Neal: Twins alums Justin Morneau, Brian Dozier have Home Run Derby memories — and advice

Justin Morneau remembers the stadium shaking and the ground rumbling as each ball landed in the seats of Yankee Stadium.

Brian Dozier remembers his brother, Clay, shaking.

Both are former Twins who competed in a Home Run Derby — Morneau ended up in three of them — and both are familiar with what Byron Buxton will experience Monday when he competes with some of the game’s best sluggers at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Buxton could be part of history, like Morneau was.

Morneau won the 2008 derby, but most remember Josh Hamilton set a record with 28 home runs during the first round. Whenever highlights are shown, Morneau sees Hamilton on his tear, not himself winning it. He was in awe of Hamilton’s display.

“The energy in that ballpark,” Morneau said, “and just feeling the ground shake at home plate when Hamilton was hitting, and having Yankee Stadium chanting, ‘Hamilton.’

“Just all that was amazing. Then just hanging around long enough to actually win the thing. But that wasn’t the part that’s memorable for me. It’s everything besides it.”

Buxton, hitting in his home state in front of friends and family, might have to deal with what the Doziers went through.

Brian Dozier asked Clay to throw to him in the 2014 derby in Target Field against a field that included Morneau. Clay Dozier was so overamped by the atmosphere that he couldn’t feel his hands. Brian Dozier didn’t make it out of the first round.

So how can Buck win the Home Run Derby?

Buxton usually hits inside before games but was on the field this week for batting practice with Twins third base coach Tommy Watkins, who will throw to him Monday.

“I told him to get his act together,” said Dozier, who admitted he was more nervous than during a regular-season game. “So Tommy … don’t screw it up! Ha!”

Morneau got Watkins in touch with former Twins coach Joe Vavra, who threw to Morneau in 2008. He has also spoken with Buxton.

“You’re in a game environment, except the guy is throwing 60 miles an hour, right?” Morneau said. “So you’re going to be all fired up to jump on a pitch that you [normally] can catch up to 98 mph. So you’ve got to kind of let it travel a little bit and just maybe move your sights over 10 or 15 feet toward the middle of the field because you’re gonna get to more balls and you’re gonna be flying like you’ve never felt.”

Dozier believes park factors matter.

“I would tell Buck, have fun with it,” Dozier said. “Give the fans a show and hit it to the shortest part of the field — down left field!”

Perhaps a blend of these strategies will help Buxton win the championship of one of baseball’s biggest spectacles.

Joe Mauer competed in the 2009 Home Run Derby, failing to advance past the first round. But this item is about basketball. Namely, Cretin-Derham Hall’s 2001 backcourt that consisted of Mauer, Sean Sweeney and Steve Sir. All three have been busy lately.

Sweeney, Jason Kidd’s lead assistant with the Dallas Mavericks, is moving to San Antonio to be associate head coach under Mitch Johnson. Sweeney had reached the second round of interviews for the Phoenix Suns job before agreeing to join the Spurs.

Sir, coach and director of player development for Mongolia, was just awarded the Friendship Medal by that nation’s president after leading the women’s team to a silver medal in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup last month. The run included a victory over the United States.

I couldn’t reach Mauer to talk about his buddies because he is in Lake Tahoe, Nev., this week for the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship.

I worked in Kansas City from 1989 to 1997. During that stage of my career, there was a fellow there announcing Chiefs games. His name was Kevin Harlan.

I later found out he had other duties, including announcing Timberwolves games. Harlan was a broadcasting star by then, calling various sports for various networks. Oh baby, what a schedule he had.

Michael Grady hit Minnesota like a wrecking ball in 2022 to call Wolves games. His robust and buttery voice has been the backdrop of a revitalized franchise. ESPN noticed, hiring him to call 18 games for the network this past season. He’s also set to be the lead WNBA play-by-play announcer for Amazon.

On Thursday, it was learned that Grady will work fewer Wolves games next season as Amazon has added him to its NBA play-by-play group that includes Ian Eagle, Eric Collins — and Harlan.

Grady, the latest broadcasting star with Minnesota ties.

• With their ownership future uncertain, the Twins will mostly stand pat before the trade deadline. They won’t sell because they are within range of a wild card spot. They won’t be able to take on much payroll. Waiting on injured players to return will be their strategy.

• Marco Rossi will remain with the Wild, and he will have a new three-year contract before training camp opens.