StribSports Daily Delivery

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look at the week in Minnesota sports. The Twins have been decimated by injuries and have lost four of their last five games, but they have still managed to stay afloat in the AL Central race. But in any other division, they would be trailing by at least 10 games. What is the end-game here? Plus Reusse and Rand get into a Vikings/Packers preview of sorts. They both agree the Vikings have an alarming lack of depth, but Reusse makes it known that the Vikings have enough talent to be competitive in 2022 even if we don't know much about them yet.

Introduction: The Gophers showed they can run. They showed they can pass. They showed they have a stout defense. Head coach P.J. Fleck shook hands with Jerry Kill not once but twice. It was pretty much everything they could have asked for in an opener, including the convincing 38-0 result against New Mexico State. 7:00: The Star Tribune's Jeff Day goes in-depth on the Gophers volleyball program with host Michael Rand. It's a powerhouse program from the standpoint of both on-court success and increasing fan interest. But is there another level? That's the big question in 2022 and beyond. 29:00: The Twins are just one game out of the AL Central lead heading into a critical stretch of their schedule.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand can't help but be frustrated by the Twins' 6-5 loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday. The near-comeback was a good effort, but Nick Gordon's baserunning blunder in the eighth and disappointing at bats from Luis Arraez and Carlos Correa in the ninth cost the Twins a chance for a truly special night and an opportunity to gain a game on Cleveland. Now the schedule stiffens considerably. 8:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a big-picture look at the Gophers football program as head coach P.J. Fleck prepares to begin Year 6 against New Mexico State on Thursday. Will there be more balance on offense? And can the Gophers start to establish themselves as regular contenders? 24:00: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulled off his fourth recent trade, this time sending a seventh-round pick and conditional fourth-round pick to Philadelphia for 2020 first round pick WR Jalen Reagor. It was another sign that the Vikings aren't happy with their depth nor impressed by the final draft of the Rick Spielman era as Reagor figures to replace Ihmir Smith-Marsette, a fifth-round pick in 2021 who was cut on Wednesday.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of the Vikings' roster cuts on Tuesday, which included six of the 11 players chosen -- three of them third-round picks -- during Rick Spielman's final draft as GM in 2021. Tuesday was the clearest signal of a regime change, and it was a reminder that rebuilding depth could be a multi-year process. Plus Rand looks at the Twins' five-game winning streak and where they stand. 10:00: Local baseball historian Dan Levitt joins Rand to talk about his new book, "Intentional Balk: Baseball's Thin Line Between Innovation and Cheating." 29:00: Is Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson on the verge of landing a top-30 recruit?

Introduction: The Twins had an impressive win keyed by Gio Urshela's big hit and solid work from their bullpen on Monday to pull within 1.5 games of Cleveland. On the flip side, it sounds like Byron Buxton's return is far from imminent and that he won't go with the team on its upcoming road trip to Chicago and New York. In a similar vein, Minnesota United keeps winning but suffered a key setback when it lost Bakaye Dibassy for the season. 10:00: Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly joins Michael Rand from the Star Tribune's State Fair stage to talk about the offseason deal for Rudy Gobert, big expectations and more. 29:00: NFL cutdown day is coming.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at the Twins, who have been buried and revived a few times already this year. They are in a comeback cycle after sweeping the Giants over the weekend to pull within two games of Cleveland. With some key players perhaps returning soon from injury, it should be a fun stretch run. Rand expresses pessimism -- perhaps prematurely -- about the Vikings after looking at their depth in the preseason. In a role reversal, Reusse is still in wait-and-see mode. And Reusse caught up recently with former Gophers football coach Jerry Kill, who brings his New Mexico State squad to town against P.J. Fleck's Gophers on Thursday.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand goes "micro" on a couple of fringe moves by the Vikings and Twins on Thursday. First, he takes note of the Vikings' decision to keep rookie punter Ryan Wright instead of veteran Jordan Berry. How does it impact kicker Greg Joseph, who had Berry as his holder all of last season? Plus the Twins signed veteran outfielder Billy Hamilton to a minor league contract. Rand wonders why the Twins didn't make any sort of outfield depth move even sooner. 10:00: Wild General Manager Bill Guerin joins the show with a free-flowing conversation from the State Fair. Guerin touches on the dicey offseason situation involving Kirill Kaprizov, how he and head coach Dean Evason have changed their postgame communication and expectations he has for young players trying to stick on this year's roster. 27:00: Wolves forward Taurean Prince was arrested Thursday; former Minnehaha Academy standout and No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren is going to miss the entire NBA season with a foot injury.

