Twins miss Joe Mauer, J.J. Hardy in the lineup

Injuries play such a big part in how a team performs. The Twins, for example, have struggled without shortstop J.J. Hardy and catcher Joe Mauer in the lineup.

The Twins lost their second consecutive game to the Orioles, falling 7-3 on Saturday afternoon after losing 2-0 Thursday night, before bouncing back to win 6-1 Saturday night at Target Field.

This was a Orioles team that came in here with a 7-21 record after being swept by the Yankees and with some key players injured.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire realizes how important Mauer (bruised left heel) and Hardy (strained left wrist) are to the success of the team. Mauer made a pinch-hitting appearance in the eighth inning of the night game, striking out with the bases loaded.

"Any time Joe is out and your shortstop [Hardy], who was swinging really good and playing really good, that's two big pieces out of your lineup," Gardenhire said. "Sure, you would like to have Mauer and Hardy in there, but you have to be able to work through those things."

Since Hardy was injured Tuesday, the Twins are 2-2. Hardy's replacements, Brendan Harris and Alexi Casilla, have combined for a .143 average (2-for-14) since then, with Harris 0-for-4 with one strikeout and Casilla 2-for-10. Both have had their problems in the field.

"Harris is really struggling," Gardenhire said. "He has a little bit of a long swing going on. It's not his greatest start."

Wilson Ramos, who was called up from Class AAA Rochester to replace Mauer, has only one hit since going 7-for-9 in his first two games, and Drew Butera is 1-for-9 since Mauer's injury. Ramos also has allowed four stolen bases in four attempts.

Gardenhire said Ramos, who is only 22 and getting his first major league experience, has issues calling a ballgame.

"We're talking to him constantly," Gardenhire said. "[Saturday afternoon] a couple of times with a man on, he was giving a single sign instead of multiple signs [when calling pitches]. Those are the things you forget about. We do it all spring. We told him you have to give multiple signs with a man on base.

"They stole second base twice on breaking balls. They're sitting there looking, and you give them one sign, and there they go. It's little things you have to learn. He's 22 years old. He's got to learn."

Because of Ramos' problems, Butera replaced him in the Saturday night game. Butera drove in the Twins' final two runs with an eighth-inning single.

"You can't just stick a guy out there. He's feeling a lot better, but his foot is not well. He's not totally healed. He still has soreness in there. We're trying to do the right thing. He is anxious. He wants to get out there."

Designated hitters Jim Thome and Jason Kubel haven't picked up the slack in Hardy's and Mauer's absence, either. Thome is 6-for-23 since Mauer's injury after going 2-for-3 Saturday night, and Kubel is 3-for-18.

The Twins are fortunate Justin Morneau is hitting .367 and Denard Span .371 since Mauer left the starting lineup. Otherwise things might be worse.

U moves into fifth The Gophers men and women's athletic department stands in fifth place in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings after the winter sports season with 681.75 points. They scored 487.75 points during the winter season.

Stanford leads with 962 overall points, followed by Ohio State (813.50), Penn State (726.80), Florida (723) and the Gophers.

The Insight Bowl, in which the Gophers played in 2006, 2008 and last year, just announced a multiyear deal with ESPN and four-year deals with the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences. The Insight Bowl will get the No. 3 or No. 4 non-BCS pick from the Big Ten and the No. 3 pick from the Big 12.

Rivals.com. reports that the Gophers football team received a commitment from Raymond Cottman, an outside linebacker who played for Glendale (Ariz.) Community College. The 6-2, 225-pounder runs a 4.7 in the 40-yard dash and likely will be in summer school and eligible this fall.

GopherIllustrated.com reports that 2010 Minnesota Mr. Basketball Kevin Noreen of Minnesota Transitions is visiting Oklahoma this week and that he turned down a take-it-or-leave-it offer from Marquette while on a visit there. Meanwhile, the Gophers have not offered Noreen a scholarship.

The Gophers also got a commitment from 6-1 point guard Maverick Ahanmisi of Stone Ridge Prep in Golden Valley, Calif. According to GopherIllustrated.com, Ahanmisi averaged 13 points per game as a sophomore, 16 as a junior and 20 as a senior. He was planning to attend Boise State, but some complications developed with the NCAA Clearinghouse. That landed him at Stone Ridge Prep, where he became eligible to accept a scholarship from the Gophers.

Dave Winfield, who was the MVP of the 1973 College World Series as a pitcher-outfielder, was named to the College World Series Legends team as a part of the commemoration of the final CWS in Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium.

The Twins' minor league teams had a tough April, with Class AAA Rochester having a 9-13 record, Class AA New Britain 4-16 and Class A Fort Myers 8-13.