Derrick Harvey, defensive end from Florida, is a name frequently speculated on as the Vikings’ first round pick in the NFL’s college draft on April 26. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks Harvey as the 11th best player on its top 32 prospects list. Louisville’s Brian Brohm, No. 29, and Michigan’s Chad Henne, No. 30, are two quarterbacks the Vikings might be hoping are still on the draft board when they pick at No. 47 on the second round. Arkansas running back Darren McFadden is rated No. 1 by Scouts Inc. (see the Draft Central page at www.espn.com).
The Vikings’ signing yesterday of free agent quarterback Gus Frerotte presumably means that if the team takes a quarterback in the draft, that player competes with Brooks Bollinger for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. Frerotte, 36, is a 14-year NFL veteran seen as the No. 2 QB and mentor to Tarvaris Jackson who starts his third season with the team this summer. Frerotte played in the 1996 Pro Bowl but has only started 82 career games including three last season for St. Louis.
Vikings vice president of sales and marketing Steve LaCroix reported via e-mail last week that season ticket renewals are over 80 percent.
Former Twin Torii Hunter, now with the Angels, leads the American League in home runs with four.
The Frozen Four starts tomorrow night (Thursday) in Denver (ESPN2) with Boston College playing North Dakota, followed by Michigan and Notre Dame. This is the third consecutive year the tournament has no Minnesota schools. There are, however, Minnesotans to watch including four players with North Dakota, T.J. Oshie (Warroad), Chris VandeVelde (Moorhead), Michael Forney (Thief River Falls) and Landon Snider (Brainerd).
Carl Sneep (Brainerd) and Joe Adams (Breck School) play for Boston College. Notre Dame’s roster includes Ryan Guentzel (Hill Murray), Garrett Regan (Hill Murray) and Mark Van Guilder (Roseville Area High School).
Minnesotans have no home town ties to the three finalists for the 2008 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, honoring college hockey’s top player, but some may be pulling for Nathan Gerbe, junior forward from Boston College. The 5-foot-5, 165-pound Gerbe is one of the smallest players in college hockey but he’s frustrated defenses with his high-energy play, producing 30 goals and 30 assists in 41 games to rank second in the nation in scoring. Gerbe played against the Gophers in the NCAA playoffs. The other Hobey Baker finalists are Ryan Jones, senior forward from Miami University, and Kevin Porter, senior forward from Michigan. This award winner will be announced Friday from Denver and aired live on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. Minneapolis time.
St. Thomas will win a record sixth consecutive MIAC baseball championship if a preseason conference coaches’ poll released earlier this month is correct. Coach Dennis Denning’s team includes eight returning starters, plus six of the top eight pitchers. Among the standouts is catcher Matt Pexa, a preseason All-American. Here’s the coaches’ predicted order of finish: 1. St. Thomas 2. St. Olaf 3. Saint John’s 4. Gustavus 5. Hamline 6. Augsburg 7. Concordia 8. Bethel 9. Macalester 10. Saint Mary’s 11. Carleton.
The Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation is hosting an online vote for fans to select a local non-profit organization to receive the foundation’s monthly grant of $10,000. Fans can log on to www.timberwolves.com through Monday, April 14 and cast their vote for one of five pre-selected charities: Bolder Options, Children’s Home Society and Family Services, PEACE Foundation, People Serving People, and YouthCARE. More information about each organization can be found online at www.timberwolves.com.