Once again I am working a double shift today, so I once again will make this survey short.
#0: Gopher softball (Last Week: -2). Congratulations to the Golden Gopher softball team! Although they fell short of winning the Big Ten Tournament in Bloomington, Ind. over the weekend -- they squeaked by Purdue and upset Northwestern before losing in the title game to Michigan -- Minnesota was awarded its first Regional since 2002. Moreover, the NCAA placed the U. as the #7 overall seed -- meaning that if they get out of this weekend (in a field that includes Georgia, Drake and North Dakota St.), they will be in line to host a Super Regional Memorial Weekend, presumably against LSU. And if the Gophers come through that, they will be in the Women's College World Series for the first time in program history.
But first things first ... and unfortunately, it may be a very tough sell getting out of its own Regional. Mitchell Northam of NCAA.com just about describes this Regional as the Group Of Death. Why that isn't ascribed to either Northwestern or Michigan (the two teams that finished about the Gophers in the conference regular season standings, but were named the overall #15 and #16 seeds, respectively) doesn't make sense. I will be busy this weekend with work, but I hope to see any and all of the games on Sunday, when the Regional wraps up ... hopefully with Minnesota coming out victorious.
#-1: Twins (Last Week: -3). I feel really bad busting the Twins down to second place, what with the squad having the best record in Major League Baseball for most of the screening week. But as of press time they are tied for third, a full Game behind Houston, after going 4-3 this week. Their hot-like-a-pistol start has been mainly due to a lineup on steroids (sorry, couldn't resist), but it has been married with a rotation and bullpen that has, so far, been between adequate and lights-out.
Unfortunately the grandeur of baseball kicks in; it's not a sprint, but a marathon. And even though the Twins' hot start should be a cause of celebration, and even though statisticians now say that Minnesota, not Cleveland, is the favorite to win the American League Central, a lot can happen over six months -- injuries can (and will) occur, players go on slumps, entire teams can have a horrific second half of the season. This week, poor pitching performances by Miguel Pineda/Pinata has been matched by uncharacteristic ones by Martin Perez and Jose Berrios. A four-Game split over the weekend vs. Detroit at Target Field, followed by a tight loss to Anaheim (where Berrios was not sharp) Monday/last night has erased that three-Game sweep in Toronto. Are these hurlers' blips a sign of what's to come?
Two more games against the Angels, then they hit the road for four games over the weekend in Seattle followed by three more against said Angels.
#-2: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -4). In a week-long stretch that ends the Siebert Field portion of their regular season schedule, the local college nine blanked South Dakota St., cancelled their Game versus Nebraska-Omaha, and won two-of-three against Maryland. Still not sniffing the NCAA Tournament unless they win the B1G Tournament. That starts after the Gophs wrap up the regular season with a three-Game series in Northwestern.
#-3: United FC (Last Week: -1). A 2-0 thud at Chicago. But what is worse is that the XI's has now scored just two Goals in the past four Games. Granted, it's the team's first loss in the past four Games, but Darwin Quintero is not playing like he's at 100%. Hmmm, didn't we have a Striker who played well and largely stayed off the injured list?
Saturday they host Columbus. There is rain and even thunderstorms in the forecast. I wish I could bring in an umbrella.
#0: Gopher softball (Last Week: -2). Congratulations to the Golden Gopher softball team! Although they fell short of winning the Big Ten Tournament in Bloomington, Ind. over the weekend -- they squeaked by Purdue and upset Northwestern before losing in the title game to Michigan -- Minnesota was awarded its first Regional since 2002. Moreover, the NCAA placed the U. as the #7 overall seed -- meaning that if they get out of this weekend (in a field that includes Georgia, Drake and North Dakota St.), they will be in line to host a Super Regional Memorial Weekend, presumably against LSU. And if the Gophers come through that, they will be in the Women's College World Series for the first time in program history.
But first things first ... and unfortunately, it may be a very tough sell getting out of its own Regional. Mitchell Northam of NCAA.com just about describes this Regional as the Group Of Death. Why that isn't ascribed to either Northwestern or Michigan (the two teams that finished about the Gophers in the conference regular season standings, but were named the overall #15 and #16 seeds, respectively) doesn't make sense. I will be busy this weekend with work, but I hope to see any and all of the games on Sunday, when the Regional wraps up ... hopefully with Minnesota coming out victorious.
#-1: Twins (Last Week: -3). I feel really bad busting the Twins down to second place, what with the squad having the best record in Major League Baseball for most of the screening week. But as of press time they are tied for third, a full Game behind Houston, after going 4-3 this week. Their hot-like-a-pistol start has been mainly due to a lineup on steroids (sorry, couldn't resist), but it has been married with a rotation and bullpen that has, so far, been between adequate and lights-out.
Unfortunately the grandeur of baseball kicks in; it's not a sprint, but a marathon. And even though the Twins' hot start should be a cause of celebration, and even though statisticians now say that Minnesota, not Cleveland, is the favorite to win the American League Central, a lot can happen over six months -- injuries can (and will) occur, players go on slumps, entire teams can have a horrific second half of the season. This week, poor pitching performances by Miguel Pineda/Pinata has been matched by uncharacteristic ones by Martin Perez and Jose Berrios. A four-Game split over the weekend vs. Detroit at Target Field, followed by a tight loss to Anaheim (where Berrios was not sharp) Monday/last night has erased that three-Game sweep in Toronto. Are these hurlers' blips a sign of what's to come?
Two more games against the Angels, then they hit the road for four games over the weekend in Seattle followed by three more against said Angels.
#-2: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -4). In a week-long stretch that ends the Siebert Field portion of their regular season schedule, the local college nine blanked South Dakota St., cancelled their Game versus Nebraska-Omaha, and won two-of-three against Maryland. Still not sniffing the NCAA Tournament unless they win the B1G Tournament. That starts after the Gophs wrap up the regular season with a three-Game series in Northwestern.
#-3: United FC (Last Week: -1). A 2-0 thud at Chicago. But what is worse is that the XI's has now scored just two Goals in the past four Games. Granted, it's the team's first loss in the past four Games, but Darwin Quintero is not playing like he's at 100%. Hmmm, didn't we have a Striker who played well and largely stayed off the injured list?
Saturday they host Columbus. There is rain and even thunderstorms in the forecast. I wish I could bring in an umbrella.
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