StribSports Daily Delivery

Introduction: Host Michael Rand knows the Twins are still in relatively good shape after Wednesday, but they missed a great chance to put Cleveland away and continued a disturbing trend in the process. Closer Jhoan Duran, nearly unhittable for the first three months of the season, no longer gives off the feeling of invincibility. The Twins need the dominant version of Duran to return. Plus a big win for the Loons and a big question for the Gophers. 8:00: Wild General Manager Bill Guerin joined Rand at the State Fair on Wednesday to talk about the season ahead and how he spends his down time -- which will include a return to the Fair on Thursday to see the Duran Duran concert. He also answered some good questions from the audience at the Star Tribune stage. 33:00: What was your favorite Jalen Reagor moment? I know mine.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand was admittedly a little puzzled when he saw the Vikings' initial 53-man roster released Tuesday. Three true running backs? Five corners? Eight healthy offensive linemen? This can only be viewed as a work in progress, and an inexperienced group at that. A few veteran pickups will be needed between now and the start of the season for it all to make sense. 7:00: Chip Towers from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution joins Rand for a look at Gophers football history and Georgia's attempt to duplicate the mighty Gophers. Minnesota is the last school (1934-36) to win three consecutive national titles. Can Georgia pull off the repeat this season? 32:00: Three disappointing losses Tuesday, but no real cause for panic.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand can't help but wonder if we are witnessing a passing of the torch with the Twins -- which would be fitting considering how red-hot Royce Lewis is. The rookie hit a grand slam for the second consecutive game, the first Twins player in history to do that, and continues to spark the offense in the absence of Byron Buxton. Plus an interesting roster move pays off immediately. 13:00: Star Tribune Gophers football writer Randy Johnson joins Rand for a look at the season opener Thursday against Nebraska. The Huskers have fallen on hard times in recent years, but this game is still a good early test. Johnson outlines the players who will be keys for the Gophers this year. 29:00: With the Vikings, there's Justin Jefferson -- and then everyone else.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included a strong series for the Twins as they took three of four from Texas. Sunday's comeback win was the they key to the whole thing, and it led to a discussion of both Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton. Reusse and Rand also talked about the Gophers volleyball team's impressive debut over the weekend, which leads into Tuesday's showdown with No. 1 Texas. The Gophers football team, meanwhile, is more than a touchdown favorite over Nebraska in Thursday's opener. It's a game that they pretty much need to win, Reusse said. Plus a few words on Trey Lance and Rudy Gobert's quick international exit.

Introduction: Thursday's Twins game followed a familiar recent script, but thankfully for the Twins the roles were reversed. After a pair of frustrating losses in which the bullpen couldn't hold leads in Milwaukee, the Twins rallied from a 5-2 deficit behind home runs and excellent relief work to defeat Texas 7-5 and restore a six-game lead in the AL Central. And the Lynx beat Dallas for the second time in three nights, gaining traction in the WNBA playoff picture. 8:00: Minnesota United manager Adrian Heath joins host Michael Rand for a big-picture look at MLS since the addition of Lionel Messi in Miami, the Loons' momentum coming off a strong showing in the inaugural Leagues Cup and a prediction for the final stretch of the season. 29:00: The Gophers football team announced a sellout for their opener against Nebraska.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand loves a good story about a potential player acquisition, and Trey Lance's likely availability is intriguing. The former No. 3 overall pick with the 49ers in 2021 has fallen on San Francisco's depth chart. Would it make sense for the Vikings to make a trade for the QB in hopes of reviving his career? Plus another bullpen meltdown for the Twins in the sweltering Milwaukee heat. 11:00: Ben Feldman from the Minnesota Wind Chill joins Rand in advance of the Friday and Saturday championship weekend for the American Ultimate Disc League at TCO Stadium in Eagan. The Wind Chill will play in Friday's semifinals, and the sport of ultimate is growing fast overall. 30:00: Will there be drama in the Lynx vs. Dallas rematch?

