Alex Rodriguez may finally secure an ownership role in North American sports, but it won’t be with a baseball team. After making an attempt to purchase the Mets last year, Rodriguez has teamed with billionaire Marc Lore. They are finalizing a deal to purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. If completed, Rodriguez and Lore would take over in 2023.
The Timberwolves have struggled to build a consistent contender in the NBA since a successful run with fiery big man Kevin Garnett ended. Even then, functional GM Kevin McHale, coach Flip Saunders, and Garnett lost seven consecutive first round series. They finally broke through in 2003-04 for the franchise’s first playoff series win. They’d fall in the Western Conference Finals in what turned out to be the final playoff run of the Garnett era, however. Minnesota has just one playoff appearance in their history outside of that eight-year run, despite a roster currently built around the first overall pick of the 2015 draft Karl-Anthony Towns. You can find out more by heading to Hoops Rumors where Arthur Hill has the latest details. Now, back to baseball…
- Jake Odorizzi is set to make his debut for the Houston Astros on Tuesday versus Detroit, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Cristian Javier will head to the club’s alternate site to make room, tweets McTaggart. Javier should be back with the big league club before too long, but the Astros wanted to give him some extra time between appearances. Javier, 24, figures to be a significant part of the Astros’ rotation this season, but the 24-year-old wasn’t totally healthy at the start of the year. Regardless, he’s been sharp in two starts thus far, including getting a win with five scoreless innings against Oakland on Thursday.
- Zac Gallen could also return as early as Tuesday, per the Athletic’s Zach Buchanan (via Twitter). Manager Torey Lovullo wouldn’t commit, but it certainly sounds like Gallen will be back soon. The Diamondback rotation has struggled without Gallen leading the way. Now that Ketel Marte has landed on the injured list, Gallen’s return could provide a much-needed lift for the Snakes.
- Anibal Sanchez cut his fingers just 13 pitches into a bullpen showcase today, per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (via Twitter). It had seemed like Sanchez would be ready to sign soon, but he’ll now need 10 days for his finger to heal. The Phillies, Nationals, and Marlins have all been tied to Sanchez at one point or another this winter.
Basketball can have him.
yep
Agreed bro
Dumping people like ARod on the NBA and NFL is definitely a long con to make baseball the only game in town.
Yup. He’s a disgrace.
Never been an A-Rod fan. Seems like he needs something to feed his ego/fame. Basketball owner;
You ladies are just jealous as all hell!
Jealous of a cheater who got caught, sued everyone, and tried to ruin people’s lives? Yeah, right.
Minneapolis is a long way from Miami.
who in right mind would partner with him?
is there anything to suggest he’d be a bad business partner?
What, all these salty comments saying “AROD BAD” didn’t convince you?
@ DinkyDonuts —- that made me laugh out loud.
I think he would make a great partner so long as the company doesn’t hold ethical behavior as part of their mission statement.
To be honest. He just doesn’t seem to bright. Hearing him talk and on sharktank just seems if take baseball out of any conversation he is a deer in headlights. I don’t obviously know the guy but not very sharp.
High school education only.
I mean, sure, he might not be the most well-liked guy, but he’s not that awful. I don’t get where all the A-Rod hate comes from.
If Arod gets elected into the HOF then they might as well let all the known cheaters in who have HOF numbers. I would vote against all cheaters if I was a BBWAA member. That’s coming from a guy who loved McGwire (broke my heart when I found out he cheated).
Fred, there are already a handful of known cheaters in the hall. Between that farce and admitting players like Harold Baines, Ted Simmons and Alan Trammell, the HOF has become a joke. It’s like the give-every-kid-a-trophy movement. If you have a “good” career, people these days feel you’re a Hall of Famer.
Unfortunately the Hall of Good we have now means entrance requires you to be arguably as good as the weakest member. Over the years so many weak links have gained entrance so now a very good career, and the perception of being an ok citizen, gets you in and no longer an elite career.
Not feasible, but they should blow up what they have and rebuild it from scratch letting only the elite in.
Just like Lebron James….just want to plaster his name everywhere for attention.
So he’s trying to buy a franchise he’s an egomaniac, but when Jeter buys into the Marlins he’s just a swell guy…
Just wait til the impromptu JLo concerts break out in the middle of games
That will fit right in with the NBA’s history of terrible music.
Jeter also didn’t take roids and is just an overall better person
Thats what people don’t get. Jeter was beloved and in the pubic eye a stand guy. Even when he produced fans could not wait to boo arod. Like Ripken and ortiz. Fans just lived those guys.
How ironic, a Pete Rose fan talking about who is a good person…
I wonder if Valtrex pays Jeter a lot of money under the table for all the extra business he’s brought in.
*I’ll see myself out…
Just read Joe Torre’s book about the teams he coached with Jeter and ARod on them. Jeter was the definition of a true leader and winner. ARod always wanted to be like Jeter, but wasn’t even close to the same guy. Also, Jeter would never have used steroids. If ARod thought it was ok to use PEDs to the point he got caught twice what makes you think he won’t break the rules for the Timberwolves?
This may be one of the biggest leaps of argumentation I’ve ever seen.
To be clear.
Your assertion is that because Alex Rodriguez used steroids he is going to break some unnamed rule of sports team ownership.
Am I following this correctly? & it is somehow based on what you read in Joe Torres book*? If so, that is really quite the hot take, bro.
*how was it though? worth the read or nah?
He got that long suspension years after the Mitchell Report and after steroids were illegal in the rules. It wasn’t unwritten rules of sports. Also, just look at the whole thing with him and his cousin and the clinic, because it is way deeper than taking a needle in the team locker room. The bottom line though was I was pointing out why people call out ARod and think he is going to be a bad owner yet are fine with Jeter.
