SID's JOTTINGS

• Las Vegas oddsmakers expect the Vikings to be underdogs in at least four of their first five games, including the first three: at St. Louis, New England at home and at New Orleans, as well as at Green Bay in Week 5. The Patriots, Saints and Packers were playoff teams last year.

• The three finalists to manage the new Vikings stadium are the Anschutz Entertainment Group, Global Spectrum and SMG.

• Former Gophers basketball player Trevor Mbakwe wrapped up a solid season playing for Virtus Roma in Italy last week. He averaged 10.6 points and 10.1 rebounds over 37 games. He added 1.5 blocks per contest, but the Timberwolves have no interest in signing him. … Former Gophers guard Austin Hollins had a recent tryout with the Wolves, but he won't receive an invitation to play with their summer league team in Las Vegas.

• Vikings cornerback Jabari Price reported his lone college visit out of high school in Pompano Beach, Fla., was to Minnesota and he committed to the Gophers, but the seventh-round draft pick backed out at the last minute and enrolled at North Carolina instead.

• One problem Michael Cuddyer has had over his career is missing games because of injuries, and the former Twins star is now unlikely to appear in the All-Star Game after going on the disabled list for the second time this year with Colorado. He missed 28 days earlier this season because of a strained hamstring and now he is out six to eight weeks after injuring his left shoulder diving while playing third base.

• Major League Baseball has sold upward of 90,000 tickets for the All-Star Fan Fest July 11-15 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It's expected that around 110,000 people will attend the event, which will feature dozens of Hall of Famers and Twins legends.