Introduction: The Twins led 3-2 after five innings in Milwaukee on Tuesday, with starter Bailey Ober cruising after a rough start. But he was lifted -- to his surprise -- in favor of reliever Dylan Floro, who gave up five runs in the decisive sixth. It underscored two flaws: The Twins are starting to prepare for the future while this year's outcome is very much in doubt, and they lack the trusted bullpen arms to make those decisions in high-leverage games. 8:00: The Lynx won 91-86 over Dallas on Tuesday at Target Center, a game that became heated at the end with a player ejection, fan ejections and opponent calling the home crowd "disgusting." 11:00: Star Tribune writer and editor Jeff Day joins host Michael Rand for a look ahead to the Gophers volleyball season that starts Friday. What should we expect with coach Keegan Cook taking over for Hugh McCutcheon? 34:00: The Gustavus hockey tragedy.

Introduction: Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson hasn't participated in contact drills with the Vikings in more than two weeks, and evidence is mounting that he is "holding in" -- going through meetings and other less-strenuous parts of the preseason -- while he awaits a new contract. Either that, or the ear infection he described last week is pretty nasty. 8:00: Chip Scoggins joins host Michael Rand for a look at Gophers Athletic Director Mark Coyle. His name surfaced Monday as someone USC was looking at for its AD vacancy, though later Monday USC made a different hire. The news offered a good moment to evaluate Coyle's tenure at Minnesota. Scoggins and Rand also talk Gophers football, with that season starting next week. 31:00: A wild NBA story.

Introduction: Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse shared an opinion just last week with host Michael Rand that Dallas Keuchel doesn't belong on a Major League mound. The Keuchel, coming off a disaster of a start against the Phillies, took a perfect game into the seventh for the Twins on Sunday. Baseball is a strange and wonderful game, and the Twins have been getting the best of it lately. 15:00: The Vikings might have depth problems across their roster this season, but particularly on the offensive line. That showed up in a big way in their preseason loss to Tennessee over the weekend. 22:00: Anthony Edwards earns high praise from Steve Kerr. 29:00: Can Augsburg be a football contender in the MIAC?

Introduction: The release of various professional team schedules shouldn't be that big of a deal because we already know pretty much every opponent already. But seeing the order does clarify some points, as evidenced again by Thursday's NBA schedule release. Host Michael Rand has some insights into what the Wolves' 82-game slate signals this year. 7:00: Rand is joined by Star Tribune sports columnist La Velle E. Neal for a look at this year's Twins, who have 40 games left and are in prime position to win the AL Central. They also get deep on how covering baseball has changed and note a significant Joe Mauer anniversary coming up. 30:00: The Vikings are opting for kicking stability, which is a smart move.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand explains how Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins -- inadvertently and no, not really -- ruined his chance at perfection on Wednesday's Immaculate Grid. Along the way, Bob Schnelker makes an appearance, obviously. 12:00: Former Gophers defenseman and current Wild defenseman Brock Faber joins Rand to catch up on a whirlwind four months and a look ahead to an important 2023-24 season. Faber will also reveal all of the cooking secrets that he and teammate/roommate Sammy Walker have discovered. 26:00: Diamond Sports is suing Sinclair; Twins lose but stay the same; Aaron Rodgers is not happy with the Jets offensive line.

