“You always get a special kick on Opening Day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when you're a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.” — Joe DiMaggio
HAPPY OPENER! If you’re a baseball fan, I hope you can close the books on your day early enough to settle in for the opener between the Twins and Cardinals. At our house, we’ll have ballpark food in the basement and my wife Julie will rush home after a day with her pre-kindergarteners. Next Thursday, for the home opener, we’ll continue our tradition of sitting in the front row at Target Field by the tarp down the third-base line. Today’s newsletter is a guide to the opener and a few things to follow, on and off the field, as the season unfolds. Let’s go! — Howard Sinker
WE HAVE CHANNELS! The Twins and MLB waited until today’s opener to finally announce where you can watch the games on cable and satellite TV. Games will be on Xfinity Ch. 1261, DirecTV Channel 668, Spectrum Ch. 428 or 468 and Midco Ch. 638. They’ll also be on Fubo. They are not on YouTube TV or Sling. CHANNEL FINDER FOR OTHER SYSTEMS AND MORE: https://fluence-media.co/channels0327
BEST STORY YOU’LL READ: Via Dan Hayes at The Athletic. The story, published early this morning, takes readers through the horrific end of last season and what the Twins did in response. Well reported, well written, well worth paying to read. VERBATIM: “After months of introspection about their spectacular season-ending collapse — a calamitous 12-27 stretch in which they went from postseason locks to missing the playoffs entirely — the Twins realized their demise was about more than key injuries, a short-handed pitching staff and a slumping offense. Looking back during the offseason, they also discovered a team more fractured than they had thought. Determined to not let their epic slump go to waste, Rocco Baldelli and a changed Twins coaching staff designed a program they hoped would create an identity based on teamwork and detail-oriented play. After encouragement from several key players in conversations over the winter, Baldelli implemented the idea this spring.
IN OTHER WORDS: As Carlos Correa told Hayes about 2024, ““The last two months was a shit show. It went as bad as it could have gone, your best players getting hurt, the timing of it, some guys hit slumps. It was just a complete mess. But the good thing is we learned from it.” We’ll find out starting today whether that last sentence rings true. The story goes deep on the lowest points from last season — Baldelli’s postgame anger, Royce Lewis whining about playing second base — and the details of what made spring training different. FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/collapse0327
TODAY’S GAME: 3:15 p.m. on Twins.TV vs. St. Louis. STARTING PITCHERS: Pablo Lopez vs. Sonny Gray. Teams are off Friday with games Saturday/Sunday afternoon followed by a trip to Chicago for games Monday afternoon, Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon. The home opener is set for 3:10 p.m. Thursday against the Astros. Seats are still available without going through the secondary market. TICKETS: https://fluence-media.co/tickets0327
WEATHER: St. Louis at 3 p.m. has a forecast of 65 degrees and a 24% chance of rain. Next Thursday’s weather at Target Field calls for a high of 52 degrees, winds at 11 mph and a 24% chance of rain. FORECASTS: https://fluence-media.co/weather0327
TODAY’S LINEUPS: Via Phil Miller at Star Tribune. VERBATIM: “Trevor Larnach as the designated hitter with new addition Harrison Bader, and his Gold Glove, starting in left against his former team.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/lineups0327
SALE HITS SOME (MORE) SNAGS: Via The Athletic. The amount of debt the Twins are carrying looks to be one of the things hindering the sale process, according to a new report on the potential sale of the team. The team is hoping to find a buyer willing to pay $1.7 billion. VERBATIM: “Any professional team sale is complicated but Minnesota’s presents specific challenges because of market size, questions about future profitability, and the team’s current debt. The Twins have accrued in excess of $425 million of debt, according to multiple people briefed on the sale process, which is one of the highest figures among MLB’s 30 teams. Though nearly every team operates with debt, the Pohlad family — which has owned the team for 40 years — is motivated to ask for a higher sale price as a result, potentially limiting interest. A considerable portion of the team’s debt has been added since the start of the 2020 season, according to a club source, which coincided with both the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis.”
