There was much speculation coming into the 2011 NBA Draft as to whether the Minnesota Timberwolves would keep the second pick or trade it for an established veteran at center or shooting guard. Minnesota did the right thing in my opinion, holding onto the spot and taking forward Derrick Williams out of the University of Arizona. Though the selection only compounded the logjam the Wolves have at the forward position, they now have the player many thought had the most All-Star potential in the entire draft.
The addition of Derrick Williams definitely improves the Minnesota Timberwolves, both from an athleticism standpoint and from a skill one. Williams, like current Minnesota forward Michael Beasley, is fantastic at driving through the lane, and can shoot from the perimeter as well. However, Beasley was often reckless with the ball and had trouble staying on the court later on in the season. Williams also possesses some nice rebounding ability, something that certainly can't hurt the Wolves. Although Williams was often projected as a power forward, I see him playing the three, possibly in a starting role, with Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson coming off the bench. It still remains to be seen whether the Wolves will try to trade an extra forward like Beasley. The likely labor conflict will put every move the Wolves have in mind on hold. In the end, I think the pick Williams will end up being better for the team then any kind of trade similar to the ones being thrown around on the days leading up to the draft. If any kind of trade should have been made, it should have involved Beasley and the 20th pick. Like the NFL Draft, you do not select players based on need. You draft by best player available, and Derrick Williams was far and away the best player on the board.
The Wolves also had the 20th pick in the first round. I thought they would take shooting guard prospect like Marshon Brooks, Jordan Hamilton or Tyler Honeycutt, but David Kahn ended up trading pick after pick until they ended up deep within the second round. The Bulls made the 43th pick for the Minnesota Timberwolves, taking UCLA shooting guard Malcolm Lee. Lee has a reputation as a nice, quick defensive player with a knack for handling the ball. Second round picks seldom make NBA rosters, but his defensive presence would be welcome on the Wolves, who traded Corey Brewer in the middle of the season and were one of the poorest defensive teams in the league. I'm not going to lie. I don't know much about the second player the Wolves ended up with from the latter round, Tanguy Ngombo. According to NBADraft.net, he is from the Congo and played for a team in Qatar. I highly doubt he will ever wear a Timberwolves jersey.
Despite Kahn passing on a few players I think could have benefited our team (Brooks, Honeycutt) later in the first round, Wolves fans should feel nothing but excitement after Thursday night. Minnesota has never gotten a top 2 pick in a draft, and I feel they took advantage of this opportunity. I still have no idea who is going to start at the shooting guard spot, but the forward positions are more than taken care of. Dreams and fantasies of Ricky Rubio throwing up alley oops to Derrick Williams should be able to placate the minds of Wolves fans until the impending lockout ends.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Worst to... First?
First off, pardon the over-used rhyme. After finding themselves 20 games under .500 at one point this season, the Minnesota Twins stand on June 22 a mere 6.5 games behind the division-leading Cleveland Indians, who have won only seven games this month. How have the Twins come this close after having to play a large amount of games without their two superstars, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau?
