MNSportsFans.com http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/ Timberwolves, Vikings, Twins, Wild, Gophers. Chat room, message board, trade rumors, and discussion of all topics related to the favorite Minnesota teams! en Sat, 19 May 2012 00:58:57 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/applied/misc/rss.jpg MNSportsFans.com http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/ Ricky is off of his crutches- http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31207&goto=newpost Fri, 18 May 2012 20:52:02 GMT Wolves put a photo up from the Lynx game at the Pavilion. This is the pic without the fake glasses, but most importantly he is walking without... Wolves put a photo up from the Lynx game at the Pavilion.

This is the pic without the fake glasses, but most importantly he is walking without crutches.

http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news...ek-ricky-rubio ]]> Timberwolves Central Ms. Wolf http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31207 Which wing would you rather have? http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31206&goto=newpost Thu, 17 May 2012 05:00:18 GMT Rather then asking who'd we have in general on this team, I'm curious who people would want for their money.

I personally would want C. Lee, as a perfect fit here. ]]> Timberwolves Central vlad http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31206 Wild fans go crazy! http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31205&goto=newpost Tue, 15 May 2012 13:47:27 GMT The Minnesota Wild are set to hire Anthony Lapanta as the new FSN play by play guy. The team was going to announce the move yesterday but the fans... The Minnesota Wild are set to hire Anthony Lapanta as the new FSN play by play guy. The team was going to announce the move yesterday but the fans reaction was so negative that they have delayed the announcement. They still plan on hiring Lapanta but are trying to decide how to handle the fans negative reaction.

Sure seems like FSN has some kind of love for turning sideline reporters or pre-game and post game hosts into their play by play guys. I have no idea how good or bad LaPanta is as a play by play guy but it falls into a long line of strange moves by FSN and Minnesota sports teams. Look at some of the terrrible play by play voices we have had to put up with over the last few years Dave Lee, Tom Hanneman, and now possibly Anthony Lapanta. ]]> The Wild Hockey Lounge Wolf on the Prowl http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31205 Joe Johnson anyone? http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31204&goto=newpost Mon, 14 May 2012 23:21:43 GMT Appears Joe may be on the block...anyone interested? At what price?

Also interested in the story his advanced stats tell about what he's worth.


http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...1077053?pgno=1 ]]> Timberwolves Central Dr. Wolf http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31204 <![CDATA[Let's Play GM - Long]]> http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31203&goto=newpost Mon, 14 May 2012 20:03:44 GMT I think the T-Wolves are at a precipice. We are teetering on the very edge of being a championship contending team next year and for the next... I think the T-Wolves are at a precipice. We are teetering on the very edge of being a championship contending team next year and for the next several years or falling back to extreme mediocrity for the forseeable future. It all depends on what our GM can get done this off season. This IS the offseason to make it happen as far as I'm concerned. Let's say you are the GM. Tell me what your plan of action would be. EXACTLY

Here's what I would do:

TRADING BLOCK - All of these guys have to be absolutely, positively gone before the start of next season with the exception of Ridnour and maybe Ellington.
Wes Johnson
Derrick Williams
Luke Ridnour
Martell Webster
Wayne Ellington

1.) Fill the void at the wings. Duh...
The first priority would be to reach out and get a VERY good player. The players above would be on the trading block to make this happen. We would perhaps need to make this a 3 team trade since team needs for both Philadelphia and Oklahoma City wouldn't necessarilly be the same as what we have to offer.
Plan A - Trade for Andre Igudala
Plan B - Trade For James Harden
Plan C - Sign Nicolas Batum to a FA deal Portland will not match
Plan D - Sign Andre Kirelenko - He would be much less expensive but risky signing with less potential - he could maybe be in the group below but I think he has a little gas left and could be that average performing wing that plays good defense that we need.
After acquiring one of the players above we fill the second wing position with more of a risky, low priced player.
Plan A - Sign Danny Green - 4 million?
Plan B - Sign Josh Childress if he's amnestied - 3 Million?
Plan C - Sign Alexy Shved - 3 million?
Plan C - Keep Wayne Ellington and hope he improves
2.) Amnesty Darko - He needs to be OFF this team obviously
3.) Let the following players go and wish them good luck with their next team
Michael Beasley
Anthony Randolph
Brad Miller - Retiring
Anthony Tolliver - maybe we keep him if he's willing to sign for what we will be able to afford.
4.) Fill the void we would now have at back up PF and Center. We need a defensive presence primarily.
Plan A Trade for Chris (Birdman Anderson)
Plan B Sign FA Sean Williams
Plan D Pick up some D-League big man or some established veteran scrub that can at least block some shots.
5.) Don't waste draft picks screwing around.
Plan A Draft John Henson at #18 - probably won't be around but if he is...
Plan B Draft Jae Crowder at #18 - should be there
6.) Pick up one or two late 1st round/high 2nd round picks with whatever we have left to trade out of the players left on our trading block (not Ridnour if we still have him, unless we have picked up some capable players to take his minutes effectively. If his salary makes it difficult to stay under the salary cap I say let him go though.)
Plan A If we still have Derrick Williams available trade Derrick Williams and whatever it takes in draft picks or players other than Love, Rubio or Peckovic to get Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Plan B If we end up having John Henson fall to us we would trade to be in position to draft Jae Crowder as well.
Plan C If we end up with Jae Crowder at #18 we draft Will Barton with one of these picks
7.) Fill in any remaining roster spots with very inexpensive, D-league type of guys and hope they show some promise for the future or at least are capable of filling in for injured players without losing too much.

