Regarding the Torii Hunter will-he-stay-or-leave guessing contest, a major league baseball source I have known for years thinks that if it’s a “close” decision the 32- year-old center fielder will re-sign with the Twins.  Close means that contract length and compensation offered by the Twins team needs to be competitive with other offers for Hunter who has spent his eight year major league career here.

The source said Hunter “turned down” an earlier Twins offer for three years and $45 million. The number of years on the contract is important to Hunter, presumably because this will be either his last contract, or the last agreement offering the most guaranteed compensation.  It’s believed that Hunter would like a five or six year deal.

The source, who is knowledgeable about the Twins operation and commitment to budget restraint, said it’s difficult to guess how much money and years it will take to retain Hunter until competing clubs make offers.  He also said that despite Hunter’s age, the Twins’ center fielder is a good gamble for long term durability and production.  Hunter takes care of his body, plays with passion and is a recognized team leader.  He’s expressed a desire in the past to remain with the Twins but because a new agreement hasn’t been reached to keep him in Minnesota, he’s now considering other offers.

The baseball insider said Hunter’s seniority is a good fit on a team that has mostly talent under 30 years old.  He said re-signing Hunter means the Twins are set in the outfield with 25-year-old left fielder Jason Kubel and 28-year-old right fielder Michael Cuddyer.  Other core players are 24-year-old catcher Joe Mauer, 26-year-old first baseman Justin Morneau, and 28 and 24-year-old pitchers Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano.  Signing Hunter and bringing him back means the team only needs to address needs for a third baseman and a designated hitter.

The source said the Twins’ younger core players can help make the team competitive for 10 years.  He recalled that the 1987 and 1991 World Series champion Twins teams each had just two dominate starting pitchers, finding complementary talent to win and suggesting that perhaps the 2008 Twins could follow a similar pattern with a strong second starter emerging to join Santana in a big two.

With so much balance and competitiveness in the American League, the Twins aren’t that far off from competing for a pennant.  The source suggested, too, that the Twins want to have a competitive team as they near the opening of the new downtown ballpark in 2010.  A new contract with Hunter would all but guarantee he will be part of that first season.

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Minnesota Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell said a project to build an athletic center at his alma mater, the University of California, is being slowed up because of demonstrations to preserve three trees.  Protestors have chained themselves to the trees, he said.

Vikings’ linebacker Chad Greenway missed all of last season with a knee injury, making this somewhat a rookie season.  Greenway said he’s probably his own “harshest critic” and that at times he’s played like a rookie.  Although he hasn’t made a lot of “splash plays and sacks,” he thinks he’s improving each week and has been equally effective playing the pass and rush. “I think for the most part I have played pretty well,” he said.

Timberwolves assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg told Sports Headliners he has been chosen by Iowa State, his alma mater, as one of the school’s top 10 basketball players of all time.  He will be honored at a ceremony in February.

Hoiberg, 35, has been wearing a pacemaker for about two years.  He feels good and even scrimmaged with the Wolves in September when an extra player was needed.  The pacemaker will be replaced in seven years.

Although the Wolves chose not to exercise an option on guard-forward Gerald Green’s contract, the organization remains intrigued by his potential.  Green, 21, will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.  His career numbers for the previous two seasons in the NBA include an average of 8.9 points per game.  Hoiberg said Green “jumps higher than anyone I’ve ever seen” and refers to the former Boston Celtic as “freakishly athletic.”  Green needs to better understand “concepts” of what the Wolves are trying to accomplish, Hoiberg said.

Gophers coach Tubby Smith said he liked the play of point guards Al Nolen, Lawrence McKenzie and Kevin Payton after the opening exhibition game last week.  Nolen, a freshman from Patrick Henry High School, is the quickest of the three.  The Gophers play Southwest Minnesota State tomorrow night at 6 p.m. in a second and final exhibition game.  The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

A seventh place finish in the Big Ten Conference is a popular prediction for Smith’s first Gophers team.

North Dakota had three of the first four players listed last week on CSTV.com’s Hobey Baker watch list. The top four were Kevin Porter, Michigan senior forward; Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, North Dakota senior goalie; T.J. Oshie, North Dakota junior forward; and Ryan Duncan, North Dakota junior forward.  No Gophers were listed in the 10 player listing.

Forward Brian Rolston is the Wild’s team captain for the month of November. Mikko Koivu and Nick Schultz are alternate captains. The Wild rotates its team captaincy on a monthly basis based on the player who has shown the greatest leadership qualities.

The Wild’s Marion Gaborik said on WCCO Radio yesterday he thinks the Northwest   Division is the best in the NHL.  The Wild are in first place with 18 points, two more than second place Colorado.  Gaborik scored five points in two games last week and was honored today by the NHL as one of its players of the week.

The MIAC pre-season coaches’ polls resulted in the following winter sports favorites: Bethel, men’s hockey; Gustavus, women’s hockey; Bethel, men’s basketball; and Saint Benedict, women’s basketball.

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The weeks go by but themes remain the same, according to Minnesota Vikings critics.  Opening drives on offense are productive, followed by more minimal results, suggesting that other teams are making more successful adjustments during games. Also, who’s the quarterback?  What are his credentials?  Rookie Adrian Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher with 740 yards, has been under-utilized.  Bryant McKinnie underachieves at left tackle and the offense’s right side seems like a permanent project. The defense is on the field too often and eventually yields major passing plays.  Coach Brad Childress is a target of public and media criticism.

The Vikings are 2-5 and it seems like much of the conversation is the same after each game.  I like Childress, a good guy who learned many of his values and football knowledge under one of the best college coaches in Big Ten Conference history, Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin. Although Childress had never been an NFL head coach prior to coming here, he has a lot of coaching experience. This is his 30^th year of coaching, including 10 in the NFL.  He’s been associated with 17 winning seasons.

His job here, though, is the most demanding of his career. Reality is that he’s so scrutinized the public can turn on him based on one game, even a single play.

Criticism and frustration with the Vikings is increasing.  The talk shows are scorching with critiques. The boo-birds at the Metrodome sometimes arrive in the first quarter. For the first time in years the franchise is struggling to sellout games.  A zealous fan even held up a “Fire Childress” sign at last Sunday’s game.

Mike Morris, the former Viking now a KFAN radio host, told Sports Headliners he thinks the Vikings need a coaching change   Childress’ record is 4-13 in his last 17 games and his overall record since he started coaching the Vikings in 2006 is 8-15.  Morris is frustrated with personnel and in-game coaching decisions, attributing some problems to “stubbornness.”

“The owner’s got as much stubbornness as he (Childress) does,” Morris said earlier this week. “He (Zygi Wilf) thought he had a great hire.  He ran out and got the guy.  He doesn’t want to be embarrassed by a bad hire.  He’ll keep the guy I am sure, regardless of what his record is.  Unless he swallows his pride and says, ‘Look, I’ll do anything for this team to do better’ and hire another guy, (Bill) Cowher, (Marty) Schottenheimer.  You got to right the wrong.  He (Wilf) would make more people happy about it…if he would just redeem himself.  He needs to rehire someone.  He’s got the wrong guy.  Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn coaching over on that sideline.  It’s not working. …”

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