Paul Janish described his first few months as Chicago White Sox director of player development as a hectic and exciting time.

The former big-league infielder took on the role in November after working on Rice University’s baseball staff since August 2017, including the last two seasons as the associate head coach.

He’s digging in to his responsibilities with the Sox.

“I’m glad to finally be on site (in Arizona) with a bunch of people in the same room because up to this point it’s been a lot of virtual stuff,” Janish said during a video conference last week. “With spring training right around the corner, just hitting the ground and getting in the trenches a little bit with both staff and players and becoming more familiar with everybody.”

Janish provided updates on the top three prospects in the organization, according to MLB.com — shortstop Colson Montgomery, pitcher Noah Schultz and catcher Edgar Quero — as spring training gets closer.

No. 1 prospect: Colson Montgomery

The team’s first-round pick in 2021 spent time at three levels — the Arizona Complex League White Sox, Class A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham — after a midback strain delayed his start to the 2023 season.

The 21-year-old slashed .287/.456/.484 with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 37 RBIs in 64 games. He also had three homers and 20 RBIs in 20 games during the Arizona Fall League and was the MVP of the Fall Stars Game.

“Colson’s got a bright future, there’s no question about it,” Janish said. “With regards to where he’s starting (the season), some of that’s to be determined. At the end of the day, the goal is for him to be a really good major-league player, and I think that’s going to happen.”

When it comes to Montgomery’s timeline to the majors, Janish said it’s hard to predict.

“He’s going to choose his own path with regards to production, and there’s going to have to be some decisions made on just evaluating when he’s ready to go up to stay,” Janish said. “Because with that kind of player, you really want him to get to the major leagues at a time in which he’s ready to contribute and produce and stay there for good.

“So some of that stuff is to be determined. What I do know is he’s a really good kid, and he’s excited about coming to major-league camp.”

No. 2 prospect: Noah Schultz

The Sox selected the left-hander with the No. 26 pick in the 2022 draft. Schultz, 20, went 1-2 with a 1.33 ERA during 10 starts for Class A Kannapolis last year after dealing with a forearm strain. He went on the injured list in late August with shoulder impingement.

“First of all, he’s huge,” Janish said with a laugh about the 6-foot-9 Schultz. “I had the opportunity to meet him here recently in Arizona, and from a health standpoint, I think he’s in a good place going into the season.

“There’s a strength element that’s going to continue to develop over the course of time that will help him be more consistent. But we’re really excited. He’s got all the talent in the world, and it’s just going to come down to being really intentional with his development program and making sure as he progresses that we’re not giving him too much before he’s ready for it.”

Schultz, who went to Oswego East High School, had 38 strikeouts in 27 innings in 2023 for the Cannon Ballers.

“(Noah is) a really good kid, really talented kid and he really wants to be good,” Janish said.

No. 3 prospect: Edgar Quero

The Sox acquired the switch-hitting catcher along with pitcher Ky Bush — ranked the team’s No. 9 prospect — in the July 26 trade that sent pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to the Los Angeles Angels.

Quero, 20, slashed .277/.366/.393 with four doubles, three home runs and 22 RBIs in 31 games with Birmingham after the trade.

Janish said Quero goes about his work “pretty intentionally.”

“The work ethic is something he’s got in him,” Janish said, “and he’s currently developing a little bit of a routine on a day-to-day basis to maintain throughout the course of a season, which we can all sympathize with.

“That position requires a lot both mentally and physically. At the end of the day, he really needs to play. He’s in a really good spot for his age, and his ability is going to give him the opportunity to play in the major leagues.

“We just want him to be at a point where he’s ready to be consistent at that level, which, at that position in particular, we all know is going to be asking a lot.”

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By Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press

Donald Trump has won Missouri’s Republican caucuses, one of three events Saturday that will award delegates for the GOP presidential nomination.

The former president, who is especially strong in caucuses, was adding to his delegate lead in Republican caucuses in Missouri as well as at a party convention in Michigan. Idaho was scheduled to hold its caucuses later Saturday. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, meanwhile, is still seeking her first win.

There are no Democratic contests on Saturday.

The next contest is the GOP caucus Sunday in the District of Columbia. Two days later is Super Tuesday, when 16 states and American Samoa will hold primaries on what will be the largest day of voting of the year outside of the November election. Trump is on track to lock up the nomination days later.

Michigan

Michigan Republicans at their convention in Grand Rapids on Saturday began allocating 39 of the state’s 55 GOP presidential delegates. But a significant portion of the party’s grassroots force was skipping the gathering because of the lingering effects of a monthslong dispute over the party’s leadership.

 

Trump handily won Michigan’s primary this past Tuesday with 68% of the vote compared with Haley’s 27%.

