Maturi said it hasn’t been decided what nights of the week the Big Ten Network will air conference hockey games. A six team Big Ten hockey league that includes the Gophers will start in 2013-2014.
This week’s issue of Sports Illustrated predicts the Twins will not only win the Central Division, but also defeat the Yankees in the playoffs before losing to the Red Sox to determine the American League’s representative in the World Series.
The Twins have lost two regular season openers in a row and four of the last six. Tonight in Toronto they open against a Blue Jays team expected to be competitive like last year’s 85-77 club.
The Twins’ lineup tonight has four changes from the unit that took the field last year in Los Angeles for the season opener. Second baseman Orlando Hudson, shortstop J.J. Hardy and third baseman Nick Punto are no longer with the ballclub, while Carl Pavano replaces Scott Baker as the starting pitcher.
Pavano was the winning pitcher last season in the first ever regular season game at Target Field.
Harmon Killebrew, Kent Hrbek and Rod Carew had the most opening game starts in their Twins careers with 12 each.
Coach John Anderson’s Gophers (8-8) play Purdue (15-8) in Big Ten opening baseball games today and tomorrow at Target Field. Purdue pitcher Brad Schreiber leads the Big Ten with 38 strikeouts and is holding opponents to a batting average of .207, second best in the Big Ten.
The St. Thomas baseball program, MIAC champions 12 of the last 15 years, is the favorite again, according to a poll of conference coaches. St. Olaf and Saint John’s had the second and third most votes, followed by Concordia, Hamline, Augsburg, Bethel, Macalester, Gustavus, Saint Mary’s and Carleton. Weather permitting, the MIAC schedule is to begin tomorrow.
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been training in the 200 and 400 meters, and wants to compete in the 2012 Olympics, according to Sporting News reports in its magazine and online.
Former Gophers wrestler Brock Lesnar was on ESPN’s First Take this week promoting his new reality TV show and book. The popular UFC star said he was a “fish out of water” trying out for the Vikings several years ago. He admires Bears’ linebacker Brian Urlacher.
While the Wild are struggling, the team’s minor league affiliate, the Houston Aeros, is in second place in the AHL’s Western Conference. The hope is for a successful playoff run and the roster includes NHL veterans Jed Ortmeyer, Patrick O’Sullivan and Warren Peters, plus young prospects like Casey Wellman and Matt Hackett. Other players include Minnesotans Jarod Palmer (Fridley), Nate Prosser (Elk River), and Chad Rau (Eden Prarie). The AHL playoffs begin April 14.