La Velle E. Neal III
Columnist
SportsA native of Chicago, La Velle has covered the Minnesota Twins since 1998. He also covered the Kansas City Royals for the Kansas City Star from 1995 through 1997. A graduate of the University of Illinois - Chicago, La Velle is a former president of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Latest from La Velle E. Neal III
Sports
Neal: Marriage suits Gophers hockey senior Huglen. Soon, fatherhood will, too.
Aaron Huglen and wife Maddie are expecting their first baby right before the Gophers take aim at a sixth NCAA title.
December 22, 2024
Wolves
Neal: Wolves fans have no reason to boo KAT in his Target Center homecoming
Karl-Anthony Towns will be back in the place where he built a legacy as one of the best Wolves players of all time.
December 19, 2024
Vikings
Neal: Vikings' best is required the rest of the way, and we didn’t see it against the Bears
Quarterback Sam Darnold played scruffily, penalties mounted, chances weren’t seized, and it took Vanilla Ice to get things going.
December 17, 2024
Vikings
Neal: Vikings and Bears meet again, traveling in opposite directions
Nothing about the season has gone as predicted for either team, so this is not a prediction, it's a statement: Minnesota ought to win Monday.
December 16, 2024
Sports
Neal: Correa is tremendously unlikely to play for anyone but the Twins
A New York columnist caused a burst of chatter, but team officials say they are neither shopping their shortstop nor hearing offers. Plenty of reasons exist for that.
December 15, 2024
Twins
Neal: What does Soto’s contract say about the future of baseball?
Payroll disparity has caused smaller-market MLB teams to become a feeder system to markets who can overspend on star players. Change is on the horizon, but it might take a few more years of suffering.
December 12, 2024
PWHL
Neal: For the Minnesota Frost, the process of becoming a dynasty begins
The winners of the Walter Cup in the PWHL’s first season endured an overtime loss in the opener of their second season. Like last year, that ends nothing.
December 2, 2024
Vikings
Neal: Wrong, wrong, wrong. About the Vikings. About the NFC North. About Sam Darnold.
Kevin O’Connell’s QB whispering worked again, setting off a series of events that made Minnesota's division the NFL's best.
December 1, 2024
Sports
Neal: Correa is tremendously unlikely to play for anyone but the Twins
A New York columnist caused a burst of chatter, but team officials say they are neither shopping their shortstop nor hearing offers. Plenty of reasons exist for that.
December 15, 2024
Twins
Neal: What does Soto’s contract say about the future of baseball?
Payroll disparity has caused smaller-market MLB teams to become a feeder system to markets who can overspend on star players. Change is on the horizon, but it might take a few more years of suffering.
December 12, 2024
PWHL
Neal: For the Minnesota Frost, the process of becoming a dynasty begins
The winners of the Walter Cup in the PWHL’s first season endured an overtime loss in the opener of their second season. Like last year, that ends nothing.
December 2, 2024
Vikings
Neal: Wrong, wrong, wrong. About the Vikings. About the NFC North. About Sam Darnold.
Kevin O’Connell’s QB whispering worked again, setting off a series of events that made Minnesota's division the NFL's best.
December 1, 2024