Twins' Morneau in constant search of an edge, tweaking all the time

ANAHEIM, CALIF. - The Angels set a Guinness Book of World Records mark on Tuesday for most people wearing a fleece.

Justin Morneau already has a Snuggie-like blanket -- and his name is Jim Thome.

John Wooden once said that it's what you learn after you know it all that counts. Morneau figures it's what you do after you've done it all that matters.

So even though he has earned stardom and won an MVP Award, Morneau continues to seek baseball truths and tips from Thome.

"I'm just trying to get to know him as much as I can," Morneau said.

Not that he needs much help. Tuesday night, in Game 2 of the season, Morneau went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk in the Twins' 5-3 victory over the Angels.

So for at least a few innings Michael Cuddyer didn't have to hear Morneau mumbling.

When Joe Mauer and Morneau became the M&M Boys, the former M should have stood for "methodical," the latter for "maniacal."

Mauer and Morneau both work incessantly on their games, but with Mauer the process seems more like maintenance. For Morneau, it's a constant search.

"It's a hard thing in this game, not ever being satisfied with what you've done," Morneau said. "At the same time you think like what you've done to stay positive. Now I'm a little more comfortable with an 0-for-10 or an 0-for-12, because you know you'll come back, and your swing is what your swing is.

"I'm the type of guy who, when I get into the cage, I want to hit every ball good. When I take batting practice, I want to feel good about what I'm doing. I guess that's what drives me."

It also drives him crazy. Morneau is known for working to exhaustion on his swing. He found that detrimental last year, when he experienced another late-season slump, then a season-ending back injury, probably the result of the thousands of extra swings he's taken every season.

"Would my life be easier? Probably. But then I don't think I'd be where I'm at."

The arrival of Thome, one of the best power hitters of his generation and a rare player who swings as hard as Morneau, has helped ease Morneau's mind and vertebrae.

"His attitude in general is pretty amazing," Morneau said. "He's always firing everybody up, he's always excited to be in here, he doesn't treat it like a job. You don't play as long as he has if you don't genuinely love being here. He loves the game of baseball and loves being in the clubhouse and it rubs off on you."

Morneau took fewer swings this spring, hoping to stay healthier later in the season. He could have taken a cue from Mauer, who trusts his swing the way some people trust close relatives.

Morneau and some of his teammates spent some time recently trying to figure out how Mauer spends his days. Now that Morneau is married and Mauer has more demands on his time than ever, the two don't socialize as much as they once did, but they often travel to the ballpark together on the road.

"He's someone who never leaves the hotel or never really leaves his house. If I can get him out, then it's all pretty much the same as it always was."

No one has solved the mystery of how Mauer kills a day on the road.

"We were trying to figure it out the other day," Morneau said. "He can sleep a lot, I know that. I don't know if he's watching movies, reading books, I couldn't tell you."

Mauer's probably not worrying about his swing. Morneau, in at least that way, is trying to emulate a couple of his more famous buddies.