The National League MVP award will be announced today at 1 p.m., and Justin Morneau is pulling for fellow Canadian Joey Votto. In an e-mail to the Canadian Press, as mentioned here in the Winnepeg Free Press, the 2006 American League MVP writes:

I believe Votto deserves to win as he was on a playoff team, and was the main force in a lineup of a team that hadn't made the playoffs in a long time. If you take Joey Votto out of the equation I can't see them making the playoffs, therefore deeming him most valuable player. [Carlos] Gonzalez and [Albert] Pujols had great seasons, but I believe the playoffs have a big impact on it.

Morneau has been pretty outspoken lately. Two weeks ago, he went off about Target Field's dimensions, saying the team's hitters are disappointed the fences will not be shortened. This should have been heartening to folks following Morneau's recovery from a July 7 concussion -- the big fella sounded ready to come out swinging.

And Morneau is pretty passionate about something else: Helping others in need, especially at this time of year. His Winter Warm-Up Coat Drive is an opportunity for people to donate coats for local homeless and in-need families. It runs through Dec. 10. For more info, click here.