May 13th, 2009 (Loaded from e-mail)
This is the year he transcends the critics' perception of him. He's always been a guy who - while he gets on base a lot - has no power. He hit 13 home runs in 2006. Other than that, he's never hit more than 9. And you can look at these stats and decide that the critics are spot on. But when you watch the games, when you go more in depth with the guy, you know the critics are dead wrong.
How many times have you seen Mauer in the last few years decide to turn on home run or double power at key moments when the Twins need him. We know he has the power, he just hasn't been using it. He's been trying to help the team by getting on base all the time, setting up guys like Morneau for the glory. Mauer is 6'5", 220 pounds and pretty strong, we know he's capable of being a big-time power hitter. And I think this is the year for it.
I think those doubles he's been lining the last few years are going to turn into home runs. I think those singles he lines hard to outfielders might start hitting the gaps and turning into doubles. He has 4 home runs and 3 doubles in 10 games back this year. He's slugging a ridiculous .917 and has a .571 on-base percentage. Over half the time he has come to the plate he has ended up on base.
We do have to realize that we have a very small sample set right now, only 10 games. Guys get hot and cold in streaks, we all know that. But Mauer has something that a lot of big-time power hitters lack -- one of the best eyes in all of baseball. He works the count deep almost every time he's up to bat. When you do that and you're not just swinging at first pitches (see Delmon Young, Vladamir Guerrero, etc.), you make the opposing pitcher either walk you or throw you a pitch you want to hit.
It's early, but we could see big things from Mauer this year. We already have, we've just got to hope he continues.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Vikings Draft
April 26th, 2009 (Loaded from e-mail)
I've been sensing the Harvin pick was coming for a few days now. I was pretty unsure about it at first because of the character concerns. It's not so much that he tested positive - I'm sure a lot of these guys would test positive if you gave them a random drug test - it's the fact that he knew this drug test was coming and he still didn't prepare for it. I think it shows a lot of gall to not be prepared for this test that he knew was coming all year.
That said, this pick could be a home run. Harvin is a dynamic player and he does so much for your team. He is going to take an immense amount of pressure off of Jackson. He can come out of the backfield, he can run routes, he can probably be a great return man if we want him to be. Like Adrian Peterson, he is liable to break a play at any time. If he stays out of trouble off the field, I think this is the type of pick that can make us a Super Bowl contender. Of course, there is a second step here. We have to have an offensive coordinator that will design plays geared toward Harvin's strengths. With a player like him, you have to be very creative to use him effectively. I'm excited to see what they'll do with him.
I haven't really heard of the other two guys. They both address team needs though. I think getting a tackle in the second round is a great move. I hope he can come in and start right away because our right tackle position is extremely questionable right now. The other guy is a corner out of Georgia. I've been reading about him some. He has blazing speed and looks like he could be a great returner. I saw a message board where people were saying that if he stayed in school next year he would have been a first rounder. So let's hope the hype is true.
I've been sensing the Harvin pick was coming for a few days now. I was pretty unsure about it at first because of the character concerns. It's not so much that he tested positive - I'm sure a lot of these guys would test positive if you gave them a random drug test - it's the fact that he knew this drug test was coming and he still didn't prepare for it. I think it shows a lot of gall to not be prepared for this test that he knew was coming all year.
That said, this pick could be a home run. Harvin is a dynamic player and he does so much for your team. He is going to take an immense amount of pressure off of Jackson. He can come out of the backfield, he can run routes, he can probably be a great return man if we want him to be. Like Adrian Peterson, he is liable to break a play at any time. If he stays out of trouble off the field, I think this is the type of pick that can make us a Super Bowl contender. Of course, there is a second step here. We have to have an offensive coordinator that will design plays geared toward Harvin's strengths. With a player like him, you have to be very creative to use him effectively. I'm excited to see what they'll do with him.
I haven't really heard of the other two guys. They both address team needs though. I think getting a tackle in the second round is a great move. I hope he can come in and start right away because our right tackle position is extremely questionable right now. The other guy is a corner out of Georgia. I've been reading about him some. He has blazing speed and looks like he could be a great returner. I saw a message board where people were saying that if he stayed in school next year he would have been a first rounder. So let's hope the hype is true.
Risebrough/Lemaire
April 17th, 2009
If any of you read the Strib sports section today, you probably saw Sid Hartman's article blasting Leipold for firing Risebrough.
Here is an excerpt: "Then Risebrough hit the jackpot drafting Marian Gaborik with the Wild's first-ever draft pick. Gaborik developed into an NHL superstar." You call drafting a player who missed about 25% of the games due to injury and was hobbled in another about 25% of them the jackpot? Yes, he's one of the most talented players in the league but it's time for him to go. You can't be spending that much cap room on a guy who isn't going to be there day in and day out. This was one of the many points in Hartman's article I disagreed with.
The fact is that it was time for Lemaire to go and time for Risebrough to go. Look at the spot we are in right now. Our best offensive players are Mikko Koivu and Owen Nolan. Koivu is a premier set-up man with no one to set up and Nolan is on the verge of retirement. We've got another pair of great set-up men in Bouchard and Brunette and again, they have no finishers with them. I don't know what Risebrough's philosophy was behind getting all playmakers and no finishers. We had a finisher too - Rolston - who Risebrough decided not to offer a contract to.
