Nick Blackburn, who was the winning pitcher for the Twins last night against Tampa Bay, has gone seven innings in his last two outings and allowed just three extra base hits.  He’s 2-1 on the season.

Twins third baseman Joe Crede has hit safely in six straight games, batting .292 (7-for-24) with two home runs, five runs scored and three RBI.

Minnesota tennis legend David Wheaton will marry Brodie Hackney on June 20.  The two have known each other since they were grade schoolers in suburban Minneapolis.  Wheaton, who will also celebrate his 40^th birthday in June, is recovering from a shoulder strain but plans to play in the Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Invitational Doubles June 30-July 5 in London.

It won’t be surprising if former Timberwolves player and ex-Toronto coach Sam Mitchell is a candidate for the vacant Wolves coaching job.

The Wolves will learn on May 19 where they will be positioned in selection order for the June NBA draft.  Results of the NBA draft lottery will be announced at halftime of a televised playoff game. The Wolves have a 7.6% chance of receiving the top overall pick and a 25.5% chance of being among the top three selections.

Hot Rod Hundley, who started his NBA career playing for the Minneapolis Lakers, is retiring as the Utah Jazz radio broadcaster.  He’s been broadcasting Jazz games since the organization was an expansion franchise in New Orleans.

The Thunder opens its USL home schedule on Saturday night at the National Sports Center in Blaine against Vancouver.  New this year is a large beer garden, 64 feet wide by 96 feet long, adjacent to the field.  More at https://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2009/04/27/thunder-home-opener-at-nsc-will-unveil-new-beer-garden-called-thunder-lounge/.

Lynx star Nicky Anosike will be one of three players featured in a WNBA mini box set of trading cards provided by Rittenhouse Archives.  For the first time, WNBA mini box sets will be available featuring limited-edition autograph cards from the Los Angeles Sparks’ Candace Parker, the Washington Mystics’ Matee Ajavon and Anosike. Beginning June 6 the cards will be available at leading hobby shops and the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue in New York.  The cards retail at $99 per box.

Concordia College senior catcher Kyle Johnson, from Cambridge, Minnesota, hit five home runs in six games recently and is the MIAC Baseball Player of the Week. Johnson batted .563 last week and had an eye-opening 1.500 slugging percentage.  He also had 11 RBI.

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Rick Spielman, the Vikings vice president of player personnel, was asked last week what position is the most difficult to predict success for in the NFL draft.  He didn’t hesitate to reply “quarterback.”

“Just in general, you look at the history of number one quarterbacks from whenever, that’s the biggest bust area in the first round,” he said. “I can’t tell you what the percentage is, but do you think a guy is 50-50, maybe? …That’s the one position where not only skill is involved, but the mental part of the game is involved, the quick-reaction part of the game is involved, the character and leadership part of the game is involved. …There are so many things that go into that position besides just physical ability, that’s where a majority of the busts are going to come.”

Three quarterbacks were taken on the first round of Saturday’s NFL draft, including Matthew Stafford, first overall to Detroit.  The others were Mark Sanchez, No. 5 to the New York Jets, and Josh Freeman, No. 17 to Tampa Bay.

The Lions have drafted six quarterbacks in the first round since 1961: John Hadl, 1962; Pete Beathard, 1964; Greg Landry, 1968; Chuck Long, 1986; Andre Ware, 1990; and Joey Harrington, 2002.  Hadl and Beathard never played for the Lions, going to the AFL.  Landry was competent and even played in the Pro Bowl.  Long, Ware and Harrington were disappointments.

The Vikings, who began as an expansion franchise in 1961, have drafted two quarterbacks on the first round, Tommy Kramer in 1977 and Daunte Culpepper in 1999.  Both were major contributors here, although the franchise’s consensus all-time quarterback, Fran Tarkenton, was a third round choice.

Perhaps the pitiful Lions franchise, 0-16 in 2008 and last NFL title in 1957, will have success with Stafford, an intriguing prospect from Georgia.  If nothing else, luck should be on their side.

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Spielman predicted the Vikings can have “one of the most explosive offenses” in the NFL with first round pick Percy Harvin, the fast wide receiver from Florida drafted 22^nd overall on Saturday.  Spielman is delighted with the choice, describing Harvin as a “top 10” pick who slipped lower despite his game breaking potential as a receiver, runner and punt-kickoff returner.

Spielman said the Vikings’ opportunity to take Harvin was “almost” like their luck in finding Adrian Peterson still available with the seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft.  Harvin is expected to provide a second deep receiving threat along with Bernard Berrian, improved punt or kickoff returns (perhaps both), and occasionally a touchdown making runner out of the backfield along with Peterson.

Character questions apparently discouraged teams from selecting Harvin earlier but coach Brad Childress sees someone who made mistakes but is a good person. Spielman suggested locker room leadership will set an example for Harvin, too.  Interestingly, though, the Vikings will be missing three of their better internal guys in 2009 that have left the team, quarterback Gus Frerotte, center Matt Birk and safety Darren Sharper.

The Harvin choice is popular with Vikings fans but it didn’t stop some from booing Childress when he came on stage at the Vikings draft party Saturday night to be interviewed by KFAN Radio.

Vikings director of college scouting Scott Studwell asked in fun if since his LASIK surgery he can identify prospects better:  “No.”

A weak pre-draft prediction on the Vikings’ choice at No. 22 on the first round was Peter King of Sports Illustrated projecting California center Alex Mack coming here.  The Vikings drafted Notre Dame’s John Sullivan last year as a possible replacement for  Birk, plus right tackle Ryan Cook can play center, too.  The Vikings went into the draft with bigger needs (right tackle, wide receiver and cornerback to name three).

The Twins have moved up from No. 25 to No. 22 in the 2009 Forbes.com valuations of major league baseball teams.  The Twins were valued at $328 million last year but now are at $356 million.  Their nine percent increase in value since last year is exceeded by only the New York Yankees, New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays.

The new Target Field ballpark, opening in 2010, is a major stimulus to the increase in value.  Forbes.com reported that the 30 major league teams are valued at $14.475 billion, an increase of 2.18 percent over last year, but the averages are skewed by the increases caused by new ballparks for the Yankees and Mets.  More at https://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3192:inside-the-2009-forbes-mlb-franchise-valuations&catid=26:editorials&Itemid=39

The Twins may face a dilemma with designated hitter Jason Kubel who leads the team in RBI with 15 and is hitting .328.  Kubel’s hitting might be even better if he played in left field, perhaps feeling more focused and into the game rather than sitting on the bench waiting to DH.  Problem is Delmon Young, hitting .255, can only play left field, too.

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