Maturi will be in New York on Thursday where he is one of four nominees for Athletic Director of the Year, determined by a selection committee from SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily. The other nominees are Sandy Barbour (California), Joe Castiglione (Oklahoma) and Jeremy Foley (Florida).  Maturi’s profile has been enhanced by the realization of TCF Bank Stadium, the hiring of basketball coach Tubby Smith and the Gophers current No. 2 Director’s Cup ranking that measures total sports success of programs across the country.

A source reported to Sports Headliners that Minneapolis Community and Technical College has decided to eliminate its men’s and women’s basketball programs (the only two sports offered at the downtown school) effective after next season.  A permanent decision to eliminate the programs would leave the metro area with only one community college offering basketball, Anoka-Ramsey.

Basketball makes a difference in the lives of young people, both on and off the court.  In the men’s program at MCTC, two-thirds of the players since 1990 have gone on to play basketball at a four-year school, according to an e-mail from the source.  Two-thirds of those students then earn a bachelor’s degree.

New Timberwolves president David Kahn was articulate and impressive during his news conference last week.  Owner Glen Taylor expressed confidence in his new hire but also said Kahn might ultimately not be successful and could be terminated.

Taylor also said regardless of whether coach Kevin McHale remains with the franchise, he will “always have a friendship” with him.

Timberwolves TV analyst Jim Petersen told Sports Headliners last week he’s picking Denver and Cleveland in the NBA Finals, with the Cavs winning the series.

Hopkins senior Royce White was recently presented with the Mr. Basketball award in front of family and friends during an event at the Martin Luther King Center in St. Paul.  White said he plans to play on the team of former Wolves guard Troy Hudson in the Howard Pulley summer league.  Games start next month and although the league isn’t known for its defense, White said his team will be focused that way because he wants “to win.”

Best wishes to Bob Werness, former leader of the Mr. Basketball selection group, who is ill with cancer.  His wife Shirley also has cancer.

Joe Mauer homered in his third straight game for the first time in his career yesterday as the Twins lost 6-5 to Boston at the Metrodome.  He has hit 10 of his 11 home runs in his last 17 games.  This is the fifth time in club history that a player has hit 10-plus home runs in May.  Harmon Killebrew hit 12 in 1964, 11 in 1961 and 10 in 1970, while Justin Morneau had 10 in 2007.

Twins losing pitcher yesterday Francisco Liriano (2-6, 6.42 ERA) pitched only four innings for the second consecutive outing.  He has allowed five-plus earned runs five times in 10 starts.  His seven strikeouts were his second-most this season (nine on May 4 at Detroit).

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Joe Mauer’s extraordinary start this season has substantiated the enthusiasm of perhaps his biggest fan, grandfather Jake Mauer.  Whether it’s home runs or batting average, the Twins’ 26-year-old catcher is one of the most talked about players in the majors.

Last season Mauer hit nine home runs in 146 games and 536 at bats.  This year, despite not playing in his first game until May 1, he’s homered seven times in 18     games, with 68 at bats.

In his five previous big league seasons the 6-5, 225-pound Mauer hit a total of 44 home runs but his grandfather said this is a different hitter now.  “He’s lifted weights in winter time down in Florida, and he’s built up his muscles in his biceps, and his chest and his shoulders,” Jake said. “He’s really big through there now.  He’s really grown up.  He came out of that baby fat and put on muscle. …He’s strong.  I would say he’s probably 40 percent stronger than last year. I mean it and that’s a big up, I will tell you that.”

Most of the home runs have been hit by the left handed Mauer to left field.  Pitchers have been throwing sinkers toward the outside of the plate and Mauer sends some of those balls over the fence.  Now, according to Jake, he’s been pitched inside more and the likelihood of home runs to right field is next.

Jake predicts 20 home runs this season, 25 to 30 next year and then 30 to 35 in 2011.  He’s predicted for many years that as his grandson enters his peak years physically he will not only hit more home runs, but also bat over .400.

“I think 27, 28 is the year that he’s going to hit .400,” Jake said. “I made that statement when he first signed…(his pro baseball contract).”

Mauer is hitting .397 so far after batting .328 last season and winning his second American League batting championship.  His grandfather doesn’t rule out a .400 season in 2009 but is convinced it will happen next year in the new Minneapolis ballpark where he said the ball will carry better than inside the Metrodome.

Mauer could hit more home runs if he wanted to sacrifice his average.  “Oh, definitely, but he wants to win the batting crown,” Jake said.  “He said, ‘Grandpa, I am going to win it again.  I am going to get enough time at bat, too (to qualify).’  I said I know you are, Joe.  When you make up your mind to do it, you’ll do it.”

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Mauer missed the early weeks of the season because of inflammation in his right sacroiliac joint but Jake said health isn’t an issue now.

Jake, 79, won 12 letters as a high school athlete at Cretin in St. Paul.  He was all-state in baseball, football and basketball.  He’s been selling his racing tip sheet at Canterbury Park since 1985 and is in the race track’s hall of fame.

Twins second baseman Matt Tolbert is hitting .167 since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester.  Alexi Casillia, who Tolbert replaced, is batting .326 at Rochester.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners that relief pitcher Pat Neshek, on the disabled list this season, is expected to rejoin the club in spring training next year.  Neshek is rehabbing his right arm following ligament replacement surgery last year at the Twins complex in Fort Myers, Florida and St. Peter said there’s optimism that the late inning reliever will be a “big part” of the team’s future.

The team’s beleaguered bullpen and failure to advance runners were factors in the Twins losing four straight games to New York by a total of  five runs.  If the Twins fail to win the Central Division title by a few games, there’s no doubt the disastrous Yankees series will be a contributing factor.

The Twins, who have lost two straight to Chicago and are on a six game losing streak, have a 4-14 road record this season, the worst in major league baseball.

The Twins hope to host the All-Star game at Target Field in 2014 or 2015, according to St. Peter.

As a result of Tuesday night’s NBA draft lottery, the Wolves will choose sixth in the June NBA draft.  The Wolves have never selected higher than third and three times picked sixth.  Fans who took advantage of the Wolves’ “Pay the Pick” promotion will only pay $6 per game for the team’s 29-game NBA Sampler package, featuring one game against each of the other 29 teams.

In addition to the sixth overall pick, the Wolves also have the first round picks of Miami (18th) and Boston (28th), along with the second round picks of Philadelphia (45th) and Miami (47th).

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