Sometimes in Minnesota sports, it’s sure nice to play for the present

This probably isn’t the Vikings’ year. Same goes for the Wild, Minnesota United and Gophers football or men’s basketball.

It could be the Twins’ year. Same goes for the Lynx.

It was PWHL Minnesota’s year, and then it got weird.

It was almost the Wolves’ year, and if you are hitching hopes and dreams to any big-time local men’s team they are the leaders in the clubhouse.

All of these designations of “their year” are binary: Winning a championship vs. not. You can call a season successful even if it comes up short of that mark — the 2023 Twins and last year’s Wolves fall are examples, I would argue, because they involved progress — but everyone’s ultimate goal is simple.

It leads to a lot of forward thinking and pining for the future. But if a theme emerged on Wednesday’s Daily Delivery podcast, it is this: Sometimes it sure is nice to play for the present.

First, I took a look at the Twins and what they might do at the trade deadline. Almost every contending team needs starting pitching, but you could argue the Twins need it more than most.

Entering play Wednesday, they are 3-20 this season against the very best teams in the majors. They also have a very good chance of making the playoffs and a decent shot still at winning the AL Central. They seem like a team that might be good enough to make it, but not go very far.

But you know who else looked like that? Last year’s World Series teams. Texas (90-72 in the regular season) beat Arizona (84-78 in the regular season).

My thought at the start of the year, as the Twins slashed payroll, was this: If they could get to the trade deadline (which is now a week away) in contention (which they have), it would be easier to justify paying two months of a frontline starting pitcher’s salary instead of six. They need one more starting pitcher to run the gauntlet of playoff rounds and to complement a potent (when healthy) lineup. Why not go for it?

Second, columnist Chip Scoggins joined the show and steered me back to the present. We’re all waiting for rookie QB J.J. McCarthy to seize the job, but we’re early in that process. Maybe we should relax and give presumptive veteran starter Sam Darnold a chance to be good?

Much of what the Vikings are building seems geared for 2025 and beyond, but that’s no reason to look past what’s possible in 2024.

After all, we might not think it’s their year. But we never really know.

Here are four more things to know today:

*The big Vikings news Tuesday was a contract extension for Christian Darrisaw. My guess is that fans fixated more on the re-signing of Duke Shelley, a popular player in 2022 who provided aggressive and competent cornerback play down the stretch that stood out in contrast to much of the rest of what we saw from Ed Donatell’s scheme and personnel.

*A constant July and August NFL story line that I’m bored with: Players not reporting to camp because they want new contracts.

*Also on Wednesday’s podcast, we talked about expectations for the Gophers football team. It’s a time of major transition in college sports, and a big year for P.J. Fleck.

*On Thursday’s podcast, Gophers senior associate AD Mike Wierzbicki is expected to join me to talk about a big accomplishment for Minnesota athletes.