Random Thoughts

• Ramon Ortiz is the only player not to have reported to Twins training camp on time, but this is fairly common for players traveling from Latin America. Personally, I think it would be best for the team if he didn't show up at all. I still think J.D. Durbin will be a good #3 starter for a major league team - but it is unlikely the Twins will have room for him, as the starting rotation is likely to be Santana-Bonser-Silva-Ortiz-Garza (I figure the Twins have conceded the first four spots already, and only the fifth is up for grabs). Durbin could still make the team out of the bullpen, and I'd like to see it if only to keep him in the organization. Many forget (or didn't know) that he likely would have been called up instead of Garza last August had he not gone down with nerve damage in his elbow.


• The Twins appear to have re-entered negotiations with Justin Morneau. I'd love to see them come to an agreement soon, but I can't see Morneau's value being much higher a year from now than it currently is. In short, I'd love to see them lock him up long-term, but I won't lose any sleep over it if a deal doesn't happen this summer.


• Kevin Garnett and the Timberwolves continue to be consistently mediocre. A loss at Washington tonight dropped them to 25-28, though they still hold the 8th seed in the Western Conference. It is nice to see Randy Foye starting, but still frustrating to see the other rookie, Craig Smith, continue to get declining minutes in favor of Mark Madsen and Marko Jaric. I'd love to see the team cut some of the dead weight by Thursday's trade deadline, but it seems incredibly unlikely to me that any team would be willing to take it on.


• The Wild, on the other hand, continue to impress me. I caught most of the game versus Dallas tonight, and once I started watching I couldn't look away. The Wild play an exciting brand of hockey. I'm definitely not a hockey expert, but it is the most exciting game out there when the games are close. The Wild lead the league with 20 overtime games (in which they are 15-5), so they are a lot of fun to watch. The team has been on a roll since star winger Marian Gaborik's return in January, and goalie Niklas Backstrom has been filling in admirably for the injured Manny Fernandez. In fact, I think Backstrom has played better than Fernandez. Tonight, Mikko Koivu provided the game-winner in the third frame of a shootout as Backstrom stopped all three Dallas attempts - moving the Wild into 7th in the Western Conference and just one point behind Vancouver for the division lead. As long as Gaborik stays healthy, this team can hang with anyone, and can potentially make a run deep into the playoffs.