MN Sports Misery Rankings - February edition

Football is now officially over, out of sight and out of mind. If the Vikings season didn't add enough misery, the Super Bowl put the cherry on the top. The Green Bay Packers, the Vikings heated rival, are World Champions and will be favorites in the NFC North for years to come with Rodgers at the helm. Sorry I had to start on that note, but this is the Misery Rankings, so keep that in mind.



This year will be the 45th anniversary of Clint Eastwood's the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and for this, we'll take a look at each team's good, bad, and downright ugly situations.


MINNESOTA WILD
Record: 31-22-6, 9th in Western Conference
Rankings: 9th - SI, 12th - ESPN
THE GOOD: The Wild are suddenly the hottest team in the Twin Cities as a result of the stumbles of the Gophers Basketball program. The Wild have gone 10-5 since the last Misery Rankings. The recent play of Martin Havlat and Niklas Backstrom has led the resurgence of the Wild as they fight with a logjam of teams competing for the bottom half of the Western Conference playoff spots.
THE BAD: The Wild had a big chance to show that they have improved with a home game against the best team in the NHL, the Canucks, but fell flat on their faces with a 4-1 loss.
THE UGLY: The Wild will have to push towards a playoff spot without one of their stars, Mikko Koivu. Koivu leads the Wild in assists with 34 and at 49 points is just one behind team leader Martin Havlat.

GOPHERS BASKETBALL
Records: 17-10 (6-9), 8th in Big Ten
Rankings: Not Ranked in either Poll, 36th - Sagarin, 39th - RPI
THE GOOD: Despite losing 6 of their last 7 games, the Gophers still hold top 40 RPI and Sagarin Rankings based on the quality of their wins so far. Still, if they can win out, there's a possibility of an NCAA tournament bid, with a home games against Michigan and Penn State, and an away game at Northwestern, a 9-9 Big Ten record might get them in. But even if they win the last 3, it'll be a disappointing season for a team that was expected to be a top 15 team in the country and elite Big Ten squad.
THE BAD: Their latest loss to Michigan State all but puts the Gophers hopes of an NCAA tournament berth on ice. The Gophers were figuring for a top 6 seed in the NCAA's until the last month's slide into mediocrity. Their loss to Michigan State in a must win game proved that they are not ready for the big time that we all expected of this year's squad.Losing 5 of their last 6 was obviously not good, especially against Indiana and Penn State, two teams that were supposed to be inferior to the Gophers. The transfer of Devoe Joseph and injury loss of Al Nolen left the team essentially without a point guard sans a couple rookie freshmen. Hoffarber has been forced to move from his natural position as a shooting guard, while the team has experimented with Freshman Chip Armelin and Maverick Ahanmisi. Needless to say, its been less than effective.
THE UGLY: The Gophers were a ranked team in either major poll from week 3 to 14, climbing as high as 13th. It's now week 16 and Minnesota can't be found in either poll, nor do they have a single vote. Ouch.

GOPHERS HOCKEY
Records: 13-12-5 (10-10-4), 6th in WCHA
Rankings: 20th - USCHO.com Poll
THE GOOD: The Gophers are making a push for home-ice advantage in the 1st round of the WCHA by going 2-1 in their last 3 games, including a win against #2 Denver and a win and tie against Wisconsin who is sitting on the 5th spot. The top 4 spots have already been guaranteed home-ice with North Dakota, Denver, UMD, and Nebraska-Omaha. That leave Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Colorado College fighting for the last 2 home spots. The Gophers have the favorable schedule with the last 4 games against Michigan Tech (12th) and Bemidji State (9th).
THE BAD: Wisconsin also has a favorable schedule to close out with 2 games apiece against SCSU on the road(9th) and Colorado College at home(7th).
THE UGLY: Losing at home to 9th place Alaska Anchorage just a day after blowing them out 5-1 definitely didn't help their cause. A tie would have turned heads, but at least would have given the Gophers that valuable point.

