Two key injuries could decide titles

I can't remember the last time two local pro teams' ability to win division titles hinged on two athletes making a recovery from physical problems -- Justin Morneau (concussion) and Percy Harvin (migraines).

Morneau was hitting .345 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI and playing the best first base in the American League when he was kneed in the head while trying to break up a double play in Toronto on July 7.

Harvin, who was named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, set a team record of 2,081 combined net yards. He has been suffering with migraines throughout training camp this year and collapsed on the field last week.

However, on Saturday night Harvin looked quite healthy as he caught Brett Favre's first completed pass for 34 yards.

After the game Harvin said that he didn't feel any effects of the migraine headaches and that things went as well as they could have.

"I hope I have my problem settled," Harvin said.

Favre completed 16 of 26 passes for 187 yards and looked like the Favre of old. He threw two interceptions, but one wasn't his fault, and he looked sharp and decisive in running the offense. He also seemed to make a connection with new receiver Greg Camarillo, who made four catches for 47 yards. Another new receiver, Javon Walker, made an impressive catch in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Vikings will need contributions from some new sources with Sidney Rice out for at least half of the season because of hip surgery. Rice, one of the top receivers in the NFL, was elected to his first Pro Bowl last year after ranking second in the NFC and fourth in the NFL with 1,312 yards in receptions. Rice, who had 83 receptions and eight scores, and Harvin (60 for 790 yards and six touchdowns) were Favre's favorite receivers.

The Twins, because of weaker competition in their division, might have a better chance of repeating as division champs despite the loss of Morneau and other key performers.

The migraine concern with Harvin and the fact that Rice will be out for a long time might give Green Bay an edge in winning the division. The Packers are coming on strong, as shown by their 59-24 defeat of the Colts on Thursday.

Others will be missedThere also is the question of how much the Vikings will miss outstanding third-down back Chester Taylor, who is now with the Bears, starting cornerback Cedric Griffin, who is recovering from knee surgery, and versatile Artis Hicks, who filled in all along the offensive line before signing with the Redskins.

The return of middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, who broke a femur in the 12th game last year, will be a big boost to the defense.

Offensively, the line should be improved with All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson being healthy after having surgery to correct a shoulder problem that bothered him all season and the expected progress of young center John Sullivan and second-year tackle Phil Loadholt.

Target Field helpsBefore Twins General Manager Billy Smith could claim pitcher Brian Fuentes on waivers, he had to have the permission of Twin CEO Jim Pohlad to pick up the $1.89 million in salary the Angels pitcher had remaining on his $9 million season salary

I can't ever remember the Twins assuming that much money this late in the season on any player, but it's another example of how much the Pohlad family wants to win.

"We have a lot of leeway because of Target Field, and the ownership has been very good to us," Smith said.

Fuentes, who had a one-out save in his first appearance as a Twin on Saturday but is expected to primarily be a setup man for Matt Capps, led the league with 48 saves last year. He has saved 23 games in 27 attempts this year. Capps has 26 saves this season, six with the Twins.

Twins President Dave St. Peter credits Pohlad for ensuring the creation of a bronze statue of former club owner Calvin Griffth and its completion during the inaugural season at Target Field. The unveling of the statue will be before the Sept. 3 game with Texas.

The preliminary 2011 Twins schedule has the team opening on the road at Toronto on April 1. The tentative date for the home opener is April 8 vs. Oakland.

The Target Field sellout streak will reach 60 when the team plays host to Detroit on Tuesday night. The only teams with longer streaks are the Red Sox and Phillies.

Jottings• After watching Trevor Mbakwe play in a Gophers scrimmage on Friday night at Williams Arena, it's not hard to realize what a big impact the 6-8, 240-pound power forward would have made last year. He was ruled ineligible because of a legal problem in Miami that recently has been settled. There won't be a better rebounder and shot blocker in the Big Ten than Mbakwe, who will make the Gophers a Big Ten contender this year.

• Devoe Joseph, who suffered a quadriceps injury while trying out for the Canadian national basketball team, took part in the scrimmage as they prepared for three-game trip to British Columbia next month. The team leaves Tuesday.

• Former Gopher Ben Hamilton, now in his ninth year in the NFL and in his first with the Seahawks after playing with the Broncos the rest of his career, could probably give Morneau some advice on concussions after missing a whole season because of one.

• Gus Bradley, who grew up in Zumbrota, Minn., is Seahawks defensive coordinator after being on the coaching staff of the Bucs previously.

• Baseball America released its revised list of the top 25 prospects in baseball and two Twins made the list. Aaron Hicks, the outfielder the Twins took with the 14th pick in the 2008 amateur draft, is listed as the ninth-best prospect in baseball, and Kyle Gibson, taken by the Twins out of Ohio State with the 22nd pick in the 2009 amateur draft, is ranked 22nd. Gibson is in his first year in the minors and has compiled an 11-6 record with a 2.96 ERA, 126 strikeouts and only 39 walks in 152 innings pitched in three different minor league stops. Hicks, who is only 20 years old, is hitting .270 at Class A Beloit, with a .387 on-base percentage, 18 stolen bases and 71 runs scored.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. • shartman@startribune.com