Twins set to start MLB's second half in Oakland and other sports news

CATHY WURZER: Let us talk about the Minnesota sports scene. There's a lot going on. We're to dive in right now with our sports regulars, Wally and Eric. Wally Langfellow is the founder of Minnesota Score sports magazine, and the co-host of 10,000 Takes sports show on radio and TV. Eric Nelson is the other co-host of 10,000 Takes, and the Vikings reporter for CBS Sports Radio's Eye on the NFL. Guys, how are you?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Good, how are you Cathy?

ERIC NELSON: Hey, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: Fine, thank you. Hey good to hear your voices. Well, let us see. Twins, what the heck, let's talk about the Twins. They're on an All-Star break. Is that correct?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: You are correct. They've got about, well, about 28 hours more of that All-Star break. They travel to Oakland beginning tomorrow. Three-game weekend set with the A's, who oh, by the way, have the worst record in baseball. Minnesota starts the second half of the season tomorrow in second place. They're a half game behind Cleveland. Two Twins did play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday, pitchers Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez. They each threw a scoreless inning. The National League won that game, oh, by the way, 3 to 2.

The overall TV ratings on Fox for the All-Star Game were not good. They were the lowest ever for an All-Star game, although the ratings did improve in some of the younger demographics. So, what they're wanting to do with the pitch clock and all the rule changes this year, trying to reach a younger demo, I think that they've had some success there. But in general, ratings again down for the All-Star Game.

CATHY WURZER: Hmm, OK. So once they get back into action, Eric, what happens?

ERIC NELSON: Well, from the Twins perspective, Cathy, they need to start winning. There could be some heat on the skipper, Rocco Baldelli. They had a three-game meltdown last weekend against Baltimore. I saw two of those with my own eyes, and boy, it was carnage on Sunday. They lost 15 to 2 to the Orioles. Baltimore slammed six home runs out of the yard.

A year ago, the Twins were on top of this mediocre AL Central Division until early September, and then they collapsed. They need to stay relevant through July and August if they want to keep their attendance figures up. And they're only averaging around 22,000 a game. I know they'd like to be higher than that. Byron Buxton, will we ever see him in center field? Once upon a time, he was a Gold Glove outfielder. He's been the DH all season, so far.

One other Twins note. This came out just about an hour ago. The-- Major League Baseball released its 2024 schedule. The Twins, for the second straight year, will open up at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on March 28. And the home opener is against Cleveland on April 4. So, Major League Baseball, with half of a season to play, and the postseason, feels like they got to tell us what the 2024 schedule is going to look like in July.

CATHY WURZER: Wow.

[LAUGHS]

ERIC NELSON: It seems odd to me.

CATHY WURZER: Let's talk about-- it seems a little odd, it does, that's true. I am so happy for Jim Marshall. I saw the announcement earlier today. Former Minnesota Vikings, Jim Marshall-- Wally, tell folks what happened.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, he gets into the semifinals. He's one of the many semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction for 2024. Of course, that's in Canton, Ohio. Marshall, as you know, Cathy, he's now 85 years old. He has had some health concerns. It would be wonderful if Jim Marshall will get-- would get in this 2024 class.

He never missed a game in 19 seasons with the Vikings. He started all 270 possible games from 1961 to 1979, plus 19 playoff games. That included all four Vikings Super Bowls. He did hold the NFL record for most consecutive games started until that record was broken by former Viking and Packers quarterback, Brett Favre, who started 297 straight games.

Notably absent, however, from the list of seniors, old-timer semifinalists for the Hall, is Chuck Foreman, which I think is a tragedy. He played for the Vikings in the 1970s. Perhaps the greatest back in team history. One of the greatest backs in NFL history. He was part of three Viking Super Bowl teams in the '70s. And it really is a shame.

ERIC NELSON: Yeah, Cathy, if I can expound on that, this is a miscarriage of NFL justice, if you will. I've done research on Chuck Foreman. He was my favorite player. I loved that number 44. I wore it as a kid. A lot of people did back in the day.

CATHY WURZER: Right.

ERIC NELSON: Larry Brown is one of the senior finalists. Played with Washington back in Chuck's era, the '70s. Larry Brown was fabulous. But I compared their numbers last night. Chuck is better in every category. And, it comes down to winning, right? Larry Brown played in one Super Bowl. As Wally just told us, Chuck played in three.

And when Washington and Minnesota would meet in the playoffs, and they did a couple of times, the Vikings would win those games. And if you want to take it a step further, Gale Sayers, the legend, Earl Campbell, the battering ram, and Floyd Little, who played with Denver, they're already in the Hall of Fame.

I have compared Chuck's numbers to those guys, and they're comparable. And Sayers never made it to the Super Bowl, let alone the playoffs. Neither did Earl Campbell. Floyd Little played in one. Chuck Foreman was a winner. He was a trailblazer.

The NFL's first multi-dimensional running back. He could catch and run. His nickname was The Spin Doctor. He played with flair. But here's the problem. His old team, the Minnesota Vikings, do nothing to promote him to get into the Hall of Fame. And I think it's baffling. He's one of their greatest players ever.

CATHY WURZER: They do nothing, ah.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: It's terrible.

ERIC NELSON: They do nothing! There's people over there that don't even know about him.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, he's-- Chuck Foreman was amazing, truly. Say, while we're talking about football, just briefly here, I have not seen this, but have you guys seen this docuseries with Kirk Cousins in it? Is it worth it?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, um, well, I was going to say-- I haven't seen it. It's an eight-part docuseries series, and they've got three quarterbacks in there. Cousins, Patrick Mahomes, and Marcus Mariota, they're all profiled. A lot of behind the scenes type of stuff. It's supposed to be pretty good. I'm interested to see it with Kirk Cousins. He does well in the statistical category. We haven't seen much playoff success, so, as a Minnesota Viking, that much we do know.

CATHY WURZER: Eric.

ERIC NELSON: Well, and I saw the trailer yesterday, Cathy, and Peyton Manning, who of course, is already in the Hall of Fame, one of the all time great quarterbacks, he says, well, I'm biased, but I believe it's the toughest position in all of sports. And he might be right. Quarterbacks are a lightning rod. If you succeed, you get all the credit. If you don't, you're going to get a lot of blame. And Kirk Cousins has received plenty of both here in Minnesota.

I think it's a great behind the scenes look at what these guys deal with. And it's three very different quarterbacks. Cousins, who I would call him methodical and corporate, and he doesn't have that Super Bowl ring. Patrick Mahomes has two. And Marcus Mariota with Atlanta is trying to keep his career on track. So I think it'll be something football fans will enjoy viewing.

CATHY WURZER: All right. I've enjoyed talking to you guys. See you-- see you again next week.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Thanks, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson, right here on Minnesota Now on MPR News.