minnesota twins

The Minnesota Twins have signed manager Ron Gardenhire to a two-year contract extension through the 2011 season.

Despite trading ace Johan Santana, the Twins went 88-75 and nearly made the playoffs, losing a tiebreaker to the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central title.

Gardenhire has led the Twins to four division titles in seven seasons, and the team has finished with a winning record six times.

AL CENTRAL If the Chicago White Sox (86-74) and Minnesota Twins (87-74) are still within a half-game of each other after play is completed Sunday, Chicago must make up a rainout against the Detroit Tigers on Monday.

If the White Sox and Twins finish with the same record, they would play a tiebreaker game Tuesday in Chicago.

Neither the Chicago White Sox nor the Minnesota Twins have been playing like contenders over the past month. They're determined to change that during the final week of the regular season.

The White Sox will bring a 2 1/2 -game lead in the AL Central over the Twins to a packed-and-loud Metrodome Tuesday for the start of a three-game series that should, finally, define this slow-developing race.

Last Sunday, Minnesota Twins leftfielder Jason Kubel crushed a 2-0, eighth inning pitch from Angels reliever Jose Arredondo down the rightfield line at Angel Stadium.

Kubel's shot landed several rows behind the outfield wall, and the only question -- a huge question, in fact, as both the Twins and Angels are battling for playoff position -- was whether the ball was fair or foul.