Twins manager Gardenhire liking his lineup, hot start

Ron Gardenhire wasn't happy with the way the Twins performed in their 10-5 loss to Kansas City on Sunday, but because the club has won its first four series of the season for the first time in the history of the franchise, the manager is very satisfied with the team's overall record.

"Well, [Sunday was] not a good day for us," Gardenhire said. "I think you saw a sloppy ballgame for us, which normally happens when you end up with long innings out there. I think [starting pitcher Carl] Pavano struggled. He couldn't get the ball where he wanted it. He looked like he was going to be sharp his first inning, but after that he just couldn't get the ball down. Just a bad day for him."

Gardenhire also talked about the opportunities the Twins had to get back in the game, but Justin Morneau (in the fourth inning) and Jim Thome (in the seventh) struck out with the bases loaded.

About the Twins' 9-4 start, Gardenhire said: "We've got some good baseball players here that all root together, and they work together and they work hard. You hope to get off to a good start, so it doesn't surprise me. We've got a good baseball team here, if we get it done out on the field. As long as the guys keep working like this, we should be fine."

Gardenhire has been thrilled with the infield play of two newcomers, shortstop J.J. Hardy and second baseman Orlando Hudson.

"They've been wonderful. Those guys get after the game," he said. Gardenhire also described veteran designated hitter Thome as "the consummate professional."

Speaking of new closer Jon Rauch, who is a perfect 6-for-6 in save situations, Gardenhire said: "We just want him to throw it over and make them swing at it, and he's done that. He's done that very well and given us an opportunity and gotten the saves, but he's not really changed a lot from what he did last year."

"There's some good things here. Our pitching staff, if we can stay healthy, we can be OK. So there's a lot of things that have to go right in the game, but we've got a good opportunity here to win some games."

About Target Field, the Twins' new ballpark, Gardenhire said:

"It's nice, it takes a while [to get used to], but it's a nice ballpark. It plays good and [has] a good atmosphere, and I think we're going to enjoy this here.

"You saw some home runs [Sunday]. Towards the center-field gaps it's a little tougher to hit it out than down the line, but the ball's going to fly here. I think once the summer gets here, it's going to travel."

Help for Vikings Memo to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak:

In the past, neither the Vikings nor the Twins paid a 3 percent ticket tax at the Metrodome.

Now it's a different story for the Twins. They will pay the 3 percent city tax on tickets, or a little more than $3 million each year.

If the Vikings get a new stadium, they no longer will be immune to the 3 percent city tax and that would be collected on Vikings tickets.

The Timberwolves already pay the 3 percent tax, which has given Xcel Energy Center an advantage in bookings because St. Paul doesn't have that tax.

Jottings Jerry Bell, president of Twin Sports Inc., is in charge of Target Field. If you don't see a lot more signs on the walls of the ballpark, you can credit Bell. That ballpark is his baby, and he wants it to continue to look as good as it does with few signs on the walls.

Monday is Twins catcher Joe Mauer's 27th birthday, and he can celebrate receiving two more awards for last season Sunday: a Gold Glove for his defense and the Players Choice Award as the American League's Outstanding Player, as voted on by the Players Association. He also is hitting .378 this season after going 3-for-4 on Sunday.

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi, who is in Boston to watch his son run in the marathon and was reached as he was entering Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox play Tampa Bay, said he thought the reports about the Big Ten Conference adding one to three teams in the near future were more speculation than factual. Maturi said he expects the idea of expansion to be discussed at a May meeting.

Gophers guard Lawrence Westbrook and Cornell guard Ryan Wittman of Eden Prairie recently took part in the Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational, a showcase of college basketball players. In three games, Westbrook scored 19 points on 9-for-24 shooting. Wittman had 29 points on 13-for-31 shooting.

Former Twins pitcher Matt Garza, now with Tampa, is 3-0 after throwing eight shutout innings in a 7-1 victory over the Red Sox on Sunday. Tampa has won the first three of a four-game series at Fenway, after the Red Sox lost two out of three to the Twins earlier last week at Target Field.

It will be somewhat of a surprise if Cory Joseph, brother of Gophers guard Devoe Joseph, signs with the Gophers rather than Texas or Villanova. Cory, who is playing for Findlay (Nev.) Prep, is ranked with the top guards in the country. He had 14 points, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals Saturday in the Jordan Brand Classic All-American game at Madison Square Garden, leading the West over the East 129-125.

Dennis Alfton, longtime assistant to Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission executive director Bill Lester, is now handling a temporary position with the Twins and could wind up with a regular job. Alfton is one of the best at what he does.

The Los Angeles Angels sent former Gopher Robb Quinlan to their Salt Lake farm team Friday. Quinlan had only one at-bat in the Angels' first 11 games.