We discuss another Twins acquisition, Kirk Cousins becoming a star, the Wolves' wicked bad history keeping leads, how the Wild are staying alive, and why you should watch the Whitecaps.

Twins Get Even Deeper

* Twins sign veteran infielder Donovan Solano, 35, to a one-year, MLB contract 

* The guy flat out hits 

* .289/.342/.397 against righties over the past four seasons but has crushed lefties to a .321/.363/.461 line. That split largely continued last year, even though he was less productive overall. He hit .301/.348/.422 with the platoon advantage but .277/.335/.369 without it.

* The fuck happens to Nick Gordon?

Kirk Cousins Being Featured in Netflix Docu-series “Quarterback”

* Never thought him interesting, but the chains and dancing on the planes have made him a star

* Sang a “tribute” to Tom Brady to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone”

#DidYouKnow the Wolves are Wicked Bad at Keeping a Lead

* In their last two games in which they led by a combined 46 points, the Timberwolves have a -5 point differential.

* Running eighth in the West but Golden State is a half game back with three games in hand

* Hell, Oklahoma City is just a game back with four games in hand

* NBA2K expert and my favorite cousin, Joel, thinks it’s time to move on from head coach Chris Finch

* Check out his breakdown of the NBA Trade Deadline winners and losers

* Enjoy the shitty NBA All-Star Weekend, featuring a Dunk Contest in which no one knows the contestants (Mike put a $100 bet on team Giannis and it paid off—saved my nascar bets)

The Wild are Stayin’ Alive

* Absolutely no scoring from bottom two lines in the last five games; one assist over last 10 games

* The Wild recalled 21-year-old LW Adam Beckman from the Iowa Wild

* 18 goals through 43 games in the AHL

* Led Iowa in shots on goal (155); second in goals and sixth in scoring

* Played left wing on the second line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy vs. Dallas, a huge shootout win

* Had his first goal taken away due to offside play on power play in 1-0 win over the Kings last night

* The Wild really need a top-line center, per Shayna Goldman of the Too Many Men podcast, but trading for a rental is unlikely

* They’re all unrestricted free agents after the season

* Ryan O’Reilly was traded to Toronto

* We got Toronto’s 2025 fourth round pick

* Toronto crushed Buffalo last night

* Bo Horvat already traded to the Islanders

* Leaves Jonathan Toews, 34, Sean Monahan, who’s dealing with a foot injury, and Ivan Barbashev, who’s struggling offensively

* Guess if the Wild were to make a move, it should be for the Blues’ Barbashev, who would likely improve playing next to Kaprizov, but he wasn’t even the best center on his own team

* Sara Civian, also of Too Many Men, thinks we miss the playoffs

* Three points behind Edmonton for the top Wild Card spot with a game in hand

* Calgary four points behind us

* Central Division basically out of reach despite being tied with Colorado, who has two games in hand

The Whitecaps are Pretty Good

* Whitecaps hadn't lost in 2023 until Saturday and Sunday; were 10-2 since December

* I was there Saturday as they lost, 4-2, to the Buffalo Beauts, the worst team in the PHF on Hockey is for Everyone Day; lost 1-0 the next day

* Premier Hockey Federation playoff format released

* Top four teams play a best-of-three semifinal series in Boston (March 16) and Toronto (March 17), which will be home games for the (current) top two seeds

* Minnesota is running third by three points with a game in hand

* Final is winner-take-all at a neutral site on Sunday, March 26

* Had the pleasure of covering an Isobel Cup Final, and it was the best hockey game I’ve seen played

* Ended in an OT winner off the faceoff for the Whitecaps in their expansion season

* First team in the league to turn a profit and sellout season tickets

* Watch every PHF game this year and next year on ESPN+

* Next Whitecaps game is against second-seeded Toronto on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. CST

Get full access to Anthony Varriano’s Substack at gogonzojournal.substack.com/subscribe