Rand: High-impact landings for Minnesota's teams

Updated: July 31, 2012 - 1:19 AM

Starting today, we are counting down our choices -- with many assists from folks on Twitter -- for the 25 best moves made via free agency, waiver claims or trades in the past 25 years of Twin Cities sports

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Former Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson

Photo: Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune file

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Minnesota sports history is filled with plenty of regrettable personnel moves. But the state's teams have also made their share of shrewd deals. Starting today, we are counting down our choices -- with many assists from folks on Twitter -- for the 25 best moves made via free agency, waiver claims or trades in the past 25 years of Twin Cities sports. (Note: Trades for draft picks count, but we are not including straight-up choices made in entry drafts such as Kevin Garnett or Joe Mauer). Weight was primarily given to the impact of the player or players obtained and the level of risk/boldness involved.

25 Steve Hutchinson: The Vikings made him the richest free-agent offer for a guard in NFL history at the time ($49 million over seven years) in 2006 and made it practically impossible for the Seahawks to match the offer. Their creativity and deep pockets were rewarded by Hutchinson, a four-time All-Pro during his six seasons with the Vikings from 2006 to 2011. He anchored the offensive line, helping pave the way for a running game that was often dominant. It will admittedly be strange to see the Vikings without him in 2012.

24 Pavol Demitra: His life was tragically cut short in September when he died in a plane crash. Locally, Demitra should be remembered as an upper-echelon player and a shrewd acquisition by the Wild in a 2006 draft-day trade. It came at a price -- a first-round draft pick and Patrick O'Sullivan, a highly regarded prospect at the time -- but it gave the Wild a missing piece. Demitra scored a combined 40 goals in his two seasons and teamed well with then-star Marian Gaborik. The Wild had a franchise-record 104 points in his first year and won its only division title during his second year, making the playoffs both times.

23 Josh Willingham: It's early, but not too early to declare the Twins' signing of Willingham looks like a relative bargain. In the first season of a three-year, $21 million contract, Willingham has been everything the Twins could have hoped for (and more). He is a natural cleanup hitter who thrives in Target Field. He already has had a handful of signature home runs and he is a calming presence on a team with plenty of youngsters. He essentially replaced crowd-pleaser Michael Cuddyer, which was no easy feat. He doesn't do magic like Cuddyer did, but he sure makes the ball disappear.

MICHAEL RAND

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Full Scoreboard

Tampa Bay - LP: C. Archer	1	FINAL
Boston - WP: A. Aceves	5	FINAL

NY Mets - WP: M. Harvey	4	FINAL
Atlanta - LP: A. Wood	3	FINAL

Los Angeles	0	Postponed
NY Yankees	0	Postponed

Washington - LP: R. Detwiler	2	FINAL
Philadelphia - WP: C. Lee	4	FINAL

Kansas City - LP: K. Herrera	3	FINAL
Cleveland - WP: C. Allen	4	FINAL

Colorado - LP: J. Francis	3	FINAL
Toronto - WP: E. Rogers	8	FINAL

Baltimore - WP: Z. Britton	5	FINAL
Detroit - LP: J. Verlander	2	FINAL

NY Mets - WP: Z. Wheeler	6	FINAL
Atlanta - LP: P. Maholm	1	FINAL

Pittsburgh - WP: C. Morton	4	FINAL
Cincinnati - LP: M. Latos	0	FINAL

Oakland - WP: J. Parker	6	FINAL
Texas - LP: Y. Darvish	2	FINAL

Tampa Bay - LP: J. Peralta	1	FINAL
Boston - WP: A. Bailey	3	FINAL

Chicago WSox - LP: R. Troncoso	5	FINAL
Minnesota - WP: J. Burton	7	FINAL

Milwaukee - LP: A. Figaro	1	FINAL
Houston - WP: J. Lyles	10	FINAL

Chicago Cubs - WP: J. Samardzija	4	FINAL
St. Louis - LP: A. Wainwright	2	FINAL

Miami - LP: C. Qualls	2	FINAL
Arizona - WP: D. Hernandez	3	FINAL

Seattle - WP: C. Furbush	3	FINAL
LA Angels - LP: G. Richards	2	FINAL

San Diego - LP: D. Thayer	4	FINAL
San Francisco - WP: J. Machi	5	FINAL

Full Scoreboard

San Antonio	100	FINAL
Miami	103	FINAL

Montreal	6/20/13 6:00 PM
Toronto

Winnipeg	6/20/13 6:00 PM
Hamilton

Calgary	6/20/13 9:00 PM
Saskatchewan

Edmonton	6/21/13 9:00 PM
Brt Columbia

Montreal	6/27/13 8:00 PM
Winnipeg

Washington	86	FINAL
Seattle	96	FINAL

Date/Opponent	Time	W	L	Score
2013 preseason
Aug 9 - vs. Houston	7 pm
Aug 16 - at Buffalo	6 pm
Aug 25 - at San Francisco	7 pm
Aug 29 - vs. Tennessee	7 pm
2013 regular season
Sep 8 - at Detroit	Noon
Sep 15 - at Chicago	Noon
Sep 22 - vs. Cleveland	Noon
Sep 29 - vs. Pittsburgh (in London)	Noon
Oct 6 - Bye
Oct 13 - vs. Carolina	Noon
Oct 21 - at. NY Giants	7:40 pm
Oct 27 - vs. Green Bay	7:30 pm
Nov 3 - at Dallas	Noon
Nov 7 - vs. Washington	7:25 pm
Nov 17 - at Seattle	3:25 pm
Nov. 24 - at Green Bay	Noon
Dec 1 - vs. Chicago	Noon
Dec 8 - at Baltimore	Noon
Dec 15 - vs. Philadelphia	Noon
Dec 22 - at Cincinnati	Noon
Dec 29 - vs. Detroit	Noon