Posted July 23, 2007

• Carl Pohlad

• Torii Hunter

• Adrian Peterson

• Troy Williamson

• Tim Brewster

St. Peter: Ownership Wants to Win

A recent Sports Illustrated article quoted a baseball executive as saying there are only four major league owners who really want to win, the owners of the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers and Angels. The suggestion was these four separate themselves from the other owners because they have a willingness to spend money. 

Twins president Dave St. Peter said owner Carl Pohlad wants to win, too, and has the record to prove it.  “I don’t think there’s any question that Carl Pohlad wants to win,” St. Peter said.  “When you look what his track record is as a middle market owner, a team that has played with small market revenues (producing) two world championships, six division titles.  I think the track record speaks for itself.  When push comes to shove, the dollars have been there for us to improve our baseball team. …”   

St. Peter said the recent signing of Seattle center fielder Ichiro Suzuki to a five year contract that will pay him $90 million and talk that it may cost the Twins $20 million per season to keep pitcher Johan Santana has certainly caught the franchise’s attention.  “Clearly the economics of the game are always concerning for any team whether you’re (in) a big market, or a medium market, or a small market,” St. Peter said.  “We look at those contracts and they certainly set the pace for the coming off-season.  At the same time we try not to get distracted by those things.  Every situation is a little bit different.  Every player is a little bit different and every organization is a little bit different. So historically we believe we’ve been able to keep the guys that…were critical for us to keep, and we’ll make those decisions as we go forward.” 

Center fielder Torii Hunter is a free agent after this season and Santana has the same status after next.  St. Peter doesn’t expect Pohlad to be out front retaining the players.   “I would not expect ownership to take the lead role,” he said.  “That has not been their style. That really certainly hasn’t happened of late.  There’s some precedent for that, I guess, back with the (Kirby) Puckett contract back in 1992.  I certainly expect (general manager) Terry Ryan to play the lead on behalf of the Pohlads. …” 

Sooner or later the Twins have expiring contracts to deal with for several players, including Hunter, Santana, first baseman Justin Morneau and relief pitcher Joe Nathan.   How large a piece of the monetary pie will the Twins slice for them? “We’ll see,” St. Peter said.  “Obviously, as I’ve said before, there are going to be difficult choices to be made. This franchise has a proven track record of being able to make good baseball decisions and I am confident that we’ll make the right decisions.  It will take two to make these deals work. Even if the team wants to do it, obviously we’re going to need the player and their agent to come to the table and make these things go.  I think there is an appropriate time for those discussions and I don’t know that it is now.  I think it’s in the off season. …That’s been our policy and it’s served us well and I think it will continue to serve us well.” 

"When push comes to shove, the dollars have been there for us to improve our baseball team." 

Dave St. Peter

Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins

Carl Pohlad

Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins

Justin Morneau

Vikings Pick Up Off-Season Momentum

Anyone looking for positives about the Minnesota Vikings as they near the start of training camp later this week is advised to review developments during the off-season.  Certainly the 2006 season was a disappointment as the team lost its last three games, finished with a 6-10 record, the franchise’s worst showing since the 2002 group had the same mark, but the NFL draft and other off-season developments were positive for the Vikings.

Running back Adrian Peterson is a hero already, although he hasn’t had one carry for the Vikings.  Unless injuries limit his potential, Peterson has most everyone on the planet convinced he will be a premier NFL runner.  His speed and explosiveness will change the outcome of games and fill some box office magic missing since Randy Moss was sentenced to Oakland.

Unlike Moss, there are no questions about character with Peterson.  His reputation is that of a hard working player who doesn’t try to get by on talent alone. 

Peterson can make the season easier for inexperienced quarterbacks Tarvaris Jackson and Brooks Bollinger.  If Peterson runs for 1,000 yards or more it likely means less production is needed from the passing game.

It’s easy to be optimistic before training camp about the Vikings’ much hyped draft choices led by Peterson.  However, Peterson seems like a sure bet and particularly second round pick Sidney Rice, only 20 years old, looks promising. Rice could help immediately at wide receiver, a position where the Vikings lack proven talent and depth.

Part of the off-season intrigue about this team is Troy Williamson’s journey to become a success after two disappointing seasons.  Williamson worked with doctors to improve his vision and caught thousands of balls to get better.  Insiders predict a break through season for the 24- year-old Williamson who was the team’s first pick in the 2005 draft. 

Chad Greenway, last year’s No. 1 draft choice, never played a regular season game because of his knee injury.  His off-season rehab has him ready to play now and the Vikings will learn if he was worth a No. 1 pick and can also improve their linebacker talent and depth.   

The Vikings worked at their image during the off-season.  Bad publicity because of player behavior is never helpful and it’s a heavier liability when the team has been losing, plus the franchise wants a new stadium and the University of Minnesota has a new football coach, Tim Brewster, who is working harder to promote his product than any Gopher coach since Lou Holtz.  The Vikings were out in the community during the off-season, whether it was visiting a school or coach Brad Childress reading poetry at the downtown library. 

Childress emphasizes responsible behavior whether it’s in the work environment or club hopping downtown.  He seemed confident and comfortable with himself during the off-season. 

Another off-season development was momentum regarding a new stadium. Downtown real estate plans by team owner Zygi Wilf, stadium support from the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission and interest from some politicians created opinion that the Vikings may be closer to stadium legislative support than in the past.  Oh, yes, another factor is the ticking expiration date of the team’s lease in the Metrodome, ending in 2011. 

The next few off-seasons will be interesting, too.

Adrian Peterson

 Insiders predict a break through season for Troy Williamson who was the team’s first pick in the 2005 draft. 

Chad Greenway

Worth Noting

New York and southern California were the leading major league baseball areas in attendance through games of last Thursday.  The Yankees led all of baseball with a home attendance average of 51,889, while the Los Angeles Dodgers were second at 46,343.  The New York Mets were third at 44,891, followed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 41,426.  The Twins ranked 18^th in the major leagues, seventh in the American League, with a home average of 28,898. 

The Twins former home, Washington, D.C. isn’t much of a success story, despite having a big league team again for just two-plus seasons.  The Nationals are averaging 23,181 fans at home while nearby Baltimore is struggling, too, at 25,255.  Common wisdom for years has been that the Washington-Baltimore market isn’t large enough to support two big league teams.  Washington is actually working on its third big league try, having lost teams called the Senators twice, once to Minnesota in 1960 and to Texas in 1971. 

New Twins outfielder Darnell McDonald is hitless in his last 20 at-bats in the majors.  His last hit came in 2004 while playing for the Baltimore Orioles.

Anticipated September dates involving MIAC football teams in non-conference games include Concordia hosting Minnesota State University-Moorhead on September 1 in the annual Power Bow. Talk is this could be one of the last Power Bowls because of restructuring in the NSIC where Moorhead is a conference member.  September 8 will be the debut of new Hamline coach Jim Good when the Pipers host Martin Luther.  St. John’s hosts Concordia on September 22 in a promising conference game.  The margin of victory in the last three games is 2.33 points.   

The Florida Atlantic Owls play the Gophers on September 15 in Dolphins Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins.   The Owls will play all of their other games at Lockhart Stadium with a capacity of about 20,000.  Dolphins Stadium seats approximately 75,000.  The game will be Tim Brewster's first on the road as Gopher coach.                   

John M. Williams, DDS

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