The Twins have one hitter batting over .300 (Jason Kubel, who happens to be on the DL at the moment) and yet scoring has been far from an issue for the team this month. Fan favorite Michael Cuddyer has carried the offense with his 10 homeruns while his counterparts have been riding the pine with various medical ailments. However, Cuddyer has certainly not done it all on his own. Relatively unknown players such as Matt Tolbert, Luke Hughes and Drew Butera have all produced hits in important moments this season. In fact, Butera, the usual backup catcher for Mauer, hit the game-winning single a few games ago against the hapless San Diego Padres. Injuries to the aforementioned Mauer, Morneau, Kubel plus slugger Jim Thome and speedy outfielder Denard Span have led to several opportunities for players that would normally be spending their time in Rochester or New Britain. 2007 first round pick Ben Revere has filled in admirably for Span in the lead-off role, stealing bases and scoring runs regularly. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen whether Revere will stick in the outfield once Span returns from the DL. Another hitter that has caught my eye is middle infielder Alexi Casilla. Casilla, who struggled in 2009 and played less than half of last season, has enjoyed a fine comeback season in the number two spot in the lineup while the batter who was supposed to be in that role, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, was gone with a broken fibula. Nishioka has come back from his injury but is hitting towards the bottom of the lineup. Third baseman Danny Valencia has showed some power this season, leading the team in RBIs, but is still hitting an abysmal .221. Regardless, he has been impressive for the Twins as an everyday third basemen, something the Twins have lacked since the days of Corey Koskie. Outfielder Delmon Young has hit in nine of his last 10 games and is starting to heat up after having his breakout season in 2010. Although stars Mauer and Morneau have had their troubles in the batter's box so far this year, I expect them to find their strokes as the team goes into July and August. There is no reason for anything but optimism as injured Twins continue to gradually show up in the lineup.
The Twins hitters may be getting a lot of the attention as the team continues it's climb up the division, but it should be the pitching that gets the credit. The staff has allowed more than five runs in a game once in the month of June and has given up a grand total of six over the last three. Not bad for a unit that started the season off with a 13-3 loss to the mighty Toronto Blue Jays. Nick Blackburn looked the best out of all the starters in spring training and that his momentum has continued into the season. Blackburn leads the starters with six wins and a 3.16 ERA. This isn't to say the rest of the starters have been horrendous, however. Brian Duensing and Francisco Liriano's ERA are on the high side, but Duensing has given up only five earned runs in his last three starts and Liriano has not given up more than three in his previous five. Scott Baker and Carl Pavano have also been more than steady. Baker's ERA is lower than it's ever been in his career, and Pavano is having the consistent season we knew he would. As I predicted, the starters have been the rock on which the Minnesota Twins stand, and lately more often then not they have been given the run support they need to succeed. The bullpen has not been so fortunate. Former starter Glen Perkins has been the only pitcher in the pen who could be considered as having a strong season. Like Nick Blackburn, his strong spring training has carried into the regular season. Jose Mijares has been a solid presence, with eight holds and an ERA of 4.24. The rest of the middle relief has been a revolving door of names that most Twins fans are less than familiar with. None of them have really left a positive impression, but thankfully Twins starters have been able to go deep enough into games to not have to worry about throwing another triple-A call-up to the mound. Closer Matt Capps has done a decent job of closing out games, with 11 saves. Joe Nathan had a 7.63 ERA before ending up on the DL, only reinforcing my springtime opinion that he simply was not ready for any kind of closing role. The only real problem in the pitching staff is the middle-relief, and if they get that issue at least somewhat solved the Twins should be more than able to keep moving at their torrid pace.
This team should only improve once Morneau, Thome and Kubel are added to the lineup, and all that we need out of our starting pitchers is for them to do what they have done all season. The other teams in the division have looked mediocre recently, and now looks to be the time for the Twins to make a move. I had high expectations for the Twins coming into the season, and though I definitely soured on them at the beginning of the season, at the moment it looks like nothing can stop the small-ball team from the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
The Twins have one hitter batting over .300 (Jason Kubel, who happens to be on the DL at the moment) and yet scoring has been far from an issue for the team this month. Fan favorite Michael Cuddyer has carried the offense with his 10 homeruns while his counterparts have been riding the pine with various medical ailments. However, Cuddyer has certainly not done it all on his own. Relatively unknown players such as Matt Tolbert, Luke Hughes and Drew Butera have all produced hits in important moments this season. In fact, Butera, the usual backup catcher for Mauer, hit the game-winning single a few games ago against the hapless San Diego Padres. Injuries to the aforementioned Mauer, Morneau, Kubel plus slugger Jim Thome and speedy outfielder Denard Span have led to several opportunities for players that would normally be spending their time in Rochester or New Britain. 2007 first round pick Ben Revere has filled in admirably for Span in the lead-off role, stealing bases and scoring runs regularly. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen whether Revere will stick in the outfield once Span returns from the DL. Another hitter that has caught my eye is middle infielder Alexi Casilla. Casilla, who struggled in 2009 and played less than half of last season, has enjoyed a fine comeback season in the number two spot in the lineup while the batter who was supposed to be in that role, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, was gone with a broken fibula. Nishioka has come back from his injury but is hitting towards the bottom of the lineup. Third baseman Danny Valencia has showed some power this season, leading the team in RBIs, but is still hitting an abysmal .221. Regardless, he has been impressive for the Twins as an everyday third basemen, something the Twins have lacked since the days of Corey Koskie. Outfielder Delmon Young has hit in nine of his last 10 games and is starting to heat up after having his breakout season in 2010. Although stars Mauer and Morneau have had their troubles in the batter's box so far this year, I expect them to find their strokes as the team goes into July and August. There is no reason for anything but optimism as injured Twins continue to gradually show up in the lineup.