Introduction: One of the hardest things for an "expert" to admit is that they don't know something. But when it comes to the 2022 Vikings, we are dealing with such incomplete information heading into the season that anyone trying to predict how the year will go is ripe with overconfidence. The nature of everything that has transpired this offseason means we are in for surprises when the year actually starts. 9:00: Star Tribune Minnesota United beat writer Jerry Zgoda joins host Michael Rand for a look at the red-hot Loons. They've scored 25 goals in their past 10 matches, losing just once in that span, after averaging about a goal per game until that point. Can United sustain that going forward? 21:00: Rocco Baldelli wants the Twins to play loose. Is that the problem, or do they just not have enough talent in the lineup right now with all the injuries? 26:00: Patrick Beverley is on the move to the Lakers.

Introduction: Ejections were the norm during the Ron Gardenhire era, as the Twins manager either led the American League outright or tied for the league lead in ejections every year from 2006-2011. Rocco Baldelli has tended to be much more mild-mannered, but lately he has been positively Gardy-esque. On Tuesday he was ejected for the second time this month and fourth time this season after being tossed just six times combined in his first three seasons as a manager. 7:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins host Michael Rand for a look at Byron Buxton and another stint on the injured list and thoughts on the Vikings' acquisition of Nick Mullens as their presumed backup quarterback. 28:00: Mullens met with the media on Tuesday and vowed to be focused on the task at hand.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand is disturbed by the latest Byron Buxton injury news on a couple of fronts. First, the fact that he had to leave Monday's game with hip soreness is a bad sign for the Twins as they try to hang around in the American League Central race. Second, if the Twins haven't been forthright about all of Buxton's injury problems this season they aren't doing anyone a favor. 9:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins Rand to dissect the Monday trade for quarterback Nick Mullens. Though nothing is official in the depth chart, Mullens presumably will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Kirk Cousins, ending an underwhelming camp battle between second-year QB Kellen Mond and veteran Sean Mannion. 26:00: Speaking of QBs, Tom Brady is back while Aaron Rodgers is still being himself.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at the impotent Twins' offense. Minnesota was shut out 7-0 by the Rangers on Sunday, and a look at the lineup reveals a lot of players who just shouldn't scare opposing pitchers that much. With a tough slate of games coming up, the Twins will need to revitalize their hitting to stay in the AL Central race. Plus Reusse gives his pitch for why Cesar Tovar was such a deserving inductee into the Twins Hall of Fame and who else needs to get in soon. And both Rand and Reusse offer solutions to the Vikings' backup QB problem.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand rips into the NFL for the negotiated suspension of DeShaun Watson that will bring him back just in time to face his former team in Houston. And Watson himself doesn't seem to have learned anything given the nature of his contradictory words on Thursday. 6:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show to talk through the potential impact of Tyler Mahle's shoulder problems with the Twins. Even after a clean MRI on Thursday, there is concern about his availability. Plus Neal has thoughts on Kirk Cousins and the Timberwolves. 27:00: Big money for the Big Ten.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of Twins starter Tyler Mahle's early departure from Wednesday's game. Mahle, acquired at the trade deadline, had a dip in velocity. And just before the Twins acquired him, Mahle went three weeks between starts with a shoulder strain. How concerning should this be for a team with a history of acquiring injured pitchers? 9:00: Gophers football writer Randy Johnson joins Rand for a breakdown of that team's strengths and weaknesses so far during camp. With just two weeks before the season opener, it sounds like the defense is ahead of the offense. 20:00: Vikings QB Kirk Cousins was feisty in his return to practice on Wednesday. 25:00: A new standalone Bally Sports app will be available to BSN customers starting Sept. 26, but is the $19.99 monthly price tag too steep?

