Congratulations to the White River Tigers, the 2010 state B champions. Great job by the Sully Buttes Chargers as well as they brought home the 6th place hardware. We have been spoiled by the quality of basketball in our area over the last several years. Not in just the boys but the girls ranks as well. It takes dedication from everyone. Our area coaches spend much more time than anyone thinks working with the kids, the kids stay in shape and spend the time in the gym working on their game and also parents dedicate their time and money making sure their kids have the best opportunities available. It takes a year round commitment from everyone to keep going to state tournaments year after year. For me, going to a state tournament is still quite a honor. Hope you enjoyed our coverage.
I listened to the webcast of the championship game last night and still didnt sense the turning point in the game. The Tigers trailed by 14 in the third quarter and rallied to get the lead at the end of three, but couldnt get away from Hitchcock-Tulare. Jake Krogman's two freethrows with 15 seconds left sealed the deal but not before we had to witness two missed threes by the Patriots as time expired. It was a great finish. Isnt it cool that our area teams have won the state B championship game the last three years in a row?
I entered one of those final four pools before I left for the "B"s. as I was there Saturday night, I heard that Kansas lost. Since I had picked the Jayhawks to win it all, I think I would have gotten as much enjoyment in just setting my money on fire.
Joe Mauer has finally signed his contract extension with the Twins, My esteemed colleague Mr. Fisher is giddy with excitement. Its almost like he is going to be on Joe's xmas list or something. I think ok, fine, whatever, and at the DRG studios Monday, I make some kind of remark about Mauer and how he wont be a Twin for the entire 8 years of this contract. This draws the ire of our sports director and he brings this up in his Tuesday blog. After reading that I felt that I needed to defend myself and my position. There are two possible scenarios to describe how this is going to play out. First lets all agree that the Twins HAD to sign Mauer before the season started and Target Field opened. If they hadnt, the PR fallout would have been disasterous. And the talk of him leaving would have destroyed ticket sales for 2011. Giving Joe the no trade clause is meaningless at this point. Lets agree on that and move on to.....................
The Major League scenario. Remember Major League, it is one of my favorite sports movies, it begins with a former showgirl inheriting the Cleveland Indians. She hates Cleveland, and wants to move the team somewhere where she can get a new stadium. But, the only way she can get out of her current lease is if attendance falls below a certain level. She knows the team is bad but not bad enough, so she hires a new general manager and has him sign a team full of has beens and never will be's. Hoping they lose enough to drive down attendance. The Twins will have the luxury of the new stadium to help their revenue for the next couple of years, but what happens after that? To sell tickets you must win. Will the Twins continue to sign enough good players to help Mauer? Or, will the Twins eventually tank their roster so Joe will want out. Sound too crazy? Perhaps, but there is another way this could play out. And, its the more likely scenario.....................
But first, doesnt it seem funny to you that ESPN has been on a rampage since Thanksgiving weekend burying Tiger Woods. But now that Tiger has planned his return at this years Masters, and the first two rounds just happen to be televised on ESPN. It is being hailed as the return of the greatest golfer ever? I am not condoning anything Tiger has done. Its just the latest example of how fickle our media has become.
But I digress, there is another way the Twins can play this. The Herschel Walker scenario. There will be time in Mauer's career when his #'s start to decline and the Twins will know it before anyone else. Say the Yankees or the Red Sox offer their farm system for him. Wouldnt the Pohlad's spin it that Mauer is hurting the team by staying?
Maybe he wont want to catch everyday. Maybe he will want to move to first. There are alot of reasons to think that Mauer wont be a Twin for the full eight years of this deal.. One thing I will be watching is how Lebron James' free agency plays out. Does the NBA's best player continue to play for his hometown team the Cleveland Cavaliers, or what other team offers big money? What do the big endorsers like Nike, Gatorade and EA sports offer if he moves to a large market like LA or New York? Whos to say an offer like that doesnt get offered to Mauer? In three years the Twins are in last place, and the Yankees offer to honor his contract and he can he can get $100 million in endorsements if he moves to NYC? Then does he waive his "no trade" clause?
The only thing we know for sure, the Twins had no other choice but to sign him. Joe Mauer is well on his way to being the greatest baseball player since Mickey Mantle. Enjoy him while you can Twins fans. Dont forget it wasnt that long ago the Pohlad family would have contracted the Twins if the league would have allowed it. Or, unless they got their new stadium.
The over under on Mauer in a Twins uniform is 3.3 years. Or so
The Major League
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I'll take the over on that one. At worst, I think Mauer is certainly good for at least five, maybe six, years. That puts him at only 32 years old with still two years on his contract. Will the Twins start slipping into last place? Not likely. Technically, as long as the Royals are in the same division, you could say, 'Of course not.' The thing I'm excited about is just how active the Twins have been this offseason. Sure, they may not have inked any real long-term deals, but the additions of Jim Thome, Orlando Hudson, and JJ Hardy (although the jury will still be out on him for a while) show me that the Twins have some offensive production in mind. If these guys jell with what's already there, and Delmon Young picks up his game, the Twins could be right up in the top 5 in runs scored, and maybe even home runs hit by the end of the season. I'm looking forward to this season and can't wait to see a game in the new Target Field.
ReplyDeleteMy esteemed colleagues are missing a major point. Sure, Mauer and Morneau and Hudson and Hardy and Young and Span and Kubel mean runs. What neither has mentioned is "pitching". They have at least two starters coming off shortened seasons because they were shut down by injurys. They have NO Closer at the current time. Yes I know, Chicks still dig the long ball and offense fills the stands but pitching and defense win championships! And keeping the injuries count down and to a minimum to your core players. And Mr. B, the fans will come even if things don't pan out. It's a new stadium with 4 different kinds of hot dogs and Huberts West or what ever they are calling it across the street, not to mention the Irish Pub around the south side and across from the Target Center for goodness sakes. Why wouldn't they come!
ReplyDeleteAnd there is a Hooters by Target Center too I have been there.......twice.
ReplyDeleteAnd before I get in too much trouble dont forget about the two state championships won by the Sully Buttes girls recently and the great run by Highmore Harrold's girls in this years "B". As I said before we as sportscasters are spoiled by the quality of basketball in our area
ReplyDeleteTo my anonymous colleague, I didn't exactly forget about pitching. I just didn't mention it, because with the Twins, pitching has been the one constant. No matter who has been called up, or brought in (not counting Sidney Ponson), pretty much everyone has done a decent job in the past several years. The Twins will find someone to fill Joe Nathan's spot this year, and probably some of next -- not as well, but they'll get the job done. I only hope they don't think Eddie Guardado is the guy for that job, though.
ReplyDeleteBuster Olney reported the possibility of acquiring Heath Bell from San Diego for the year. He will most certainly be trade bait by July. He had 40-some saves last year for a losing team. Remember - Nathan will be 37 or 38 before his full recovery is complete. That may or may not mean anything, as Mariano Rivera is now in his 40s and still considered by most outside of Twins Territory to be the best.
ReplyDeleteBrett