The Twins hitters may be getting a lot of the attention as the team continues it's climb up the division, but it should be the pitching that gets the credit. The staff has allowed more than five runs in a game once in the month of June and has given up a grand total of six over the last three. Not bad for a unit that started the season off with a 13-3 loss to the mighty Toronto Blue Jays. Nick Blackburn looked the best out of all the starters in spring training and that his momentum has continued into the season. Blackburn leads the starters with six wins and a 3.16 ERA. This isn't to say the rest of the starters have been horrendous, however. Brian Duensing and Francisco Liriano's ERA are on the high side, but Duensing has given up only five earned runs in his last three starts and Liriano has not given up more than three in his previous five. Scott Baker and Carl Pavano have also been more than steady. Baker's ERA is lower than it's ever been in his career, and Pavano is having the consistent season we knew he would. As I predicted, the starters have been the rock on which the Minnesota Twins stand, and lately more often then not they have been given the run support they need to succeed. The bullpen has not been so fortunate. Former starter Glen Perkins has been the only pitcher in the pen who could be considered as having a strong season. Like Nick Blackburn, his strong spring training has carried into the regular season. Jose Mijares has been a solid presence, with eight holds and an ERA of 4.24. The rest of the middle relief has been a revolving door of names that most Twins fans are less than familiar with. None of them have really left a positive impression, but thankfully Twins starters have been able to go deep enough into games to not have to worry about throwing another triple-A call-up to the mound. Closer Matt Capps has done a decent job of closing out games, with 11 saves. Joe Nathan had a 7.63 ERA before ending up on the DL, only reinforcing my springtime opinion that he simply was not ready for any kind of closing role. The only real problem in the pitching staff is the middle-relief, and if they get that issue at least somewhat solved the Twins should be more than able to keep moving at their torrid pace.
This team should only improve once Morneau, Thome and Kubel are added to the lineup, and all that we need out of our starting pitchers is for them to do what they have done all season. The other teams in the division have looked mediocre recently, and now looks to be the time for the Twins to make a move. I had high expectations for the Twins coming into the season, and though I definitely soured on them at the beginning of the season, at the moment it looks like nothing can stop the small-ball team from the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Timberwolves Offseason
With the NBA Draft a little over a week away, I figured I would give my opinion on what everyone's favorite basketball team needs to do in order to get better for the 2011-2012 season, providing there is one. When you have a 17-65 campaign and the second one in a row with under 20 wins, one needs to ask the question, "Who do we keep?" Do you solve a team's woe and futility by blowing up the roster for another consecutive season, or do you stick with the core of young players and hope for a better result?