Introduction: Even as the Twins have spent most of this season either in first place or contending for an AL Central title, the vibe has been negative. So let's spend some time after a 9-0 win over the Royals to highlight three players who have stood out for the Twins so far this season (and did so again on Tuesday). 7:00: Star Tribune Lynx writer Kent Youngblood joins host Michael Rand for a look back on a disappointing season. At 14-22, the Lynx missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Big changes are on the way with legendary center Sylvia Fowles retiring. How long will it take the Lynx to return to prominence? 23:00: The Lynx used to be the default pick for Minnesota team most likely to win a championship in the next five years, but that's no longer the case. Now? The Wild and Wolves are at the top of that conversation. 28:00: Sounds like Aaron Rodgers doesn't love his young wide receivers.

Introduction: You are forgiven if you had an impending sense of doom as the 9th inning unfolded for the Twins on Friday. After blowing Saturday's game against the lowly Angels, things were slipping away against the Royals. But this time, All-Star closer Jorge Lopez induced a huge double play to preserve a 4-2 win. Max Kepler had three hits, breaking a huge slump. And the scoreboard watching, which will be a feature of the rest of the season, continued. 8:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins host Michael Rand for a breakdown of Sunday's first preseason game. There was a lot to like, including a two-touchdown performance from QB Kellen Mond. Did Mond do enough to re-emerge in the backup QB race? Who else showed flashes? And what areas are still concerns as the preseason rolls on? 26:00: Rand takes note of a key pass rush stat that the Vikings will need to improve upon this season.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. They start with the Twins, who were one strike away from a win Saturday before a series of unfortunate events led to what Reusse called their worst loss of the season against the lowly Angels. Another loss Sunday dropped Minnesota to 1-4 on a disappointing road trip and left the Twins 2.5 games behind Cleveland. Plus Reusse and Rand get into the Vikings' first preseason game and Kellen Mond's performance at quarterback as well as the latest on Jerry Kill and the end of a career for Sylvia Fowles.

With Allianz Field set to host the Major League Soccer All Star Game on Wednesday, and with Minnesota United manager Adrian Heath slated to manage the MLS side, host Michael Rand caught up recently with Heath on a number of subjects.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the big stories from the weekend. They started -- of course -- with the Twins' 3-2 loss to Toronto on Sunday, which was punctuated by an overturned call at home plate and an extremely rare postgame rant from manager Rocco Baldelli. He said the reversal "beyond embarrassing" and used even stronger language throughout his critique. Plus Reusse and Rand get into the Vikings' never-ending quest to solve their problems at center and Napheesa Collier's return to the Lynx lineup in a big Sunday win.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand declares Aug. 2 a sigh of relief day on two fronts in Minnesota sports. Twins fans (and probably players) who were desperate for upgrades to the first-place club watched the front office deliver three impact trades with the additions of relief pitchers Jorge Lopez and Michael Fulmer plus starter Tyler Mahle. And the Wild welcomed Kirill Kaprizov back to Minnesota on Tuesday after an uneasy offseason in which he was temporarily unable to leave Russia. 7:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a more thorough breakdown of the Twins trades plus a look at the big questions facing Gophers football with camp underway. 30:00: Saying goodbye to legend Vin Scully.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand collects up the swirl of negative energy surrounding the Twins at the trade deadline and exhales it as a positive sentiment: Even as fans get frustrated by inconsistency and a lack (so far) of substantive deadline moves, it's hard to stay mad at a team that has shown this much resiliency. Another example arrived Monday with a walk-off win over Detroit. 7:00: Star Tribune Vikings beat writer Ben Goessling joins the show, but only after he promised not to record video of practice. What's up with fans being asked not to post practice video on social media? Is that normal? Plus Goessling's thoughts on the secondary, the shift to a 3-4 defense and how he thinks the team will fare this year. 30:00: Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels guaranteed a great season from Vikings kicker Greg Joseph. What could go wrong?

