How Excited Are We Allowed To Be Over The Wild

The Minnesota Wild are preparing for a semifinal matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks beginning on Friday night. It’s a rematch of last year’s semifinal matchup in which the Hawks clinched in overtime of game six. Before Nino Niederreiter netted the series winner against Colorado in round one last season, the last men’s franchise from Minnesota to make it out of their respective first round of playoff action was the 2009 Vikings. We all remember how that ended.

Heartbreak City part two is what I like to call the way the 2009 Vikings’ season ended when they lost in overtime of the NFC Championship game to New Orleans.

Parise is the Wild's leader on and off the ice

 Heartbreak City part one of course is the 1998 Vikings and their overtime loss to Atlanta in the NFC Championship game.

As Minnesota fans endear heartbreak after heartbreak with our favorite teams, I can’t help but ask the question, how excited are we allowed to get over this Wild squad? I’m only 28 and have had my high hopes and expectations crushed enough times to create skepticism, I can only imagine how older lifelong fans feel.

The Wild was 20-20-6 at the All-Star break and seven points out of a playoff spot, sitting ahead of only Edmonton and Arizona. Facing criticism, doubt within their own locker room and a possible coaching change, the team showed resiliency and finished 46-28-8 (Thank you Devan Dubnyk).

So how excited can we get for this resilient team? Well let’s see that by looking at the best Minnesota teams in recent history and see where the 2014-15 Wild stack up.

1998 Vikings: This is the number one reason not to get too excited about the Wild. Team had it all, most prolific offense in NFL history, a defense that ranked sixth in the league, 15-1 and demolishing everyone in their path. Then heartbreak city part one.

2002 Twins: The only reason I mention them is because they made it to the ALCS, but in all honesty, we were ecstatic about this team defeating Oakland in the ALDS. We won game one to give us dreams of playing in the World Series, but when the Angels took the next four, although sad, can you honestly say you were heartbroken?

2003 Wild: Finished the season with 95 points and the six seed. First time the franchise had made the playoffs, so really how high were hopes outside of the excitement of being in the postseason. This team gave Minnesotans a magical run of two series wins over Colorado and Vancouver after trailing both three game to one. They met their match and then some with the white hot J.S. Giguere and the Anaheim Ducks, who swept the Wild. Heartbroken? No, happy for what the magical run.

2004 Timberwolves: Led by league MVP Kevin Garnett, this was by far the best Timberwolves team in franchise history winning 58 games en route to the number one seed in the Western Conference. Had the Wolves lost in the first or second round to Denver and Sacramento, it would’ve been a disappointing season, they didn’t. They did however lose to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Hard to consider that heartbreaking considering the Lakers NBA champions in three of the previous four seasons during the Shaq and Kobe era.

2006 Twins: Of the Twins six division championship teams, this was the best. They won 96 games and their roster included the league MVP (Justin Morneau), Cy Young winner (Johan Santana), Batting Champ (Joe Mauer), Gold Glove winner (Torii Hunter), and before his injury a possible Rookie of the Year (Francisco Liriano). The expectations were high with this club, and they were swept out of the ALDS by Oakland. Tough to call it heartbreaking when you get swept. Disappointment is a more accurate word to sum up this playoff run.

2009 Vikings: We possessed the game’s best running back in Adrian Peterson, and brought Brett Favre out of retirement to lead this team to a 12-4 record and number two seed in the playoffs. They crushed Dallas in the Divisional round, then after outgaining the top seeded Saints in yards 475 to 257. The Vikings played like the better for 60 minutes. Due to five turnovers though, the game went into overtime where the Saints kicked a field goal to win it, and break the heart of every Minnesota sports fan. Heartbreak City part two.

2014 Wild: As heartbreaking as it was to watch Patrick Kane score in overtime of game six, the Wild making it to that point was very rewarding. We wanted that team to take the next step, and they did. Chicago was the better team and we pushed them to the brink of playing a winner take all game seven.

So how excited can we be about this year’s Wild? Very I’d say. This team went from the league basement to being a legit pick to make the Western Conference Finals. If we get swept or lose in five games it won’t be heartbreaking. This team though has shown a resiliency that is reminiscent of the Twins teams that won it all in ’87 and ’91.