MINNESOTA TWINS
Record: 0-0, Spring Training Games start Feb. 27th
Rankings: 6th - FoxSports.com (Feb. 10th)
THE GOOD: It's the start of spring training, possibly the most optimistic time to be a sports fan. The Twins will once again be defending the AL Central crown with the return of one of the best collective offenses in baseball. Former MVP Justin Morneau is expected to return and bolster a lineup that includes power hitters Joe Mauer, Jim Thome, Michael Cuddyer, Delmon Young, and Jason Kubel, along with table setters Denard Span, Alexi Casilla, and Japanese import Tsuyoshi Nishioka.
THE BAD: Other than Nishioka, the Twins were really quiet this offseason and are banking on the return of Morneau and Nathan as a replacement for not going out and signing a big time free agent. If this plan backfires, it could be a tough go with a questionable bullpen and improved competition from the AL Central.
THE UGLY: The Twins lost their best bullpen asset from last year in Jesse Crain. Crain had an up and down career with the Twins, but other than a couple bad years, he was pretty reliable in the pen and proved his worth last year. He's gone, but to make matter worse, he went to the absolute worst spot the Twins desperately did not want him to go to, the Chicago White Sox.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Record: 6-10 (2010)
Rankings: 18th - Bleacherreport.com (Feb. 7th)
THE GOOD: The Brett Favre experiment is over. It was fun for a year and a nightmare for the other. The team is better than their record suggests and with AP, Sidney Rice, and Percy Harvin, they offer 3 of the best young players in the NFL to build a team around. They just need a Quarterback now.
THE BAD: Speaking of Quarterback, the Vikings are now in a position to draft a QB for the future after years of settling for aging veterans. The problem, the Vikings pick 12th in a weak class of Quarterbacks. Aside from Blaine Gabbert and maybe Jake Locker, if those two are gone by 12, there's no reason for the Vikings to pick up a QB with that spot. Which means, if they do draft a QB, it's going to be another project. People are quick to say Tom Brady was a 6th round QB, but I'll also point out that so was Tavaris Jackson.
THE UGLY: The roof of the Metrodome is still inverted and deflated since the December snowstorm that forced the team to finish the season elsewhere. Furthermore, speculation of a move to LA seems to ramp up daily and although sites have been previewed and surveyed for a new stadium, the Vikings are a victim of bad timing as they try to pass a bill for the new stadium in a time where football is far from the priorities in the minds of Minnesotans. A 6-10 season didn't help that cause either.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Record: 13-43, Last in Western Conference
Rankings: 25th - ESPN, 29th - SI
THE GOOD: The Timberwolves have an all-star not name Kevin Garnett for the first time since Sam Cassell in 2004. Love is averaging a sick 21pts and 15rbs per game which would make him the first to do so since Moses Malone in 1983.
THE BAD: The Timberwolves still have 26 games left in yet another hopeless season. They have the exact same record as they did last year at the all-star break. It doesn't really matter what the schedule brings, the Wolves have an uphill climb to being relevant again.
THE UGLY: The Timberwolves are dead last in defense, giving up an average of 108 point per game. Ironically their 9th in points scored with 102, but really where is the defense on this team? It's one thing to rebound, its another to block, alter, and steal shots.

GOPHERS FOOTBALL
Record: 3-9 (2-6) 10th in Big Ten
Rankings: Perpetually last in the Misery Rankings
THE GOOD: The Gophers will finally be able to utilize their best player, Marquis Gray, at the most important position, Quarterback. He was the prize of Brewster's recruiting and his mobility will be a stark contrast to Adam Webber's. Also, the Gophers may have one of the best in-state recruits in 6-4 292lb offensive lineman Tom Olson from Mahtomedi.
THE BAD: The Gophers weren't able to recruit very well with the firing of Brewster and subsequent staff, the team had no legs to stand on for a while and lost many good recruits. Rivals.com have made the Gophers recruiting class 9th out of 12 (that's weird to say). Which I suppose is better than last, but hardly enough to compete with the top half of the Big Ten.
THE UGLY: Don't even bother looking at the 2011 schedule, it's anything but pretty.


Well there you have it, another month of the Misery Rankings, published fittingly, on the day after another walloping snowstorm, reminding everyone that winter is far from over.

Let's all lean on the good and hope the bad and ugly will soon disappear. Until next time, remember only you can prevent forest fires.

Brock from the Block
TWC

New Year - New Title!

Hey all,

Just wanted to touch base now that its mid-February of 2011 already. Hope everyone has their Valentines Day plans all taken care of and you're enjoying the above average weather. I want to announce the death of the Courtesy Wave and the beginning of my new blog/website, Twin Cities Waves. Last July I embarked on a goal to start a blog and I needed a name. Since the blog was completely random, I didn't know what to call it and one day when I was out driving I noticed someone giving the courtesy wave and realized that the act of giving it has become a lost art. The blog would be my way to pass along random acts of writing. While I liked it, it was too difficult to create a following from a bunch of random articles. Therefore over the last few months, I've concentrated on a big passion of mine, Minnesota sports.

The purpose going forward for 2011 is going to be on Minnesota sports, but also local Twin Cities events, happenings, music, and other things. From time to time, I will have guest writers and if you're interested, let me know. This site won't break the news, but it will give you insightful writing that will do one of many things, mainly make you think and at times make you laugh.



