2024. Mandell is No. 24.

The Gophers and Callahan have recent successes to pitch at recruits. John Michael Schmitz, a 2022 All-American center, was drafted in the second round by the Giants in last April’s NFL Draft. Daniel Faalele, a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2022, was the first Gopher offensive lineman to be drafted since 2006 when both Greg Eslinger and Mark Setterstrom were selected.

The pledge by Mandell to become a Badger is the third time in the last five classes that Wisconsin has taken the No. 1 player in Minnesota (offensive lineman Riley Mahlman from Lakeville South in 2021, linebacker Kaden Johnson of Minnehaha Academy in 2020). The Gophers haven’t secured the No. 1 player out of Wisconsin in maybe forever. In 2013 tight end Gaelin Elmore, the No. 6 player in Wisconsin per 247, joined the Gophers and had a successful career but usually Minnesota doesn’t even come close to a Roy or even an Elmore.

The Gophers have won three of their last five games against Wisconsin. More success in the rivalry could mean more recruiting “wins” in Dairyland.

Worth Noting

Stewart Mandell recently named his “they’re still playing college football team” for The Athletic. The team has players whose careers started as far back as 2016 and includes Gophers wide-receiver Chris Autman-Bell who has been in Minneapolis since 2017. “He has been at Minnesota for so long that he was part of P.J. Fleck’s first recruiting class.” Mandell wrote.

Fleck, who is taking vacation time this month, speaks July 27 at Big Ten football Media Days in Indianapolis. Watch for coverage of Media Days July 26 and 27 on the Big Ten Network.

Tom Swain (Photo credit University of Minnesota)

Tom Swain, the first academic advisor for athletics with the Gophers, turned 102 on July 4. Happy birthday, my friend.

Sports Headliners has learned that unlike the last two summers The Meadows at Mystic Lake will not host a Legends of the LPGA tournament. The Legends was founded in 2000 and is the official senior tour of the LPGA, showcasing former LPGA Tour players ages 45 and older. LPGA and World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster won the first two tournaments at The Meadows in Prior Lake.

“We really enjoyed hosting the LPGA Legends golf tournament in 2021 and 2022. We decided to pause on hosting any professional tournaments this year but are pursuing potential LPGA opportunities for next year.” Mike Luckcraft, director of The Meadows at Mystic Lake, said in a statement to Sports Headliners.

There are many circle the date prep football games this fall and one is October 18 when Rogers plays at Mankato West. The past two seasons, Rogers has lost to West in the state Class 5A semifinals.

It was only six years ago that Miguel Sano, now 30 and out of baseball, represented the Twins in the MLB All-Star Game. In 2017 he hit .264 with 28 home runs and 77 RBI. Last season in 60 at bats with Minnesota his numbers were .083, 1 HR and 3 RBI.

It’s getting to the point where baseball fans may want to tell their grandchildren they saw Shohei Ohtaini. His Angels will be at Target Field once this season, playing a three-game series against the Twins September 22, 23 and 24. Ohtani’s pitching and designated hitting have prompted comparisons with the great Babe Ruth who not only was a fabled slugger but spent part of his career on the mound.

Twins radio voice Cory Provus said on Friday night’s broadcast that Brandon Hyde, the Orioles manager, was a finalist for the Twins’ managerial job in 2018 before Rocco Baldelli was hired. The Orioles play for a three-game sweep of the Twins today at Target Field.

Long time Twins fans will remember the name Johnny Sain who after his post-pitching career was a MLB pitching coach for multiple teams including the Twins. He was outspoken but is regarded as one of the better pitching coaches of all time. Among his students was Hall of Famer Jim Kaat who learned from Sain with the Twins in 1965 and 1966 (won 25 games) and with the White Sox 1974 and 1975 (21 and 20 wins).

“We just were a good fit,” Kaat told Sports Headliners. “He wasn’t a power pitcher during his career, but he really taught me a lot about pitching. Changing speeds, about control, learning to control your fast ball. He meant a lot to me. He’s the one that when the Twins did let me go he sort of suggested I make a change with my motion and all of a sudden that became very effective and I had a couple 20 game seasons doing that.”

