Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 6.16.25
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Biggest transaction of the weekend? Ryan Stanzel activated from 45-day injured list. No doubt you’ve missed The Takeout, it’s been a long road back after an arm injury suffered when I came out of softball retirement after 15 years. Send me pickleballs recommendations for the future…
I’ve seen a couple thousand hockey games in my day and thought I’d seen everything, but that’s not the case. In the AHL’s Calder Cup Final over the weekend, the linesman dropped the puck for an offensive zone faceoff in double overtime with the Abbotsford goalie literally facing the other way and not ready for the play. Charlotte’s center was paying attention and scooped the puck ahead for an apparent game-winning goal, but the goal was thankfully disallowed. Abbotsford, affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, won later in the second OT.
I love college baseball, especially the two weeks before the College World Series. The CWS is obviously one of the best events in the game, but regionals and super regionals are like carnival games. No lead is safe, each game is managed like Game 7 of the World Series…My heart is with Coastal Carolina and yours should be too.
Speaking of carnival games, that U.S. Open…I’ve seen more formful golf from Mario and Wario.
Via Takeout subscriber Heather Rule, there was a double no hitter in a state baseball semifinal last week.
There are way too many days off in the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final. Seems not having either game on Father’s Day evening was a miss.
Twins Losing Games, Stars
The Twins’ sublime May seems way more than 16 days ago. Minnesota continues to lose games - and players - daily, as their weekend sweep in Houston gave the Twins eight losses in 10 games.
Among the casualties have been Pablo Lopez - who’s going to miss significant time as the Twins’ only true top of the line starter. As concerning, Royce Lewis went down with another hamstring injury - allegedly not as significant as the last one, but he’s also been a very subpar player this year. And then Saturday night, Byron Buxton got hit with a pitch, didn’t return and also didn’t play Sunday.
The Twins’ 2-1 loss Sunday was a bad one, with closer Jhoan Duran blowing a one-run lead in the ninth before Cole Sands gave it up in the 10th. Minnesota wasted a one-hit, six-inning outing by Simeon Woods-Richardson.
If there’s a saving grace it’s that three of the five teams in the AL Central have currently lost four or more games in a row, including the Twins. They’re in second place but nine back of Detroit.
The Twins are at an also very average Cincinnati Reds team beginning Tuesday.
Loons Lose 4-2
They told me there isn’t enough scoring in soccer.
I made my belated Loons debut thanks to a Takeout subscriber and former co-worker, and was treated to a pretty sloppy 4-2 win by an expansion team over San Diego at Allianz Field.
Both teams played without their best athletes thanks to an international window of play. Rookie goalie Wessel looked indecisive at best in his first official MLS game. He wasn’t the only goalie with issues; the Loons scored a goal from the center circle.
It’s the Loons’ only game in three weeks. Despite being in its infancy, San Diego is in second place in the West, three points up on Minnesota.
Lynx Pound Sparks to Move to 10-1
It’d be hard to imagine an WNBA Final later this summer without Minnesota and New York. The Lynx moved to 10-1 on Saturday (New York is 9-1), rebounding from their lone loss of the season with a resounding 101-78 win over L.A. at Target Center.
Minnesota led 58-26 at halftime. Napheesa Collier exploded for 32 points. This team has a star, is balanced, has the best coach in the game…going to be a fun summer in Minneapolis.
The Lynx hosts Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Durant to Wolves Seems Dead
I for one was not a fan of the Kevin Durant to the Wolves rumors. Sure he’d be an upgrade from Rudy inside, but if you look up culture killer in the dictionary, there’s a picture of KD. It could still happen, of course, but the Wolves aren’t within his top three teams.
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