After reading about Leipold a fair deal since he bought the team, I fully believe he wants to put a winning team on the ice. With Lemaire as coach, I think some of the top offensive players in the NHL didn't really want to play for the Wild. People think they won't get their production with his coaching philosophy. We should be putting a playoff team on the ice year in and year out. This year was horrible. It was time for a complete retooling of the team. I'm hoping Leipold spends some money and gets the right guys for coach and GM. Look for a big name acquisition in the off-season (besides Saku Koivu - it sounds like he is already going to come.)
And just to finish, I do appreciate what Risebrough and Lemaire have done for the team over the last few years, but I just believe it is now time for a change.
If any of you read the Strib sports section today, you probably saw Sid Hartman's article blasting Leipold for firing Risebrough.
Here is an excerpt: "Then Risebrough hit the jackpot drafting Marian Gaborik with the Wild's first-ever draft pick. Gaborik developed into an NHL superstar." You call drafting a player who missed about 25% of the games due to injury and was hobbled in another about 25% of them the jackpot? Yes, he's one of the most talented players in the league but it's time for him to go. You can't be spending that much cap room on a guy who isn't going to be there day in and day out. This was one of the many points in Hartman's article I disagreed with.
The fact is that it was time for Lemaire to go and time for Risebrough to go. Look at the spot we are in right now. Our best offensive players are Mikko Koivu and Owen Nolan. Koivu is a premier set-up man with no one to set up and Nolan is on the verge of retirement. We've got another pair of great set-up men in Bouchard and Brunette and again, they have no finishers with them. I don't know what Risebrough's philosophy was behind getting all playmakers and no finishers. We had a finisher too - Rolston - who Risebrough decided not to offer a contract to.
After reading about Leipold a fair deal since he bought the team, I fully believe he wants to put a winning team on the ice. With Lemaire as coach, I think some of the top offensive players in the NHL didn't really want to play for the Wild. People think they won't get their production with his coaching philosophy. We should be putting a playoff team on the ice year in and year out. This year was horrible. It was time for a complete retooling of the team. I'm hoping Leipold spends some money and gets the right guys for coach and GM. Look for a big name acquisition in the off-season (besides Saku Koivu - it sounds like he is already going to come.)
And just to finish, I do appreciate what Risebrough and Lemaire have done for the team over the last few years, but I just believe it is now time for a change.
Sage Rosenfels
February 24th, 2009
I must say, I just don't understand this trade the Vikings are likely about to make.
We're talking about a guy who has started a grand total of 12 games in his 8 year NFL career, a career highlighted by seven years on two of the worst teams in football. He was incapable of winning starting jobs over the likes of Jay Fiedler, Ray Lucas, and AJ Feeley. He has thrown 30 career TD passes and 29 career picks. I watched him singlehandedly lose the Texans a game against the Colts last year.
The only conclusion that I can draw from this is that they're giving T-Jax another chance. I guess they're assuming that this trade will temper the criticism of management that they refuse to go and get a veteran QB. I don't know how they're going to spin this that he's worth trading a fourth round pick for (that is the proposed deal I've heard will soon be accepted). Two off seasons ago, the Pats traded a 4th round pick for Randy Moss. It may not seem like much, but 4th rounders are the guys who fill out football teams and provide depth.
All of that said, T-Jax showed signs last year that he could be a solid QB. I'm not totally ready to write him off, but I think all of this hype about us trading for Sage Rosenfels is complete BS.
I must say, I just don't understand this trade the Vikings are likely about to make.
We're talking about a guy who has started a grand total of 12 games in his 8 year NFL career, a career highlighted by seven years on two of the worst teams in football. He was incapable of winning starting jobs over the likes of Jay Fiedler, Ray Lucas, and AJ Feeley. He has thrown 30 career TD passes and 29 career picks. I watched him singlehandedly lose the Texans a game against the Colts last year.
The only conclusion that I can draw from this is that they're giving T-Jax another chance. I guess they're assuming that this trade will temper the criticism of management that they refuse to go and get a veteran QB. I don't know how they're going to spin this that he's worth trading a fourth round pick for (that is the proposed deal I've heard will soon be accepted). Two off seasons ago, the Pats traded a 4th round pick for Randy Moss. It may not seem like much, but 4th rounders are the guys who fill out football teams and provide depth.
All of that said, T-Jax showed signs last year that he could be a solid QB. I'm not totally ready to write him off, but I think all of this hype about us trading for Sage Rosenfels is complete BS.
Big Al's ACL
February 9th, 2009 (Loaded from e-mail)
Well, this is the worst thing that possibly could have happened to the Wolves. Not only is Jefferson out for the rest of the year, this could set him back years. With an ACL tear, you don't know if he'll ever be the same player again.
The one redeeming factor is that Jefferson's game isn't really based on athleticism at all, so we can hope for the best. But this is a very rough day for the Wolves.
Sorry for the negativity, but the situation merits it.