If we go through with this entire plan we will be well under the salary cap as long as we round out the last 2 or 3 positions with inexpensive players. We would almost certainly end up with a much more experienced team that can play better defense. We won't have the gaping holes at the wing positions and we would even have a few young players that could ultimately end up replacing players as they become older or too expensive.

Let me know what you guys think. I know this is long but that's one of the reasons I like this site so much. There are plenty of long winded posters like me.

What would you do? ]]> Timberwolves Central Purpleeskomo http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31203 How much would you overpay Batum? http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31202&goto=newpost Sat, 12 May 2012 22:00:13 GMT There was a link posted on Canis Hoopus to an interview with the acting Blazers GM where he suggsted there's a number they won't exceed on Batum even though they really like him as a player.

The Wolves can clear enough to offer the max. How much would you offer knowing that we would need to overpay to preclude the Blazers from matching? Do you even have interest? ]]> Timberwolves Central dschroeder01 http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31202 Rumor of Wolves interest in Euro FA Alexey Shved http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31201&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 18:37:35 GMT Jonathan Givony (founder of draftexpress, who's also been working as a consultant in the front office of at least one 2nd-tier European pro team, the Belgian squad that eliminated Deron Williams's Turkish team from the Eurocup earlier this season) is live-tweeting the Euroleague Final Four right now, and included the following series about Alexey Shved (mixed into a lot of other messages). Shved a 23-year-old Russian SG who's been a key guy off the bench for Euroleague favorite CSKA Moscow this season, and is an NBA free agent after going undrafted as a 22-year-old-eligible last year (before he had any significant experience at the senior level in Europe):

Jonathan Givony ‏ @DraftExpress
Quote:
CSKA are +19 with Alexey Shved on the floor. In 9 minutes.

Giancarlo Giampietro ‏ @vinteum21
@DraftExpress @selloutxboy lot of energy, deflections on the defense. Love this guy, and still can't believe he went undrafted

Always been a huge fan of Alexey Shved (see his DX profile: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Alexey-Shved-1097/) but he's not the same player he once was. What a talent.

No. Free agent for all 30 teams. There are some rumors that Minnesota might sign him. Not sure. RT @criteriado Was Shved drafted?
If that ends up happening, it could be pretty interesting, and would be another nice get by Pete Philo and the Wolves' European scouts (along with Pekovic). Shved is 6'5", has played PG in the past, is a good outside shooter and efficient finisher, and is praised for his activity on D. ]]> Timberwolves Central LA_33 http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31201 They do the little things... http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31200&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 15:59:52 GMT Remember when that was true?

--------

Ryan Doumit held out his hands as if to ask, "What the heck happened there?"

Jason Marquis stared at Trevor Plouffe. Plouffe looked away in disbelief.

Fans groaned ... then booed.

It was a snapshot of a season that has gone terribly wrong for the woebegone Twins. A pop-up no more than 10 feet in front of home plate in the fourth inning finding turf instead of leather. A run scoring from second. Players stunned. A fan base sickened.

It was the worst play among many candidates in a 6-2 loss to Toronto, one that gave the Twins their 14th defeat in 17 games.

"Things happened out there," manager Ron Gardenhire said, "that really don't happen in high school."

The first boos were heard four batters into the game, when Twins starter Jason Marquis walked Edwin Encarnacion. That turned out to be a throat-clearing exercise for the announced crowd of 31,438 at Target Field. This game deserved circus music for a soundtrack.

The Twins started a speedy outfield of Darin Mastroianni, Denard Span and Erik Komatsu, but that speed got them into trouble in the second inning. Komatsu reached on a two-out bunt single, but when the ball was thrown away by Blue Jays righthander Henderson Alvarez, Komatsu failed to pick up third base coach Steve Liddle and slowed down between first and second base. He accelerated too late and was thrown out trying to reach third.

In the top of the third inning with the Blue Jays up 2-0, Yunel Escobar scored from second because Alexi Casilla fell over second base while catching Plouffe's throw from third for a force play, failing to keep an eye on Escobar, who rounded third and never stopped. Toronto added two more runs that inning -- the last one unearned following a Doumit passed ball -- for a 5-0 lead.