Introduction: Matt Wallner's grand slam was the biggest hit Tuesday in the Twins' 5-3 win over the Tigers, but two players we were all ready to give up on also played key roles again. Max Kepler was on base twice and scored during the five-run fifth, while Emilio Pagan had another effective relief outing. Both have been excellent for the last two months, much to the surprise of almost everyone. 8:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves writer Chris Hine joins host Michael Rand for a breakdown of the NBA's new in-season tournament. Group play schedules were released on Tuesday. Plus what are the benefits and drawbacks of all the Wolves participating in international play this summer? And is a Jaden McDaniels extension coming soon? 32:00: The Twins have three of MLB's top 33 prospects.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand breaks down the news that former Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is joining forces with Aaron Rodgers on the Jets. A deal that could be worth as much as $8.6 million in 2023 feels like a reach for a player who had so many negative plays last season. 6:00: Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a wide-ranging look at multiple topics, including whether this is finally the year that P.J. Fleck's Gophers throw the ball more. Scoggins has some Vikings and Twins thoughts as well. 34:00: Michael Oher alleges in a lawsuit that "The Blind Side" isn't the story you think it is.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joined host Michael Rand for a three-pronged look at baseball in Minnesota. They started with the Twins, who won the final two games of their series in Philadelphia -- aided by superb starting pitching from Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray -- to restore faith and a 4.5-game lead in the American League Central. Reusse asks an interesting question: Why not bring back Gray, an impending free agent, for 2024 and beyond? Next up are the Saints, and a history that goes back to Midway Stadium and years of independent baseball. A recent documentary helps tell that story, and Reusse gives his review. And finally, it's townball time in Minnesota. The small town tradition has a large anniversary -- 100 years -- and Reusse has some great stories to tell.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand stayed up to watch almost all of the Vikings' 24-13 preseason loss to the Seahawks and came away with five thoughts after the game. On the plus side, the initial depth -- particularly running back Ty Chandler -- looked solid in building a 10-0 lead. But the rest of an anonymous roster needs work. 12:00: Twins Daily co-founder Nick Nelson joins Rand to break down the reality of this Twins season -- a frustrating lesson in inconsistency that could still very well end with the franchise's first playoff victory in almost 20 years. 33:00: A tough loss for the Lynx.

Introduction: In an upside-down show, host Michael Rand starts with guest ChikenFingerz69 of social media and The Sportive podcast fame in a sort of cleansing segment. They talk about Rand and his bizarre, completely wrong opinion from nearly a decade ago that the Vikings needed to draft quarterback Johnny Manziel -- a decision that, had it been made, would have been a disaster. A new Netflix documentary on Manziel provides the humorous opportunity to revisit this history. 18:00: More bad sports takes? Oh, Rand has had those over the years. 23:00: Aaron Rodgers is concerned about the Jets' offensive line, the Vikings have some interesting position battles, a former Viking got in major trouble and Anthony Edwards got a slap on the wrist.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand goes on a rant of sorts talking about conference realignment and the mess it has made of math and geography. Eighteen teams in the Big Ten? Pacific Coast teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference? What are we doing here? Plus thoughts on the Lynx, Loons and Twins. 12:00: Rand welcomes in former NCAA and NBA champion Corliss Williamson, a new Timberwolves assistant coach. They get into the evolving role of the big man in the NBA, what it takes to carve out a niche in the NBA and how Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert can fit together. 29:00: The Saints are retiring the number of a short-term legend.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes the Twins' upswing, which included a rout of the Tigers on Monday that boosted their division lead to 5.5 games. Ryan Jeffers was key with a three-run home run, and catching depth -- much like goalie depth in the NHL -- appears to be a team strength. 6:00: The Vikings released their first depth chart Monday, and even though head coach Kevin O'Connell cautioned us not to read too much into things the battle at backup running back is intriguing. 10:00: Local soccer writer Jon Marthaler joins Rand for a discussion of the U.S. Women's National Team and Minnesota United. 28:00: The Wild will miss Matt Dumba.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included a sweep by the Twins of the Diamondbacks that pushed their AL Central lead to 4.5 games. After writing about how frustrating the Twins are to fans, Reusse admits he isn't quite sure what to think of them week to week. Plus the Big Ten just added two new members -- again -- pushing their footprint to 18 teams. With Washington and Oregon set to join the fold, a decision that seemingly happened overnight late last week, will there be any end in sight to the greed? Best guess: No. And the U.S. Women's National Team was bounced from the World Cup in the round of 16.

Introduction: It was a newsy Thursday for the Twins, as Sonny Gray won for the first time in 15 starts to snap a bizarre streak that had seen him pitch quite well with very little run support. We also found out that Joe Ryan -- a starter who had been rocked for 19 home runs in his last seven outings -- was pitching through a groin strain that he didn't tell anyone about. And Brooks Lee was promoted to Class AAA St. Paul. 7:30: Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins host Michael Rand for a look at where the Vikings stand with both their roster-building and salary cap after details of Danielle Hunter's new deal were released. 35:00: The Vikings like their corners, they say, but they still brought in a veteran for a free agent visit. That's been a theme this week.

