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| Were Joe Mauer not to reach a contract extension with the Twins this season, the Red Sox would be considered the favorites to land him in free agency next offseason, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: He apparently prefers the Sox to the Yankees. That being said, most still believe he will soon reach a long-term extension to stay in Minnesota. Stay tuned.
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| Joe Mauer will be held out of Minnesota's lineup today with a sore right shoulder, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Mauer took a foul tip off the shoulder in yesterday's game, though the Star-Tribune speculates that he would have played today had this been the regular season. Expect Mauer back in the next day or to, and thus this clearly should not be anything that docks his fantasy value.
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| Updating an earlier item, Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman reports that "baseball folks" are still "optimistic" the Twins and Joe Mauer will soon come to an agreement on a contract extension. |
Our View: The deal seems likely to be for at least eight seasons, and more likely 10. Expect the price tag to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million per year.
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| Joe Mauer's agent has arrived at Twins Spring Training, and will soon begin face-to-face negotiations with the club regarding a contract extension for Mauer, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Now, after many false starts, let's see if they can actually get this thing done. If they don't before the season begins, he very well may end up leaving Minnesota.
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| Contract extension talks between the Twins and catcher Joe Mauer are ongoing, according to Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports. |
Our View: There is "not much new" between the two sides, however. Considering this means everything to Minnesota, expect them to eventually give Mauer what he wants.
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| The Twins' current projected opening day payroll of $96 million is a full $31 million more than the club's 2009 opening day payroll, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: The club's move into its new stadium has it flush with cash, so much so that its payroll is now higher than that of the Dodgers. An extension for Joe Mauer can't be far off.
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| MLB Network's Peter Gammons reports that a Joe Mauer contract extension is "far from done." |
Our View: There are so many conflicting reports out there that it is hard to decide whom to believe. Considering Gammons' track record, however, he would be a good place to start looking for answers. Stay tuned.
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| Amidst much speculation about his future in Minnesota, MLB.com reports that it is a matter of "when," and not "if," Joe Mauer signs a contract extension with the Twins. |
Our View: Despite the huge money both the Red Sox and Yankees would likely be able to offer Mauer next offseason, considering how much he means to the Twins franchise, it was never really a realistic possibility that he would leave. The Twins will have to pony up big time to keep him, but he will stay.
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| ESPN's Buster Olney has stated that reports on a supposed agreement between Joe Mauer and the Twins are not accurate. "The Twins remain optimistic that a deal will eventually get done, but a deal is not done yet," Olney said. |
Our View: It looks like a few media outlets may have gotten ahead of themselves. Look for an agreement to be made between Mauer and the Twins eventually, though an official announcement anytime within the next few days would be surprising.
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| Updating an earlier item, the Twins have apparently reached a preliminary agreement on a 10-year contract extension with Joe Mauer, according to the Sporting News. |
Our View: No word yet on the value of the deal, though you can bet it will be one of the richest in the history of the MLB. We noted earlier today that the Twins and Mauer appeared to be closing in on a deal, though nobody had any idea an agreement would come this soon. Twins fans can now rejoice knowing that their do-it-all star catcher, also a young hometown hero, will be with them for potentially the remainder of his career.
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| The Twins are apparently coming closer and closer to reaching an agreement with Joe Mauer on a contract extension, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: The framework for the extension has apparently been set, with only a few of the more minor details to be worked out. This should come as phenomenal news to Twins fans, who look like they're close to having the security of keeping their hometown hero for the foreseeable future. No word yet on the amount of money or years involved, but you can expect the deal to be quite lucrative.
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| All-world catcher Joe Mauer was "coy" when discussing his future on Wednesday, but reiterated that he would love to stay in Minnesota as long as the Twins are committed to winning, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. |
Our View: Considering that the Twins have had just one losing season since 2000, it's likely a safe bet they will stay committed to winning. If Mauer doesn't sign a long-term contract extension this offseason, something he does not appear close to doing at the moment, 2010 should be a very stressful year for Minnesota fans.
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| According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, a "prominent industry source" says Twins catcher Joe Mauer could receive a contract worth up to $30 million a year were he to test the free agent market after the 2010 season. |
Our View: The "prominent industry source" of course assumes there would be a bidding war between the Yankees and Red Sox. It might sound far-fetched, but then again, there haven't been many catchers with three batting titles and a career-.400 on-base percentage hit the open market. Minnesota would be wise to do everything it can to lock-up its franchise player this winter.
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| Predictably, Joe Mauer has denied a Yahoo! Sports report that said he would cut off contract negotiations with the Minnesota Twins were the two sides not to reach a new deal by opening day, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: It's the time of the year for myriad conflicting reports. Regardless of what Mauer actually said, expect things to be completely different this time next week, and then again the week after that.
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| Joe Mauer will not discuss signing a contract extension with the Minnesota Twins after the beginning of the 2010 season, according to Yahoo! Sports. |
Our View: Formal negotiations have still yet to begin between the two sides, though sources have claimed that Minnesota would like to have a deal done by Christmas. Expect talks to heat up very shortly.
