If the Minnesota Twins have good fortune left in their season it will surely be heavily influenced by Johan Alexander Santana.  A recovery in the playoff race that has the Twins chasing a wild card spot will be led by the Twins left hander who is arguably baseball’s best pitcher and without dispute the best second half of the season pitcher in the majors. 

Saturday night in Cleveland, Santana had a no hitter with two out in the sixth inning pitching for the desperate Twins who had lost five straight and eight of their last 10.   Santana made it through seven innings, then left the game with the score 2-2. The Twins went on to win 3-2, briefly ending their miseries.  The victory was followed by yesterday’s 4-1 win, giving the Twins two of three in the three game series against the Indians and leaving Minnesota seven games back of Detroit in the Central Division. 

Earlier this month Twins pitcher Scott Baker was asked what he admires about Santana.  He mentioned the two time Cy Young Award winner’s consistency game after game to deliver six or so solid innings.  “I would say that’s the most amazing thing,” Baker said. “Just the fact that he’s able to do that.” 

Since the All-Star game on July 10, Santana has a 1-2 record, allowing just 11 earned runs in four starts.  Although he was 10-6 before the All-Star game, typically he’s shown some of his best pitching during the post-All-Star game period.  During his major league career through 2006, Santana’s pre-All-Star game record was 33-21, with a 3.76 ERA.  His post-All-Star game record: 45-10 with a 2.55 ERA.  Last season he was 10-1 with a 2.54 ERA after the All-Star game. 

Santana rolls out the monster pitching in August, September and October.  To date in his career he is 15-9 in July, 21-4 in August and 14-4 in September/October.  A Sports Illustrated feature earlier this month said Santana bests all major league pitchers from 2004-2006 in post-All-Star Game wins, winning percentage, opponents’ batting average and ERA. 

“You know it’s unbelievable,” Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson said recently. He has been Santana’s coach since 2002 and said Santana should have been voted the Cy Young winner in 2005 by the Baseball Writers Association of America.  In 2004 and 2006 Santana won the award receiving all 28 first place votes each year. 

Anderson said when Santana is most extraordinary he has “command” of his fast ball. The combo offering of that fast ball with a “great change up” and “good slider” makes the 28-year-old Venezuelan special.  

Baseball’s best pitcher? “Absolutely,” Anderson said.  “What he’s done over the years, he actually should be having three Cy Youngs in a row.  I mean that’s unheard of. That’s for your hall of famers, your Roger Clemenses, your great ones, and he’s right up there with them.”

The best aspect of Gopher football in the new millennium has been the team’s running game.  Twice during the last few years the Gophers have ranked No. 3 in the country in rushing yards per game among Division I-A teams, according to espn.com.  Another season they were No. 5. 

Coach Tim Brewster and his staff gave the Gophers a new offense, the spread, last winter.  While some may think the spread is pass dominant, that won’t happen here this season.  Brewster told Sports Headliners he expects the Gophers to mix the pass and run equally. 

The decision to run is based on the team’s strengths: a good offensive line accustomed to the running game, and a senior tailback, Amir Pinnix who is one of the Big Ten Conference’s better runners.  Brewster wants Pinnix to rush for about 1,500 yards this fall for the Gophers who start practice next week and open their season at home against Bowling Green on September 1. 

In a look that may surprise those expecting a wide open formation, Brewster said the Gophers may frequently be in a two-running back, one tight end alignment.  No doubt part of that strategy is to take pressure off the Gopher quarterback, whoever that will be as an inexperienced threesome of junior Tony Mortensen, redshirt freshman Adam Weber and true freshman Clint Brewster compete for the job. 

Brewster made the point that another spread team, West Virginia, was second in the country in rushing last season.  The Mountaineers ran for over 300 yards per game. “Fear not Golden Gopher fans, we will run the football,” Brewster said.

In addition to Pinnix, the Gophers are likely to receive running help from long runs specialist Jay Thomas, fullback Justin Valentine and true freshman Duane Bennett who has already impressed Brewster. Bennett is one of several players the Gophers have recruited in recent seasons from the St. Louis area including Laurence Maroney.

Gopher football commit Maurice Greer, the running back from Garden City Community College in Kansas, was so good in high school that reportedly Southern California and other powerhouse football schools were after him.  Greer developed testicular cancer and had his Division I football career delayed.  He’s recovered now and playing at Garden City after being at Denver’s Mullen High School, the same school that Tim Brewster’s sons, Clint and Nolan, have attended. 

A source said Bryce Webster, the Gopher basketball center who was the most acclaimed newcomer on the roster as a freshman last year, is leaving the team. 

Former Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Steve Aschburner now writes for SI.com. 

John Bell Wilson will sing “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” as part of the festivities at the Minnesota Twins stadium ground break activities on Thursday.  Wilson, a financial advisor with UBS, has sung the national anthem at various local sports events for many years. 

Chuck Foreman will be inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor at halftime of the September 30 game against the Green Bay Packers.  Foreman, who played in five straight Pro Bowls as a Viking from 1973-78, will join 15 others previously named to the Ring of Honor.  

Fans here will monitor not only the performance of the Vikings but also the Pittsburgh Steelers during the next several months.  A big year for the Steelers and a mediocre performance by the Vikings will have fickle fans grumbling that new Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin, defensive coordinator here last season, is better than Minnesota’s Brad Childress.  Tomlin will have to screw up big time to mess up the longevity loving Steelers who have had three head coaches since 1969. 

Track announcer Paul Allen was inducted into the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame yesterday.  Allen, the track’s announcer since 1995, also has ownership in race horses.  August is a busy month for Allen hosting his Monday-Friday KFAN Radio show, play-by-playing on Vikings games on KFAN, plus his duties at Canterbury.