StribSports Daily Delivery

Introduction: Host Michael Rand still isn't sure what to make of this year's Twins roster, but he will feel a lot better about things if Jhoan Duran keeps throwing the way he did in the opening series against Seattle. Duran pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Monday's 4-0 win, helping the Twins split the four-game series. If Duran can be a difference-maker, adding to elite talent like Byron Buxton...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand during a very busy time on the Minnesota sports calendar. The Twins opened their season to mixed reviews, losing a pair of close games before exploding for six home runs in a 10-4 win over Seattle on Sunday. Reusse still likes the lineup a lot, but pitching questions will persist and were magnified by a blown lead in the ninth inning du...

Introduction: Randy Johnson joins host Michael Rand from Boston, where he covered the Gophers' season-ending 5-1 loss to Minnesota State-Mankato in Thursday's Frozen Four semifinals. It was a butt-kicking for most of the game, as Gophers coach Bob Motzko said, and it showed just how good these Mavericks are heading into Saturday's title game vs. Denver. For the Gophers, it was a season of overachi...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at a possible Twins-Padres trade that is reportedly nearing the finish line as of Thursday morning. The two key pieces: Twins reliever Taylor Rogers and Padres starting pitcher Chris Paddack. What's the appeal of Paddack and what would losing Rogers mean for the Twins? Rand breaks that down. 6:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Phil Miller joins Rand fo...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand looks at the Wolves' 132-114 loss to Washington on Tuesday and finds one word stands out: disappointing. Though getting the No. 6 seed and avoiding the play-in tournament was a long shot, a win coupled with what turned out to be a Denver loss to San Antonio on Tuesday would have given the Wolves a real chance. Instead, they are left to lament a defense that has been...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand attempts to tie together several subjects under one general theme -- that we don't know anything that is going to happen in sports, even if we can project what might happen. That is the case with the Vikings and Twins, both of whom are predicted in various circles to finish right around .500 in 2022. Do we really know how things will play out? Nope. 8:00: Star Tribu...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand as they talk through a very busy time in the world of sports. Both of them were at the recently completed Women's Final Four in Minneapolis, where South Carolina's relentless defense and offensive rebounding were far too much for UConn in Sunday's title game. If you consider retiring Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski more of a villain than a h...

Host Michael Rand and Star Tribune intern John Volk take you behind the scenes at the Women's Final Four in Minneapolis and get you ready for Sunday's title game between UConn and South Carolina.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand has liked Joe Ryan from the moment the Twins acquired him from Tampa Bay last season in the Nelson Cruz trade. But Rand looks at Ryan's body of work -- five MLB starts, all last September against teams out of contention -- and can't help but think the Twins' decision to name Ryan the 2022 Opening Day starter is one of desperation. 6:00: New Wild forward Nicolas Desl...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of the Wolves' recent slide. With four losses in five games, all of them against quality opponents, Minnesota is slumping as it heads toward the postseason. Quite simply, the Wolves need more from their core players -- particularly D'Angelo Russell, who is in the midst of a bad shooting skid. 8:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show after...

Introduction: Another day, another few pieces of evidence that the Vikings are intent on trying to compete in 2022 -- and doing it largely with the same cast of characters from recent years. Head coach Kevin O'Connell offered ideas Tuesday for how to get more out of Kirk Cousins and Garrett Bradbury, two of the Vikings' most-discussed players. Owner Mark Wilf, meanwhile, reasserted his belief that...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand sees the upside in the Twins' move to sign Chris Archer, but it still feels underwhelming if this is the final rotation move. There are a lot of question marks for Archer, 33, who is coming off of Tommy John surgery. Will he be more like Carl Pavano, who revived his career in Minnesota a decade ago? Or is this more like the Mike Pelfrey move? 7:00: Star Tribune colu...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. At the jump, they rave about the Gophers men's hockey team, which shut out Western Michigan 3-0 on Sunday to advance to the Frozen Four. Reusse likes the way the Gophers are playing -- and he thinks they are going to win it all in two weeks. They also bond over a shared distaste for Duke, even w...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand talks through a couple of notable Wild streaks: the team has won four games in a row while goalie Cam Talbot has won seven starts in a row. Minnesota has tightened up its game, in part as a response to its recent skid and in part because that's what is dictated this time of year. 6:00: Does the Wild have as good a chance as any Minnesota team to win a championship i...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of two big news conferences Wednesday from Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and new Twins shortstop Carlos Correa. Adofo-Mensah acknowledged the Vikings are in a "competitive rebuild" whereby they are trying to play for the present and future. It's a fine line to walk, and it often results in mediocrity. Correa, meanwhile, gave some details of how his stunni...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand examines the Vikings' splash signing of Za'Darius Smith, giving them bookend pass rushers who -- if healthy -- could make their defense very formidable. More than that, this is the first real departure move of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell era. If you were waiting for them to make their mark on the roster, this was the first domino. 6:00: Star Tribune b...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand tries to make sense of the flurry of moves among Minnesota teams lately -- no pun untended, since the biggest deal before Monday's NHL trade deadline involved the Wild dealing for goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. With all their additions, the Wild should be primed for the stretch run and the playoffs. There are no excuses for a lack of confidence, even if the results are s...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. They started with by far the biggest surprise of all: the Twins signed Carlos Correa to a lucrative free agent contract. Even if it only ends up being for one season, Correa is the type of impact player, at an impact price, that changes perceptions about the team. Plus plenty of talk about the N...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of the Wild and Wolves both being strong contenders to make the playoffs -- a rarity in their combined history. Those teams have only made the playoffs in the same year twice: the 2002-03 season and the 2017-18 season. Both still have work to do, but let's enjoy the far-too-infrequent dual competence. 5:00: Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins the show to d...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the growing confidence of the Timberwolves, who clinched at least a berth in the play-in round after beating the Lakers 124-104 at Target Center on Wednesday. They have managed to walk a fine line of playing with swagger and not going overboard this year, and it's part of their identity. Speaking of identity, the Wild rediscovered theirs -- at least...

Introduction: The Wild made an interesting trade Tuesday, sending center Nico Sturm to division rival Colorado for center Tyson Jost. On one hand, it was a classic "change of scenery" move with both players seeking different roles on new teams. But it also comes as the Wild has lost 12 of its last 16 games and is in need of a jolt down the stretch. You'll hear plenty from GM Bill Guerin, who still...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of Karl-Anthony Towns' 60-point game in the Wolves' 149-139 shootout win over San Antonio on Monday. KAT's comments after the game show how coach Chris Finch and his teammates are pushing the right buttons, leading Towns to play the best basketball of his career. 6:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Phil Miller joins the show to break down the three big t...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand to break down the big stories over the weekend. Where to start? Well, Rand and Reusse began with Kirk Cousins' contract extension with the Vikings, which added a year to his deal and guaranteed the QB another $35 million while lowering his cap hit for this season. The creative deal, which has a couple of void years tacked onto it, makes...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand runs through the highlights of the new collective bargaining agreement that ended the MLB lockout. It's going to be a fast and furious next few weeks as teams, particularly the Twins, scramble to fill out rosters and get ready for a season that starts April 7. 7:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins the show to set up the start of the new NFL league year next week...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the flurry of quarterback activity in the NFL this week, including trades of Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz, in an attempt to gauge what Kirk Cousins' trade value might be if the Vikings move on from him. Rand is becoming more convinced as time goes on that the Vikings will trade him, and he 100% believes they should. 7:00: Minnesota State Rep. Pat...