Well, this is the worst thing that possibly could have happened to the Wolves. Not only is Jefferson out for the rest of the year, this could set him back years. With an ACL tear, you don't know if he'll ever be the same player again.
The one redeeming factor is that Jefferson's game isn't really based on athleticism at all, so we can hope for the best. But this is a very rough day for the Wolves.
Sorry for the negativity, but the situation merits it.
Ralph Sampson III
January 26th, 2009
For anyone that saw the game today-and even the Purdue game for that matter- you can agree: Ralph Sampson III is going to be a great player.
The kid is this close, he is an absolute beast on the boards and pretty much anywhere in the lane. Once he develops an offensive game, he's going to be unstoppable. I can't wait, I think it's 1-2 years away. He's an exciting player. I think he's the type of guy that Tubby recruited, knowing that he would be a bench player right away, capable of contributing somewhat, not a major performer in his freshman year, but capable of being a truly dynamic player eventually. It's all a matter of how long he stays in school. He's going to make a huge jump from this year to next year and it's going to continue as long as he stays at school. If he stays at the U of M until his senior year, I think he is in Big Ten Player of the Year talks.
In one sense, I would liken him to Kevin Durant/Kevin Garnett. You all remember Garnett when he came out of high school I'm sure-and Durant is the same way-thin as bones. Imagine a Sampson when he starts to mature and put on muscle. That's 1-2 years away probably. We all remember when it happened with Garnett; he became one of the best players in the NBA. And it's starting to happen with Durant, he's going to be an unstoppable force in a couple of years. Wait for Sampson, once he puts on some pounds, he's going to be a force in the Big Ten.
For anyone that saw the game today-and even the Purdue game for that matter- you can agree: Ralph Sampson III is going to be a great player.
The kid is this close, he is an absolute beast on the boards and pretty much anywhere in the lane. Once he develops an offensive game, he's going to be unstoppable. I can't wait, I think it's 1-2 years away. He's an exciting player. I think he's the type of guy that Tubby recruited, knowing that he would be a bench player right away, capable of contributing somewhat, not a major performer in his freshman year, but capable of being a truly dynamic player eventually. It's all a matter of how long he stays in school. He's going to make a huge jump from this year to next year and it's going to continue as long as he stays at school. If he stays at the U of M until his senior year, I think he is in Big Ten Player of the Year talks.
In one sense, I would liken him to Kevin Durant/Kevin Garnett. You all remember Garnett when he came out of high school I'm sure-and Durant is the same way-thin as bones. Imagine a Sampson when he starts to mature and put on muscle. That's 1-2 years away probably. We all remember when it happened with Garnett; he became one of the best players in the NBA. And it's starting to happen with Durant, he's going to be an unstoppable force in a couple of years. Wait for Sampson, once he puts on some pounds, he's going to be a force in the Big Ten.
Brewster's Minnesota Recruiting
December 4th, 2008 (Loaded from e-mail)
Tough end to the end of the 2008 regular season there a couple weeks ago, but things are looking good in the future.
Every year, Minnesota high schools will produce about 6-10 high quality recruits (3 star-5 star rated on rivals.com). In Mason's best MN recruiting years (2005 & 2007), he got 50% of these recruits. This year, Brewster has gotten 100% (5 of 5) with two still undecided but with high interest in the U of M. The top recruit this year is a kid named Bryce McNeal that goes to Breck. He decommitted from Michigan because they're doing so bad. A kid in his grade told me he's probably going to go to the U. That hasn't really been the case with Breck recruits over the years but we'll see what happens.
Brewster's been recruiting outside the state well too. Big time recruits from California and Texas are coming in next year. The kid from Cali went to junior college so he should make an immediate impact - his name is Hayo Carpenter, he's supposed to be a very fast kid. We had a big-time QB recruit last year (dubbed Vince Young 2.0 by some) named MarQueis Gray that couldn't come for academic reasons. I think he's going to be coming in this next class as well.
And the recruiting season isn't nearly over yet.
Get excited for another solid year next year
Tough end to the end of the 2008 regular season there a couple weeks ago, but things are looking good in the future.
Every year, Minnesota high schools will produce about 6-10 high quality recruits (3 star-5 star rated on rivals.com). In Mason's best MN recruiting years (2005 & 2007), he got 50% of these recruits. This year, Brewster has gotten 100% (5 of 5) with two still undecided but with high interest in the U of M. The top recruit this year is a kid named Bryce McNeal that goes to Breck. He decommitted from Michigan because they're doing so bad. A kid in his grade told me he's probably going to go to the U. That hasn't really been the case with Breck recruits over the years but we'll see what happens.
Brewster's been recruiting outside the state well too. Big time recruits from California and Texas are coming in next year. The kid from Cali went to junior college so he should make an immediate impact - his name is Hayo Carpenter, he's supposed to be a very fast kid. We had a big-time QB recruit last year (dubbed Vince Young 2.0 by some) named MarQueis Gray that couldn't come for academic reasons. I think he's going to be coming in this next class as well.
And the recruiting season isn't nearly over yet.
Get excited for another solid year next year
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