GOPHERS BABY!!!

Birk Leaves

Matt Birk Leaves Vikings:

Matt Birk had been a Viking for 11 years and made 6 Pro Bowls. Going into last season, the Vikings failed to offer Birk a long-term deal because Brad Childress (and maybe Spielman) didn’t want him back.

I know that many of us here in Minnesota are aggravated each off-season when the Twins sit around and do nothing, but I want to give the Twins a ton of credit today. They are an organization that is always built from within. They would have never let Matt Birk leave. The Twins, even in their stingier spending days made sure to resign certain players (Kirby Puckett and Chuck Knoblauch). There is something about good publicity that the Twins love. Even recently the Twins resigned Cuddyer, Morneau and Mauer. They will hopefully resign Mauer and the pitchers.

Here is why the Vikings and Childress don’t care about Birk. Plain and Simple… Childress doesn’t have roots in Minnesota. The Twins are built from with-in, where the Vikings are built from outside the state. Even more so than Adrian Peterson, I think that Matt Birk was the public face of this franchise and now he is gone.

This Vikings team doing what they have done this off-season is even worse than the Twins standing pat. We traded for an OK Quarterback and for some reason didn’t give the house to TJ. Houshmandzadaeh.

It’s gonna be a long year Minnesota!

Sage and Joe

Back Again:

Weekend Notes:
1) I said a couple of weeks ago that the Twins would be signing Joe Crede. I think that he has the potential to be a huge boost to our line-up. He seems to have the “scare” factor that many of our hitters lacked last year. If you were a pitcher and you had a choice between Brendan Harris or Joe Crede…who would you choose? Here is the one thing that we have to remember, and I will say it again and again; The success of the Twins is going to depend on the pitching. If the starters don’t progress like many expect them to… we will suffer. If the bullpen melts down like it did last year… we will suffer. If we look back at last year, we have to remember that the bullpen (whether it be the pitchers or Gardy’s management of them) cost us a playoff spot. Guerrier, Nathan, Crain and Reyes blew a lot of games in that grueling August stretch. If we win two of those… we are in the playoffs. Crede is a nice addition, but scoring 4 runs a game won’t matter if you let off 5 a game.

2) The Vikings are reportedly nearing an agreement with the Houston Texans to acquire QB Sage Rosenfels. Does Rosenfels do anything for you? I would say not much, but here is my theory on getting a good QB. If you look at teams in the league, you have 1 of 5 scenarios:
1. Team was really bad and picked a good QB (i.e. McNabb, Mannings, Rivers, Ryan, Roethlisberger)
2. Team got a real QB through FA (Brees, Hasselbeck)
3. Got Lucky in FA/Trade for Back-Up or Rookie FA (Romo, Warner, Delhomme)
4. Got lucky in the Draft (Brady, Edwards, Rodgers)
5. The Rest: Bad signings, draft etc (Jackson, Shaun Hill, Brodie Croyle)

The Vikings are trying harder than in the past. The problem with the Vikings is that they have never been really bad. They have been bad, but not in the Top 3 of the draft. Colts were bad and got Peyton. The Chargers were bad and got Rivers. Sometimes you get lucky with a Jake Delhomme. I am not sure if Rosenfels in the answer, but if he turns out to be like Jake Delhomme or Matt Schaub… I would be happy with that.

3) The Golden Gopher basketball team finally pulled out a victory on Sunday as they crushed Northwestern. I noticed something very important that Tubby Smith did during the first half. Because IOWA/MICHIGAN went into OT, we got to our game a couple minutes late and I noticed that Blake Hoffarber was already in to stretch the zone and that Westbrook was on the bench. Westbrook came back in later and scored in double-figures. Lawrence had been struggling at finding his shot and the rest did him well. I think that by leaving Hoffarber in, it also opened up the middle of the paint for rebounds and buckets. Westbrook is a good scorer, but if we have to use Hoffarber as a decoy to get easy buckets, I am all for that. We have 3 games left. 1 is at Illinois and the other 2 are at home against Wisconsin and Michigan. The way we play at the Barn we could win 2 out of 3. We almost have to!