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at the Twins. With Tuesday's trade deadline approaching quickly, the organization seems stuck in a strange spot: Leading a weak AL Central, but having seen that lead dwindle; lacking enough depth in the minor leagues to make a major move; and perhaps not being good or bad enough to warrant a big move at all. So what will happen? Plus Reusse and Rand talk about Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's recent comments about Kirk Cousins and the paranoia of fans recording video at practice. And a tribute to Bill Russell, the Celtics legend who died Sunday at age 88.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand took note of comments Thursday from Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, who said he is trying to learn not just a new playbook but a new way of progressing through his reads under head coach Kevin O'Connell. How fast the two can get on the same page will go a long way toward determining the Vikings' success in 2022. 9:00: Rand caught up with several local high school athletes earlier this week at the All Metro Sports Awards and asked them this question: How do you watch sports? The answers were interesting and varied. 22:00: Revisiting the Twins' Brandon Kintzler deadline trade from 2017 with our internet friend Chiken Fingerz, who has never been angrier.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand did some unnecessary work to determine the same fact Phil Miller referenced at the top of his story from the Twins' 10-4 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday. The Twins, as Miller had already found, are now 2-10 against other first-place teams in MLB, and they have been outscored 80-41 in those games. Plus Rand looks at the difference between how Carlos Correa and Karl-Anthony Towns approach having input on their respective rosters. 9:00: Dan Whenesota joins Rand for a talk about his new book, "A Slap Shot in Time" about the old Minnesota Fighting Saints. When it comes to stories, you can't do much better than old time hockey. Plus, the book prompted Rand to think about his favorite sports movies of all-time. 27:00: Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is entering an important year in his career.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand explores the dual legacies of Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, noting that Sano's return to the lineup Tuesday and these final two months of 2022 will probably mark the duo's last chance to do something special together. Plus Tuesday's 7-6 loss to Milwaukee was another example of the need for bullpen help. 9:00: Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns joins the show to talk about his new contract, the added pressure to win and faith being rewarded. 19:00: Three interesting takeaways from P.J. Fleck's appearance at Big Ten media day.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a recap of Reusse's trip to Cooperstown for the Baseball Hall of Fame induction weekend. After plenty of adventure and conversations, a grateful Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat could probably use a little peace and quiet for the next couple weeks. Plus Reusse wonders about the timing of Byron Buxton's All-Star break procedure, considers the cost/benefit of Miguel Sano rejoining the team and once again expresses his disdain for the process of Vikings training camp.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand looks ahead to the second half of the Twins season with five predictions. Will anyone significant be traded? How about some bullpen help? Which current players are poised for big second halves? And will the Twins win the AL Central? Rand tackles all those questions. 11:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand in advance of Neal's trip to Cooperstown this weekend for the Hall of Fame induction of Twins connections Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat and David Ortiz. Plus the big future question: Is Joe Mauer a Hall of Famer? 27:00: Kyler Murray got paid like Aaron Rodgers, but he shouldn't try to emulate Rodgers in one key area.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of an ESPN assessment of the strengths of each NFL team over the next three years. If the evaluations of the panel of league experts is accurate, there is trouble -- or at least mediocrity -- ahead for the Vikings. While the Packers finished tied for third and were deemed to be top-10 in every category, the Vikings were No. 19 overall and weren't higher than No. 17 in any single marker. That could signal a more honest roster evaluation is still to come depending on how 2022 goes. 13:00: Star Tribune golf writer Jerry Zgoda joins the show ahead of the 3M Open, which begins Thursday in Blaine. With a field impacted by the new LIV Golf tour, who will emerge as the champion? And do we know enough about the PGA Tour event, now in its fourth year, to determine if there is a style of play best suited for the course? 25:00: Rand has no time for the All-Star Game MVP "snub" of Byron Buxton nor the ESPYs ... plus the Loons demolish a Premier League team and Kyle Rudolph joins forces with Tom Brady.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included the Twins getting steamrolled while losing three of four games to the White Sox heading into the All-Star break. This is still a first-place team through 94 games, but Reusse has never been a believer and is even less of one now. Plus Rand and Reusse share thoughts on the MLB Draft, British Open and more.

