Bullpen

Another lockout

The NBA owners joined the NFL owners by locking out their players on Thursday.

The owners in both leagues want to retain more of the money their respective leagues are earning. And — this should come as no surprise — the players don't want to take any less than they've been receiving.

Fans should take note of the timing of the lockout in both leagues. On each occasion it was done after the completion of the season, with plenty of offseason ahead. No games have been missed and that is what the fans really care about.

The bottom line is the leagues can split their revenue pie between owners and players any way they want. To the average fan it doesn't really matter. What matters is will the cost of going to a game became too high.

And are those games going to be played. Miss some regular-season games and the fans will become worried. A lockout in the offseason? That's for the the owners and players to worry about, not the fans.

— Guy N. Limbeck

Talking about those streaky Twins

Is Scott Baker becoming one of the best pitchers in the American League in 2011? Here's one analysis of that question.

One blogger tells some of the media to take it easier regarding players having injuries and/or bad seasons.

Shortly after Strib columnist Jim Souhan took Joe Mauer to task in a Monday column, the sideburned one volunteered to start working out at first base. Actually, it appears Mauer said he'd do it if asked just before Souhan's criticism was published.

Rob Neyer of sbnation.com doesn't agree with Souhan's assertions.

 

Just like that, Serena and Venus ousted at Wimbledon

First, Serena Williams lost and less than a hour later, sister Venus Williams was eliminated Monday at Wimbledon.

This is the first time since 2006 that neither Venus nor Serena will be in the quarterfinals.

Given the sad state of professional tennis in the United States, that's not good news.

Between them, Serena and Venus have won 20 major titles, nine at Wimbledon. Serena is the defending champion and a four-time Wimbledon winner.

Venus is a five-time Wimbledon champion.

They've won nine of the past 11 Wimbledon championships. 

In a sport loaded with teenagers and players in their early 20s, Venus is 31 and Serena two years younger. 

Which begs the question; will the Williams sisters ever return to their once-dominant form?

"I think I did really well, just being able to come back and win some matches," said Serena, who is returning from a year-long battle of injuries.   "I can only get better. And that can, potentially, be really scary. I can only go up from here. I can just do so much more."

Let's hope so. Tennis needs them.

— Paul Christian

 

 

Timberwolves are being talked about

After a long stretch of apathy and neglect toward them, the Minnesota Timberwolves have the state abuzz following the arrival of Ricky Rubio and Thursday's draft  selection of Derrick Williams.

Minnesota blogger David Shama says Williams' arrival might spark Michael Beasley to be a better, more-consistent player. He adds that the Wolves' young roster now has a surprising amount of talent.

Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan says that while the Timberwolves have been bad, they've at least been intriguing and then lists a bunch of questions that this interesting group leaves unanswered.

Scott Schroeder of SBNation/Minnesota looks around the blogosphere and gives us a sampling and consensus of experts' opinions as to how they grade the Wolves' draft.

Pioneer Press columnist Tom Powers says he likes Williams' talent but his arrival raises a lot of questions, ahem, looking forward.

From Rochester to the red carpet

Rochester native Bethanie Mattek-Sands caused a stir at the recent Wimbledon players party.

She wore a Lady Gaga-style neon yellow dress that featured a corset with attached tennis balls.

See it here.

Breaking down the Rubio situation

Blogger David Shama is well-connected to the Minnesota sports scene. In his latest post, he offers a list of items regarding what the arrival of Ricky Rubio means to the Timberwolves and their fans, and some things to expect in his first season here.

Wolves should pursue Monta Ellis

A trade the Minnesota Timberwolves should seek before draft day (June 23) would be to put a package together to obtain big-time scoring shooting guard Monta Ellis from the Golden State Warriors.

A combination of Michael Beasley, Johnny Flynn and the Wolves’ second pick this summer — No. 20 overall — might be enough to get that done.

Ellis is certainly not a perfect player, which is why the Warriors are said to be dangling him. He’s undersized at shooting guard at just 6-foot-3, and he’s regarded as below average defensively. But what he does offer is high-end scoring ability, and an uncanny ability to create his own shot.

The Wolves are hungry for a go-to guy on offense, and would love to have that need filled by their shooting guard. Ellis fits that bill. He’s one of the top scorers in the league, having averaged 25 points the last two seasons.