Introduction: Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan was shelled Wednesday and has now allowed 19 home runs in his last seven starts -- the most in Twins history over a span of that length. His struggles have been part of an overall starting rotation regression for the Twins, who lead the AL Central by two games despite having a worse record than nine of 10 AL teams outside their division. 8:00: Host Michael Rand is joined by Jason Gurwin, founder of The Streamable, for a look ahead to what comes next with the future of sports on TV. What will the Twins' TV situation look like in 2024? How are important are upcoming negotiations between Diamond Sports and DIRECTV? And what's new in the NBA, NHL and NFL? 30:00: The Vikings can't replicate their 2022 formula, but it might not matter in their division.

Introduction: If you watched the 2022 Vikings season -- or the recent Netflix documentary "Quarterback" -- you saw Kirk Cousins repeatedly getting hit. Much of the pressure came from a weak interior of the Vikings offensive line, something the team might be looking to correct after hosting free agent guard Dalton Risner this week. 6:00: Star Tribune Twins writer Phil Miller joins host Michael Rand after an uneventful but newsworthy trade deadline came and passed Tuesday. The Twins did virtually nothing this season, even though they sit in first place, and one can't help but wonder if it will cost them down the road. Miller will explain their rationale and add context to some concerning injuries. 33:00: Anthony Edwards is trying something new.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand woke up Tuesday to a very narrow U.S. Women's National Team escape in the World Cup. A 0-0 draw with Portugal -- one in which Portugal hit the post with a golden opportunity late -- sent the Americans barely through to the knockout stage. 4:00: Rand details the trade deadline history for the Twins during the Derek Falvey and Thad Levine era, noting that they have tended to fare much better as sellers than buyers. That might be reason for caution heading into Tuesday's 5 p.m. deadline. 13:00: Star Tribune Gophers football writer Randy Johnson joins the show to talk about allegations within P.J. Fleck's program, positional battles as camp begins and U hockey star Logan Cooley turning pro. 29:00: Final thoughts on Wild goalies and Danielle Hunter.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a breakdown of what went wrong for the Twins in Kansas City. Reusse traces the roots back to a blown lead against the Mariners early last week, which sent the Twins spiraling toward what is now a five-game losing streak. What, if anything, should they do before this week's trade deadline? Reusse and Rand also get into Danielle Hunter's short-term contract fix, which will keep him on the Vikings in 2023. The Vikings have a lot of free agents after this season, including Hunter and Kirk Cousins. And Reusse gives his thoughts on the 3M Open, where he spent much of his weekend.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand ties together some interesting comments and football news in the opening segment, including a response Thursday from P.J. Fleck to a report critical of his program earlier this week. Plus new Broncos coach Sean Payton didn't hold back when talking about the organization's 2022 failures, Dalvin Cook might soon join forces with Aaron Rodgers with the Jets and Twins using an old trade deadline tactic. 12:00: Star Tribune outdoors writer and editor Bob Timmons joins Rand to discuss the impact of extreme heat and wild fires from Canada on the camping, hiking and fishing plans of Minnesotans this summer. 28:00: Gophers star Logan Cooley is leaving for the NHL.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand spends some time on the Lynx, who had a big win Wednesday but lost star Napheesa Collier late to an ankle injury. That could loom large during a tough stretch of games coming up. The U.S. Women's Soccer team, meanwhile, had a hard-fought draw in the World Cup while Major League Soccer continues to make significant strides. 8:00: Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a breakdown of the recently released Netflix documentary "Quarterback," which prominently features the Vikings' Kirk Cousins. What did we learn and what was reinforced about the Vikings' QB from behind-the-scenes footage and interviews? 31:00: A Twins trade and a nightmare playoff scenario.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand listened to Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah get peppered with tough questions -- followed by understandably vague answers -- on Tuesday ahead of the start of training camp, and he was struck by this thought: Year 2 for this regime has a lot of unknowns, and it will largely tell the story of whether a "competitive rebuild" is really working. 13:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand to talk about the Twins, who let one get away Tuesday but have generally been surging since the break. What do we believe about this team and what should be the trade deadline priority? 32:00: Big money is flying around sports.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand had a range of selfish emotions Monday as a 2-1 Twins lead became a 3-2 deficit in the ninth inning, threatening the premise of something he had just written about. But another Twins rally and eventual 4-3 victory only served to strengthen his point about the two keys to the Twins' post-break success. 6:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins Rand to unpack a whole bunch of Vikings questions ahead of the start of training camp this week. The biggest one: What will happen with star edge rusher Danielle Hunter, who is unhappy with his contract? 37:00: Will "dog emergency" enter our sports lexicon?