In my opinion, the biggest issue for this team is the point guard position. Luke Ridnour was a fine veteran presence, but he had trouble keeping up with most of the more talented and more athletic point guards the league has to offer. However, his jump-shooting and free-throw making ability can not be overlooked. If the ever-allusive Ricky Rubio finally makes his way to the icy shores of Minnesota, Ridnour would be a great older point guard for the young Spaniard to share time with. Jonny Flynn and Sebastian Telfair are the only other point guards on the roster, something like likely won't be the case once the Wolves play their first game of the new season this fall. Flynn never looked he recovered from his hip injury and definitely lacked a shooting touch most point guards of his height need to rely on. Telfair did an admirable job of filling in for an injured Ridnour but was nothing to write home about for most of the season. Though Rubio may never fulfill the lofty expectation his high draft status gave him, Wolves fans should feel much more confident about a Ridnour/Rubio tandem in the backcourt.
The center position is another vital area of concern for the Timberwolves. The Wolves gave starter Darko Milicic a huge raise in the offseason last year, a move that was likely the punchline of many a water cooler joke in NBA offices around the league. While Darko showed some signs of life, blocking 2.03 shots per game and putting in a hook shot once in a while, he struggled in the low post for the most part, fumbling passes and missing the easiest of shots. Backup Nikola Pekovic is a decent backup, but shouldn't be spending big minutes for any team in the league. Enes Kanter is certainly a tempting option for the Wolves to take with the second pick in the draft. Although he is listed only at 6'11'', he offers far more upside than either option at center currently on the Wolves roster.
One more position on the Wolves roster I have yet to really hear the media talk about is shooting guard. Like most players on the roster, Wayne Ellington provided up with some moments of optimism but was still far too inconsistent to be relied on as a starting 2. Wes Johnson wowed us with his three-point shooting skill, but still remains more of a small forward/shooting guard tweener. While it isn't as high on the priority list as point guard and center is, the Wolves still lack someone who can hit the big shots on the perimeter in crunch time.
Forward is without a doubt the position the Wolves have the fewest questions about. Kevin Love stands as one of the best power forwards in the league, and mid-season acquisition Anthony Randolph averaged 19.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in the last five games on the season. Randolph was definitely impressive when he was given full-time minutes, even putting up consecutive double-doubles in March, with one of those being a 31-point, 11-rebound performance. Former Heat lottery pick Michael Beasley started the season hot, but was cooled significantly by hip and ankle injuries throughout the season. In addition to his medical ailments, Beasley's recklessness on the court and chronic case of the turnovers drew the ire of fans. It will be interesting to see how patient the Wolves are with Beasley, who despite his lack of care for the basketball is still brimming with tremendous amounts of scoring potential. In regards to the other forwards on the roster, Martell Webster is an athletic, run-of-the-mill small forward who is better served coming off the bench. Rookie Lazar Hayward came on stronger towards the end of the season, and should remain in the mix for next season.
"So Tony, what would you do if you were in charge of the Wolves this offseason?" Well, for one thing, I would fire Kurt Rambis and look for a new head coach. I felt bad for Rambis at several times last season, but it became quickly apparent to me that he had lost his players. The Wolves also had the worst defense in the league, something that can't be simply blamed on the players alone. It would be nice if this coaching dilemma was solved by the time the draft took place, but it's looking more and more like that won't be the case. Speaking of the draft, I've said from the moment the Wolves were given the second pick that they should draft Derrick Williams from Arizona. It is the general consensus around the league that there are really only two players in the draft that have that star potential, and Willams happens to be one of them. You just don't skip opportunities like that, especially when your drafts have the reputation of being unmitigated disasters, with exception of last year's relatively safe choice of Wes Johnson. After picking Williams the next logical step would be to trade Michael Beasley, hopefully packaged with Jonny Flynn for an established player at the center or shooting guard position. A young core of Kevin Love, Derrick Williams and Ricky Rubio (fingers crossed)combined with one or two more semi-talented veterans should make Timberwolves fans at least a little more excited for a team that has won 32 games the past two seasons.
