Riddle me this, why can Mauer....

[CodyDawg]

Catch a day game after a night game at Target field, but according to Gardenhire, he couldnt have done that at the Dome? He squats in the dirt, not on the turf....I mean dirt is dirt, right? Is it running the bases 4 times a game? I am seriously confused.

[ozzie]

just stupid excuses to give him days off.....I don't understand why on his catching day off why he can't be the DH every once in a while....I mean he is the best hitter in the American League and I do understand that he occasionaly will need the full day off but cmon last year it seamed like he was out of the line-up every Sunday if not Sunday at least once a week!

[B. Amish]

and we're complaining why???

[DonBo]

and we're complaining why???

Agreed. What's your point? You expect the guy to play every single day? Even under the best of conditions he's got (far and away) the toughest job on the field. I'm surprised he plays as much as he does.

You want him to be still playing in 8 years when his contract runs out? Then give him a break now.

[CodyDawg]

Geez, guys, dont get your panties in a wad. Gardenhire was quoted as saying Mauer couldnt catch a day game after a night game at the dome and he can at Target. I asked an innocent question. Why? What makes Target field dirt easier on the body? I am not complaining. Just asking.

[Scott K]

I think it is that Joe is just healthier, and in better shape this year, and it hasnt bothered him yet this early in the season. Lets just hope it doesnt come and bite him in the butt later in the year, and have knee problems.

[Getanet]

The cynic in me wants to think there are $184 million reasons why Joe can catch a day game after a night game this year.

But I agree, with the way this team looks like it will be able to score runs this year, it's important to give our key guys a few more breaks this season. Having Morneau, Mauer, Cuddeyer and Kubel out of any particular game shouldn't hurt our lineup too much.

[DonBo]

Another one of the things I think you're getting at is, there are way more day games this year than we've had in the past. He can't take them all off.

And he still won't catch all that many day games after a night game, just makes cense.

[PierBridge]

Geez, guys, dont get your panties in a wad. Gardenhire was quoted as saying Mauer couldnt catch a day game after a night game at the dome and he can at Target. I asked an innocent question. Why? What makes Target field dirt easier on the body? I am not complaining. Just asking.

We're not getting out panties in Wad, you just have people responding to the silly assertion that you set fourth..

Pretty simple though Gardenhire has NEVER said Joe CAN'T catch a day game after night game at the Dome and if your're looking for reasons why Joe doesn't always catch a day game after a night then ther're isn't much we can do for you!..

Now don't get you're panties in bunch we're not the ones who asked a question that wasn't factually correct or didn't make any sense for that matter!

Semantics aside here, it sounds like your beef may be with Gardenehire in general?

Go Twins!

[ozzie]

you guys are too much of homers and think playing baseball is way harder than it is.....catcher is a tough position, probably the toughest in baseball, don't get me wrong but why can't Joe then dh occasionaly on the days he is not catching? or maybe why can't they let Joe DH more often to give him a rest from the grind of catching? I mean doesn't it make sense to have the best hitter in the American League hit when we give a game or 2 off from catching?????

[ozzie]

we complain because the guy is who people pay to see and last year he missed the first month and then almost every Sunday!!! Give him rest from catching but for the $ he makes he should still be hitting!!

[CodyDawg]

Originally Posted By: CodyDawg

Geez, guys, dont get your panties in a wad. Gardenhire was quoted as saying Mauer couldnt catch a day game after a night game at the dome and he can at Target. I asked an innocent question. Why? What makes Target field dirt easier on the body? I am not complaining. Just asking.

We're not getting out panties in Wad, you just have people responding to the silly assertion that you set fourth..

Pretty simple though Gardenhire has NEVER said Joe CAN'T catch a day game after night game at the Dome and if your're looking for reasons why Joe doesn't always catch a day game after a night then ther're isn't much we can do for you!..

Now don't get you're panties in bunch we're not the ones who asked a question that wasn't factually correct or didn't make any sense for that matter!

Semantics aside here, it sounds like your beef may be with Gardenehire in general?

Go Twins!

PB-

From ESPN:

"Mauer, who was presented with his 2009 MVP and batting title awards before the game, was back in the lineup for a day game after a night game. Gardenhire said that would not have happened if his team were still playing on the artificial turf of the Metrodome."

Since my question is 100% correct and completely factual, I will accept your apology whenever you get around to it PB!

