Minnesota Sports Forum

Mauer is a hard guy to judge. I don't see him as a guy that has a bunch of friends on the team like he did with Morneau. I think it is more a job at this point to him. It will be interesting what he does and I am sure whatever he does it will be low key.

Well I think we know what he will do now. Looking back at his career he was great at catcher and solid at 1B. He was not your prototypical 1st basemen but was good in the field and a solid bat. He was never a power guy which seems odd for a guy his size, but he hit .407 this year with runners in scoring position and .334 for his career. That is pretty solid.

He was a really good investment for the Twins. $217M for 14 years got the Twins.

6 Allstar appearances
5 Silver Slugger awards
3 Gold Gloves (should have had more)
1 MVP

Some will say his contract later in his career kept the team from winning, but I would say he gave the Twins more value than all of the meaningful free agents they have signed over that period almost combined.

Josh Willingham 3 Year $21 Million - (1 solid year)
Ricky Nolasco - 4 years and $48M - (horrible)
Phil Hughes - 6 years - $71M (1 solid year)
Ervin Santana - 4 Years $51M (2 solid years)


$191M for 4 years of good play.

Much is made of Mauer's lack of RBI's. However, using this year as an example, we see a #2 hitter with Dozier (HR or bust) and the bottom of the lineup aead of him... then a leadoff hitter withte bottom of the lineup ahead of him. Plus Joe had a solid BA with runners in scoring position.

If we had other obvious options at the top of the lineup, Mollie could have batted him 3rd and this would be a non-issue.

Abe said that more people would hate him if he wasn't a local guy etc...yesterday on Twitter Jon K posted a video of the scene leading up to his first AB yesterday and half the replies were clearly negative. Even yesterday there was plenty of haters to be found which is kinda sad.

Mauer retires. Man it's dusty in here.

https://www.mlb.com/twins/fans/joe-mauer

Good for him. I am glad we made it to that game. It was right up there with KG's return to me.

bleedspeed177 wrote:Good for him. I am glad we made it to that game. It was right up there with KG's return to me.

I don't remember what was going on that weekend but I now have some regret not going up there and going to that game. I'm glad you were able to go.

For what it is worth my 9-year-old stepdaughter acted as she had never heard the concept that Joe Mauer might retire even though she was at the game. She is certainly a fan that goes for the mini donuts and not the players.

bleedspeed177 wrote:For what it is worth my 9-year-old stepdaughter acted as she had never heard the concept that Joe Mauer might retire even though she was at the game. She is certainly a fan that goes for the mini donuts and not the players.

Sounds like my wife. Lol

I don't like pondering whether The Dome inflated his numbers becuz st the same time your discrediting guys like Kirby Puckett. No one ever questioned his production.