Be patient while I change some of the formats. The TCW logo will stay for now, but will be altered shortly. For quick thoughts follow me on Twitter: @twincitieswaves

Thanks for reading!
Brock

Twins Milestone Tracker

With Spring Training just a couple weeks away, there are a lot of previews and predictions on how the season will go from the team's standpoint. However, Baseball is fueled by individual statistics, more so than any other sport. The Courtesy Wave has broken down what you should watch for with Twins players approaching milestones.
*Note* All Twins Records are Minnesota only. The Washington Senators are included in franchise records, but the Twins are strictly Minnesota from 1961 on. Apologies to Sam Rice and Walter Johnson.



CAREER MILESTONES
The Big One
JIM THOME - 600 HOME RUNS
Thome is sitting on 589 dingers, just 11 shy of 600, a feat many thought he wouldn't reach, but after last season's resurgance and 25 home runs, that number seems more of a foregone conclusion. It isn't though, and Thome will need to stay healthy and get the at-bats he got last year. If all goes well, Thome should enter the club that holds just 7 players (Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Sammy Sosa) sometime around mid-season.

More Thome #'s

2,395 Strikeouts - 2nd all-time
This is obviously a dubious distinction for Thome. A big set-back to a career long-ball champ, he's bound to strikeout and only one guy has whiffed more, and that guy is Reggie Jackson with 2,597, who also happens to be a HOF'er. Thome only had 39 strikeouts last year and will never reach the top spot (thankfully for Jim), unless he plays into his mid-40's.

589 Home Runs - 8th all-time
Thome only needs to hit 9 more homers after 600, 20 on the season, to tie Sammy Sosa for 7th all time. Rodriguez would be next at 613, but since he's active and expected to belt many more, its not likely Thome will catch A-Rod. Thome would have to hit 41 homers this year to catch Griffey for 6th (provided Rodriguez already has passed him).

1,679 Walks - 9th all-time
The active leader in Bases on Balls, needs 29 walks to tie Mel Ott for 8th place. The top 7 are so notorious they don't even need first names: Bonds, Henderson, Ruth, Williams, Morgan, Yastrzemski, & Mantle. Then Ott and Thome. Hall of Fame much?

1,624 RBI's - 30th all-time
If Thome can get to 1,700 this year, he'll pass these guys along the way: Harold Baines, Ernie Banks, Tony Perez, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, and Cal Ripken Jr. Not too shabby.

4,462 Total Bases - 45th all-time
From 2001 to 2003, Thome finished in the top 10 in total bases. Even in a diminished role last year he still tacked on 173 total bases. A similar output could rise Thome another 10 spots to 35th all-time.

1,534 Runs - 57th all-time
66 runs will get Thome to 1,600, which might be a stretch, but he can get into the top 50 with just 37 runs (although Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon are likely to enter first).

428 Doubles - 123rd all-time
Thome won't reach 500 this year, but with just 15 more he can reach the top 100 all-time. Thome hit 16 last year.

2,216 Hits - 168th all-time
Thome needs 84 hits to reach 2,300 where just 137 players have reached. Who's 137th right now...a one Mr. Kirby Puckett with 2,304.


TWINS TOP 10 LISTS
BATTING



GAMES
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 1,000
Place: 15th
Record: Harmon Killebrew 1,939
Special congratulations to Cuddyer who hit the 1K mark on the last regular season game last year! If Cuddy were to play all 162 games this season, he'd finish the year in 11th place on the all-time Twins list.

AT-BATS
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 3,543
Place: 13th
Record: Kirby Puckett 6,294
When healthy, Cuddyer can get 550 at-bats in a season, he had 607 last year. With 457 at-bats he'll become just the 11th Twin to do so. He'll need exactly 600 for sole possession of 10th place.

RUNS SCORED
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 536
Place: 13th
Record: Kirby Puckett 1,071
Cuddyer has posted exactly 93 runs the past 2 seasons each. He needs 110 for 10th place. Doable, but more likely to settle into 11th on the all-time Twins list, an emerging theme here.

HITS
Current Leader: Joe Mauer, 1,011
Place: 12th
Record: Kirby Puckett, 2,304
Mauer has averaged 163 hits per season (excluding his shortened rookie year). That total would easily get Mauer into the top 10 and he could come in as high as 7th place with 207 hits this year, which would tie Torii Hunter.
*Special Note to Justin Morneau (995) and Michael Cuddyer (956) who should both cash in on the 1,000 career hit mark this year.

DOUBLES
Current Leader: Justin Morneau, 215
Place: 8th
Record: Kirby Puckett, 414
Morneau is 37 doubles shy of Gary Gaetti for 7th all-time, he hit 47 in 2008, so he's quite capable of climbing this ladder if healthy.

