Joe Mauer’s athleticism and desire to win are highlighted in a cover story about the Twins catcher in the April 26 issue of Sporting News Magazine.  Mauer said “I’d like to think so,” when asked if he could have been a starting NFL quarterback had he chosen a football career.  Mauer said there’s nothing better than if the Twins can qualify for the World Series.

In the magazine’s same issue, new Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery identifies Minnesota as part of his recruiting target, noting the state’s many college prospects and that the Gophers are the only Division I program in the state.

With Delmon Young hitting .245 and Jason Kubel batting .169, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire might be tempted to give more at bats to 39-year-old designated hitting specialist Jim Thome who has three home runs in 34 plate appearances.

Former Twin Carlos Silva is 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA for the Cubs.  He has a career ERA of 4.66.

Bloomington native Cole Aldrich, who played college basketball at Kansas, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before yesterday’s Twins-Royals game in Kansas City.  John Bell Wilson, who talks regularly with former NBA coach Bill Fitch, said Fitch believes the 6-11 center will be among the first 12 selections in the June NBA draft.

Aldrich’s agent is Jeff Schwartz, the same representative used by Kevin Love of the Timberwolves.

Gene Allen will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Wednesday and be inducted into the CHRISTian Sports Commission Hall of Fame prior to the Gophers-North Dakota State baseball game at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo.  Allen, a North Dakota native and Twin Cities attorney, was the founder and co-owner of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.  He led the drive to bring minor league baseball back to Fargo and build Newman Outdoor Field, home to the RedHawks, North Dakota State and the Maury Wills Museum.

Canterbury Park doesn’t open for live racing until May 14 but the Shakopee racetrack will be a popular site to watch Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.  Post time is 5:24 p.m. and the race will be televised by NBC.

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The Vikings might not take a quarterback at the No. 30 slot in the first round of the draft tonight but make no mistake the franchise is in the market for a player at the position. The team’s draft decision makers will be looking for someone to add to the quarterback roster tonight, or during rounds two through seven this weekend, or later via free agency.

Vikings director of college scouting Scott Studwell made that clear earlier this week in an interview with Sports Headliners.  The team’s short and long term outlook is uncertain at the position.  It’s not a lock that Brett Favre will return, nor can anyone be sure that backups Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels can perform at a high level for the team this season and beyond.

After Sam Bradford is drafted early in round one, several other quarterbacks are expected to hear their names called during the next three days including Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow, Tony Pike and Dan Lefevour.  “It’s a decent class of quarterbacks,” Studwell said.  “There are some good players at the top.  I think a lot of the quarterbacks will make (NFL) teams. …If there’s a guy there that we covet and that we think is going to be a potential starter, or good backup for us, we’ll certainly have to talk about taking him.”

What are the criteria in scouting quarterbacks?  Studwell said it’s more than vision, a strong arm and accuracy throwing a football.  He mentioned character, leadership and winning while playing college football.

“The physical part of it is easy to measure on (video)tape,” Studwell said. “It’s the other stuff that’s hard to measure, but sometimes that other stuff is what makes those guys great players.”

Studwell was asked about the likelihood of the Vikings taking a quarterback during the first three rounds.  “I don’t know, to be honest with you,” he said.  “There are quarterbacks that we like and a lot of it will depend on what happens with the other positions.”

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The NFL’s new format of spreading the draft over two nights and one day probably isn’t that popular with league teams.  “I don’t like all the dead time in between when you start picking players,” Studwell said.  “I think it’s a waste of time.”

Vikings coach Brad Childress said decision makers may “over think” with so much time.

Childress was asked if Florida’s Tebow could play for an NFL team as an H-back: “Yeah, he’s athletic enough to be able to do that, and he’s a big enough body to be able to do that. …”

Childress talking about Tebow being a winner at Florida (two national championships): “It’s one of the most important things.  Damn how rough the sea, did you bring the ship in?  There’s a lot of different ways to win. … He’s willed a lot of teams to wins, whether it was through him handing it to somebody or throwing it to somebody, running it. There’s a lot of different ways that guy has beaten people.”

In his first round mock draft, Sports Illustrated writer Peter King has the Vikings taking Tebow (as a quarterback). https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/04/21/mock.draft/1.html

Cornerback was probably the Vikings most immediate need in the draft until the club signed free agent veteran Lito Sheppard yesterday but the team could use help in other defensive positions, too, including safety and linebacker, and still might choose a college cornerback.  Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman is upbeat about the defensive prospects available in various positions. “…I think it’s a strong defensive draft,” he said.

Spielman likes the defensive tackle prospects and said there’s depth among safeties and cornerbacks.  With over 50 college juniors declaring early for the draft, many of them defensive players, that’s “added depth to the defensive side of the draft this year,” according to Spielman.

Spielman has to be a busy guy not only at the office, but at home.  He and wife Michele have six adopted children.

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has received attention regarding an incident at an Arizona bar where he reportedly threatened to break a man’s neck.  https://www.tmz.com/2010/04/19/jared-allen-video-bar-fight-nfl-minnesota-vikings-scottsdale-arizona/

Childress said he talked to Allen about the incident earlier this week. “I actually spoke to Jared about that last night (Monday),” Childress said.  “That (video) is from back in March, if I’m not mistaken. I don’t think he’s happy with his language but I don’t think he was happy with what was said to his fiancée either.”

Former University of Minnesota offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, now coaching with the NFL’s Seahawks, has an edge in providing draft information on Gophers eligible for the draft including wide receiver Eric Decker and cornerback Marcus Sherels.

A “sleeper” pick in the NFL draft tomorrow night or Saturday could be Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka.

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