Morneau finds swing when Twins need it

From last Aug. 1 until the end of the 2007 baseball season, Justin Morneau hit .a measly .222 (45-for-203) with 20 runs, 12 doubles, one triple, three homers and only 22 RBI. He struck out 30 times in those 56 games, and the Twins went 24-32.

There was more concern about Morneau when he didn't hit that well in spring training and failed to record a hit in his first four games this year going 0-for-12 with one RBI, two walks and two strikeouts.

But things have turned around for the outstanding first baseman since April 4. From then on, he has batted .306 (26-for-85), with 12 runs, six home runs, 21 RBI, nine walks and four doubles, including one that drove in the winning run against the White Sox on Wednesday.

"Yeah, the swing has felt pretty good for the last couple of weeks," he said. "I think I was probably trying a little too hard at the start of the season -- trying to live up to everything, the contract and all that stuff, and the first series.

"Then I finally got a hit and just relaxed and I'm enjoying myself now," he said.

Earlier this season, Morneau said, his swing didn't feel good.

"I didn't feel good at the plate," Morneau said. "I lost a little bit of confidence and went into the offseason, worked hard, and swung a lot and got stronger -- I'm probably six or seven pounds heavier than I was last year -- and I feel confident at the plate, and that's what carries you. As a hitter, confidence will take you a long ways."

"We don't have to worry about any of that contract stuff for a long time," he said. "I just get to know that I get to come to the field as a Minnesota Twin every day and enjoy life. This is fun, I get to come out here and just play baseball and not worry about anything else."

Now he's focused on doing what he does best.

"[I'm] just sticking with my routine, trying to be consistent in the cage and pregame batting practice and try not to do too much, and get up there and hope you're in that situation [to help win a game]," he said.

About the chances of the team doing well, he said: "We believe we can play and we have confidence in ourselves, so it's something that, hopefully, we can surprise a lot of people."

Neshek recovered From March 31 to April 14, previously reliable middle reliever Pat Neshek pitched six innings, giving up five runs, seven hits and one home run with a poor 7.50 ERA for a guy who had a 7-2 record and a 2.94 ERA a year ago.

However, he has recovered his 2007 form since April 17, pitching six scoreless innings in seven appearances and giving up only two hits in that span.

The Twins bullpen, except for closer Joe Nathan, failed the team early, but recently has gotten back on track.

Holtz, McDaniel honored Former Gophers and longtime successful football coach Lou Holtz, and former Vikings and Pro Bowl offensive guard Randall McDaniel were elected to the College Football Hall of Fame on Thursday.

McDaniel also will be a leading candidate to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year.

As for Holtz, he received the famed 2008 Moose Krause Distinguished Award at Notre Dame last month, voted on by the school's Monogram Club. In his speech on Thursday about the College Football Hall of Fame, Holtz revealed he was offered a job among the BCS teams last year, but his coaching days are over. Holtz boosters are also raising money for a statue of him that would be located inside of Notre Dame Stadium.

Infielder Gil Velazquez played behind Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano at Class AAA Rochester in 2005 when the southpaw won the International League's Pitcher of the Year Award with the Red Wings. After watching Liriano give up four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings on Wednesday, Velazquez, now with the Pawtucket Red Sox, told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: "He definitely doesn't have his fastball like he used to." Velazquez went 1-for-3 with a walk while facing Liriano and the Red Wings. "That is what sets up all of his pitches. He was throwing 96 and 97 [miles per hour] when I played with him, and his slider was 91, 92. He had filthy stuff, and he doesn't have that anymore."

Among the players working out in the Vikings rookie camp this weekend will be free agents Tom Busch, a big fullback who played his high school football at Park of Cottage Grove and then at Iowa, and Tim Mattran, who played at Chaska and was a two-year starter at center for Stanford.

There was a local angle connected with the firing of Cincinnati Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky, who was replaced by longtime Cardinals executive Walt Jocketty. Krivsky was with the Twins for 10 years before joining the Reds two years ago. Jocketty is a member of a prominent Minneapolis sports family, including the father, Joe, who were standouts in several sports.

Talk about an unusual scholarship -- and one that makes a lot of good sense -- the sponsors of the Bill Crumley Golf Tournament give a financial reward each year to a Gophers athlete who has lost one of his or her parents. The scholarship this year will go to Gophers second baseman Jeremy Chlan, a former Apple Valley star. Crumley, a former member of the Gophers public relations staff, drowned in Gull Lake near Brainerd three years ago at age 43. The golf tournament this year is being held on July 30.

The Gophers men's hockey nonconference schedule for 2008-09 will include Michigan, Michigan State and New Hampshire. ... The Gophers will not travel to Alaska Anchorage during conference play next season.