In my opinion, the biggest issue for this team is the point guard position. Luke Ridnour was a fine veteran presence, but he had trouble keeping up with most of the more talented and more athletic point guards the league has to offer. However, his jump-shooting and free-throw making ability can not be overlooked. If the ever-allusive Ricky Rubio finally makes his way to the icy shores of Minnesota, Ridnour would be a great older point guard for the young Spaniard to share time with. Jonny Flynn and Sebastian Telfair are the only other point guards on the roster, something like likely won't be the case once the Wolves play their first game of the new season this fall. Flynn never looked he recovered from his hip injury and definitely lacked a shooting touch most point guards of his height need to rely on. Telfair did an admirable job of filling in for an injured Ridnour but was nothing to write home about for most of the season. Though Rubio may never fulfill the lofty expectation his high draft status gave him, Wolves fans should feel much more confident about a Ridnour/Rubio tandem in the backcourt.
The center position is another vital area of concern for the Timberwolves. The Wolves gave starter Darko Milicic a huge raise in the offseason last year, a move that was likely the punchline of many a water cooler joke in NBA offices around the league. While Darko showed some signs of life, blocking 2.03 shots per game and putting in a hook shot once in a while, he struggled in the low post for the most part, fumbling passes and missing the easiest of shots. Backup Nikola Pekovic is a decent backup, but shouldn't be spending big minutes for any team in the league. Enes Kanter is certainly a tempting option for the Wolves to take with the second pick in the draft. Although he is listed only at 6'11'', he offers far more upside than either option at center currently on the Wolves roster.
One more position on the Wolves roster I have yet to really hear the media talk about is shooting guard. Like most players on the roster, Wayne Ellington provided up with some moments of optimism but was still far too inconsistent to be relied on as a starting 2. Wes Johnson wowed us with his three-point shooting skill, but still remains more of a small forward/shooting guard tweener. While it isn't as high on the priority list as point guard and center is, the Wolves still lack someone who can hit the big shots on the perimeter in crunch time.
Forward is without a doubt the position the Wolves have the fewest questions about. Kevin Love stands as one of the best power forwards in the league, and mid-season acquisition Anthony Randolph averaged 19.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in the last five games on the season. Randolph was definitely impressive when he was given full-time minutes, even putting up consecutive double-doubles in March, with one of those being a 31-point, 11-rebound performance. Former Heat lottery pick Michael Beasley started the season hot, but was cooled significantly by hip and ankle injuries throughout the season. In addition to his medical ailments, Beasley's recklessness on the court and chronic case of the turnovers drew the ire of fans. It will be interesting to see how patient the Wolves are with Beasley, who despite his lack of care for the basketball is still brimming with tremendous amounts of scoring potential. In regards to the other forwards on the roster, Martell Webster is an athletic, run-of-the-mill small forward who is better served coming off the bench. Rookie Lazar Hayward came on stronger towards the end of the season, and should remain in the mix for next season.
"So Tony, what would you do if you were in charge of the Wolves this offseason?" Well, for one thing, I would fire Kurt Rambis and look for a new head coach. I felt bad for Rambis at several times last season, but it became quickly apparent to me that he had lost his players. The Wolves also had the worst defense in the league, something that can't be simply blamed on the players alone. It would be nice if this coaching dilemma was solved by the time the draft took place, but it's looking more and more like that won't be the case. Speaking of the draft, I've said from the moment the Wolves were given the second pick that they should draft Derrick Williams from Arizona. It is the general consensus around the league that there are really only two players in the draft that have that star potential, and Willams happens to be one of them. You just don't skip opportunities like that, especially when your drafts have the reputation of being unmitigated disasters, with exception of last year's relatively safe choice of Wes Johnson. After picking Williams the next logical step would be to trade Michael Beasley, hopefully packaged with Jonny Flynn for an established player at the center or shooting guard position. A young core of Kevin Love, Derrick Williams and Ricky Rubio (fingers crossed)combined with one or two more semi-talented veterans should make Timberwolves fans at least a little more excited for a team that has won 32 games the past two seasons.
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