Twins fans have to be hoping for 2006 deja vu. Not only was that the last time the franchise won the division, but Joe Mauer was the American League batting champion and Justin Morneau the league MVP. Mauer, hitting .320, is third in the batting race now while Morneau is second in the AL in RBI with 108. He’s been Mr. Indispensable again for the Twins, hitting .312 and leading the team with 21 home runs, making himself a contender for league MVP.
Two years ago pitcher Johan Santana won 19 games for the Twins, including seven in August, September and early October. Santana is up to his old ways now with the Mets, closing fast for a team that is leading the National League East by one game. In his last 10 games he is 5-0 with a 2.24 ERA. He’s 12-7 overall with a 2.70 ERA.
Gulp! Sports Illustrated pro football writer Peter King picks the Vikings to have a 13-3 regular season record and advance to the NFC championship game where they will lose to Philadelphia. Of course, King wrote that before last week’s four game suspension of left tackle Bryant McKinney.
The Vikings had seven players named to the Pro Bowl last year and added Pro Bowler Jared Allen in the off season, but they also have a journeyman left tackle replacement in Artie Hicks. Then, too, Tarvaris Jackson missed two preseason games with an injured left knee, and that just prolonged the mystery of how he will play in his third NFL season.
Super Bowl champ? King picks New England.
Chad Greenway, the Vikings’ third year linebacker, is a good bet to be the team’s most improved player in 2008.
Subhub.com lists a ticket range of $49 to $6,000 for Monday night’s Vikings-Packers game in Green Bay. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
The Vikings and Buffalo Wild Wings are offering a grand prize drawing of a trip for two to the Green Bay game. The Vikings will also have a promotional event from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Mall of America that includes former and current players. Appearing from 3 to 5 p.m. will be defensive linemen Jared Allen, Ray Edwards, Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.