Gardenhire will be a favorite to win the American League Manager of the Year award. His reaction? “I don’t give a flying flip about (that) because that’s a coaching staffing of the year (award) as far as I am concerned and a team of the year,” he said. He also said there is “no doubt” his staff is the most deserving in the league for recognition.
While the manager of the year, most valuable player and Cy Young awards will require votes, Joe Mauer won the American League batting title with a .347 average becoming the first catcher ever to accomplish that in the American League. He also is the first catcher ever to lead the major leagues in hitting, finishing ahead of Freddy Sanchez of the Pirates who hit .344.
Morneau finished second in the league in RBI with 130 while batting .321 with 34 home runs. He will gather a lot of support for the league MVP award.
Gardenhire said last week the impressive seasons of Mauer, 23, and Morneau, 25, fit their profiles of hitting success in the minors but he admitted their accomplishments so early in their major league careers is “pretty amazing.” The performances of the two hitters in their second full seasons demonstrate continued improvement, he added.
Pitcher Johan Santana, 27, is likely to win his second Cy Young award in three seasons after finishing with a 19-6 record and 2.77 ERA. Santana is expected to pitch twice for the Twins in the opening playoff series if five games are played between Minnesota and the Oakland Athletics, winners of the American League West Division.