The Wild has also have had that classic gradual climb that you see out of so many championship caliber teams. Knocked out in five games of the first round by the Hawks two years ago, last year bringing that same team to overtime of game six in the second round. 

A team just happy to make the postseason one  year, to a team that exceeded expectations the next, to a team that expected to be playing at this point in the season this year. This year the gap has closed even more between the Wild and Blackhawks, perhaps the third time is the charm. I say be excited Minnesota fans, and keep your expectations high.

Sample Size Of What The Twins Might Be In 2015

Joe Mauer Looks To Regain His Batting Crown Form

They say you can get an accurate read on well a team is after 30 games. Let’s cut that in half and let the judging begin after 15 on the Minnesota Twins.

First we look at just straight forward results. All the Twins games have been against division foes. The AL Central was considered the toughest division in baseball by many entering the 2015 season.

The Detroit Tigers are the reigning division champs, the Kansas City Royals the reigning AL champs. Clearly the favorites to win the central. The Tigers put a historic whooping on the Twins in the season opening series, sweeping them in three games.

As for the Twins facing the Royals, in two series that have split six games. 3-6 against two of the best teams not just in the division but in all of major league baseball, although not ideal, I think we’ll take it for now.

As for the Indians and White Sox, the Twins went 1-2 at the Chicago White Sox, and 2-1 at home against the Cleveland Indians. 3-3 mark versus teams more on our level, par for the course. We’ll take par.

Now let’s take a look at more of the specifics thus far.

Hitting: The bad news, the Twins are 14^th in the American League in runs scored. The good news, that number is skewed by the fact the Tigers held the Twins to one run in the season opening series. Since the Twins left Detroit, they’ve averaged 3.92 run a game, tenth in the AL. Baby steps folks.

Concerns are aplenty though through the first 15 games when it comes to hitting. Eleventh in the AL in team batting average at just .228, and when they do hit it’s not for power, as the OPS is dead last at .321, hampered by the fact the team has only eight homeruns, the lone AL squad without at least double digit homeruns.

Another cause for concern is the fact the Twins aren’t being selective at the plate, 13^th in walks drawn, and sixth in strikeouts. That might be expected when you have a team as young as the Twins do, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas lead the team in strikeouts with a combined 31.

What is bothersome to me though is the fact that once Paul Molitor took over it was expected the aggressiveness on the bases would be turned up to eleven. The Twins are currently tied for last in the AL with four stolen bases.

Pitching: The bad news, 13^th in the AL with 4.64 team ERA. The good news, Mike Pelfrey won a game on Wednesday night.  

Up to now Twins starters have pitched 84 innings, eleventh in the AL, and like our young lineup, this veteran rotation struggles with strikeout/walk ratio. Twins starters have issued the fifth most walks and rank last in strikeouts.

They’re not getting K’s out of their rotation or bullpen which also ranks last recording 4.89 per nine innings. 

Our pen’s strength is command, issuing just 2.54 walks per nine (3rd best in AL), but the ERA ranks 14th at 4.30.

Teams have a .287 batting average on balls put in play, which for a team that doesn’t rely on strikeouts like the Twins, is a recipe for disaster.

The preceding numbers aren’t pretty, but perhaps most disappointing is the defensive performance. In 2014 the Twins ranked eighth in fielding percentage, double plays, and errors.

Early on this year they rank 13th, tenth, and have committed the fourth most errors.

So what do Twins fans take from all of this? The season is as young as this roster, some will say too early to pay attention to the numbers. I for one say 15 games is enough to get a read, a small one albeit on a team.

The numbers are concerning, but the team seems to have found their footing, and are 6-9 with an opponent win percentage of .557.

Bear in mind this team lost their number two starter Ervin Santana for 80 games. It’s fair to say his presence could be worth at least another win or two.

Twins must improve in almost all statistical areas, that being said, isn’t it encouraging knowing that they’ve played below themselves and sit at 6-9 while their opponents have a combined .557 win percentage? 

Be optimistic Twins fans, patient, but optimistic.

Best Of The Best: A Look At The Twins Top World Series Performances

The Minnesota Twins past four years felt like college without the fun. Four years of the front office, like parents, boasting about the potential the team/kid possessed. Four years of a stagnant GPA/win total. Four years of increasing tolerance, be it of the alcohol variety, or for losing. School is out, as is our patience.