Introduction: In a jam-packed episode, host Michael Rand starts with the Twins' blowout loss to the White Sox. It's just one game, but with Sonny Gray pitching a dud and the offense sputtering it was a bad omen for an important series heading into the All-Star break. Plus Rand is joined by Twins prospect and Forest Lake native Matt Wallner, who was called up to St. Paul on Thursday after tearing things up at Class AA Wichita. 11:00: Former Wild goalie Cam Talbot met with the Ottawa media in the aftermath of being traded earlier this week. His message: Talbot didn't really want to be traded. But is that really the case? 15:00: The Lynx had a setback in their playoff push. But Minnesota Aurora is full speed ahead into Sunday's semifinals, and Rand caught up with forward Morgan Turner in advance of the game. 24:00: The Wolves added more depth with the signing of veteran Austin Rivers.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand welcomes in Twins beat writer Phil Miller for an extended look at Wednesday's big walk-off win over the Brewers, the upcoming series against the White Sox, Sunday's MLB draft and the trade deadline looming in a few weeks. 20:00: Minnesota native and Motocross legend Ryan Dungey joins the show. After retiring in 2017, Dungey has returned to action this year at age 32. He will compete on his home track in Millville, Minn., this weekend as he continues his comeback. 27:00: Minnesota United earned a draw with Sporting KC on Wednesday while Minnesota Aurora had a thrilling comeback playoff victory. 30:00: The Royals have a staggering number of unvaccinated players.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand breaks down the Wild's trade of goalie Cam Talbot, just a few days after the team signed Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year deal and created the potential for drama with their two veteran goalies. Was it the right hockey move? And how much drama would there have been? 9:00: The Twins lost to the Brewers and Miguel Sano, the forgotten man, returned on a rehab assignment to St. Paul. 12:00: Star Tribune outdoors writer Bob Timmons joins Rand for a preview of his excellent upcoming Sunday story about "bikepacking" on gravel trails in Minnesota. 26:00: The Lynx stayed hot, winning one game seemingly three different times.

Introduction: The Twins are trudging into the All-Star break, but they can't afford a letdown even after a grueling first-half pace. They have six important games against the Brewers and White Sox starting Tuesday, and the results could set the tone for the second half and trade deadline. 7:00: Star Tribune college basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins host Michael Rand for a look at how the college sports transfer portal is impacting high school recruits. With some colleges looking at more experienced players in the portal, it is harder for younger players to get noticed. 26:00: We learned the official cause of death of Marion Barber III ... plus can the Lynx make a post-break playoff push?

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. The Twins salvaged a game against Texas, and it seems like no matter what they do they manage to maintain a reasonable lead in the weak American League Central. Plus they learned that Luis Arraez and Byron Buxton are All-Stars. Reusse weighs in on the team's biggest pitching need as the trade deadline approaches. Plus a look at NBA Summer League and the Wild's messy offseason.

Introduction: On what was a joyous on positive day on a couple fronts for the Wild, after making two first-round picks and signing goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, there is still a sense that there will be a cloud over the team as long as the Kirill Kaprizov situation in Russia remains unresolved. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's non-committal remarks didn't help. 7:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show to help sort through last week's seismic shift in college conferences with USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten. What does it mean for the big picture, and were are we going from here? 28:00: The Twins schedule will get harder before it gets easier again.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of several key developments from the Rudy Gobert introductory news conference on Wednesday, including how he projects to fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. The two players should complement each other, as long as Chris Finch can work his magic. 10:00: Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joins the show to talk about the Kevin Fiala trade and the NHL draft, while Rand weighs in on the troubling Kirill Kaprizov story that emerged. 27:00: The Twins let one get away, while the Lynx are surging into the break.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the suddenly surging Twins, who demolished the White Sox 8-2 on Tuesday and now lead the AL Central again by 4.5 games over Cleveland and 6.5 games over Chicago. Almost all the correspondence from fans is negative, and yet this team keeps winning. 9:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins the show to talk in more depth about last week's Rudy Gobert blockbuster trade and what it means for the Wolves. 27:00: Kevin Fiala discusses his trade to the Kings, plus Chet Holmgren has a monster NBA Summer League debut.

