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The 10 worst trades in Minnesota sports history Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Host Michael Rand welcomes in Star Tribune multiplatform editor and writer Jeff Day for a fun two-part "draft" of sorts featuring the 10 worst trades in Minnesota sports history (preceded yesterday by the 10 best trades in Minnesota sports history).

They traded off selections, 1-10, and wound up with five apiece.

Agree or disagree? Did Rand or Day wind up with the best "team"? Leave a comment, send an email (mrand@startribune.com) or find Rand (@randball) on social media to let them know.

The 10 best trades in Minnesota sports history Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

Host Michael Rand welcomes in Star Tribune multiplatform editor and writer Jeff Day for a fun two-part "draft" of sorts featuring the 10 best trades in Minnesota sports history (followed tomorrow by the 10 worst trades in Minnesota sports history).

They traded off selections, 1-10, and wound up with five apiece.

Agree or disagree? Did Rand or Day wind up with the best "team"? Leave a comment, send an email (mrand@startribune.com) or find Rand (@randball) on social media to let them know.

The plan and the man: What's wrong with Byron Buxton? + Women's World Cup preview Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

Introduction: Byron Buxton is 0-for-17 with 10 strikeouts since the All-Star break and is now hitting just .196 with an OPS below .700. If the plan at the start of the year was to keep Buxton healthy by primarily using him as a DH, the Twins are seeing very little benefit from what the plan has become: A floundering Buxton as the full-time DH. Is Buxton miserable as the DH? Is he too hurt to play at all? Whatever the case, he needs to be out of the lineup, host Michael Rand argues.

9:00: Jon Marthaler joins Rand to preview the upcoming Women's World Cup which begins Thursday. In a more wide open field than usual, will the U.S. be able to capture another title?

27:00: Two listener questions about Karl-Anthony Towns.

Patrick Reusse on Twins' sweep of feeble Oakland, sudden tennis fandom and drama-free offseason Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

Host Michael Rand and Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse look back at the weekend in sports, which included a Twins sweep in Oakland that put Minnesota back on much better footing in the AL Central. The Twins scored 20 runs in the three games, and combined with three Cleveland losses they took a 2.5-game lead in the division. But did they prove anything other than that they can beat bad teams?

Plus Reusse was captivated by the Wimbledon men's final on Sunday, while both he and Rand bemoaned the lack of drama in the off-seasons of prominent Minnesota teams.

Three reasons for Twins optimism; Gophers volleyball recruiting in focus Jul 14, 2023

Show notes

Introduction: It's been a week of negative talk about the Twins after they carried a losing record into the All-Star break, but let's take a look at what could go right now that play resumes Friday in Oakland. Host Michael Rand examines an excellent pitching staff, an offense with room for realistic improvement and a forgiving schedule that could combine to get the Twins over the hump in a weak AL Central.

13:00: Star Tribune writer and editor Jeff Day joins Rand for a look at the Gophers volleyball program, which recently gained two big recruiting wins under new head coach Keegan Cook. Day will explain Cook's approach to relationship-building an give next year's outlook.

31:00: How are the Wolves looking in Summer League?

Guessing the Wolves' rotation + Is KAT a trade deadline deal candidate? Jul 13, 2023

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand looks at a recent story about running back values and relates it back to a recent episode with Vikings running back Alexander Mattison. In all leagues, teams are searching for value from rookie contracts. But running backs are getting particularly squeezed.

7:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves writer Chris Hine joins Rand for a look at what Minnesota has done in free agency so far to round out its roster. Spots 8-10 in the rotation are in flux, which should make for an interesting battle once camp starts. Plus Rand has moved on to a trade deadline deal for Karl-Anthony Towns, but Hine is quick to throw water on that.

32:00: The Lynx stumbled into the break while the Loons got a pleasant glimpse of the future.

Big Ten football shakeup; Twins on TV update; NBA rule changes Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand spends some time on three interesting stories that emerged from the MLB All-Star game: Star Tribune writer Bobby Nightengale's tale of Pablo Lopez, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred giving an update on local TV rights and players asking for tweaks to the pitch clock for the postseason.

12:00: Star Tribune college football writer Randy Johnson joins Rand for a look at the Gophers and at the impact of Northwestern firing coach Pat Fitzgerald.

23:00: Rand runs through some listener questions and takes note of some new rules changes in the NBA.

Five big Twins questions with La Velle E. Neal III; Time to build around Anthony Edwards Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand knows the Timberwolves are saying they want to build their team around Anthony Edwards, but he doesn't see evidence yet of a roster transformation suited to Edwards' skill set. Who's the point guard of the future? What about other perimeter shooters who can take advantage of double-teams?

6:00: La Velle E. Neal III hops in the hot seat and Rand gives him five big questions to answer about the Twins. Neal sounds more optimistic than pessimistic about where 2023 is headed, but he also knows where the blame should go if things don't get better after the break.

30:00: The New York Times is disbanding its sports department.

Patrick Reusse: Slumping Twins need to shake things up, make changes Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for what mostly became a rant about the Twins, who were swept going into the All-Star break and fell a game below .500. The starting pitching couldn't have been much better during the first 91 games, but the Twins were held to two runs or fewer in 40% of those games.

The result: A frustrating team. Reusse says the Twins need to make some major changes to either the lineup, the decisionmakers or both before play resumes, and he asserts that manager Rocco Baldelli won't survive with his job if this play continues through the rest of the season.

31:00: Reusse and Rand saved a little time for the Timberwolves and some recent comments by head coach Chris Finch.

Twins midyear report and MLB draft preview; the joy of remembering old athletes Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand slows it down a bit at the start of the show to talk about two subjects: Immaculate Grid, a new baseball trivia game of sorts that lets Rand use his vast reservoir of seemingly useless 1980s and 1990s baseball knowledge; and the evolution of Twitter, prompted by a listener question.

12:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Bobby Nightengale Jr. joins Rand to give a midyear report of sorts on the team. With just three games left before the All-Star break, the Twins are in good shape in the AL Central. The offense will tell the story of whether they can be even better. Plus Nightengale looks ahead to the MLB Draft, with the Twins having the No. 5 pick on Sunday.

31:00: It was closer than they might have liked, but Minnesota Aurora advanced in the USL W playoffs.

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