Sid Hartman: Jim Pohlad officially takes on more duties

Jim Pohlad, son of Carl Pohlad, is officially the chief executive officer of Twins Sports Inc., the corporation that controls the Twins and other things owned by baseball team.

This year, for the first time, Jim Pohlad is listed in the 2007 Twins media guide as CEO of Twins Sports Inc. He was not listed as such in previous years.

Carl Pohlad is again listed this year as chairman of Twins Sports Inc. and owner of the Twins, and Jerry Bell again is Twins Sports Inc. president. Bell is working full-time on the new Twins stadium.

Asked about the change, Bell said Jim Pohlad has been in this position for some time.

You can be sure that Carl still has a voice in the operation, but the chief operating officer is Jim.

While the Twins media guide has always offered a biography on Carl Pohlad on Bell, there continues to be none on Jim, who is a very low-key executive.

Meanwhile, Twins President Dave St. Peter said that he and Bell have been in the process of negotiating a 30-year lease with Minnesota Ballpark Authority for the new stadium. And St. Peter said that once the lease is completed, they will sign a new lease with the Metrodome for the balance of the time before the new stadium is built.

Not only are the Pohlads going to pay the difference between the $13.35 million Hennepin County has offered for the land and the final price determined by condemnation, but apparently they also are contributing to the funds needed to move the Burlington Northern railroad tracks adjacent to the new stadium.

As of now, unless something unusual develops, the Hennepin County commissioners are expected to OK all aspects of the new deal with the Twins, and work can start shortly on construction so it will be completed in time for the 2010 season.

Grant commits to U

One day after outstanding Champlain Park linebacker Sam Maresh committed to the Gophers, the team got another top-notch recruit when Eden Prairie quarterback Ryan Grant announced he was going to accept a scholarship to play football at Minnesota.

Ryan, the son of Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant and grandson of former Vikings coach Bud Grant, completed 90 of 145 passes the past season for 22 touchdowns and a 105.9 passer rating.

Ryan also played safety as a junior after playing linebacker as a sophomore.

He has a 3.9 GPA (on a four-point scale) and is one of the school's top students.

As for Maresh, he will not compete in wrestling with the Gophers, even though he is a two-time Class 3A state champion in the sport.

Jottings

Commissioner Bud Selig has done a great job in baseball, but he should start spending some time with the people who make the schedules. Does it make any sense for Toronto to open at Detroit when the Blue Jays have a dome? Does it make any sense to have Tampa Bay open in New York against the Yankees when the Devil Rays play in a warm-weather city? And is it fair for the Twins to have their only three-game home series against the Yankees in the second week of April, when they would draw two or three times the crowds in June or July?

At the start of the 2003 season, the Twins infield of first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, second baseman Luis Rivas, shortstop Cristian Guzman and third baseman Corey Koskie looked as though it might stay together for years. Four years later, Mientkiewicz is with the Yankees as a backup after also spending time with Boston and Kansas City; Rivas was in spring training with Cleveland but hit .200 in March and sent to Class AAA Buffalo; Guzman hit .219 in 2005 with Washington, missed all of 2006 to injury and then got hurt in the Nationals' season opener Monday; and Koskie is struggling to play again following post-concussion syndrome, and is on Milwaukee's disabled list. Twins GM Terry Ryan has done quite the job rebuilding that infield in short order and again has one of the best in the major leagues -- although it is now with Justin Morneau, Luis Castillo, Jason Bartlett and Nick Punto.

Lefthander Mike Venafro, who had a 0.00 ERA for the Twins this spring, accepted a demotion to Class AAA Rochester and will be available to the Twins if they need him.

A new member of the Gophers athletic department compliance staff is Kevin Fitzgerald, who was a linebacker for the Wisconsin-La Crosse football team.

Tuesday night, the Timberwolves, Twins and Wild all played regular-season home games, the first time that has happened on the same day. On April 29, 2003, they all played home games, although the Wolves and Wild games were in the playoffs. The Twins beat Tampa Bay 5-3 at the Metrodome, the Wolves lost to the Lakers 120-90 at Target Center and the Wild lost to Vancouver 3-2 at Xcel Energy Center. All three games Tuesday were also on radio and television at the same time.

Gophers hockey player Jim O'Brien and Gophers recruits Cade Fairchild and Patrick White have been named to the U.S. National Under-18 team that will compete at the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 championship, April 12-22 in Finland.

Former Gophers and Vikings defensive back Jack Brewer will be flying to New Orleans this week for a workout with the Saints. ... Five Viking players are taking part in the NFL Europe. Defensive tackle Alex Guerrero of Boise State, safety Andre Maddox of North Carolina State and guard Jimmy Martin of Virginia Tech are all playing for the Rhein Fire; wide receiver Justin Surrency -- a St. Paul native who played at Northern Iowa -- is playing for the Amsterdam Admirals; and cornerback Jerron Wishom of Louisiana Tech is playing for the Cologne Centurions. .... Former Gophers standout center Greg Eslinger, who missed his entire 2006 rookie season with the Denver Broncos after getting injured in training camp, also is playing for Cologne. ... Former Vikings and Gustavus Adolphus receiver Ryan Hoag was assigned by Washington to play for the Berlin Thunder and if he does well, no doubt he will go training camp with the Redskins.

Former Gophers golfer Justin Smith recently won the Guatemala International Open. He earned $34,000 for his third career Hooters Tour victory.

Ray Giacoletti, who resigned as men's basketball coach at Utah last month, joined the Gonzaga staff as an assistant. Giacoletti was the coach at North Dakota State from 1997 to 2000.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. and on Podcast twice a week at www.startribune.com/sidcast. shartman@startribune.com