After a VERY eventful week away, host Michael Rand plays catch-up on all the big Minnesota sports news with Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse. Topics of discussion include: *The Twins continuing to win (and frustrate) Reusse even after losing pitching coach Wes Johnson to LSU in the middle of the season. *The blockbuster Timberwolves acquisition of Rudy Gobert and what it means. *Big Ten expansion to the West Coast.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand, with the help of Star Tribune beat writer Chris Hine, takes an in-depth look at Thursday's NBA Draft. Did the Wolves and new personnel boss Tim Connelly, after a lot of wheeling and dealing, end up in a good spot with No. 22 pick Walker Kessler and No. 26 pick Wendell Moore? Time will tell, but they certainly addressed a need with Kessler's size and rebounding ability. 15:00: The Twins avoided a bullpen meltdown, albeit narrowly, in an important win over Cleveland. One day after the teams combined for 21 runs in a crushing Twins loss, Minnesota scored the only run in a 1-0 win. 20:00: The Lynx might be on the upswing again, while Loons fans are mad about the Adrian Heath contract extension. Plus putting a bow on the NBA and looking ahead to D'Angelo Russell and free agency for the Wolves.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand gives some of his own thoughts on the impact of Title IX, the sweeping anti-discrimination legislation signed into law 50 years ago today. You'll also hear excellent perspectives from three highly successful women athletes: Paralympian Mallory Weggemann, hockey legend Natalie Darwitz and Olympic gold medal skier Jessie Diggins. 21:00: The Twins fell out of first place with a gut-punch loss to Cleveland, losing two big leads and allowing a four-run ninth inning in an 11-10 loss. Manager Rocco Baldelli called it "unsatisfying," which is a supreme understatement. 25:00: The NBA Draft is finally upon us Thursday. What will the Wolves do with the No. 19 pick? You'll hear from personnel boss Tim Connelly as he provides insights into the process.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes no pleasure in reporting that the Twins have relinquished sole possession of first place in the American League Central for the first time in almost two months. They took over that top spot on April 24, but on Tuesday a late Cleveland rally for a 6-5 win in 11 innings pushed the Guardians into a tie with Minnesota atop the division standings. 7:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show to express just how much he wants the Timberwolves to find a way to draft Duke center Mark Williams. Plus Rand and Neal debate the idea of which Minnesota athlete will be most loved by fans over the next 10 years. 32:00: A tough break for the Gophers men's basketball team and a much-needed win for the Lynx.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand is ready to get a better idea of how the AL Central stacks up when the Twins begin a series against Cleveland on Tuesday. The Guardians have made up 6.5 games in the last three weeks and trail Minnesota by just one game. These teams will play eight times before the All-Star break in a month, while the Twins and White Sox will play seven times. 5:00: A look at some interesting comments from new Wolves boss Tim Connelly that -- combined with success Denver had when he was there -- could mean some time at power forward for Karl-Anthony Towns in the future. 13:00: U.S. soccer legend Cobi Jones joins the show to promote the Major League Soccer All-Star Game at Allianz Field in August and to provide perspective on the past and future of soccer. He also answers several listener questions. 27:00: Never count out a champion.

Introduction: If you came here to get hard-hitting analysis of the Twins' upcoming series against Cleveland and the excellent final round of the U.S. Open, host Michael Rand and Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse provide that. But if you also came for a digression into the good old days of pro indoor soccer and a word that Reusse is trying to work back into circulation, they have you covered there, too.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes a recent ESPN article that suggests the White Sox are more likely to add players at the trade deadline than the Twins, even though the Twins are atop the AL Central at the moment. The sentiment makes some sense, but anyone who looks at the Twins' roster can see there are pieces they could add. 9:00: Star Tribune women's basketball writer Kent Youngblood joins the show to offer his perspectives on all the things that have gone wrong for the 3-12 Lynx this season. Plus he looks ahead to an optimistic season for Gophers women's basketball, which started summer workouts this week with four talented Minnesota freshman on the court. 26:00: Golden State took home another NBA title and the World Cup sites in 2026 were revealed.

Introduction: Twins pitcher Sonny Gray returned from injury and looked he hadn't missed a step, throwing five shutout innings in a 5-0 Twins win over Seattle. The Twins did well to maintain their first place standing in the AL Central while Gray and other key pitchers were out, but now that they are getting healthy it might be time to do some real damage. 7:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins host Michael Rand for a look ahead to the NBA Draft, which is one week from today. Who will the Wolves target at No. 19? What will they do with their three second-round picks? How will things be run differently now that Tim Connelly is in charge? 28:00: The NHL Finals caught up to the NBA Finals, giving you some great viewing options.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of the new agreement between Major League Soccer and Apple TV, which reportedly will pay the league a minimum of $250 million starting next year to stream all games to all markets. If we like to think of streaming and fragmenting as the future of sports on TV, that future is arriving quickly. This deal is an acceleration of that pace. 5:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show to talk about his interesting column on Jackson Carver, a former prep lacrosse standout who played one year of football and suddenly was inundated with college offers. Plus Rand and Scoggins get into the high level of play from former Wolves wing Andrew Wiggins in this year's NBA Finals. 27:00: The first-place Twins have been shut out more than any team in the majors this season, a total that grew with a 5-0 loss on Tuesday. ... And the Lynx fell to 3-12. Should our attention turn to the 2023 WNBA Draft and Paige Bueckers?