Michigan Republicans were forced to split their delegate allocation into two parts after Democrats, who control the state government, moved Michigan into the early primary states, violating the national Republican Party’s rules.

Missouri

The Missouri Republican Party held its presidential caucuses on Saturday, offering state voters their only chance to weigh in on who should represent the party on the November presidential ballot.

Voters lined up outside a church in Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, before the doors opened.

“I don’t know what my role here will be, besides standing in a corner for Trump,” Columbia resident Carmen Christal said, adding that she’s “just looking forward to the experience of it.”

This year will be the first test of the new system, which is almost entirely run by volunteers on the Republican side.

The caucuses were organized after GOP Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law that, among other things, canceled the planned March 12 presidential primary.

Lawmakers have failed to reinstate the primary despite calls to do so by both state Republican and Democratic party leaders. Democrats will hold a party-run primary on March 23.

Trump prevailed twice under Missouri’s old presidential primary system.

Idaho

Last year, Idaho lawmakers passed cost-cutting legislation that was intended to move all the state’s primaries to the same date in May — but the bill inadvertently eliminated the presidential primaries entirely. The Republican-led legislature considered holding a special session to reinstate the presidential primaries but failed to agree on a proposal in time, leaving both parties with presidential caucuses as the only option. The GOP presidential caucuses will be on Saturday, while the Democratic caucuses aren’t until May 23.

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The last GOP caucuses in Idaho were in 2012, when about 40,000 of the state’s nearly 200,000 registered Republican voters showed up to select their preferred candidate.

For this year, all Republican voters who want to participate will have to attend in person. They will vote after hearing short speeches by the candidates or their representatives.

If one candidate gets more than 50% of the statewide votes, that candidate will win all the Idaho delegates. If none of the candidates gets more than 50% of the votes, then each candidate with at least 15% of the total votes will get a proportionate number of delegates.

The Idaho GOP will announce the results once all the votes are counted statewide.

Trump placed a distant second in the 2016 Idaho primary behind Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

Associated Press writers Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho; Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan; and Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.

A wild two weeks of section play means this year’s Class 2A state hockey tournament may be about as wide open as they come.

Two of the eight teams in the state field — Edina and Chanhassen — entered sections ranked in the top 10 in the state. And even Chanhassen’s appearance this upcoming week in St. Paul comes as a massive surprise after the Storm knocked off a true Goliath in defending champ Minnetonka to hand the Skippers their first loss of the season and grant the Storm their first-ever state tournament appearance.

Edina is the No. 1 seed in Class 2A, and Chanhassen is seeded second in the state brackets revealed Saturday morning.

Cretin-Derham Hall is back at state for the third-straight time, though this may be the most surprising appearance of the trio, as the Raiders were the No. 5 seed in Section 3. So while they’re unseeded at state, they’re used to the role of underdog heading into their quarterfinal bout with third-seeded Centennial.

Fresh off its upset of Hill-Murray, White Bear Lake earned the No. 4 seed, and will meet fourth-seeded Grand Rapids in the quarters. That game serves as a golden opportunities for the Bears to end their streak of 19 consecutive quarterfinal losses in the state tournament.

In Class A, Hermantown is the top seed, while defending state champion Mahtomedi is seeded fourth and will square off with fifth-seeded Orono in the quarters.

The winner’s brackets for both tournaments will be played at Xcel Energy Center. All winner’s bracket contests for each class will be televised on KSTC Ch. 45, and can also be viewed online for free at 45tv.com.

2024 BOYS STATE HOCKEY SCHEDULE

The complete brackets for each class are listed below, and can also be viewed on the MSHSL website. Brackets will be updated here throughout the tournament:

CLASS 2A

Thursday’s quarterfinals

No. 2 Chanhassen vs. Rochester Century/John Marshall, 11 a.m.

No. 3 Centennial vs. Cretin-Derham Hall, 1 p.m.

No. 1 Edina vs. Elk River/Zimmerman, 6 p.m.

No. 4 White Bear Lake vs. No. 5 Grand Rapids, 8 p.m.

Friday’s semifinals

Winners of Thursday afternoon quarterfinals, 6 p.m.

Winners of Thursday evening quarterfinals, 8 p.m.

Saturday’s final

Winners of Friday evening semifinals, 7 p.m.

CLASS A

Wednesday’s quarterfinals

No. 2 Warroad vs. New Ulm, 11 a.m.

No. 3 St. Cloud Cathedral vs. Northfield, 1 p.m.

No. 1 Hermantown vs. Alexandria Area, 6 p.m.

No. 4 Mahtomedi vs. no. 5 Orono, 8 p.m.

Friday’s semifinals

Winners of Wednesday afternoon quarterfinals, 11 a.m.

Winners of Wednesday evening quarterfinals, 1 p.m.

