Maybe the best idea is to bust the Twins MVP award into three pieces.  After all, without relief pitcher Joe Nathan, catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau,the Twins would have a roster of apprentice carpenters and no master craftsmen.

The Twins finished their season last night with an 88-75 record.  Nathan saved 39 of those games.  This was the fifth consecutive season the 33-year-old right hander, one of baseball’s best relief pitchers for several years, saved 36 or more games, a club record.

The Twins had quality starting pitching with their young staff but the bullpen, other than Nathan, was erratic.  The Twins probably made the playoffs because management declined the option of trading Nathan during the off-season when it seemed a new contract might not get signed.

Mauer hit .328 and won his second American League batting title in three years.  He established career highs in RBI, 85, runs scored, 98, and at-bats, 536.  His No. 3 batting position in the lineup made him the perfect hitter to be on base for the power hitting Morneau.

Mauer also caught a career high number of games for the Twins, 139, according to baseball-reference.com.  He was a team leader including for his direction of the young starting pitchers.  At 25, Mauer solidified his reputation as a player that many executives would consider building a team around.

Morneau struggled in September, perhaps worn down by the long season and providing power on a team that hit an American League low of  111 home runs.  In his last 10 games, Morneau hit .135, with no homeruns and one RBI.  Last night he was hitless as was Mauer as the Twins lost their tiebreaker game for the Central Division to Chicago, 1-0.

The Twins couldn’t have been one of the surprises of the 2008 major league seasons without the 25-year-old Morneau who drove in 129 runs and hit 23 home runs, both team highs, while batting .300.  His 370 RBI over the last three seasons is among the best in franchise history.  He played in a career high 163 games, 156 of them at first base where his defense is exceptional and he established a big league career best four errors in 2008, according to baseball-reference.com.

To win, a ballclub needs players to play various roles during the long major league season but when the Twin Cities Baseball Writers Association votes on the team MVP, it’s a no brainer that the winner will be one of the Twins’ triplets.

The Twins’ regular season home attendance of 2,302,431 fans in 81 home dates was the third–highest total in club history (3,030,672 in 1988 and 2,482,428 in 1992).

Coach Tim Brewster made a classy decision last Saturday in Columbus when he allowed seldom used senior quarterback Mike Maciejowski to enter the game in the fourth quarter and toss a two-point conversion against Ohio State.  That was a considerate gesture, gving Maciejowski an on-field opportunity in his home town of Columbus.

Concordia of St. Paul has announced that its new football, soccer and track facility will be called Sea Foam Stadium.  The university is receiving funding from Sea Foam Sales Company, a producer of petroleum products.  The facility may be ready for use next year.

Wolves rookie forward Kevin Love is interviewing personal chefs.  He wants food low in fat but it has to “taste good.”

TV play-by-play announcer Tom Hanneman is back for his 20^th season as a Wolves broadcaster.  The franchise is also celebrating its 20^th anniversary.

Hanneman’s TV partner, Jim Petersen, begins his 11^th season on either radio or TV with the Wolves.  Prayers are welcomed for Petersen’s mother who has liver cancer.  He and other family members spent much of the summer with her.

Gopher basketball public address announcer and local emcee funnyman Dick Jonckowski is being “roasted” on his 65^th birthday on Wednesday, October 22.  The event begins at 11:30 a.m. at Jax Café with proceeds going to the new Gopher football stadium, according to Jonckowski.   For ticket information contact Bob McNamara, 612-623-9156.

Brad Childress is a solid guy with admirable values, but right now he’s about as popular in these parts as someone selling unleaded regular for $4.25 a gallon.  Yesterday’s 30-17 loss to Tennessee and a disappointing 1-3 start to the season follow the head coach’s first two non-playoff seasons in 2006 and 2007 when the Vikings’ records were 6-10 and 8-8.

Scrutiny about his coaching future will likely be more intense than ever with this being his third year leading the team.  Even before Sunday’s game there was speculation that former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher might become the Vikings next head coach.  Radio talk show host Dark Star, who was out front a few years back on the Vikings’ trading Randy Moss, said last week on TV (The Sports Show) that owner Zygi Wilf has talked to Cowher.

Cowher is only 51 and stopped coaching in 2006.  He’s considered a coaching prize and his name is tied to speculation with not only the Vikings but Cleveland and Detroit, too.  He coached for 15 NFL seasons, all with Pittsburgh.  His record includes eight division titles and one Super Bowl championship.

If Wilf were to make a coaching change during the season, or after, it makes sense he would favor an experienced coach.  He and his advisors hired Childress who had been an assistant with Philadelphia but never an NFL head coach.

Wilf’s willingness to spend money on players and his statements about winning leave no doubt the Vikings’ owner is in pursuit of championships.  A losing team doesn’t enhance the organization’s drive for a new stadium, either.

The Vikings’ losing start has been the result of a struggling offense and a defense that has a big reputation but hasn’t been that difficult to score on inside the 20 yard line.  Yesterday, for example, two Vikings’ fumbles and an interception led to three touchdowns by the Titans.

The Vikings have many talented players but the organization’s acquisition of personnel to enhance the play at quarterback and among the receivers has been unsuccessful so far.  Player performance and the organization’s personnel decisions aren’t just the responsibility of a head coach.  But you know who usually receives the most blame.