Kirby Puckett
With last night’s predictable Timberwolves loss, another miserable basketball season in Minnesota has come mercifully to a close. For basketball fans in the gopher state, it has been another long and disappointing season. Only the local semi-professional team, Hopkins High School, had a season worth remembering. The coach and administration of Hopkins High School should probably be compelled by the Minnesota State Legislature to hold a basketball recruitment seminar and invite David Kahn (GM of the Timberwolves), Tubby Smith (Men’s Gopher coach), and Pam Borton (Women’s Gopher Coach) to attend.
Fortunately Spring is here and the baseball season has begun. Though if the first two weeks of the season are any indication… this could well be a long season for Minnesota baseball fans also.
The Joe Mauer dilemma has raised its ugly head a few years earlier than the Twins management would have liked. They know that at some point they are going to have to move Mauer from behind the plate. You can’t have your 23+ million dollar man squatting behind the plate for too much longer if you expect his knees and body to hold up. But the moment you move him he becomes just a high-average singles hitter. The league is filled with those kind of hitters. None that can hit with Mauer’s average… but many, many who can drive in more runs. Singles hitter never make 23+ million dollar salaries, though. They are not worth it… no matter how high their average.
It is a long season, though. Much can happen in 162 games. I have little faith that much will for the local nine, but I hope to be pleasantly surprised. If they give Kubel less playing time, and Thome more at bats… if Mauer could regain just a little of the power he showed his MVP year… if Morneau gets back into the swing of things… and if every pitcher on the staff pitches much better than I think they can… they may be able to get back into the playoffs for a one and done with the Yankees.
1991, Minnesota sports’ last championship season, is 20 years past. At the rate we are going around here, it could be another 20 until we have something to celebrate.
*UPDATE Friday morning: the paper reports that Mauer is going on the DL and has an appointment with a doctor. Man, I miss Kirby!