Comments Welcome

Fun Tales Include Confusion over North and South Dakota

Posted on June 27, 2023July 13, 2023 by David Shama

I can confirm I’ve never heard so much complaining from friends and readers about the Twins. Maybe the state of the Twins has you down, or perhaps the grass is two feet high, and the lawn mower won’t start, or your first born was snatched off the deck last night by a swarm of giant mosquitoes.

Whatever, I get it. You’ve got the summertime blues.

But try looking at things this way: the sky is falling but at least we won’t have to deal with smoky skies the rest of the summer.

Speaking of weather, there once was a novice TV weather lady who upon arriving in this market got North Dakota and South Dakota mixed up. Couldn’t get them right on the air. I swear to Belinda Jensen, Chris Shaffer and Ken Barlow it’s true.

Day brighteners or memories to cheer us up? For starters, I can call a friend whose voice mail message (borrowed from the late Dark Star) always prompts a chuckle:

“If it’s good news or money, leave a message.”

Memories of the late Sid Hartman are amusing. On his Sunday radio show Sid was once relating information about an athlete with a knee issue. Sir Sidney described the problem as an injured “Khrushchev.”

I miss attending news conferences with Sid. One time he nudged me and asked that I open a bag of potato chips for him.

The Lord only knows how Sid is doing in heaven. I wonder if he beckons people as he did here on earth by yelling, “Hey genius.”

Maybe you have young children or grandchildren who can spark your spirits. My five-year-old granddaughter has inquired a couple times whether I know her grandmother, my ex-wife. “Do you know Gaga?” she asks.

Her father, my youngest son, had a classic observation when he was five or six that amuses me to this day. I worked at a place he heard me complain about. One day he was in the car when we drove by the office building where I was employed.

“Dad, look there’s the place that gives you nightmares,” he said.

Summer is picnic weather and I sometimes think about my mother who hated to waste food (and never desserts). One day we packed a picnic lunch in the trunk near the outboard motor. Arriving at our destination we saw gasoline had spilled out from the motor—some of it near the chocolate cake and other food. Yup, we ate around the smelly parts of the cake and threw the rest out.

Death by chocolate. Almost.

Only a new body and brain can save my golf game. I could probably exhaust disk space in my computer with all the tips I’ve acquired through the years. I am still a hacker, but I can write a book about how you can break 90.

Tennis? I haven’t played in years. My Achilles is suspect, my foot hurts and my wife would waive her finger in scorn if I took to the court. Bottom line? I just might do it sometime between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Watch for headlines on TMZ.

So even if you’re in a summer funk, smile, darn it. Harvey Mackay wrote in his syndicated column earlier this month that smiling makes you happier, reduces stress, helps you live longer and can even help with work promotions. “The world always looks brighter from behind a smile,” Mackay wrote.

Mackay is a close friend of former Gophers and Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz who is known to many for his wit as well as his coaching. The following is a favorite Holtzism:

Don’t tell your troubles to others because 80 percent of people are glad you have them, and the other 20 percent don’t care.

Baseball fans should watch the new Yogi Berra documentary on Netflix or other platforms. The former Yankee Hall of Fame catcher had so many quirky malapropisms they could fill this column. A few favorite Berra quotes courtesy of a December 2021 MLB.com story:

“Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”

“I always thought that record would stand until it was broken.”

“I really didn’t say everything I said.”

About a St. Louis restaurant: “No one goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

“Never answer an anonymous letter.”

“It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.”

Seems like baseball has some of the best stories. Dave Mona remembers being a reporter for the Minneapolis Tribune when he decided to name all-Polish and all-Italian teams. Twins manager Billy Martin, a proud Italian, offered his assistance. He got stuck, though, finding a catcher.

Then Martin came up with Roy Campanella, the great African American catcher. While others protested Campy’s eligibility, Martin snapped, “His name ends with a vowel. He’s Italian. What else do you need?”

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