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| Twins' catcher Joe Mauer has set a deadline for the team to sign him to a contract extension, according to MLB writer Jeff Passan. Mauer has informed the team that he will break off talks if the two sides haven't reached an agreement by spring training. |
Our View: Mauer wants to stay with the Twins, but he doesn't want to deal with contract talks throughout the 2010 season. The Twins will work hard all winter on getting something done, but they will have to loosen their notoriously tight wallets to keep their MVP catcher.
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| Joe Mauer will reportedly not sign a contract extension with the Twins that is shorter than seven years, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Rumors continue to abound that Minnesota is beginning in earnest to try and lock Mauer up, and if this report is to be believed, seven years will be a starting point in any discussion about length. Stay tuned.
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| The Twins are "getting serious" about a Joe Mauer contract extension, according to the Chicago Tribune. |
Our View: No surprise considering their hometown franchise player is coming off of his first MVP award and third batting title before the age of 27. While the Yankees and Red Sox would love to sign Mauer next offseason, it would be a huge upset were he to leave the Twin Cities.
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| The Minnesota Twins are rumored to be trying to lock-up 2009 American League MVP, and three-time AL batting champ, Joe Mauer to a long-term contract extension by Christmas, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: It is going to take a gargantuan amount of money - the kind of money the Twins don't usually spend - to keep their native son, but both sides appear to want to get a deal done, and not retaining him long term in the Twin Cities would be a public relations disaster in a season in which the Twins will be opening a new stadium. It might not get done by Christmas, but it will get done.
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| In a near unanimous decision, Joe Mauer has been named the 2009 American League Most Valuable Player, according to BBWAA.com. |
Our View: After leading the AL in batting average (good for his third batting title), on-base percentage and slugging percentage, the Twins' dynamic catcher received 27-of-28 first place votes en route to his landslide victory. The only other first place vote went to Detroit's Miguel Cabrera. New York's Mark Teixeira placed second, while Derek Jeter was third. Cabrera was fourth.
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| Minnesota Twins' catcher Joe Mauer has been voted the AL's Most Oustanding Player by the Major League Baseball Players Association, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. |
Our View: Mauer is in a tight race for AL MVP with the Yankees' Mark Teixeira, but apparently the players believe he was the best in his league. Mauer's .365 average was outstanding this season, not to mention he added 28 homers and 96 RBI.
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| Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that Twins' catcher Joe Mauer is dealing with a hip flexor issue. Mauer told manager Ron Gardenhire that he wants to remain behind the plate the rest of the way. |
Our View: The injury sounds pretty minor, but any discomfort for Mauer has to be a concern for the Twins. He is a gamer who would not miss a playoff game for something like this, so expect him to be just fine for Game 3. If the injury gets too sore, Mauer could DH at some point if the series continues.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 and worked a pair of walks in the Twins 4-3, 11-inning loss to the Yankees on Friday night. They head home to Minnesota trailing 2-0 in the series. |
Our View: Mauer hit a ground-rule double down the line to lead off the 11th, but the ball was called foul when it was clearly fair. He mustered a single after it was called back, and the Twins ended up loading the bases with no one out, but failed to score. The Yankees won it on a solo homer by Mark Teixeira in the first at-bat of the bottom of the inning and the Twins have to be livid over the umpiring. Someone was looking out for the Bronx Bombers.
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| The New York Times is reporting that Twins' catcher Joe Mauer is not interested in being the highest paid player in the game when he becomes a free agent after next season. "Just having the chance to win would be important to me," he said. |
Our View: Most players say things like this and still take the biggest offer on the table, but Mauer may be one guy who is telling the truth. He is a Minnesota boy, and if the Twins prove they can be competitive every season, we could see Mauer signing a long-term deal. It also wouldn't surprise anyone if he ended up breaking the bank with the Yanks or Red Sox before the 2011 season.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-5 in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Royals. |
Our View: Mauer has his major league leading average up to .371 and is hitting at a .386 clip in September. His worst statistical month? July, where he "struggled" to hit .309 with four homers and 14 RBI.
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| Joe Mauer blasted his 28th home run of the season in Saturday's 6-2 win over the Tigers. He finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. |
Our View: Mauer is the total package this season. Not only do his 28 long balls more than double his previous career high (13), but he also leads the planet with a .373 average. An MVP award is surely in his future.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Indians at the Metrodome. He hit a single and a double. |
Our View: The elite catcher raised his MLB-leading batting average to .373, and has eight hits over his last three games. He also tied his personal season-high of 85 RBI tonight.
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| Joe Mauer padded his MVP numbers on Sunday with a 3-for-4 performance that included his 27th home run of the season in the Twins 8-0 blanking of the A's. |
Our View: Mauer is now hitting .366 this season and has not batted less than .309 in any month during the 2009 campaign. He's having by far, the best and most complete season of his career.