Opening day always brings renewed optimism though. The Twins have made three World Series appearances, all following a year where they finished at or near the bottom of their division. Those appearances have produced some great individual performances. In an effort to forget about recent struggles, and remember better days, here are the best of those performances:

#10 – Tie: Dan Gladden – 1987 Game 1: 2-4, R, 5 RBI – 1991, Game 7: 3-5, R ’87: With one swing of the bat, Dazzle turned a close game into a blowout.

’91: In the ultimate pitcher’s duel, hit two doubles, one to lead off the 10^th and eventually score the series winning run. Better stats in ’87 game, but ’91 was for all the marbles.

#9 – Mike Pagliarulo – 1991, Game 4: 3-3, 2 RBI

The one performance on the list that didn’t result in a Twins victory. Pags was the only hitter that night to get to John Smoltz. He singled in the game’s first run and with the game tied at one in the seventh, hit a solo home run. Despite his efforts, the Twins lost 3-2.

#8 – Tie: Frank Viola – 1987, Game 1/7

Pick your poison, Frankie pitched slightly better in game one, but game seven everything is on the line.

Game 1: 8 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 5 K
Game 7: 8 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 7 K

#7 – Don Baylor – 1987, Game 6: 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB

Facing elimination, Baylor hit a go-ahead RBI single in the first, then a game-tying 2-run home run in the fifth. Igniting a rally en route to an 11-5 win to stay alive.  

#6 – Mudcat Grant – 1965, Game 1: CG, 2 R, 10 H, 2 BB, 5 K

In the first World Series game in Minnesota’s history, Mudcat shined on the hill while going 1-3 at the plate scoring twice. He reached base on an error that set up Zoilo Versalles who capitalized on the Dodgers mishap. We’ll get to that in a moment.

#5 – Jim Kaat – 1965, Game 2: CG, 1 R, 7 H, 3 K

Kitty not only outdueled hall of famer Sandy Koufax, but broke the game open with the Twins leading 3-1 in the 8th inning, lining a 2-run single to center to create some breathing room at 5-1.

#4 – Zoilo Versalles – 1965, Game 1: 2-4, R, 4 RBIWith the game tied at one in the third, Versalles hit a 3-run home run to give the Twins a lead they would never relinquish. For good measure, he singled in a run in the sixth.

#3 – Kirby Puckett – 1991, Game 6: 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI

Puck put a team facing elimination on his back. His fingerprints were all over this game as he robbed an extra-base hit in the third with a runner on, tripled in the game’s first run, then scored on a single giving the Twins a 2-0 lead. His sacrifice fly in the fifth broke up a 2-2 tie. Again tied, this time at three in the eighth, Puckett singled and stole second but was stranded. Enter the 11th inning when he took Charlie Leibrandt deep for the walk-off winner.

#2 – Mudcat Grant – 1965, Game 6: CG, R, 6 H, 0 BB, 5 K

Take a look at #6 on this list, now realize that was Mudcat’s SECOND best performance in this series. With the Twins facing elimination he dominated on the hill, but that was only half of his contribution. Clinging to a 2-0 lead in the sixth, Mudcat belted a 3-run home run to ensure a game seven.

#1 – Jack Morris – 1991, Game 7: CG (10 inn), 0 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 8 K

In the biggest game of the year, Blackjack pitched a 10-inning shutout. A complete game in baseball is impressive, a complete game shutout even more so, to pitch 10 shutout innings is unheard of, add the fact that this was game seven of the World Series, and now you have a folk tale. The Twins needed every bit of it, as they scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the 10th to win the Championship 1-0.

Hicks' Development Could Decide Two Positions For Twins

Escobar and Hicks could play key roles for Twins

Generally baseball managers like to build teams ‘up the middle’ with a catcher, middle infield, and centerfielder. For the Minnesota Twins, outside of second base, these positions have yet to be decided. Kurt Suzuki is a strong bet to be behind the dish. We know who we want at shortstop and centerfield, but the battle for those spots are heating up. The positions are intertwined, and the final say on each could be on one man’s shoulders….Aaron Hicks.

