Joe Mauer

[O.T.C.]

Well now the report is he couldn't see during day games last season maybe the one before ? Pretty much losing respect for the guy, if you can't see the ball Joe tell a coach to take you out of the game(s). Cmon clown boy, sabotaging the team ? Or setting up for your own failure so you can look back to February where you said I can't see the ball in day games ? Most of those 9th innings last year it was plenty dark as he flailed miserably. Let's try to double up on this stat this year, 1 career walk off hit lets double that up and make it a deuce,.................if you can see.

[thatoneguy]

If he had any respect for the owners and fans who have mad him a wealthy man, Mauer would just retire. He certainly isn't earning his keep, and in fact his salary and turd-like production are holding back the development of what could legitimately turn into a contending team. 

[JBMasterAngler]

I long for the day when he's gone!

[O.T.C.]

Wow I was expecting to be bashed lol. I just look at my niece's car accident 4 weeks ago, head crushed into the windshield, all 105 pounds of her and yet she was able to dance in Lacrosse Wisc recently state competition vs. a 230 pound pro athlete wearing the best in headgear ? The best facilities to train in, fine doctors, etc. Stength training and all of it. idk.

[nofishfisherman]

I'm not really here to defend Mauer as he's been pretty bad the last couple of years.  However, I'm not sure it makes much sense to compare possible head injuries between your niece and what Mauer may have been dealing with.  

Helmets are almost useless in prevent concussions, they protect your skull from cracking but all of the energy from impact still goes right into your brain causing it to slosh around which causes it to bruise.  There isn't much that can be done to treat it other than giving it time to heal and the severity of symptoms can vary significantly.  Having the best helmets and the best trainers and doctors doesn't mean much in terms of concussion recovery, its simply a matter of time and the individuals ability to heal.

With that said Mauer was still terrible last year.  If he had medical issues they should have been addressed with the team which is sounds like it wasn't.  What I really don't understand though is as bad as Mauer was last year how did he still rank in the top 5 in the AL in batting average with runners in scoring position.  He was hitting something like .330 with guys in scoring position. How could he not have had more RBI's.  

[O.T.C.]

Can see that yes I agree. Apparently with a guy on first he hit .091 then ? he is crediting his new strength coach with the concussion help stating neck stretches are helping so is he saying he did no neck stretching with the previous coaches and trainers lol ? I guess I'm old school and don't recall the physically fit Kent Hrbek ever complaining about anything. Guys played through everything even fought through their own concussions not that it was a good idea or anything as we all pretty much did, you didn't hear the word concussion and kids weren't dropping dead on the field(s). I just wish Joe didn't sabotage the team last year when we were on a maybe playoff push and he's up their claiming to be blind as a bat, I'm sorry but that's selfish and I think the biggest sin in sports is when you know you're hurting the team and "you" let it continue when there's able bodied players at the ready. This isn't football on just Sunday, this went on for months the way it sounds. So I guess here's to looking for a great year out of Joe, this years claim feeling better then ever like the past 2 previous springs maybe this one really is true.

[nofishfisherman]

I think the past players didn't complain about concussions because they didn't know what they were.  It was all "just getting your bell rung" back then.  Recently they are starting to doubt that Lou Gehrig actually had "Lou Gehrigs Disease" but instead he may have been suffering from the cumulative effect of many un-diagnosed concussions. 

I'm also not sure if Joe playing really sabotaged the team.  Perhaps you could say that if there was a good back up option for 1st base but there really wasn't.  Who could you have put there that would give you more than the .265 with good defense that Mauer could offer.

I do like the fact that they brought in this Byung Ho Park. I hope that he can push Mauer.  If Byung Ho can offer up reasonable defense and can hit the ball like he did overseas then maybe its not so easy for Mauer to skate through a season with mediocre numbers.

[O.T.C.]