TRIPLES
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 33
Place: 11th
Record: Rod Carew, 90
Cuddyer needs just 1 more triple to enter the Twins top 10 and tie John Castino. Although, he'll be challenged by Span who already is an AL Triples champion and has 27 on his career.

HOME RUNS
Current Leader: Justin Morneau, 181
Place: 8th
Record: Harmon Killebrew, 475
Morneau was heading up this sacred top 10 and would have finished higher than 8th if it weren't for that head of his. Morneau needs 11 to tie Torii Hunter for 7th, 20 to tie Gary Gaetti for 6th, 26 to tie Puckett for 5th, 30 to tie Bob Allison for 4th and 39 to tie Tony Oliva for 3rd. If #33 stays healthy, he could pass all of them and find himself behind only Twins great Kent Hrbek (293) and HOF'er Harmon Killebrew (475).
*Michael Cuddyer (121) needs 11 home runs to tie Jacque Jones for 10th all time)

RBI
Current Leader: Justin Morneau 679
Place: 8th
Record: Harmon Killebrew, 1,325
Morneau is just over half of Killebrew's totals, if that gives you an idea of how great #3 was. Fitting that the guy chasing him wears #33. When Morneau is healthy he can post 100 plus RBI as he did for 4 consecutive years from 2006-2009. If he does that in 2011, he'll pass Torii Hunter, Rod Carew, and Gary Gaetti to settle into 5th all time.

WALKS
Current Leader: Joe Mauer, 433
Place: 9th
Record: Harmon Killebrew, 1,371
Mauer averages 70 walks a season. If he gets to 80, he'll pass Oliva, Puckett, & Knoblauch for 6th all-time.

STOLEN BASES
Current Leader: Denard Span, 67
Place: 18th
Record: Chuck Knoblauch, 276
Span only has 3 major league seasons to his credit, but every one has increased his SB level (18,23,26). If Span steals 30 bases this year, he'll climb all the way up to 8th all-time.

HIT-BY-PITCH
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 39
Place: 10th
Record: Chuck Knoblauch, 74
Cuddyer gets hit about 5 times a year, not bad really. The most he's ever been hit in one season was 2003 when he was nicked 10 times. Ten more and he'll cut his place in half to 5th.

PITCHING



WINS
Current Leader: Scott Baker, 55
Place: 13th
Record: Jim Kaat 189
If Baker can earn a rotation spot, and he likely will be the 3rd or 4th starter this year, he has a chance to crack the top 10 with 12 wins this year.

GAMES
Current Leader: Joe Nathan, 412
Place: 4th
Record: Eddie Guardado, 648
Nathan is coming off Tommy John surgery, so his expectations are less than normal. Regardless, he's already become one of the Twins best relief pitchers ever. During his Twins tenure he's appeared in 64 to 73 games each year, which would eclipse Jim "Kitty" Kaat for 3rd all-time.

SAVES
Current Leader: Joe Nathan, 246
Place: 2nd
Record: Rick Aguilera, 254
A Twins record would have been broken last year if not for Nathan's arm being shut down for surgery. Nathan is just 8 saves away from tying Twins great Rick Aguilera for the Franchise record.

INNINGS PITCHED
Current Leader: Scott Baker 824
Place: 16th
Record: Jim Kaat 2,951.1
Baker has averaged 172 innings in his last 4 seasons. If we add 5 more innings to that average, Baker gets to 1,000 innings for his career, which would place Baker at 10th all-time.

STRIKEOUTS
Current Leader: Scott Baker, 647
Place: 12th
Record: Bert Blyleven 2,035
Baker has been good for 138 strikeouts/year for the past 4 years. That average, just like IP, would get Baker the 10th spot in the Twins all-time leaders.


OTHER APPROACHING MILESTONES

100 Home Runs - Jason Kubel (92), Joe Mauer (81)
200 Home Runs - Justin Morneau (181)
300th in HR - Justin Morneau (needs 17)
1,000 Hits - Justin Morneau (995), Michael Cuddyer (956)
100 Stolen Bases - Denard Span (67)
100 Wins - Carl Pavano (97)
1,000 Strikeouts - Carl Pavano (956)
300 Saves - Joe Nathan (247)
25th in Saves - Joe Nathan (247, needs 39 saves)
100th in Saves - Matt Capps (109, needs 10 saves)

That should about cover it, besides percentages. If you're wondering, Joe Mauer's .327 batting average is 2nd all-time in Twins history, only Rod Carew's .334 stands in front of him. But unlike the statistics above, percentages can actually go down, therefore I left them off, but I'll keep a close eye on it for you!

until next time, remember not to use too much pine tar,

brock
the courtesy wave