The saying goes, ‘hit and we’ll find a spot for you,’ what if you do everything but hit, is there still a spot available? Hicks’ fielding percentage in centerfield is .995. He already has a short list of highlight reel catches and stolen home runs. He’s 25-years-old and a defensive wizard on a team where the previous two staples in centerfield were gold glove winners Kirby Puckett and Torii Hunter.

Defensively, he’s the best option. His top competition in center is 28-year-old Jordan Schafer who has a comparable .992 fielding percentage in five major league seasons. Last year’s rookie phenom Danny Santana had a .977 fielding percentage, not bad for a shortstop playing out of position, but certainly inferior to Hicks and Schafer’s defensive skills. On top of that, Santana is expected to become the everyday shortstop in 2015.

Santana finished seventh in Rookie of the Year voting in 2014 hitting .319 with seven home runs and 40 RBI.

That leads us to Eduardo Escobar who would fit nicely into a utility role, mainly serving as Santana’s backup at short. Thing is, Escobar dating back to late 2014, has been arguably the Twins best player.

Last year Escobar finished with the second-highest doubles total among MLB shortstops. This spring, he's picked up where he left off. Through five games he’s hitting .400 with a 1.067 OPS. A .986 fielding percentage at short makes for a rarity in baseball, a solid fielding shortstop who can hit. By comparison Santana on a smaller sample size fielded at a .983 clip.

If things weren’t getting cluttered enough, enter Eddie Rosario, a top Twins prospect who early on this spring has shown signs of being ready for the show.  

Twins Assistant GM Rob Antony has said about Rosario, “He's a guy that can play center field. He's a guy that could jump right into that competition with the Schafers and Hicks and of the world. So keep an eye on him as spring progresses."

Rosario is hitting .313 with a .750 slugging and two home runs in seven games thus far in spring ball while playing the centerfield spot. A guy who was looked at as the future second baseman of this franchise, up until Brian Dozier cemented his spot as one of the game’s best at the position.

What makes the Hicks situation all the more challenging is his mental makeup. After his rookie season in the big leagues, he decided against playing winter ball because he wanted some time away from the game. A point where most guys, after a taste of the show, would work harder just to stay there, Hicks pumped the breaks much to the dismay of former manager Ron Gardenhire.

He has already caught the ire of new manager Paul Molitor with a mental lapse and base running blunder.

On Tuesday, Hicks was on first base with two outs when Eddie Nunez lofted a fly to right. Instead of running all out, Hicks went halfway between first and second. When the ball was caught for the third out, he ran back to first. It was his second mental mistake in as many days. The day before, he got caught too far off second base and was picked off by the catcher.

So the scenario goes, should Hicks live up to expectations, the centerfield spot is his for the taking, should he falter, be it at the plate or mentally, the Twins have options with Schafer who is steady and reliable, but limited talent wise. Or do they give the young star to be Rosario his first taste of big league action?

As for shortstop, the Twins have two strong candidates, should Hicks struggle and Escobar continue to overachieve, perhaps they revert to 2014 and send Santana back to centerfield.

It’s quite a quandary Paul Molitor has inherited. As he builds his team up the middle, we’re left wondering, are the Twins deep at two key positions, or thin at both? The answer rests upon on the shoulders of Aaron Hicks.

Vikings Have Options In Free Agency

Rick Spielman just had his mind blown

As the NFL Draft approaches teams are licking their chops for March 10^th, the day when the wheeling and dealing becomes official. The draft is to build for future success, but NFL free agency is an opportunity for the quick fix. The Vikings have plenty of positions to fill and just over $14.5 million in cap space (18^th in the league). Surely they’ll look to fill one with the eleventh overall pick, but that leaves a handful of other question marks. Let’s take a look at the biggest needs on both sides of the ball and some viable options to fill the void.

Offense

Left Guard: The Vikings released Charlie Johnson and need to fill that void or we can get used to saying ‘Damnit! Who is David Yankey!?’ all season long. To answer that rhetorical question, he’ll be our guard if we do nothing about it.

James Carpenter (Sea): Basically a younger version of Charlie Johnson, a very serviceable player without taking much of a cap hit. He’s only 25 and has plenty of experience with 23 starts. His weakness is in pass protection where he was bailed out many times by Russell Wilson’s scrambling in Seattle. Teddy would…and could do the same. It’d give the fan base a reason to be optimistic by not really upgrading the position.