In giving up Beasley the Wolves would be losing one of the more promising young players in the league. Beasley averaged nearly 20 points last season and shot 45 percent from the field. But the Wolves were playing him at a small-forward position where he struggled defensively. He’s really a power forward. But the Wolves can’t use him there much there, with All-Star Kevin Love owning that spot.

So, deal him to Golden State, which needs some interior talent. And make point guard Flynn also a part of that deal, as well as possibly one more fringe player to make salaries work. Finally, add that 20th pick to sweeten it for the Warriors, who’d be giving up a border-line All-Star in Ellis.

Obtaining Ellis would allow last year’s Wolves rookie Wesley Johnson to shift from shooting guard to his more natural small forward position, making the team much better defensively. Then, with the No. 2 pick in the draft, the Wolves could draft a legitimate center, possibly Enes Kanter of Turkey.

It would give Minnesota a solid and intriguing lineup of Ricky Rubio at point guard, Ellis at shooting guard, Johnson at small forward, Love at power forward, and Kanter at center.

That group would be worth watching.

— Pat Ruff

Rochester tennis tops in the state

Rochester high school tennis now has to be considered second to none in Minnesota. And I’m talking about boys and girls combined.

The evidence is thick.

This fall, Minnesota produced the top two girls Class AA players in the state, both of them from Century. That was junior Kelsey Frechette finishing first in the state individual tournament, and seventh-grader Jessie Aney landing second. Then there was the all-Mayo state third-place match in doubles, with Jessica Edwards and Kylie Boyer beating Paige Becher and Jacqueline Cliby. In Class A tennis, there was the Lourdes doubles combination of Brittany Alexander and Margaret Pearson winning the state championship.

In girls team tennis, the evidence was just as great, with Lourdes finishing as state Class A champion and Mayo barely falling in the Class AA semifinals.

Then came the boys season this spring. Again, it was domination from Rochester teams, with Mayo winning the state Class AA championship for the second time in the last five years and Lourdes finishing second in Class A.

There was also terrific individual tennis from Rochester. Century senior Eric Frueh made it all the way to the state Class AA singles championship before losing, while Lourdes junior Robert Turlington fell in the semifinals to the eventual state champion.

Then there is Ingrid Neel, a Friedell Middle School seventh grader who played on the boys Mayo tennis team rather than the girls. And she more than held her own, mostly playing at No. 3 singles. She had one of Mayo’s four individual wins as the Spartans downed Wayzata 4-3 in the state team championship.

When it comes to Rochester high school tennis, there is talent galore. It’s also not subsiding. Next year could be even more impressive, with Mayo and Lourdes having a shot at their respective girls state championships, and those same schools in the running for boys titles.

— Pat Ruff

Wide open U.S. Open field

BETHESDA, Md. — Each of the past 10 majors has been won by a different golfer, which says something, but pros aren't sure what. Mostly, they believe it is a positive reflection on their game.

"It's exciting, isn't it? It's nice to have different champions. It's interesting for golf and the world," said Martin Kaymer of Germany, who won the PGA last year. "And why is it like this? I have no idea. Obviously, Tiger hasn't been up to his best form recently, the last two years. But I think for us Europeans, it's fantastic."

Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, the defending U.S. Open champion, agreed that Woods' downturn has opened up the field. He added that it also is a reflection on the field: "Younger players are so much more ready for the tour when they come out. They play professional events, they know how to win and they're not scared anymore."

— Mark Herrmann

Mc Clatchy News Services

Have you heard the latest on LeBron?

OK, this is called piling on.

LeBron James is taking hundreds of hits on the internet after his Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night for the NBA championship.

Here are just a few.

LeBron James was just traded to the Florida Panthers. He should be wildly successful, since in the NHL, there are only three periods.

LeBron James is set to release his own line of headphones. The sound quality is amazing as it has no ring.

I saw LeBron James before the game and I asked for $1. He gave me 75 cents. I said where's the rest? He replied I don't have a fourth quarter.

What's the difference between Saturn and LeBron James? They're both big and full of gas, but at least Saturn has rings.

Why did LeBron James get an automatic transmission in his Lamborghini? He's not good in the clutch.

The new movie called "The Fourth'' will star LeBron James as the invisible man.

Why didn't LeBron James go to college? Because he can't pass the finals.

Apple is coming out with a LeBron James IPhone. But it only vibrates because it has no rings.

— Paul Christian