A-Rod: Liar

5 Things:
1) A-Rod Tests Positive For Steroids: Yes, by now we have all read that Alex Rodriguez admitted to using steroids (after SI released a story about it) from 2001-2003. A-Rod and 103 other players tested positive in a confidential test. A-Rod cited intense pressure from his HUGE contract he signed with the Rangers in 2001. A-Rod took the Giambi/Pettitte route, admitted his mistake and now we will see where his career takes him. The biggest issues here are the crazies from the Players Union that say the test A-Rod had that was positive should have never been released. I understand standing behind your players, but he has and needed to take responsibility. Here is my biggest question. A-Rod’s newest contract includes incentives and monies when he reaches the Homerun Record. I think the Yankees should really look into changing some of those incentives, but I am not sure if they can. Wait… I think the Yankees have enough Money!

2) Back to the issues of the Hall-of-Fame: I think you have to put him in. Players like Clemens, McGwire and Bonds who won’t admit that they used are forever tarnished. Rodriguez came out and said he made a mistake. We will have to see where he goes from here but to me he is still in. I need to preface my next statement by saying that I have no factual evidence of anything, but who is to say that older players didn’t use something in their day. It was legal and not tested, but I don’t think we can scold players who admit their mistakes when we don’t know what happened in the past.

3) Minnesota Scene: Al Jefferson is OUT for the entire year for the Timberwolves, after spraining his ACL. This is a major set back for the Timberwolves. Jefferson is the Wolves top scorer and player. He is that inside presence that allows Foye and Gomes to get open shots. Big Al was our tallest player that played and without him we may see a Starting Line-Up where our SF is the tallest player. I think we have to roll with these 5-guys:
PG: Sebastian Telfair
SG: Randy Foye:
SF: Mike Miller
PF: Ryan Gomes
C: Kevin Love
Jason Collins isn’t in our future. Calvin Booth isn’t in our future. The guys above are all signed through at least next year and should be our starters. Craig Smith could start when he returns from injury. The Wolves showed promise when they had healthy players. Now that we know we have potential, it is time to play guys like Foye and Love A LOT so that next year, when joined by new players are even better than they are. I think we will lose most of our games the rest of the way, but this team has something brewing.

4) I cannot believe that we are only 5 days away from Pitchers and Catchers reporting, and 6 days from the first practice. My gut feeling right now is that the Twins will either finish in 1st Place or in 5th place. I really don’t see them finishing anywhere in between. If players like Span, Casilla, Gomez, Kubel, MIjares, Blackburn, Baker, Perkins, Slowey, and Liriano continue to improve on last year’s numbers, Nathan, Morneau and Mauer do what they have done for years now, Cuddyer (and Crede?) bounces back from injury and Delmon Young, Jesse Crain and Luis Ayala find their skills, then this team will finish in first place hands down. On the other hand… if the young pitchers fail, our hitters take a step back and we don’t produce, then this team will finish in last place. The other teams in our division are almost as hit or miss as well. The Tigers should’ve won last year, but finished in last place. The Indians were hurt last year, but they are going to be good even if they aren’t great. The White Sox are hit or miss and the Royals are always “progressing”. This is going to be an interesting summer.

5) Where were we? 10 years ago the Twins finished 63-97 and in last place. I thought it would be fun to look at that team.

C: Terry Steinbach SP: LaTroy Hawkins
1B: Doug Mientkiewicz (When he wore #25) SP: Mike Lincoln
2B: Todd Walker SP: Joe Mays
3B: Corey Koskie SP: Eric Milton
SS: Cristian Guzman SP: Brad Rake
LF: Chad Allen
CF: Torii Hunter RP: Mike Trombley
RF: Matt Lawton RP: Hector Carrasco
DH: Marty Cordova RP: Eddie Guardado
Bench: RP: Bob Wells
3B: Ron Coomer RP: Travis MIller
UT: Denny Hocking RP: Dan Perkins
IF: Brent Gates
OF: Jacque Jones
C: Javier Valentin

Our Home Run Leader was Ron Coomer with 16. Our RBI Leader was Marty Cordova with 70. SB leader was Performance-Enhancer Matt Lawton with 26. Wins leader was Brad Radke at 12-14. Radke also had a 3.74 ERA and Eric Milton led the team with 163 K’s. The highlight of the year was Eric Milton’s no-hitter on September 11th, 1999. Boy have we come a long way!

