Vikings offensive tackle Steve Hutchinson, a former Michigan star, spoke to the Wolverines last Friday night prior to their Saturday game with the Gophers about the home field advantage of the Metrodome.  “He told us then that it’s as loud as any place he’s ever played, if not louder,” Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. 

Joel Maturi was asked for a reaction to the highly critical article by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse regarding Maturi’s contract extension and past performance as University of Minnesota athletic director. Maturi e-mailed the following:  “Not my mindset to get responsive, defensive.  I am proud of what we have accomplished in four years and feel very good about the direction of this Athletics Department and feel anyone who looks into the facts will surmise much the same.” 

The Gophers sold 1,264 tickets on Saturday for the Michigan game, according to Maturi’s office.  With more use of the Internet and phone sales, fewer day of game sales are being made. 

Timberwolves president Chris Wright reports that over 500 of the “Big Ticket Packages,” offering a $21 per game lower level Target Center seat for the season, have been sold so far.  The team has sold 1,300 new season tickets, up 400 from last year at this time. 

Zimmerman High School football coach Dave Hamlin e-mailed that senior running back Zac Nielsen has 870 yards and 18 touchdowns in five games while playing limited minutes.  “These numbers reflect only 1/2 to 2/3 of every game,” Hamlin wrote.  “I usually take him out in the third quarter as we have been scoring a lot and I don’t want to run up scores or risk injury with my starters.” North Dakota State has shown interest. 

Former Gopher football coach Murray Warmath, 93, was recently interviewed by a volunteer for the Minnesota Historical Society.  There is a project to talk with Minnesotans about their experiences from long ago including World War II.  Wamath served in the Navy and was stationed in Brazil. 

Joe Janasz, former public relations director of the Minnesota North Stars, played Scottish and Irish golf courses on a recent trip with buddies to watch the Ryder Cup.  A 14 handicapper, he reports the famed St. Andrews Old Course is “fairly easy.”

When the Twins weren’t winning earlier in the season, manager Ron Gardenhire’s reaction was that the team lacked athleticism.  The Twins were out of character from their style of aggressive base running and forcing other teams to make mistakes.   

“As it (the season) went along we realized we just were not athletic enough,” Gardenhire said.  “We just didn’t have enough speed to do those things (running the bases, forcing mistakes). When we made the changes, when we put speed in the lineup, I think it kind of set a tone for wrecking havoc on people.  

“We’re a team that likes to run. …I sure like it when those guys are stealing bases and running around and diving all over the place. …I think once we did that the guys got into it and everybody took part in it. … You don’t see people jogging too many times around here.  They’re hauling it and running and busting their tails.” 

The Twins became better defensively and on the bases by exchanging third baseman Tony Batista and shortstop Juan Castro for Nick Punto and Jason Bartlett. The athleticism on the left side of the infield complemented the already effective right side defense with second baseman Luis Castillo and first baseman Justin Morneau.  Batista and Ruben Sierra had been part of a plan to add more power that didn’t work. 

On the morning of May 28 the Twins’ record was 22-26 and the team was 12.5 games behind the Central Division leading Detroit Tigers. The Twins won the division on the last day of the season, finishing with 96 wins, just one fewer than the two winningest teams in baseball the Mets and Yankees.  

“I will remember this team for an amazing comeback and being a really, really close unit out there in the clubhouse, just like the 2002 team,” Gardenhire said.  That club was Gardenhire’s first division championship team.

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.