My last Joe thought is I do wish him well, his wife and kids and extended family. I wish that 28 jack year in the dome wasn't a fluke. I wish we'd quit batting him 3rd unless he earns that place in the order. I wish Joe would shut me up finishing out his career with a few really solid seasons. I wish he'd come through in the clutch late innings of the ballgame and be the reason, be the guy, that brought home the victory. The guy getting pie faced after the game talking to Marney Gelner(sp) is it ? I wish he could find the fire he once had prior to getting married. I wish he'd jump strike one fastball that he gets 98% of the time first pitch and have the confidence to let it loose to boot. I wish he doesn't finish #1 in the majors as a lefty hitting into double plays this year. So 5th in the AL in hitting with RISP and the flip side is he killed so many rallys with the double play ball and or a crucial K. When you look back the contract etc isn't horrid as guys like Cuddyer I think is retired and Morneau never found it again, it was the safest play $ wise and being local we'll always have his dome days to remember. 1 last wish is we make the post-season which Cleveland seems to be in charge now but maybe Joe can improve on his 1 rbi total in the post-season. Man lol it's time for Spring training ! 

[Big Dave2]

On 2/5/2016 at 3:44 PM, O.T.C. said:

 Does he have 1 nice season left in him ?

He better have 3 nice seasons left in him.

[thatoneguy]

The "good defense Mauer can offer?" Surely you jest.  Go to Baseball Reference and peek at Mauer's fielding stats. He was a liability last year, and he hasn't been a significant asset in the field since 2008. It is nauseating watching him struggle at 1B to figure out which balls he should play, and which he should leave for Dozier. He makes mistakes a Legion player wouldn't make. And his scoop-my-mom-sees-this is very weak. 

Basically, Joe Mauer in 2015 had no redeeming characteristics as a player. Certainly not as a player getting paid $23,000,000.

Edited February 23, 2016 by thatoneguy

[blue_healer_guy]

I dont buy the cant see the ball stuff one bit.  when your making huge coin and dont produce, most athletes use an excuse.  Lets see, concussion, bylateral leg weakness, cant see.  Boy I cant wait for this yrs excuse.

[JBMasterAngler]

This bum is basically the reason we won't be able to keep Sano. After Mauer retires in 3 years, we'll all be watching "lil' papi" blasting 40 plus homers a season in Boston 

[O.T.C.]

Thought I was through with joe joe but not after seeing him rolling down Hennepin avenue in the bright sunshine doing take 76 with Dozier in the backseat in a convertible with a couple other twins etc. How are those concussion symptoms again ? B Amish used to talk about him being a hall of fame catcher well if that's a maybe then I'm sure Joe went down to Spring training with the catchers to offer his hall of fame advice to the rookies and new catcher correct ? Since there are no foul tips to worry about I'm sure he's down there working with the pitchers/catchers right ? He could put the mask on and catch bullpen sessions before the rest report to Fort Myers correct ? He could put on the sunglasses and teach our catchers every trick he knows, all the intel he has collected in his many years as a catcher right ? Is he down there or dreading going down there ? Are we trying to win a world series ? Are we a team ? Does he truly care ? What I mean by that is at the core of who he is does he truly honestly care with every part of himself or has baseball just become a grind ? I guess we'll find out soon enough. For me I don't care who is on the team but I want that "team" giving everything they have in pursuit of a world series run whether it's going good or bad. Will say it again I think he is burned out athletically, it's all he's ever done and it does make sense as you age you lose some fire whether a Torii Hunter is leading by example at 40 or not. Many younger guys of today could care less about those before them leading by example, just the way it is. 

[nofishfisherman]

On 2/24/2016 at 2:18 PM, JBMasterAngler said:

This bum is basically the reason we won't be able to keep Sano. After Mauer retires in 3 years, we'll all be watching "lil' papi" blasting 40 plus homers a season in Boston 

Not sure that makes any sense.  Joe has 3 years left on his contract so he'll either be gone or making much less in a few years. Sano be eligible for free agency until 2022 so the only way he leaves is if he's traded or released.  I'm not sure how Mauer would impact that decision.  Even if Mauer had 5, 8 or 10 years left on his deal the only way Sano walks is if the Twins front office lets him walk.  That decision isn't on Mauer.  The front office needs to make sure that the mistake they made with Mauer's contract doesn't force them into a 2nd even bigger mistake by not locking up Sano long term.