Orlando Franklin (Den): Franklin made the move from tackle to guard this past season proving his versatility, which considering the Vikings injury history on the line this past year, would be a huge plus. He’s a fantastic run blocker who has a high IQ in locating blitzers. His weakness comes against speedy pass rushers and his love for the color yellow (flags).

If nothing else, this guy is available! http://youtu.be/Y0BZW478tCQ

Wide Receiver: Cordarrelle Patterson had a brutal 2014, Greg Jennings is old, and we’re probably way too excited about Charles Johnson. Should we opt to not draft a wideout at #11, let’s see what options we have.

Torrey Smith (Bal): If we’re going to sign a wide receiver via free agency, we have to go big or go home. Smith can stretch the field which is something the Vikings haven’t had since Randy Moss, and yes I’m talking 2010 Randy Moss, that’s how bad it’s been. Although he recorded career lows last season in receptions (49) and yards (767), those numbers will probably earn him a key to the city in Minneapolis and an invite to Fed Smoot’s next sex boat party on Lake Minnetonka. Plus he’s only 26, did I mention he can stretch the field?

Randall Cobb (GB): The Vikings loooooove signing former Packers. Brett Favre, Greg Jennings, Darren Sharper, Ryan Longwell, and Brandon Bostick, who is every Vikings fan’s favorite player right now. First he botches the onside kick in the NFC title game, then he signs with the purple and gold…suck it McCarthy. I digress, Cobb is an elite slot receiver who can wreak havoc on opposing defenses, he’s Percy Harvin without the headache/migraine. The challenge will be outbidding other teams.

Running Back: Who cares. If Adrian Peterson exits this team then really, who cares, it’s not the same.

DeMarco Murray (Dal): He’s really the only guy worth mentioning here. If AP is gone, then we need an elite back, behind Murray are a bunch of guys I’d rather pass on and let the 2-headed beast of Jerrick McKinnon and Matt Asiata take over (It’s like AP split in two!). Murray led the league in rushing yards running behind the league’s best offensive line. How good was the Cowboys O-Line? They didn’t have to call Jon Kitna to finish the season, that’s how good. Cripes I hope AP comes back.

Defense

Cornerback: The signing of Captain Munnerlyn last year was made with the thought he would be playing in the slot, then the Vikings realized they still had Josh Robinson pegged for the outside and frantically put Captain out there telling everyone that was their plan all along.

Byron Maxwell (Sea): A 6’1” 207 lb. physical corner who has 24 passes defensed and six interceptions in the past two years. He’s excellent in man-up coverage and can adapt to all types of offensive schemes. He’s been opposite of Richard Sherman for years now which means he’s been targeted often and continues to make plays. While everyone praised Sherman for the broken up pass in the 2014 NFC title game, the real question is, why didn’t they throw to Maxwell’s side? They were scared that’s why. We’ll probably get outbid for him.

Brandon Flowers (SD): Pro Football Focus actually has Flowers rated higher then Maxwell, waaay higher! Flowers is only 5’10 but he can be a lockdown defender. Some thought the Chiefs cutting him in 2014 was a sign of their doubt in his abilities. His lone season in San Diego proved otherwise. Rumor has it his man coverage style didn’t suit what KC wanted, a style that Mike Zimmer is looking for.

Bonus DB for lack of RB:

Kareem Jackson (Hou): Again a smaller corner (5’10, 187 lbs.) but a nose for the ball. Jackson will likely be looking to strike it rich coming off his best professional season, in which I say….let’s just save the money and give Adrian Peterson a raise to come back.

Linebacker: Chad Greenway’s time in Minnesota is over, Anthony Barr is the future, what does this mean? We found another OLB, and unless the 2009 EJ Henderson returns to this team, we’re STILL looking for an inside linebacker. Middle backer is the Quarterback of the defense, so naturally the Vikings struggle to find one.

Rolando McClain (Dal): Probably the best talent out there, if you can ignore the fact that he’s suspended for the first four games for PED use. Plus you never know when he’ll decide to retire then comeback a month later, he’s the Brett Favre of Linebackers…without the Hall of Fame credentials.

