Joe Mauer

kfully, it will be used exclusively for baseball.  The real grass will be a welcome change for Joe Mauer’s knees, and a nice attraction for free agents who had been weary of the Metrodome’s artificial turf.

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A chance for Mauer to match his hero

A few weeks ago, MLB Network aired a special on Joe Mauer.  As it turns out, he and I had the same childhood hero: Kirby Puckett. 

Continue reading "Third member of Yankee trio not a lock for Hall"

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No major leaguer has won the Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967, but this year Joe Mauer did lead the American League in what should be the three Triple Crown categories: batting average (.365), on-base percentage (.444), and slugging percentage (.587).  Home runs are exciting and contribute to a higher slugging percentage, but if I were a manager, I’d much rather see my cleanup hitter go 3-4 than hit a solo shot and strike out three times trying to do it again.  Reaching 100 RBI’s in a season is a nice accomplishment, but the stat itself is overrated.  If all nine guys in the lineup are getting on base 40 percent of the time, it doesn’t matter who is driving them in; someone must be.

Continue reading "Phillies take a Halladay"

The power of Mauer

I know I wrote about Joe Mauer in my last post, but I don’t think I have a choice this time.  The guy hit almost as many home runs (11) in just 99 at-bats in the month of May as he hit in 521 at-bats in 2006, when he accumulated his highest single-season home run total (13).  For the month, Mauer’s numbers include a .500 OBP, an insane .838 slugging percentage, and 32 RBI’s in just 28 games.

Continue reading "Big Unit wins a big game"

n player pitch for two different teams in one season?

How ‘bout that?

How about Joe Mauer?  Not only is he hitting .417 with an .819 slugging percentage since his return from the Disabled List on May 1st, but he is looking good behind the plate as well.  In case you missed Mauer’s indescribable play against the Yankees on Sunday, here it is.  Pretty impressive, huh?

Continue reading "Put me in, Coach! I’m ready to…pitch?"

ts, doubles, and runs scored, Pedroia walked 50 times versus only 52 strikeouts, finished second to Joe Mauer in batting average, and perhaps most impressively, stole 20 bases while being caught just once all season.

Continue reading "20 wins for Moose"

n one to carry and offense and in Minnesota he was relieved of that burden the last couple years by Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. I am skeptical that at 32 he is going to be able to sustain the numbers that he put up for the first time last season. On the other hand, if Casey Kotchman and Howie Kendrick (who will both be 25 this season) can develop into the hitters they are expected to be, and Juan Rivera can return to the form he showed before missing nearly all of last season due to an injury, the Angels offense instantly boasts more pop than they demonstrated last year.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: American League West"

.  Enjoy!1B Justin Morneau2B Robinson Cano3B Alex Rodriguez or Miguel CaberaSS Carlos GuillenC Joe MauerOF Tori HunterOF Grady SizemoreOF Magglio OrdonezUTIL David OrtizSP Josh BeckettSP John LackeySP Justin VerlanderCLOSER Jonathon Papelbon

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