[blue_healer_guy]

The front office is to blame on the mauer contract..... I give u that.  For some reason they thought a soft player and a soft minded individual was gonna go to new york or boston.  Doekay.

[DonBo]

On 2/25/2016 at 2:06 PM, O.T.C. said:

Thought I was through with joe joe but not after seeing him rolling down Hennepin avenue in the bright sunshine doing take 76 with Dozier in the backseat in a convertible with a couple other twins etc. How are those concussion symptoms again ?

They were filming a commercial. Don't want to defend the guy, but what you saw was not him just sluffing off.

[JBMasterAngler]

How great would it be if Mauer pulled an Adam LaRoche? Twins fans could never be so lucky 

[O.T.C.]

Laroche lol, too bad Mauers kids aren't older, just kidding. I think the key for Joe is his kids. They are getting to the age where they can maybe understand what dad does for a living and he's going to want to impress them, play for them now so he should be getting back his fire for the game to be double proud of their dad. Might be the first season his kids can go to target field and watch daddy etc. so man this is the year Joe. Back to the Twins overall I haven't heard a whole lot from Spring training but maybe that's for the better. Would like to see a solid April for them, hope the starting pitching holds up we seem decent there and with some good health it could be a solid year especially if bung ho idk his name yet the Korean guy if he can contribute decently.

[blue_healer_guy]

The Laroche thing was out of control, cant blame the sox for their attempt to back it off a little.  Highly doubt Joes kids will light a fire, you could throw a m80 up you know where and he wouldnt get excited.  Still shaken my head why he isnt in right field and the franchise isnt at first.

[O.T.C.]

Time to give Joe some props. His bat looks quick again, his eye at the plate has always been steady. His swing looks very good and that pitiful beard is gone lol. He seems fresh and hope the hot start can carry over all season. With Twins luck when he has a skid at the plate other guys will likely be doing better, maybe not as we counted on so many rookies last year and we're not certain what we have in the younger guys, think Tom Kelly said it takes 1,000 at bats or something to figure out what a guy is and has at the plate. His start to this season must feel like a load of bricks has been lifted off his shoulders, now to stay in good health he should post a solid solid season but I haven't noticed the sunglasses theory really yet?.  

[O.T.C.]

Joe got his props but the lingering question is will he do much damage ? 1 jack and 6 rbi's almost seems impossible to bat .330 in April and only have 6 rbi's, league leaders are pushing into the mid 20's now. I guess no 1 must be on base much when he comes up is my guess. We've had Buxton waiting in the wings for Revere and Hicks to move on or out and now we don't know if Byron can hit at this level, maybe we should've kept the sure thing and let the gamble go. Cmon Joe time to have a big night why not tonight !

[O.T.C.]

Still waiting on that big night Joe. Average is great, OBP is great, strikeout to walk ratio is great. Just no damage done then again with Joe on base as much as he is Sano/Plouffe now some maybe Bung ho need to make the guy pay out of the stretch. Man we still need Joe to catch, be a major upgrade and his stats would fit nicely except when you bat 3rd in the order you need to be able to drive the baseball so Joe at the 2 spot would be looking excellent, at the 3 power spot not so much. Then again whatever Joe does do moving forward the season is over so it'll be all for not and me commenting further is also a waste of my time and you as a reader  Time to take Tom turkey down and some walleyes banging around in the well in 9 days.

[Big Dave2]

Not even one single optimist left here. LOL.

[Getanet]

I wanted to watch the game yesterday. But after that base running error when what's-his-face took off to third on Sano's line-out to center in the first inning for a double play, I had to turn the TV off.

[O.T.C.]

That was Nunez and Moli was a base running machine, but just a bad play, a really bad play when threatening early to get doubled up is ugly then again Joe was coming up so figured he had to try, last 15 games Joe 3 ribbys and a .250 BA from yer 3 hitter, now leadoff man lol lead off in this 0 fer 11 or more maybe he'll drag bunt to snap out of it best clean up those sunglasses or at least take em off during night games. If I had his $ I'd quit. What if like your uncle came to you and said do you realize with 8x the at bats ur tied with 43 year old Bartolo Colon for 295th in the majors in home-runs ? Cmon MVP give the kids something to cheer about.