Sean Witherspoon (Atl): All around talent who is injury-prone. If Derrick Rose played MLB, this is him.

Brandon Spikes (Buf): Good run-stopper, would most likely come off the field in pass situations, similar skill-set to McLain but for a lower price tag…

Let’s just give the job to Audi Cole and end it. He looks like Clay Matthews out there, so the talent has to be similar.

Strong Safety: Harrison Smith is the next big thing at safety in this league. The hammer that Thor uses should be called Harrison Smith. As for his partner in crime, it’s been a revolving door. Much like the 49ers had to decide to play either Joe Montana or Steve Young, the Vikings are dealt the same question with Robert Blanton and Antone Exum Jr. Just for arguments sake, let’s see what’s available.

Rahim Moore (Den): Best known for blowing the coverage in the playoff loss to Baltimore three years ago, he’s actually developed into a pretty solid player. At age 25 he’s still very young and recorded four interceptions last year. After breaking the hearts of an entire fan base in 2013, he’d be a welcome addition to a fan base that is accustomed to having their hearts broken in the postseason.

Devin McCourty (NE): 28 years-old and as wise as you’ll find at the position. Durable and can cover anything from a speedy wideout to a physical tight end. The downfall here is Bill Belichick knows his value and will want him back. If we sign McCourty, that’ll set the wheels in motion from Belichick-Kraft-Goodell, and Teddy Bridgewater will be put on the comissioner’s exempt list for not wearing an NFL issued hat during his postgame press conference. Sign him with caution.

Well there it is, the Vikings best options at the positions most needed, what do we take away from all this nonsense? Please bring Adrian Peterson back.

Questions And Optimism Surround Nolasco And Twins This Spring

Nolasco looks to bounce back in 2015

As we near spring training, questions and optimism are endless around Major League Baseball. No different in Fort Meyers, FL where the Minnesota Twins are looking to right the ship after four consecutive 92-plus loss seasons. It’s a new era for the Twins under Paul Molitor and the long list of second or third year players who are ready to make a real impact in the lineup. As for the pitching staff, new Pitching Coach Neil Allen seems to have inherited a staff that’s moving in the right direction.

Phil Hughes had his best season in the big leagues in 2014, Ervin Santana is the big offseason signee, and if Kyle Gibson can find consistency, the Twins might have a quite formidable 1-2-3 punch on the frontlines. Then we get to that fourth rotation spot and last year’s big offseason signee, Ricky Nolasco.

In 2013 while splitting time between the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers, Nolasco went 13-11 with a 3.70 ERA while throwing 199.1 innings. He was rewarded with a 4-year $49 million dollar contract from the Twins. A welcome sight for Twins fans, but ultimately looked like an offer from a desperate team that said ‘hey congrats kid, you have a date for the prom, unfortunately it’s your cousin.’

Well four months and 18 terrible starts later, Nolasco revealed he was pitching with elbow pain and was shut down immediately. So what can we expect from Nolasco in year two of his Twins journey? He’s healthy, he’s more familiar with his team and being in the American League. Those points can’t hurt, but it ultimately comes down to regaining his velocity and control.

2014 saw Nolasco’s velocity drop on all of his pitches (fastball, 2-seamer, splitter, slider, cutter) except his changeup. His strike percentage was also down in all but his fastball, which is due to falling behind in counts and not trusting his breaking stuff to get over the plate, thus relying on the fastball too often. Opposing teams saw this and teed off. Nolasco gave up three homeruns off his fastball in 2013, he gave up seven last season despite throwing the pitch 67 less times.

Partial reason for the Twins giving Nolasco the contract they did was due to his durability as he had pitched at least 185 innings in five prior seasons to 2014. Perhaps the wear and tear of 2013 caught up with him. His curveball and slider accounted for almost 45% of pitches thrown in 2013, he threw his slider more than any other pitch. They accounted for just under 40% in 2014, nothing drastic but perhaps a minor detail that contributed to the injury. He is a major leaguer, but no matter your age throwing pitches that twist and torque your arm consistently will cause some degree of damage over time.

Heading into spring 2015 Nolasco has added a sinker to his repertoire, and if Phil Hughes’ opinion means anything to you, it’s going to be nasty. "He was throwing some two-seamers that were just falling off," Hughes said."It was one of the best sinkers I've seen.”

