I thought two years ago when the Twins acquired four players from the Mets  (including center fielder Carlos Gomez) for Johan Santana that pitcher Deolis Guerra might eventually have the most value to Minnesota.  Guerra, 20 years old, has moved up to Double A New Britain in the Eastern League where he’s pitched in eight games after starting the season in the Single A Florida League.  The right hander didn’t give up a hit over six innings on Friday night while striking out nine batters as the Rock Cats beat Akron.  Guerra is still learning to pitch and his season numbers include ERA’s of 4.69 at Fort Myers and 5.49 with New Britain but he’s a pitching prospect to watch.

The Twins’ Delmon Young hit his sixth home run of the season yesterday and third in his last six games.  Five of his six home runs have come against lefties.  He now has nine career home runs in August, the most of any month.

To maximize time, Gophers football coach Tim Brewster is sleeping in his office during training camp.  He will stay with that routine until the week of August 30 leading up to the opening game at Syracuse on September 5.

Syracuse has perhaps the most interesting story line in the country during early training camp.  Home town boy Greg Paulus, a former Gatorade National High School Player of the Year as a quarterback, has returned to Syracuse after a basketball career at Duke.  Paulus has one season of eligibility and didn’t even participate in spring practice.   Last week Paulus predicted it won’t take long to establish whether he’s good enough to impress new coach Doug Marrone.  https://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2009/08/paulus_firmly_in_syracuse_univ.html

Former Vikings coach Denny Green and three other coaches with NFL resumes are the head coaches in the four team United States Football League scheduled to begin play in October.  Green is coaching the California Redwoods, while former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel is in Las Vegas, Jim Haslett, the ex-New Orleans coach, will coach the Florida team and Ted Cottrell, the former Vikings defensive coordinator, is New York’s coach.  The league, which will have games televised on Versus and HDNet, begins play in October and bills itself as the place “where future stars come to play.”  https://www.ufl-football.com/home

Jim Nantz, the CBS sportscaster here to cover the PGA Championship, has many admirers in this area not only for his broadcast work but also for a touching book, “Always By My Side,” that describes his father who died from Alzheimers.  Nantz’s close friends include former president George H. W. Bush.

A pro boxing card for September 26 at Target Center will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11 a.m. on the Skyway level in the Minneapolis arena.  Boxers expected at the announcement include locals Matt Vanda and Wilton Hilario.

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The hiring of Kurt Rambis as Timberwolves coach looks like a positive for 6-foot-8 small forward Corey Brewer.  Rambis spoke about Brewer as his “stopper” earlier this week and that’s a welcome sign for the former No. 1 draft choice who played in only 15 games last season and was less than sensational his rookie year of 2007-08.

Season three is significant for Brewer who is a hyper defender, poor shooter (38 percent in two seasons) and is recovering from a knee injury that caused him to miss 67 games last season.  After 94 games as a pro, the NBA knows Brewer’s career depends on finding a role as a defender.

That sounds like a fit for Rambis.  “He can guard three positions (presumably small forward, point and shooting guard),” Rambis said earlier this week.

Rambis wants to develop a team that will be fun to watch, a group that can run the fast break.  He comes from the famed “Show Time” era of the 1980s in Los Angeles that ran the floor with artistry and execution.  Overlooked by some observers is that the Lakers wouldn’t have won world championships if not for their exceptional defense.

The Wolves’ new coach played with a lanky defensive specialist who pestered Larry Bird and other scoring whizzes.  Michael Cooper, 6-foot-5, 170 pounds, knew his assignments and played with passion on defense.  Brewer, 6-9, 188 pounds, seemingly has the physical skills and past resume with national champion Florida to spark speculation he could become an elite NBA defender.

Rambis was a defensive specialist and contributor to the Lakers’ mantra of “no rebounds, no rings” when he played.  His teaching of the running game to the Wolves and also coach Phil Jackson’s famed triangle offense may be fun to anticipate, but successful teams defend and rebound.

At his news conference on Tuesday, Rambis said the Lakers of the 1980s were so well prepared defensively, they knew the plays of the other teams and where they wanted to position themselves on the floor.  If Brewer heard that, he should have high-fived himself.

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Rambis said the Wolves’ appetite for the fast break will not be done with “reckless abandon,” and “repeating the same mistakes will not be tolerated.”

Even before Rambis was hired there was speculation the Wolves next coach will not be around for more than a couple years.  The Wolves have won only 46 of 164 games the last two years, and have just six players remaining from a roster that’s been gutted in a plan to remake the personnel next season and beyond.

Rambis admitted having a four-year contract was important to him and he’s determined to be around here when the team improves.  “ I did not want to be the individual that put in the work, that put in the time and then somebody else come in and took it to another level,” Rambis said.  “I feel like I am that coach to not only help this team develop and grow but then take it to the next level where we are winning playoff games.”

The California native said that in considering the “pros and cons” of accepting the Wolves position there was only one negative.  “The con being that I have to go out and buy some big winter coats because I have none,” he joked.

ESPN college basketball reporter Andy Katz wrote about two players with Gopher connections this week, Ralph Sampson III and Klay Thompson.  Sampson will be a sophomore with the Gophers next season while Thompson, the son of former Gopher All-American Mychal Thompson, starts his second season at Washington State. https://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=4388545

The Vikings, who open their preseason schedule tonight on Ch. 5 against the Colts in Indianapolis, must cut their 80 man roster down to 75 by September 1.  The roster needs to be finalized at 53 by September 5.  On September 6 a practice squad of eight players can be established.

Tonight’s rosters include all four NFL players who grew up in South Dakota.  The Vikings have three of the players, linebackers Chad Greenway and Ben Leber, and kicker Taylor Mehlhaff, while kicker Adam Vinatieri plays for the Colts.

The biggest Viking in camp is rookie offensive tackle Phil Loadholt, 6-8, 343.  The smallest is cornerback Antoine Winfield, 5-9, 180.

Former prison warden turned author Jim Bruton has assisted ex-Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton with his new autobiography.  A successful businessman, Tarkenton’s book is titled “Every Day is Game Day.”  Bruton told Sports Headliners that he made several trips to Georgia to interview the hall of fame quarterback.  “He was so interesting,” Bruton said.  “We spent one day down in Athens where he grew up.”

Bruton also said Tarkenton has purchased 5,000 copies of the book.  Bruton, who lives in White Bear Lake, has authored a book about the Gophers due out next month, “Gopher Glory: The Pride of the Maroon and Gold.” 

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