The botched pop-up occurred with runners on first and second and two out in the fourth. Encarnacion popped up a Marquis pitch in front of the plate. He screamed at himself and slapped his bat to the ground, but Doumit didn't pick up the ball off the bat. Marquis raced in and was in position to catch the ball, but gave way when he heard Plouffe racing in from third. Plouffe, however, wasn't there in time. The ball landed between Doumit, Marquis and Plouffe, and Escobar scored to make it 6-1.

If any fan hadn't booed yet, they did then.

Gardenhire said that, after Doumit lost the ball, Plouffe should have caught it.

"That's a routine pop-up," Doumit said. "That's a play that's got to be made to help out our pitcher."

Plouffe then allowed himself to be tagged out between first and second in the bottom of the fourth to start an inning-ending double play. "When it rains it pours," Doumit said. "And it's pouring right now."

Fans were so fed up with the Twins' play that they gave them a Bronx cheer in the fifth when Span caught a fly ball in short center as Mastroianni and shortstop Brian Dozier converged.

Gardenhire sounded embarrassed afterward. The few players in the clubhouse when it was opened to the media stared into their stalls. It's a fiasco in the making.

"Trying to stay positive but it has been tough," first baseman Joe Mauer said. "We haven't pitched. We haven't hit. We haven't played defense. It's tough to win ballgames like that.

"We have to figure things out. The guys are pressing. If we keep doing that, things are going to get worse." ]]> Twins Talk LEvine http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31200 Proof that players make bad GMs. http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31197&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 02:22:26 GMT The full list of the top-15 "pure shooters" as voted on by the players:

1. Ray Allen
2. Dirk Nowitzki
3. Kyle Korver
4. Anthony Morrow
5. Steve Nash
6. Stephen Curry
7. James Jones
8. Jason Kapono
9. Steve Novak
10. Ryan Anderson
11. J.J. Redick
12. Wesley Johnson
13. Kevin Durant
14. Joe Johnson
15. Derrick Rose

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mul...ontent.12.html ]]> Timberwolves Central LEvine http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31197 Small bit of good news. http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31196&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 14:01:41 GMT The Wild will get the New Jersey Devil's 3rd round draft pick in this years draft as they have advanced in the playoffs. This comes back to the Zidlicky trade earlier this year. It isn't a huge deal but its a bit of good news for a team that has so little going for it right now. ]]> The Wild Hockey Lounge Wolf on the Prowl http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31196 Gopher women add another http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31195&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 13:12:53 GMT Gopher women announced they signed a 6'5" center from Stockholm Sweden. She has put up good numbers in European Club play and in tournaments. Hopefully she can bring a real post player with top skills to this team. If she can with Rachel Banham the Gophers could become a force over the next 3 years. Its amazing how bad the Gophers have been its still strange to me how Pam Borton still has her job. ]]> The Gopher Den Wolf on the Prowl http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31195 Looking at the draft. http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31194&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 12:18:25 GMT The new mock draft is up today at nbadraft.net and they have the Wolves picking Dion Waiters from Syracuse in round 1 with most of the other guards... The new mock draft is up today at nbadraft.net and they have the Wolves picking Dion Waiters from Syracuse in round 1 with most of the other guards being gone. They had the team passing on Myers Leanord the center from Illinois.

I guess my question would be should the Wolves lock into a wing player in the draft if they keep the pick or should they think about a center that could come in and backup Pekovic. Fab Melo and Leanord could give the team some good minutes right out of the gate as a reserve. ]]> Timberwolves Central Wolf on the Prowl http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31194 1 vote away. http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31193&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 12:12:04 GMT House passes Stadium bill and now the Senate must vote today and then the Gov will sign. The bill would need the City of Minneapolis to back it which... House passes Stadium bill and now the Senate must vote today and then the Gov will sign. The bill would need the City of Minneapolis to back it which sounds like they will. I hate these votes but the Senate is supposed to have the Votes. The Wilf's put up another $50 million to get this done. The question is why the heck did they fix the Dome 2 years ago? I am sure that money could have been used more wisely as many people mentioned at the time. Not to mention the new stadium could be opening this year. ]]> All Vikings Wolf on the Prowl http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31193 Lap Tops on the Side Lines http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31191&goto=newpost Wed, 09 May 2012 20:58:53 GMT http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/denver-nuggets-laptop-full-scouting-data-angers-lakers-195203940.html http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...195203940.html ]]> Timberwolves Central Ms. Wolf http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31191 Greg Oden on Greg Oden http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31190&goto=newpost Wed, 09 May 2012 20:51:33 GMT Interesting and very candid look at him from a childhood friend. ... Interesting and very candid look at him from a childhood friend.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...plagued-career ]]> Timberwolves Central Ms. Wolf http://www.mnsportsfans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31190