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse as the catch up on Minnesota sports. Rand thought he was making pretty good time on a recent trip to North Dakota, but it turns out he was going only about half as fast as Vikings first-round pick Jordan Addison. What does Reusse make of Addison going 140 mph at 3 a.m. in St. Paul? The Twins, meanwhile, are 8-2 since the All-Star break -- including 4-1 in one-run games. The hitting is better, the luck is evening out, and a three-game lead in the AL Central is the result. The only quibble: Are they using Jhoan Duran too much?

Star Tribune summer intern Noah Furtado takes over the show for a day and gives an update on some projects he has been working on at the beginning of the show. Later, he welcomes in veteran Star Tribune writer Jerry Zgoda and they talk about a couple of subjects: Minnesota United Soccer, Zgoda's regular beat on which Furtado has filled in this summer, and 3M Open golf, which begins next week.

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 ([email protected]) or find Rand (@randball) on social media to let them know.

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 ([email protected]) or find Rand (@randball) on social media to let them know.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes aim at the dumbest rule in sports -- the clause in NBA contracts that allows players to earn tens of millions of dollars more just for being named to an All-NBA team. It made a huge difference in Karl-Anthony Towns' contract extension, and whether Anthony Edwards makes an All-NBA team this season will be the difference in about $43 million on his deal over the next five seasons. Plus Rand responds to a listener query about Twins injuries and notes the recent cooling off from Luis Arraez. 11:00: Star Tribune sports intern Noah Furtado joins Rand to talk about three teams he's been covering lately: Minnesota Aurora, United and Lynx. All three are trending in the right direction, with Aurora set for a big playoff game Thursday and the other two finding their footing. 29:00: Speaking of the Lynx, Cheryl Reeve made it known that the team definitely isn't "tanking" for better draft position in 2024. Eight wins in their last 11 games offer ample evidence.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand came back from the brief holiday with a fresh set of eyes on the Timberwolves' future. Anthony Edwards' new contract brings even greater clarity to the need to trade Karl-Anthony Towns this offseason. It's just that simple for Tim Connelly. 5:00: The Twins are beating up on the Royals, which is good news. But they are increasingly beat up by injuries, a continuing source of frustration. 8:00: Vikings running back Alexander Mattison joins Rand for a discussion of the work Mattison is doing with his offseason camps, the role of mentors in his life and his elevated status on the Vikings' roster after the release of Dalvin Cook. 26:00: A point of clarification about the Twins staying (for now) on Bally Sports North.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included one burst of offense from the Twins before a regression right back into futility. They did still manage to win two of three from Baltimore -- including a 1-0 win -- to claw back into first place, but how long will it last? 14:00: Listeners are upset that Twins games will be shown on Bally Sports North for at least a few more months, news we learned over the weekend when Diamond Sports made its scheduled payment to the Twins. 20:00: Rand thinks the Wolves are making a mistake if they try to run it back this year without trading Karl-Anthony Towns. 33:00: The Wild replaced their grit, while the Lynx and Loons are hot.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand appreciates the approach and honesty of the Wild, who addressed an organizational weakness by drafting centers with each of their top three picks in the draft on Wednesday and Thursday. They even skipped a player who was ranked higher on their draft board to make one of the picks, a rare admission for a team to make. 6:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins Rand for a breakdown of the Naz Reid signing, what it means for the salary cap, what it does/doesn't mean for Karl-Anthony Towns and how all the pieces fit together with free agency starting Friday. 29:00: After a slow start, the Lynx are winning enough that they are in playoff position.