Saturday’s final

Winners of Friday afternoon semifinals, 12 p.m.

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Deter assaults with personal bodycams

It’s well documented that cameras deter many forms of criminal behavior. One logical response to the recent surge in carjacking and personal assaults across the metropolitan area is for a publicity campaign by state and local law enforcement agencies to issue small, body/button cameras to the public at a reduced price. Seems like a public subsidy well worth the price. And for those not willing or able to pay the purchase price, safety agencies can promote and distribute fake, look-alike cameras to give more peace of mind to folks and keep potential crooks wondering.

Last I checked such cameras ranged in price from $50-$100. Cheap deterrent for a worried and increasingly fearful public. And maybe a good use of a little of that state surplus money.

Mark Schreiber, St. Paul

 

One president at a time

I believe that there should be some way in order for the minority party to get something to the floor to be voted on by the House of Representatives or the Senate. Case in point would be President Obama nominated Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court and Sen. Mitch McConnell, then majority leader, would not even have a hearing, much less a vote, and now Speaker Mike Johnson won’t allow aid for Ukraine and Israel that has passed the Senate to even be debated or allowed a vote. I believe he has taken orders from an outside source.

No one person should have the power to block any proposed legislation just because they have the position of speaker or majority leader. I can fully understand why the speaker would want to hold up a vote for something that their party has proposed until they have the necessary vote secured, but for the speaker or the majority leader to be influenced by someone who is only running for office and doesn’t even have their party’s nomination yet just seems not right.

In this United States of America we only have one president at a time, and Joe Biden is that president now.

Tom Kapsner, White Bear Lake

 

‘Freemobiles’

I’m old enough to remember when people used to pay to ride the bus. Those were the days, my friend. … I was riding a Route #18 bus while I typed this. A man got on the bus, told the driver flippantly, “It’s cold out, I don’t feel like walking today,” and walked to his seat. Metro Transit should tell it like it is and call its buses “freemobiles.” Welcome to Socialist Minnesota.

Ann Redding, Minneapolis

 

Excessive bail shall not be required

While I join ACLU-MN Paul Sullivan in welcoming justice-system-impacted Americans to the voting register, our U.S. Constitution already regulates “wealth-based bail.”

The Eighth Amendment begins: “Excessive bail shall not be required”.

That’s pretty clear; ACLU-MN and Pioneer Press editors should know this.

The real issue is government officials in all three branches choosing to ignore the plain text of our Bill of Rights, and nobody seems to care enough to report on it.

Karl Olson, St. Louis Park

 

The will, not the bill

Democrats have a brilliant but dishonest strategy to change the narrative on the border crisis.

They blame Donald Trump for not completing the border wall when they did everything they could to stop it when Trump was president, and they completely stopped it on Joe Biden’s first day in office.

Biden immediately reversed a dozen Trump policies that were reducing illegal immigration, and now he claims that he needs the border bill to use similar policies. Biden does not need the “bill” to secure the border, he needs the “will” to secure the border, which he has not had for three years. Will the bill change his will?

Now Biden blames Republicans for the border crisis because they do not support a bill that is weak and ineffective. I hope that voters can remember the truth about the border and see through the deception.

Dennis A. Helander, White Bear Lake

 

Inconsistency and embryos

With the ruling by Alabama’s Supreme Court that an embryo should be considered the same as a child, the Republican Party is  struggling to come up a with a new position on embryos.

I found it interesting that major Republicans are now stating that how embryos are used for in-vitro fertilization should only be a decision between the patient and her doctor.

I don’t quite understand how that the Republican Party thinks an embryo that is inside a woman’s body is the job of a state to control but the same embryo outside the woman’s body is her decision and her doctors’.

Gregg Mensing, Roseville

 

Free to go?

At a recent sporting event, while listening to our national anthem, I was drawn particularly to the words “land of the free, and home of the brave.” Oh how some of our elected and appointed left-leaning officials have tarnished Francis Scott Key’s words to the point where they sound more like the land of … you are free to go and we will not defend our brave.

These, sworn to uphold the laws of our state and nation, officials have disgraced the brave souls who put their lives on the line daily to protect the very freedom they enjoy, a disgrace brought on by an agenda to protect the feelings of the offender and dampen the efforts of the defender.

To these officials, it is time to set aside emotions and abide by the laws you are sworn to protect.

Mark Kirchner, St. Paul

 

Where are the men, then?

Regarding the article “Cease-fire resolution…” (Feb. 27)  “…where seven self-professed progressive women were elected to the most diverse City Council in St. Paul history last November.”

I am old enough to remember the controversy over gender equality. If this is diverse, where are the three men? Or is the City Council now 14 members and the others weren’t pertinent to the story?

Art Thell, West St. Paul

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