Monday Link Dump: Twins Ink Joe Mauer for Next Decade, Hot Women of the Super Bowl

Here are your Monday links.

I know that I’ve gone back and forth between having a daily link dump, and then doing a weekly one, and pretty much every iteration in between. Well here is what I’ve decided: I’ll do link dumps whenever I have enough good links that it makes sense. It might be once a day, it might be once a week. But whenever it is, you’ll get plenty of tasty sports web goodness to feast on.

First up today? Big news in Minnesota where the Twins have inked Joe Mauer for the next decade. And then after that, a link to Guyism’s very nice gallery of Super Media Day hotties. You’re welcome guys.

Update: Hang on just a second about that Joe Mauer contract extension…

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February is the WORST Month of the Year for Sports

February is the worst month of the year for sports.

When I was younger I always thought the summer was the worst time because the only thing on TV was baseball, but with age comes more appreciation for the national pastime. These days I can’t wait for the Twins to get started and see if signing ANOTHER player who is late into his career will pay off. Is there any way we can get Jim Thome to be 35 again?

Now that my beloved Vikings have gracefully bowed out of the playoffs all I have left to watch as a sports fan are NBA highlights, college basketball (which is only good if Kansas is playing), NFL draft coverage, and tennis. Golf is starting soon, but I usually only watch that on Sunday afternoons when I need to take a nap.

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If Given Chance, How Would Cubs Fans Receive a Sammy Sosa Return?

Throughout the course of the day I engage in or passively read various email and forum conversations with other sports fans of the Midwest variety. A lot of these conversations tend to center around Chicago sports because, well, it’s the biggest market in the MSF realm.

One recent conversation that particularly piqued my interest is the question of how Cubs fans should/would receive Sammy Sosa in the event that he returns to the team or city in a manner similar to how Mark McGwire has returned to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Allow me to present a few of the more compelling arguments that I read on both sides. I will then give my opinion and provide you with an opportunity to give yours.

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WWSC: Why Adam LaRoche’s New Contract Should Matter to Cubs Fans

[Editor's Note: What follows is the third edition of a new series of regular posts that you will start to see here on MSF called Wendell Willkie's Spam Cleansing (WWSC for short).

Throughout the day I participate in email conversations with friends about hot sports topics. One of my friends in particular is very active in these conversations. This is that friend.]

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The back pages of the virtual espn.com newspaper this morning report Adam LaRoche signing a 1 year contract with the AZ Dbacks for $4.5M.

Why should you care?

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One More Cheating Liar Steps Our From the Shadows (w/ Video)

Unless you were actively avoiding sports news today, you now know that Mark McGwire has officially come clean regarding his steroid use while playing Major League Baseball.

Big Mac issued a statement through the Associated Press early in the day, and then sat for a very compelling hour-long interview with Bob Costas earlier this evening on the MLB Network.

Here is the gist of McGwire’s story, if I can be so presumptuous as to summarize it in one sentence:

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Bill K’s Interview with Minor League Pitcher Colt Hynes

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Joshua “Colt” Hynes.

Colt is a 2006 graduate of Texas Tech University and drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 31^st round of the 2007 June draft. It was insightful to learn about what a player experiences once being drafted and their progression through the organization.

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ARod’s New Girlfriend is Hot…and Her Last Name is (Heh, Heh) Spottswood

Attention all Midwest Sports Fans readers who have juvenile, sophomoric senses of humor (yes, KVB, I’m talking to you). Alex Rodriguez has a new girlfriend and there are two things that you should know about her.

First, she’s not bad looking.

Second, her last name is Spottswood.

Quick, let’s see how can get to the comment section first to make everyone laugh by using it in a sentence.

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The #1 Reason Andre Dawson Should Be (Update: IS!) in the HOF: He’s a Hero

The newest class of MLB Hall of Famers will be announced later today and one of the guys who might potentially make it is Chicago Cubs legend Andre Dawson.

In fact, The Hawk is far more than a legend. He is a hero.

How can you not vote for him after listening to that? (h/t this tweet by @Aisle424)

Update: The Hawk got the call: he’s a Hall of Famer

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Chicago White Sox Trade for Juan Pierre

Via MLBTradeRumors, the Chicago White Sox have traded two minor league pitchers to the LA Dodgers for ancient but still speedy OF Juan Pierre. (Actually, he’s only 32…but he seems ancient, doesn’t he?)

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Will Ryne Sandberg Manage Cubs in the Coming Years?

When I read this article on Ryne Sandberg’s promotion to manager of the Cubs’ Triple-A team in Iowa, I couldn’t help but think that Sandberg will one day manage the Cubs.

Sandberg is one of the most respected ex-Cub by the fans, and he has slowly been moving up the manager chain. He coached the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in 2009.

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Potential Blockbuster Trade Would Send Curtis Granderson to Yankees

SI’s Jon Heyman is reporting today that there is a potential blockbuster trade in the works between the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

OF Curtis Granderson would be sent to New York, SP Edwin Jackson would go to Arizona, and SP Max Scherzer would go to Detroit, along with lots of other parts and pieces.

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Peter Gammons Leaving ESPN

Word broke today that Peter Gammons, one the most profound, recognizable, and experienced baseball voices ever, is leaving ESPN:

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Zack Greinke Named AL Cy Young Award Winner

On the same day that one Kansas City athlete found out that he won’t be playing for a month or so, another Kansas City athlete found out that his return from the brink of career disaster has officially come full circle.

Royals hurler Zack Greinke was named the AL Cy Young Award winner today, beating out Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, and Roy Halladay.

Curiously, Jose Contreras did not receive any votes.

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Sammy Sosa Addresses Skin Lightening Speculation

Via The Big Lead, Sammy Sosa has addressed the swirling speculation over why his skin appeared so drastically different than we remember at a recent event he attended with his wife.

Incredibly, Sosa actually specifically addresses the notion that he may have somehow wanted to look like Michael Jackson. For the record, I don’t think anyone thought Sosa wanted to look like Jackson specifically, just that he might have been dealing with a similar skin pigmentation disorder or appearance issues.

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MLB Season Wrap: The Best Games of the 2009 Postseason

The Yankees won the title this past Wednesday night, so the media has been less inclined to criticize or ignore baseball than usual of late. They’re also more likely to wrap the season up for 48 or 72 hours (instead of 24 or fewer) before moving 100% into football, instead of the 95% coverage the NFL has enjoyed since September.

But during the MLB playoffs, I did hear, nationally and locally, on TV, radio, and the blogs, that the postseason “lacked.” While it’s true no series went the distance, close to half of the 30 total games played went down the last  inning or even the final batter. The media’s consensus could not be more incorrect; this was a GREAT postseason overall.

Let’s take a look at the best games, in no particular order:

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