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.