I did not make any assertion whatsoever (fourth or third or eighth! ). I asked a legitimate question. And I will ask again, why is it easier for Mauer to catch a day game after a night game at Target than the dome. Dont read anything more into this. I am not saying he should or shouldnt, no issues with Gardy, no comments on whether he should or shouldnt, no comments at all. Just looking for an answer to a simple queston.

What piqued my interest is that Gardy says TURF. But Joe doesnt play much on TURF; mostly he is on dirt. Thus my question. Is he saying that the Dome turf from Joe running the bases and the occasional popup/backup play that it sapped his legs? I cant believe there is any difference in the dirt. Again, I am not critiqueing his thoughts, just wonderiing why.

[Scott K]

We no longer need to have him dh, we have 2 very good dh'ers already. Let him enjoy a day off a week.

[BrianLucky13]

I've played a few ball games in the dome. Its a big difference than playing outside. You gotta relieze the guys warm up a few hours before the game. I remember having a double header in the dome one night and the next morning my ankles were toasted. Guys are gonna be a lot healthier this year!!!

[DonBo]

Joe will DH some, but with guys like Kubel and Thome around, why bother? In case you haven't noticed, those guys are both pretty good.

[ozzie]

who would you rather have out there dhing though...Kubel-Thome-Mauer....I agree they are all good choices but I want to see Joe batting rather than the other 2 even if it means him only having say 15 games off and 15 or so games Dhing during the season rather than the avg for a catcher at 30 or so........

[ozzie]

and why bother because he is the face of the franchise and he is the batting champ and the reigning MVP.........I guess I just want to see him hit more as obviously he is a stud hitter.....at least we get to see him hit as a Twin for the next 8 yrs!!

[Scott K]

Look around the league, almost every catcher has a day off in the rotation. Most teams, will have one pitcher that has a separate catcher to catch for them.

[ozzie]

I know that most catchers have a day off of catching but they also aren't MVP's and reigning batting champs so it isn't as big of a deal if AJ Pierzinski or Jogre Posada take a day off and are not in the line-up and yeah with our DH's there isn't as far to fall for a replacement hitter but I just would like to see Joe in there hitting more often on the days he isn't catching...I mean he is dressed and on the bench.

[B. Amish]

you're forgetting the whole thing about having both catchers in the game at the same time. you run the risk of ending up with punto or span or who knows behind the plate if one of the catchers gets hurt.

[Juneau4]

If Mauer is the DH and the catcher gets hurt Mauer could catch, but the pitcher would then have to bat or be pinch hit for.

[hcmpls1]

If Mauer is the DH and the catcher gets hurt Mauer could catch, but the pitcher would then have to bat or be pinch hit for.

What? We're in the American League. Pitchers don’t bat.

If there were two catchers in the game, one catching and the other DHing, the catching one gets hurt, the other can switch from DH to catcher while retaining the same spot in the batting order he previously had and someone comes off the bench and takes the DH spot in place of the injured batter.

Catching is taxing on the knees. How many games does an average catcher start a year? Not 162. A day game after a night game makes the most sense to give a catcher off so he can recuperate.

Also, Mauer isn’t likely to see time at DH at all. Maybe one or two games. If he doesn’t start a game behind the plate he will most likely see action as a pinch hitter in late innings if the situation calls for it.

[Juneau4]

If the DH moves to a playing position you can not replace them with another DH. Thats the rule -the pitcher must bat or be pinch hit for.

[Coach1310]

If the DH moves to a playing position you can not replace them with another DH. Thats the rule -the pitcher must bat or be pinch hit for.

Absolutely correct.

In response to your question.... I don't think Gardy would even have a good answer for you... I think he would say that he misspoke or that wasn't exactly what he meant....

I do think it is wise to be cautious with him, especially when we have other, very good options to DH.... I don't think Mauer would have caught Sunday without the off day today either.

[hcmpls1]

Interesting... just looked at the rule book. The pitcher in essence must come out of the game (in the AL he isn’t going to provide any production) meaning the pinch hitter for the injured DH is going to become the new DH. End of the day, there has to be multiple substitutions 1) to shift the catcher who was DHing to catcher 2) pull the pitcher, who according to the rule book must bat 3) replace the pitcher with a new one because of the prior rule and 4) pinch hit for the injured DH who will then assume that position go forward. Don’t think I've seen a game where this happened but now that we've talked about it, watch, it'll happen to a team this year.