The Twins’ starting foursome for the post-season has pitched a total of seven games in division playoff games. Carl Pavano has four games, with one each for Franciso Liriano, Brian Duensing and Nick Blackburn.
Pavano is the only one with experience in league division and championship games and the World Series. He had one start in each during the 2003 season with Florida.
Liriano is 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA in his last three starts. He has given up five home runs in those games.
Twins reliever Brian Fuentes, acquired in August, has an ERA of 0.88 in 30.2 innings pitched during 30 games since June 22. He has yet to allow a run with the Twins.
Although the Yankees will play here twice in the division championship series (starting Wednesday at Target Field), they won’t be back again until August 18-21 for their only regular season appearance in Minneapolis during 2011.
Justin Morneau is a clutch hitter and the Twins will miss his bat in the pressure filled- division playoff games. In 29 at bats during division playoff games Morneau has a .310 batting average with two home runs and four RBI.
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said Target Center needs about a $100 million remodeling. He said it’s important that a renovation project receive financing from the state or city. The arena, which opened in 1990, is one of the oldest in the NBA.
Tom Brokaw, the much admired television journalist and author of The Greatest Generation, was the keynote speaker Thursday evening for the Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund. The nonprofit has raised about $11 million since its inception and provided approximately 12,000 grants to soldiers and their families. https://www.thankmntroops.org/
Brokaw, who grew up in South Dakota, met Metropolitan Sports Facilities Chair Roy Terwilliger when both were students at the University of Iowa and they remain friends. Brokaw is a passionate sports fan and a boyhood hero was former Gophers All-American football player Paul Giel.
Sports Illustrated predicts the Wild will finish 14th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference. In its October 4 issue the magazine writes that the local NHL team is committed to a better start than last year’s 3-9. The publication quotes coach Todd Richards as saying the disastrous start “did us in mentally.”
It will be Washington over Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Big Ten Conference leadership will probably sell its TV rights for the annual football division championship game (starting in 2011) to the highest bidder among networks and perhaps command a deal of $20 million to $30 million.