New general manager Bill Smith, who has been a Ryan assistant for years and with the Twins organization since 1986, is a graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York where he majored in French. In 1980 Smith was one of the first participants in major league baseball’s development program for executives. The 49-year-old Smith and wife Becky have three daughters, including twins Allison and Amy.
Michael Cuddyer talking about next year’s Twins: “I don’t know what the plan is but I am optimistic because this organization takes a lot of pride in finding players and developing players. Whether it be going out and getting trades…or promoting within, they’ve done a great job the last decade (and) since I’ve been here. I’ve got no doubt it’s going to continue to go in that direction even with Mr. Smith taking charge.”
After being swept by Detroit over the weekend, the Twins have now lost seven straight games in the Metrodome and been out scored 40-17.
Twins relief pitcher Pat Neshek has a 6:23 ERA in his last 25 appearances.
John Bell Wilson, longtime Gopher basketball booster and manager, called to report that player agent Bill Duffy and NBA clients including Yao Ming and Steve Nash were in China where their fundraising had produced over $2 million for Chinese orphans. Duffy played basketball for the Gophers and was a teammate of Kevin McHale, now Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations.
Greg Oden’s right knee injury will sideline him for perhaps 12 months and is an opportunity for former Gopher Joel Przybilla to become the starting center with the Portland Trail Blazers. Wilson, a financial advisor downtown for UBS, knows Przybilla and said the 27-year-old Monticello native who has struggled with knee injuries is now healthy.
Lindsay Risebrough, daughter of Minnesota Wild general manager Doug Risebrough, is a senior on the Gopher tennis team playing singles and doubles. The Gophers opened their season last weekend. She played No. 1 singles in high school for Edina.
The Wild sold out three of their games within 10 minutes of tickets going on sale last Saturday. The sellouts are: Chicago on October 4, Pittsburgh October 30 and Anaheim January 18.
Gopher single game men’s hockey tickets went on sale Saturday. Information about both general admission standing room and reserved seats is available by calling 612-624-8080, or 1-800-U-GOPHER.
The North American Hockey League’s annual Showcase Tournament is scheduled Wednesday through Saturday at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine. The event will feature 18 Junior “A” NAHL teams, each playing one game a day for four days. Participants are 20 and under, and the tourney is popular with NCAA and NHL scouts. Both daily tickets and tournament passes are available to the public at the door.