Nolasco’s first season in a Twins uniform was a disaster, but if you can take anything positive from 2014, it would be in September where he pitched five games and saw his numbers in nearly every statistical category improve, most notably his ERA which was 2.93.

Heading into 2015 the questions are plentiful for all teams, the Twins are no different, and neither is Ricky Nolasco. Optimism is high, and the optimism surrounding Nolasco is that he has a year under his belt in the DH driven American League, he’s healthy, and the addition of Santana and continued growth of Gibson will help take some of the load off his shoulders.

A new voice in pitching coach Neil Allen to go with the addition of a sinker and expectation that Nolasco will regain his confidence, control, and velocity could give the Twins a chance to have a nice 1-2-3-4 punch in their rotation. That would be one of the great turn around stories in baseball not just for the Twins as a team, but for Ricky Nolasco as an individual. 

The Answer To Vikings Running Back Question Is Right In Front Of Them

As we near the NFL Draft, the big question surrounding the Vikings has to do with the face of the franchise…what to do with Adrian Peterson?

The cons are Peterson will be 30 come the 2015 season and he has the highest cap number of any running back in the league at $15 million. The pros are he’s the best running back in the game. I refuse to hear otherwise.

You’ll read a lot on Peterson’s age and contract, but for a franchise that hasn’t been to the postseason since 2012, which isn’t exactly a drought, the NFL is a slippery slope, if your rebuilding doesn’t pay off in a matter of years, it can become an actual drought…this is where I reference Cleveland or Oakland.

The Vikings unlike those teams have made the right moves at most positions outside of quarterback, enter Teddy Bridgewater. So why I ask would we let the game’s best back, for however much longer that may be, leave the team and go right back to frantically finding a top tier player for one of the game’s most important positions while the rest of our young roster wastes their youth while they do so? Sticking with Peterson is comparable to bringing in a 39 year-old quarterback to put us over the top in 2009.

We knew Brett Favre would only be around for a year, maybe two, but we brought him in to win now. Peterson is a guy who can help us win now. If we start over and look for someone to fill his shoes, by the time that happens we’ll be needing to fill spots elsewhere where the production has dropped off, which is inevitable in the NFL.

This is where many will argue Peterson’s contract is too expensive for a 30 year-old running back, tough to disagree. But enough with the quick fix band aid at positions that aren’t easy to fill, the Vikings have done it for too long at the quarterback spot, largely because they couldn’t find one in the draft. With Peterson we have the answer right in front of us.

When the Vikings offered Peterson a six year deal worth over $86 million, they did it knowing full well his running style could lead to injuries, and all of a sudden he misses a full year not due to injury, but suspension, and we question whether or not we should keep him? Suddenly he’s on the wrong side of 30 and he’s an injury risk? This is the same guy who nearly broke the NFL’s single season rushing record after tearing his ACL and MCL, with almost a full year to rest his body, and he’s a “risk”. I don’t buy it.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman said it best, "He's a unique player you don't see come around too often. Adrian's been a key part of our organization.” Say what you want about Spielman, but the guy knows talent, and he’s done a wonderful job filling positions through the draft outside of the quarterback.

The Vikings at least on paper seem to be headed in the right direction. They loaded up in 2009 and took a chance with Brett Favre and it nearly paid off. Now they have a younger roster ready to hit their prime, and Adrian Peterson could be the guy to push them over the top. There are still needs roster wise, so why make running back another one?

We haven’t even touched the topic of what it could do for Bridgewater’s growth. The reigning Rookie of the Year could avoid defenses focusing on him should be put number 28 in the backfield. Pick your poison, let Teddy throw, or let Adrian run. It might not be that simple but it sure is an intriguing problem to provide for opposing defenses.

There are a lot of questions and doubts when the topic of Peterson comes up, age and contract mainly, but like when eating a steak, you cut away the fat and what do you have….prime rib. The Vikings have an elite player who has already proven doubters wrong. 2015 will be an opportunity to prove them wrong again. We brought Favre back in 2010, it didn’t work out, but at least we went for it and don’t have to say ‘what if’ for the rest of our lives. Let’s do the same with Adrian Peterson.

The Vikings need a running back….for the future. As for right now, they still employ the best in the business.