Yes, Torre’s book is great and so is Francona’s both are must reads.
I’m mot denying amy of the PEDs stuff. I’m pretty familiar with that particular story, @Black Ace.
Rather, I’m questioning how your getting from those incidents to a conclusion that due to that, Alex Rodriguez is going to be some rule breaking scofflaw of a Timberwolves owner.
That is the specific journey I cannot seem to make.
Noted. Thanks for the recommendation.
Andy Pettite was a swell guy too, he’d also never think of using PEDs…
I think the argument follows the line of CEOs/executives must (should) follow codes of ethics and run their business with those same ethics in mind. A-rod has a history of breaking rules in his prior profession as well as some questionable off field behavior (lawsuits, cousin issues, prior business ventures). The extrapolation being that A-rod could not be trusted to uphold the standards of an organization because he has not set a good example for ethical behavior.
LBJ has lived under a microscope and is the anti-A-Rod. No comparison.
What?? Both are the most arrogant, narcissistic hardos in North American sports. Not much to like personality-wise, despite the talent
Lebron tries so hard to pass Jordan lol. Like dude playing the longest doesn’t mean you’re the greatest!
Exactly, Lebron is to Jordan what ARod is to Jeter.
Minus the being better part.
Or remaking his movie. Hes not big enough to have his own.
Lebron is going to own a position very high up on a lot of career stat categories by the time he’s done. Longevity, early start and dominant performances plus rings with so many teams will make him a member of the GOAT conversation. Passing Kareem on the scoring record might even sway me but it’ll be very difficult.
ARod will fit right in in the NBA
I don’t know if I dislike a player more than A-Rod (I know a few who have met him and it just re-affirmed my belief). If he moves the T-Wolves, my dislike for him will be off the charts.
A-Rod in Minnesota?
Man…this is gunna be great! This town is going to flip out, man. Might have to purchase a T-Wolves jersey of some type. Perhaps a retro Sprewell would be appropriate.
Yo Ducky, I thought of you as soon as I clicked on this article. Lol. I remember what you said to me about not liking A-Rod.
Hey, Goastros –
Jeter was a great player. A winner, first ballot HOFer, etc.
But, I’ve always preferred my protagonists to be flawed. Probably because I am. As such, Jeets was always bit too goody-goody for me.
& A-Rod is such an awkward, insecure mess I – personally – can’t help but like the guy.
Oh wait. I think it was “Yankees won but had a cheater on their roster” that you said. Something like that. It was awhile ago so I’m misremember what you said.
Did Anibel Sanchez cut his fingers? But he has to wait for his finger to heal? I’m confused. 13 pitches in, how did he cut his fingers? Or finger? What happened?
Yeah that didn’t make any sense to me either.
Curious if he cut his finger a couple days prior to starting and his cut started opening up come pitch time. Feel bad for that bullpen. Getting taxed like that all of a sudden.
He probably use one of Bouer’s modified balls
“modified balls”
A-Rod had a lot of great ideas about revitalizing baseball. Well worth listening to his interview with Gary Vee.
THE ASTROS HAVE A GREAT ROTATION!
I feel that I have to scream it because nobody seems to realize just how incredible this team still is, and especially their rotation.
Go easy on ole Fent, bro.
All that yelling reminds me of my second ex-wife.
These are not fond recollections.
But, yeah.
It’s early, but thus far the Astros look like a pretty good ballclub from what I’ve seen. So…go Angels!
Reposting a comment I saw on fangraphs that is a fitting response to this:
“Lmao, you Texans never fail to make me laugh with your pathetic “Astros have good pitching” threads. Face it, most West Division teams have infinitely more successful rotations than Houston’s sad pitchers. Astros fans are on the wrong side of history. Get over it kid.”
“Texan”!?
Whoa, whoa, whoa there cowboy, @Fletcher. Hold your horses.
One can acknowledge that the Astros are playing well & their staff looks pretty good & also *not* be from or live in the Friendship State.
I’m not even an Astros’ fan, but that team has an objectively good rotation. Greinke, Valdez, McCullers, Odorizzi, Urquidy… that’s dang good.
D’accord
& it’s an infinitely more compelling argument than some repost of a fangraphs comment that begins with “LMAO”.
I still don’t quite know what that was all about, man.
Guy. Man. Dude.
… bro.
Buddy guy.
Man.
Ah, yes.
I do recall you now, @Emerson.
You do not care for my posting style – such as it is – & wish to make that abundantly clear to us all.
By this point (thanks to you, Lloyd!) I – obviously – realize it is most certainly not for everyone. However, there is also no accounting for taste.
Man.
Yeah, Fangraphs has really gone down hill the last few years, not sure why you’d think it was worth quoting any of the comments.
I’m not saying that the Astros are going to win the world series, but the 2005 White Sox and the 2015 Royals didn’t have any sexy names in their rotation. Granted, Grienkie is a sexy name but he’s old. The Astros rotation has done well so far.
sanchez doesnt even throw 90 anymore he is done
A-Rod started his career in Seattle.
Seattle’s been wanting a team again.
Seattle’s finishing up a new arena.
They’ve been hard pressed to find an ownership group willing to keep the Wolves in Minnesota…
Just sayin.
Seems like at best a lateral move. Like leaving worse for bad…
The NBA said Seattle is going to be one of two expansion teams when they decide to do that. So the Wolves moving is unlikely.
It’s been reported that there is a condition of the sale agreement that the team cannot be moved from Minnesota.
Astros own the A.L. You can count on them in the A.L.C.S. They’ve been there 4 years in a row going on 5. The other teams are running on hopes of a miracle