Friday

2 Things

1) I just had to take two days off after the Gophers horrid 76-47 loss to Michigan State. It was one of the worst played games I had ever seen, but at the same time it was one of the best-played games I’ve seen. Michigan State just manhandled the Gophers. They made their open shots, they didn’t turn the ball over and they beat the Gophers to every rebound. The best news for the Gophers? First, they have a chance to bounce back and beat Ohio State on Saturday night and second, the Gophers lost to a better Michigan State team. #3 Duke…they lost by 27 points to #10 Clemson, and #6 Wake Forest lost 79-52 to Miami (Fl). We may have lost badly, but at least we lost to a better team.
2) I am now 100% convinced that Joe Crede will be atop the Twins depth chart at the beginning of Spring Training. It all makes sense. Scott Boras interviews with Joe Christensen of the Strib and says that his client is healthy. Crede only really wants Nick Punto money with some incentives included. If he isn’t healthy then he doesn’t get that money and we have Buscher and Harris to fill in. Like I said the other day, I still would try to force an option in some form, because if he is good you don’t want to just lose him. Billy Smith knows that he has the money to spend and that fans will be really upset if they sit on their hands and Crede signs with someone and hits 25 HR. Crede will be wearing #24 and if he’s healthy after Spring Training will be the starting 3B.

4 Things

4 Things:
1) I missed blogging yesterday, but what a Super Bowl it was. NBC did a great job of broadcasting the game, and I didn’t even mind the halftime show (but I did go eat dinner during that part).
My Key Points:
1) I hate that officials make mistakes. It didn’t end up being the difference in the game, but Ken Whisenhunt had to challenge two plays, one of which he shouldn’t have had to. It was a Warner “fumble” that didn’t remotely look like a fumble. His arm was clearly going forward. It just bugs me that Whisenhunt had to challenge that play, and that could’ve been one that he needed.
2) How big of a momentum shift was the Harrison interception? The Cardinals were ready to score going into the half. That would’ve made the score either 14-10 or 10-10. Harrison showed blitz, backed off and found the ball right in his hands and then RAN. What an amazing run by him, but many didn’t mention the speed of Steve Breaston and Larry Fitzgerald as they almost caught him. Fitzgerald was also bumped into by Antrel Rolle (Cardinals Safety) on that play, which stopped his momentum.
3) Larry Fitzgerald is an amazing football player. Yes, I used the word “football” because I don’t think he’d be as good at other sports. His hands, size and speed are exactly what are needed in a football player. His breakaway speed on the potential game winning TD was awesome to watch.
4) On the other side… Santonio Holmes was impressive as well. My only beef with Santonio is that on the last drive he decided he needed to celebrate after every 5-yard reception. The clock is running, you made a good play, but just leave the ball, get back to the line and get ready to run another play, but he did win the MVP.

2) The big question before and after the Super Bowl was whether or not Kurt Warner is a Hall-of-Famer. I just don’t think he is. He has played since 1999. That is 10 years. He has reached 3 Super Bowls and won one of them, but where was he in those other 7 years? He got benched in favor of Mark Bulger and Eli Manning and during that time was a mediocre backup. I’ll give him credit for turning things around and being a great person, but I just don’t think he is Hall-of-Fame worthy. Then again… I’m not a writer, so my vote doesn’t matter

3) I am almost 100% convinced that Joe Crede will be the Twins starting 3B (if healthy after Spring Training) on opening day. Baseball took another step towards that today when Ty Wigginton signed with the Baltimore Orioles. The Giants signed Juan Uribe and Crede hasn’t signed with anyone else yet, so I see him coming to Minnesota. Well…I look into my crystal ball and I see Crede signing a $4 Million guaranteed (see Nick Punto) contract with many incentives for production and health, and a MUTUAL option for 2010. I think the MUTUAL option will be the key to this decision.

4) Gopher vs. Michigan State on Wednesday. Winner is the leader in the Big Ten. Good news for the Gophers is that they are playing better defense, everyone is healthy and Raymar Morgan (Michigan State’s best player) is going to be out with an injury. Big Ten Network, 7:30 PM with Tom Hamilton announcing… I’ll be there!