MORE: “Ideally, (MLB) would prefer an owner with strong ties to the area, but the number of potential lead investors with links to Minnesota might be more limited than it would be in a larger market. Further complicating matters is the belief that current Twins executive chair Joe Pohlad would prefer to stay in control of the club, multiple sources told The Athletic. Pohlad remaining in some capacity with a new ownership group isn’t out of the realm of possibility, multiple sources said.” FULL REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/sale0327
BREAKOUT SEASON? Via Jim Bowden at The Athletic. The former Reds GM has Wallner on his list of MLB breakout stars for 2025. VERBATIM: Wallner has walloped six home runs this spring and has a direct pathway to a full-time gig in the Twins’ lineup. He reached base at a 37 percent clip last season while posting a 149 OPS+ and hammering 13 home runs in 220 at-bats. He topped the 80th percentile in exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard-hit rate and bat speed. He also has a rifle for an arm. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/wallner0327
POWER RANKINGS: Where do the Twins sit right now? ESPN and Sports Illustrated have them 17th. USA Today has them tied for 10th. CBS Sports has them 18th. The Ringer’s Anthony Dabbundo has them 15th, citing the concerns that are second nature to every Twins fan. VERBATIM: If we were to rank teams based solely on the 26 players who took the field on Opening Day, the Twins would be slightly above the tier they currently occupy. In my opinion, the Twins are the most talented team in the AL Central when at full health. But how often are they at full health? The offensive core of Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, and Carlos Correa is rarely all in the lineup together. . . . Minnesota’s top players are underrated, but unfortunately, their availability is often an issue.
THE ROSTER: Via Star Tribune. Including salaries and player trivia. TAP HERE: https://fluence-media.co/roster0327.
BUILDING THE BATTING ORDER: Via Phil Miller at Star Tribune. The Twins used 154 different batting orders in 162 games last season. How do they get put together? VERBATIM: “It usually happens about a half-hour after the final out (of the previous game), when manager Rocco Baldelli convenes a late-supper meeting in his office. Coaches Jayce Tingler and Hank Conger are usually there, and the team’s hitting coaches offer thoughts about who is on a roll and who isn’t. ‘We talk about the next day’s starter, and about who is healthy and who might need a day [off]. Matchups with their bullpen, and who’s been pitching a lot lately,’ said Nate Dammann, the Twins’ quality-control coach and Baldelli’s chief organizer for the past six years. “They go over the numbers, who has a history with who. There’s a lot of information that Rocco considers.”
AND THEN? “Dammann texts the next day’s schedule and lineup to each player and staff member each night. ‘If there’s something unusual for someone, I’ll give the guy a call. Like, if he’s a regular but isn’t playing tomorrow. Or a new guy [who] hasn’t been in our clubhouse yet, I might call and say, ‘Hey man, you’re playing tomorrow,’ he said. ‘It’s a text from a number he doesn’t know, so you give him a heads-up.’ “ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/rocco0327
26 PLAYERS, 26 QUESTIONS: Via Cody Christie at Twins Daily. Something to ponder about every player on the Opening Day roster. Among the most interesting. VERBATIM: “Willi Castro: Can he recover from his poor performance in the second half of 2024? Castro’s OPS dropped from .774 in the first half to .627 after the break. Many Twins struggled down the stretch, but Castro will be even more critical with the team’s infield injuries to start the year.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/questions0327
GETTING THEIR MAN: The “search” for the next Gophers men’s basketball coach was short and sweet, and all that stood between the U and the naming of Niko Medved as the 19th coach in school history was for Medved’s former team, the Colorado State Rams, to lose at the buzzer of their second-round NCAA game to Maryland. For the 19th time in Gophers history, dating back to the hiring of L.J. “Doc” Cooke in 1896, fans are being assured that the school got the coach it wanted.
BY THE WAY: Cooke is still the winningest coach in Gophers history with anywhere from 245 to 254 wins, depending on which data set from the early 20th Century you believe.
SCOGGINS ON COYLE THEN: Via Chip Scoggins at Star Tribune. In March 2021, when Ben Johnson was hired, Scoggins wrote: “There is risk involved with this decision. Athletic Director Mark Coyle chose an assistant coach over head coaches at mid-major programs who have been successful and wanted this job. If Johnson doesn’t succeed, the fallout on Coyle will be intense.” Coyle has apparently escaped the fallout, despite hiring three previous basketball coaches — Johnson, Lindsay Whalen and Dawn Plitzuweit — who haven’t produced a winning record in Big Ten play in 11 tries.
