Vikings draft picks are analyzed
Following are opinions from Mille Lacs County Times editor-sports editor Gary Larson, reporter Luther Dorr and former Times intern Logan Marxhausen who’s now on the sports staff at the St. Cloud State University Chronicle. Note: This feature is written on Monday each week.
********
•Question: What are your thoughts on how the Minnesota Vikings did in the National Football League college draft?
-Dorr: It’s almost impossible to predict how a team’s draft picks will do. For example, I know nothing about the No. 1 pick, cornerback Chris Cook from Virginia. I did see running back Toby Gerhart from Stanford play a couple times this past season and was impressed with him, although I don’t know if his college success will translate to success in the NFL. Gerhart is a great athlete (he’s also a very good college baseball player) but is he good enough to make an impact in the NFL? Most everyone agrees the Vikings need help on the offensive line and they waited until the fifth round to take an offensive lineman. That was a surprise to some. The diamond in the rough is 6-5 quarterback Joe Webb from UAB, with good speed, who will now try to become a wide receiver. The feel-good story will be if Minnesota linebacker Nate Triplett, who played his high school ball at Delano, makes the team. We’ll know by the end of the 2011 season if this was a good draft or not.
-Marxhausen: The Vikings didn’t have as good of a draft as last season. Although running back Toby Gerhart and cornerback Chris Cook were great picks, some issues were left unchecked. The defensive tackle position is a position that will soon need some young blood with Pat Williams approaching 38. Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson is attempting to return from a serious leg injury and it’s not known if he’ll be ready to go this season. Outside linebackers Ben Leber and Chad Greenway are in the final year of their contracts. The Vikings took Southern Cal defensive end Everson Griffin with their third pick because he was the best talent at the time. The Vikings know they need more depth at the offensive line position, but are hoping that Wake Forest guard Chris DeGeare can make something happen down the road. Draft grade for Vikings is C.
-Larson: Minnesota’s draft was better than many in the national media have expressed. The Vikings ranked cornerback Chris Cook of Virginia more highly than most draft experts but he’s a good athlete and adds size (6-2, 212) to the defensive backfield. UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel told Sporting News magazine that Gerhart “is a modern day John Riggins,” comparing him to the former New York Jets-Washington Redskins great. If so, that should ease worries over the loss of Chester Taylor. Minnesota’s third pick, defensive end Everson Griffin of Southern Cal, apparently slid down the draft scale because of a lack of motivation and a poor attitude. The veterans in the Viking defensive line will probably help Griffin with that problem.
The other picks are intriguing, especially quarterback Joe Webb of UAB, who will be tried at wide receiver.
Keep in mind that, even without help from the draft, the Vikings have a roster that’s primed to make another run at the Super Bowl. IF, quarterback Brett Favre returns.
The Vikings drafted for depth, not immediate help as they did in 2009. In that regard they were successful.
********
•Question: Which Vikings draftee is most likely to make a contribution the soonest?
-Dorr: Gerhart and Triplett are the only draftees I had heard of prior to the draft so that means you’re asking the wrong person. But my guess is that it will be Cook or Gerhart. If your No. 1 pick (Cook) can’t play right away at a position where the team needs help, it won’t be a very good draft. Gerhart should get some carries in 2010, although second-year man Albert Young from Iowa is said to be a player the team thinks can play in the NFL.
-Marxhausen: Toby Gerhart or Chris Cook have the best chance to make an immediate impact for the Vikings next season. With the departure of Chester Taylor, the back-up running back position opened up and Gerhart of Stanford was tabbed by director of player personnel Rick Spielman to fill that role. He is a big running back who rushed for 1,871 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. Virginia’s Cook could have been an asset last season when Antoine Winfield was injured.
-Larson: Cook, because of the serious injury to Cedric Griffin in last season’s final game and nagging injuries to Antoine Winfield, will have a chance to step in right away. And Gerhart, who’s regarded as a good receiver who rarely fumbles, could prove valuable.
In watching highlights of Gerhart’s running style I was reminded of early Vikings back Bill “Boom Boom” Brown (1962-74)who often bounced and ricocheted off tacklers. And, their hairstyle are somewhat similar, too.
********
•Question: The Minnesota Twins are 13-6 and lead second-place Detroit by three games in the American League Central Division. What are your thoughts on this Twins team as it closes out April? What are your thoughts on how the Central Division has shaped up so far?
-Dorr: Is it nitpicking to say you wish the team had come up with a sweep in one of the last three series, series in which they won the first two games against Kansas City, Cleveland and Kansas City? Is it too critical to mention the 4-for-27 performance so far with the bases loaded, or the many, many games where the performance with runners in scoring position (1-for-11 in Sunday’s 4-3 loss in Kansas City, for example) has been terrible? The answers may be yes, considering the record of 13-6 is second best in baseball and that they are second in runs scored in the American League. Justin Morneau, who is being pitched around regularly, has an on-base percentage of .511 and Joe Mauer is hitting .382. But those two, both of whom have had MVP seasons, didn’t perform all that well in the nine games at Target Field and it’s been a struggle for Denard Span and Jason Kubel all season. Despite the 6-3 record at Target Field, the team hit only six homers in the nine games and left lots of runners on base. But they still averaged over five runs a game at home. A tenth of the season had gone by after the home stand and, other than Michael Cuddyer, the hitting stats weren’t impressive. But, before the season, I would gladly have taken a 13-6 record after 19 games and a three-game lead in the division. Francisco Liriano has been spectacular and a return to form by him changes the team’s pitching staff dramatically. The won-lost statistic is really the only one that counts so maybe we’re worried too much about runners left on base. But it would still be nice to see some improvement in that category. The Detroit series this week will be the Twins’ first against a team over .500 and maybe that will get the bats going, as well as giving us a better take on the Central Division.
-Marxhausen: The Twins have started out smoother than ever before. The confidence evident, with the players eager to key in on tough spots and clutch situations. The team is hitting well and the additions of Jim Thome, Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy have boosted the Twins’ depth at the plate and in the field. The Twins won’t miss players when they need to rest for a game. The AL Central is close to what I predicted. I thought the White Sox might have started out a little stronger as well as Zach Greinke showing more for Kansas City. Both have done slightly worse than predicted, but the teams have a competitive third place spot to battle for.
-Larson: Like Luther points out, the Twins have displayed some shortcomings, but how can you fault their 13-6 start? Francisco Liriano is the biggest surprise and he seems destined to move up in the starting rotation. While several players have struggled at the plate, those same players have come up with timely hits. A balanced, if not yet overpowering, batting order has been a strength. Eight players have seven or more runs-batted-in, with 17 by Michael Cuddyer leading the way. The defense has been good and the relief pitching has been better than I expected. Herky-jerky sidewinder Pat Neshek has turned in two good outings and, coming off Tommy John surgery, that’s good to see. And, Matt Guerrier has a 0.79 ERA.
The Twins have six games against the New York Yankees in May (three at Yankee Stadium, three at Target Field) and maybe those games will tell us more about the 2010 Twins.
Everyone in the AL Central is still within striking distance of first place and that’s not unusual at this point of the season. As expected, Detroit looks solid. No one is going to run away from the pack anytime soon.
********
Do you have an opinion on any of this week’s questions? Do you agree or disagree with the sportswriters? Let us know by sending an e-mail to editor.millelacscotimes@ecm-inc.com or a note to Mille Lacs County Times, 225 S.W. 2nd St. Milaca, MN 56353. Or comment online.