Introduction: The two biggest fair criticisms of Andrew Wiggins when he was with the Timberwolves were his inconsistency and his tendency to shrink from big moments. But he is having a terrific NBA Finals for Golden State, including a 26-point, 13-rebound performance in Monday's critical Game 5 win that put the Warriors one game away from another championship. 6:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Phil Miller joins the show with some insights into the first-place Twins and how they keep winning. He pointed to the series win over Toronto -- which had the potential to turn particularly bad with several unvaccinated players missing -- as a big key to their season so far, and he had good news for fans regarding two of the Twins' best pitchers. 28:00: Ryan Saunders is heading back to the NBA, reportedly as a Denver assistant.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at the Twins' 5-4 stretch against top AL East teams, which was fueled by a strong offensive showing against some of MLB's top starting pitchers. After predicting the Twins would not win a game during the nine-game stretch, Reusse is happy to admit he was wrong -- though you will be shocked to learn that he still has some gripes about the process. Plus Reusse and Rand get into the flat-out bad Lynx, golf's interesting weekend and a rare state baseball tournament appearance for St. Louis Park.

Introduction: Just when you thought it was safe to think the Twins might beat the Yankees -- OK, let's be honest, nobody probably thought that, even with a 7-3 lead -- things fall apart. Even after battering ace Gerrit Cole for five home runs, continuing a trend of knocking out Yankees pitchers, the Twins lost 10-7 Thursday and lost the series two games to one. Manager Rocco Baldelli was inclined to look at the positives, but the end result was more of the same. 12:00: Star Tribune Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson joins the show to talk about a huge weekend of recruiting for coach P.J. Fleck and the program. 20:00: A curious decision by White Sox manager Tony La Russa -- at least to a lot of us, though not to him -- backfired in yet another Chicago loss.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand spent a lot of time fixated on the Twins' sad two-decade history against the Yankees on Wednesday's show, so it's only fair to lead off with Minnesota's 8-1 win Wednesday, which was the first time all year New York has trailed by six or more runs. The Twins are now 3-2 in their tough nine-game stretch and have a chance to win the series Thursday. Plus Rand champions the return of Willians Astudillo to the spotlight and thinks the Angels got what they deserved with Nickelback. 12:00: Star Tribune golf writer Jerry Zgoda joins the show to talk about new Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour, which begins play Thursday in London. Several notable golfers, including Phil Mickelson, have signed up for big paydays. But is it worth it? 24:00: Draymond Green's podcast was a big talker after Golden State's Game 3 loss to Boston, but Steph Curry's injury is bigger news; Cooper Kupp's big extension could foreshadow Justin Jefferson's next deal.

Introduction: The Twins became competitive in the early 2000s after a decade of misery and have played beyond the regularly scheduled season in half of the 20 years from 2002-2021. But that hasn't stopped them from being absolutely dominated by the Yankees, a trend that continued Tuesday at Target Field in a 10-4 loss. Minnesota is now 38-110 against the Yankees -- including 2-16 in the playoffs -- since the start of the 2002 season, an almost unfathomable run of .257 baseball against one team. 8:00: Gophers basketball coaches Lindsay Whalen and Ben Johnson join host Michael Rand for a look at the seasons ahead and trying to stay afloat in recruiting during the transfer portal era. Whalen notes that it's tough keeping up because she has to recruit the portal, re-recruit her own players and bring in high school talent, all while assessing her current team. But it's the way of the sport in 2022. Both coaches are gearing up for the start of summer workouts next week with an influx of new talent. 23:00: The Lynx fell to 3-9 and caused Rand to invoke the name David Kahn. Plus some thoughts on Andrew Wiggins and the NBA Finals.