TIME OUT FOR YOUR TAKE: “If Medved doesn’t succeed, the fallout on Coyle will be __________.” (Fill in the blank)
SCOGGINS ON COYLE NOW: From Wednesday’s Star Tribune. VERBATIM: “Medved is a smart hire for many reasons. Coyle and his senior staff focused on the main one: He’s won as a head coach at different schools. Coyle noted repeatedly that a track record of success mirrors a template of other coaches he has hired, including P.J. Fleck, women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit, men’s hockey coach Bob Motzko and volleyball coach Keegan Cook. ‘We were very intentional,’ he said.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/hire0327
ST. THOMAS JOKE FALLS FLAT: Johnson made it clear that he was 100% uninterested in a game between the Gophers and St. Thomas. Medved was asked by Nadine Babu of the Gopher Hole fan site about playing the Tommies — and he clearly knew the history. “I’ve tried to get St. Thomas to play us but they don’t want anything to do with us. So . . . “ The remark was met by silence and, after a few awkward seconds, Medved added: “That’s a joke everybody. You know what I mean?” Then he reloaded and tried again, praising St. Thomas and coach Johnny Tauer and saying, “I can’t promise it’ll be next year, but I can see that happening — if they’ll play us.” LATER: KFAN’s Dan Barreiro mentioned to Medved that the joke didn’t quite go over. “I thought Minnesotans liked sarcasm,” he replied. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/tommies0327
MY TAKE: The Gophers agree to play St. Thomas in 2026-27, providing St. Thomas agrees to play St. John’s. The Tommies played three D-III teams to fill out their schedule last season, but they were from the Upper Midwest and Midwest conferences. Schedule the Johnnies, fill your new arena and show you’ve gotten over how you were treated by MIAC presidents for winning too much.
MEDVED’S CONTRACT: Via Andy Greder at Pioneer Press. VERBATIM: “Niko Medved will earn $1 million more than previous coach Ben Johnson received last season, according to the U’s memorandum of understanding. Medved will receive an annual base salary of $400,000, plus $2.6 million in annual supplemental pay for a total compensation of $3 million. The deal includes an annual escalator in supplemental pay of $100,000, according to the U memo shared with the Pioneer Press via a data request. Medved’s full contract is due within two weeks and will need Board of Regent approval.”
ALSO: The U will cover a $3.1 million buyout to Colorado State. That’s in addition to the $2.9 million due Johnson. VERBATIM: “Coyle said the Gophers’ operating budget will cover Johnson’s portion and the U will work through its “reserves” to pay Colorado State.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/contract0327
PORTAL UPDATES: Junior guard and leading scorer Miles Barnstable, who came to St. Thomas after two seasons at D-III UW-Whitewater, has entered the transfer portal again. Another second-time entrant is former Gophers guard and Park Center star Braeden Carrington, who moved into Tulsa’s starting lineup this season. Former Gophers center Frank Mitchell will make St. Bonaventure of the Atlantic 10 his fourth school.
HOCKEY IN FARGO TONIGHT: Via Star Tribune. The Gophers play UMass at 7:30 tonight in the semifinals of the Fargo regional (ESPN2). In the 4 p.m. opener, Minnesota State plays Western Michigan (ESPNU), which swiped the No. 1 seed from the Gophers by winning the NCHC tournament last weekend at the X. Winners play Saturday for a trip to the Frozen Four in St. Louis on April 10 and 12. PREVIEW: https://fluence-media.co/puck0327. BRACKET: https://fluence-media.co/bracket0327
WBIT QUARTERFINALS TONIGHT, TOO: The No., 2-seeded Gophers women can finally get into their home arena when they play Gonzaga at 7 p.m. (ESPN+) Lots of tickets are still available, starting at $18. Winning would put them in the semifinals of the second-tier tournament on Monday in Indianapolis against either Texas Tech or Florida, which is coached by former Breck School star Kelly Rae Finley. TICKETS: https://fluence-media.co/wbit0327
RESPONSIBLE GAMING: Legal sports betting platforms offer responsible game tools that offshore and illegal sports betting don’t offer. In fact, age verification is not required with most offshore providers. Learn more about why legalized sports betting is more responsible. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3QAlgfn (SPONSORED: Sports Betting Alliance)
RAIDING THE BORDER: Via Randy Johnson at Star Tribune. Gophers football stole a headline away from the basketball excitement by announcing the verbal commitment of the top-ranked player in Wisconsin’s 2026 graduating class — 295-pound offensive tackle Gavin Meier of Janesville. VERBATIM: “This is all a dream come true, but a dream that came through with hard work and perseverance,” Meier wrote on X. “I am excited to announce my commitment to the University of Minnesota. I can’t wait to step onto the field at Huntington Bank Stadium for the first time with my future teammates and rep the ‘M’ on the front of the jersey.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/border0327
STEVESON’S STUNNING LOSS: Via Joel Rippel at Star Tribune. Buried among all the weekend college sports action was Gable Steveson’s shocking loss in the final seconds of their NCAA heavyweight championship match. Steveson was trying for his third straight title and 71st college victory in a row. VERBATIM: “The Gophers’ Gable Steveson wanted to be known as the best collegiate heavyweight wrestler ever. Instead, he lost in what will go down as one of the biggest upsets in college wrestling history Saturday night at the NCAA championships in Philadelphia. Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson scored a takedown with 20 seconds left in the third period of their championship match and held off Steveson the rest of the way, winning a 5-4 decision.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/steveson0327
WATCH THE DRAMATIC FINISH: https://fluence-media.co/match0327
WHAT’S NEXT? Steveson talked about his future with ESPN’s Pat McAfee. https://fluence-media.co/mcafee0327
GETTING X’D OUT: The 25-year naming rights deal for Xcel Energy Center is expiring and, based on conversations with people who know more than I do, I’d expect a new name for the arena this spring.
