Minnesota Twins first baseman and British Columbia native Justin Morneau has just been named the winner of the 2008 Lionel Conacher Award as the Canadian Press male athlete of the year.  This season, Morneau hit .300/.374/.499 with 23 home runs and 129 RBIs, and won the Home Run Derby at the MLB all-star game.  In winning the award, Morneau beat out hockey phenom and 2007 winner Sidney Crosby and, in the process, became only the third baseball player to win the award (previously won by Fergie Jenkins and Larry Walker).  “Any time you can beat out a hockey player in anything in Canada, it’s an accomplishment,” said Morneau. “It’s pretty cool, especially with the people who have been named to this award.”