Introduction: It's rare to hear Twins manager Rocco Baldelli forcefully criticize his players, but he did just that after another feeble offensive effort in Wednesday's 3-0 loss to Atlanta that dropped the Twins out of first place. Now we wait and see: Are any meaningful and visible changes coming, either to the lineup or the staff? 6:00: Diamond Sports and the Arizona Diamondbacks released a joint statement postponing a hearing scheduled for Thursday. The two sides say they are making progress on a compromise to keep the Diamondbacks on Bally Sports, something that could foreshadow a similar resolution for the Twins for the rest of 2023. 10:00: Steve Grove, the new publisher and CEO of the Star Tribune, joins Rand to talk about the role sports play at our media company and in Minnesota overall. Grove, with Minnesota roots and a history as a prep and college athlete, knows the value of a well-told story. 31:00: The Wild's first-round pick is a local product, while the Wolves moved on from a key bench player.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of Minnesota United's latest attempt to solve a five-year problem, the signing of Finland's Teemu Pukki to a designated player slot. Maybe, just maybe, Pukki will succeed where so many others have come up short. And the Lynx were energized by the return of Diamond Miller on Tuesday's win over the Seattle Storm. 7:00: Former Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski joins Rand for a free-flowing conversation. They cover a lot of ground, including a huge "what-if" Pierzynski still has about the 2002 season, how much A.J. hated striking out, why he was such a villain and what he thinks of the current Twins. 28:00: The Twins stumbled to the midpoint of the season. Still technically in first place even though they are a game below .500, something has to change in the team's hitting approach and results.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand noted the introduction of Wolves second-round picks Leonard Miller and Jaylen Clark on Monday and how they were given what amounted to first-round pick treatment. Part of that is the absence of first-rounders, but part is also an increasing emphasis in the NBA on the value of second-round picks. Plus Rand was not at all surprised that a Twins lineup without Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton faltered against Atlanta. 10:00: Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joined Rand to preview the NHL Draft and to set up an offseason that could mostly be about internal improvement. 29:00: Pairing high-priced stars with young, cheap talent is the name of the game in pretty much every league these days.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look back at the weekend in sports. It was a newsy Sunday as we learned that Timberwolves big man Naz Reid is returning on a three-year, $42 million deal. Does that make it more likely that the Wolves run it back this season? Or is it foreshadowing for a Karl-Anthony Towns trade? The Twins won on Sunday, but their story remains the same: Too many strikeouts. At least one hitter, the young Royce Lewis, seems to be going against the grain with his approach lately. And Reusse weighs on on Gophers hockey recruiting ahead of this week's NHL Draft.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand looks at Thursday's short start from Sonny Gray (four innings, 79 pitches) and plays audio from the frustrated pitcher. It was the type of game where removing Gray looked especially bad in hindsight after the bullpen gave up six runs in an 8-4 loss. 5:00: Two big story lines with the Vikings involve the status of Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter. Might they be related? 8:00: Marcus Fuller joins Rand to set up the summer and season ahead for the Gophers men's and women's basketball teams. 30:00: Rand notes with interest the decision by Lindsay Whalen to make a clean break with the Gophers instead of taking on a special assistant role, as was revealed this week.

Introduction: Karl-Anthony Towns went on former teammate Patrick Beverley's podcast this week and had some interesting things to say about his legacy and trade rumors involving the Timberwolves. It was the second long podcast KAT has done this offseason, one that feels like a time of transition for him. 7:00: WCCO radio's Chad Hartman joins Rand and regales listeners with some great stories of the Los Angeles golf scene -- setting the stage for the U.S. Open that begins Thursday. Hartman, son of legendary Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman, also talked Wolves and Twins with Rand. 36:00: The Twins won again, and Carlos Correa stayed hot.