FADED GLORY: The standard for a successful Gophers women’s hockey season used to be whether they won the national title. But the last of their six NCAA titles was in 2016, capping a stretch of four championships and a runner-up finish in five seasons. The last six titles have been won by Wisconsin (four) and Ohio State (2). The Badgers eliminated Minnesota from this year’s Frozen Four, their sixth win in six games vs. the U this season.
THAT OTHER FROZEN FOUR: Augsburg plays host (and defending champion) Wisconsin-River Falls in the D-III women’s semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday. The teams played to a 4-4 tie in November with River Falls winning the shootout. The title game is at 3 p.m. Sunday with Amherst and Middlebury competing for the other spot. Tickets for Friday are sold out but are available here for the title game. STREAM: https://fluence-media.co/auggies0327
MIAC BASEBALL BEGINS: The conference season begins with doubleheaders today and Friday and runs through the first week in May. When the weather is nice, the doubleheaders are a good way to spend a day. THREE GOOD PLACES TO WATCH: (1) it’s a 70-minute drive, but St. John’s Haugen Field at Becker Park is worth the trip. Comfortable seats and a nice view. (2) Hamline plays its home games at CHS Field, home of the Saints, and you can get a good exercise walk around the ballpark while watching. Hamline players get walk-up music and scoreboard display like the pros. (3) Macalester’s Nicholson Field is less than 300 feet to center field, but nobody has ever homered to center because of the Chain Link Monster that surrounds the outfield. Tennis players need to be watchful of fly balls hit to left. Be careful where you park. CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/miac0327
BUECKERS WATCH: Former Hopkins star Paige Bueckers continues her final shot at a national title when the No. 2-seed UConn women play Oklahoma at 4:30 Saturday in the women’s Sweet 16 in Spokane. Winning likely gets them a game against No. 1-seed USC at 8 p.m. Monday for a Final Four berth. That game became a bit easier for UConn but some luster for fans when USC star Juju Watkins suffered a season-ending knee injury in her team’s second-round game against Mississippi State. In case you were wondering, Bueckers is reportedly making $1.4 million this season in NIL deals. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/bueckers0327
AND FINALLY: Because I’m a former baseball writer, this is really a pro tip. I’m enough of a geek that I keep a scorecard at baseball games. As Kelsey McKinney once wrote in New York magazine: “It is the only thing I have ever found that can occupy my mind enough to allow it to quiet for a couple of hours.” I’ve also noticed more people than I’d expect doing the same in the seats near ours. But too many of them use the large and mediocre sporting-good store scorebooks that coaches buy for their Little League and high school teams. You can do better. Here are two options: One artistic and one an inexpensive build-it-yourself project.
ARTISTIC: The Half-Liner designed by font artist Bethany Heck holds 81 games, is smaller than most others and doesn’t look like you’re carrying around a scorebook. If I didn’t like it so much, I wouldn’t recommend spending $30 on it. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/halfliner0327. BUILD IT: Erik Bremer, the son of former Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer, is the voice of the Class AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos and has a scoresheet that he invites people to print from his website. Print out a batch, use both sides of the paper, get them bound . . . and you’re set. TAP HERE: https://fluence-media.co/bremer0327
Thanks for reading. Back with more next week.
HOWARD ON THE WEB:
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Tips: sportstake@fluence-media.com
HOW TO WATCH ALMOST ANYTHING
ESPN's guide to sports on about 250 channels and streaming services: https://fluence-media.co/3T4rYw4
Minnesota Division II and III sports: MIAC Network | Northern Sun Network | Upper Midwest Network
NSPN Minnesota high school livestreams: https://fluence-media.co/3My8Tyv
NFHS Minnesota high school livestreams: https://fluence-media.co/3MvFSU6