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| Joe Mauer carried the Twins in Monday's 6-3 win at Toronto, as he went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. He hit a single and a double. |
Our View: The elite catcher is riding a seven-game hitting streak, and raised his MLB-leading batting average to .369.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles in Saturday's 4-1 win at Cleveland. |
Our View: Mauer is riding a five-game hitting streak, and raised his MLB-leading batting average to .367.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 with a single and a solo homer off Gavin Floyd in tonight's 4-1 win over the White Sox at the Metrodome. |
Our View: Mauer snapped an 11-game skid without a homer, and now has 26 for the season. He raised his MLB-leading batting average to .368 tonight as well.
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| Joe Mauer hit safely for the 23rd time in 26 August games on Saturday, but drove in no runs, as the Twins lost 3-0 to Texas at home. |
Our View: Mauer's American Leauge leading average "fell" to .371 in the process. With 25 home runs, 79 RBI and an on-base percentage above .440, he is still the AL's runway leader in the MVP race.
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| Joe Mauer went 1-for-4 with an RBI in the Twins' 3-2 win over the Rangers on Friday night. |
Our View: Mauer is having a month that mirrors his spectacular season. He's hitting .408 with seven homers and 22 RBI and is making a rock-solid case for MVP.
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| Joe Mauer carried the Twins in tonight's 9-6 win at Texas, as he went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. He hit a single and swatted two homers, one off Scott Feldman and the other Jason Jennings. |
Our View: Mauer extended his hitting streak to 15 games, and raised his MLB-leading batting average to .383. He launched five homers over his last six games as well, and has 25 for the season.
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| Joe Mauer went 3-for-5 with a single, double and a solo homer off Tommy Hunter in tonight's 8-5 loss at Texas. |
Our View: Mauer launched a homer in three of his last five games, and has 23 for the season. The elite catcher also extended his hitting streak to 14 games, and raised his MLB-leading batting average to .380
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| Joe Mauer went 1-for-4 with a single in the Twins' 7-4 loss to the Indians on Sunday. |
Our View: Mauer's single game him a 13-game hitting streak. He's hitting .466 in August and is a good candidate for player of the month.
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| Joe Mauer had a strong outing in Saturday's 7-3 loss to the Indians at the Metrodome, as he went 3-for-5 with an RBI. He hit two singles and a solo homer off Tony Sipp. |
Our View: Mauer launched his 22nd homer of 2009, and raised his AL-leading batting average to .378. The elite catcher should continue to perform up to high expectations for fantasy owners.
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| Joe Mauer provided all of the Twins' offense on Thursday, but it wasn't enough as Minnesota fell to the Royals 5-4. Mauer went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, a run scored, and four RBI. |
Our View: Mauer hasn't shown the power after the break that we saw in the first half, but this guy is just a really good hitter. He can do it all at the plate, and he is one of the most valuable fantasy players out there because of his talent and the position he plays.
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| Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 in tonight's 14-6 loss to Kansas City at the Metrodome. All three of his knocks were singles. |
Our View: The elite catcher extended his hitting streak to eight games, and raised his AL-leading batting average to .369.
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| The odds-on favorite for the AL MVP came through again on Saturday. Joe Mauer belted his 20th homer and plated three runs with a 2-for-4 effort in Saturday's 11-0 whipping of the Tigers. |
Our View: Mauer is hitting .366 this season and has taken his game to the next level. The average has always been there, but the 20 homers puts Mauer into an entirely different fantasy stratosphere. If you shook off his preseason back issues and gambled on him on draft day, feel free to pat yourself on the back.
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| Joe Mauer went 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored in tonight's 10-8 loss at Detroit. He hit three singles and a solo homer off Armando Galarraga. |
Our View: The elite catcher raised his batting average to .364, and generated his 19th homer of 2009. He has 63 RBI over 84 games as well.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the Twins' 13-4 loss to the Angels. |
Our View: Mauer "cooled" in July, hitting just .309, but the best offensive catcher in the game is a safe bet to rebound. The 2-for-4 day Sunday is a good start.
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| Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored in tonight's 11-5 loss to the Angels at the Metrodome. He hit two singles and a three-run homer off Ervin Santana. |
Our View: Mauer raised his batting average to .359, and launched his 18th homer of the season. The elite catcher should continue to perform up to high expectations as long as he stays intact.
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| Joe Mauer is serving as the Twins' DH on Saturday for their game against the Angels. Mike Redmond will take over behind the plate and catch starter Nick Blackburn. |
Our View: The Twins are giving Mauer a much needed rest from defensive duties, but they can't afford to have his bat out of the lineup. Don't be shocked if Mauer spends more time DHing in the second half of the season, as the Twins want to keep him fresh and healthy.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-5 with a run scored in Tuesday's 3-2 win at Oakland. Both of his hits were singles. |
Our View: Mauer recorded multiple hits for the first time since July 9, and continues to lead the Twins with a .362 batting average.
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| Joe Mauer suffered through an 0-for-6 night at the plate on Sunday as the Twins fell to the Rangers 5-3 in 12 innings. Mauer is now hitting .358 on the season. |
Our View: Mauer is falling further away from the coveted .400 mark, and he is no longer leading the league in hitting, as he fell behind Ichiro who is at .363. It looks like the quest for .400 is over for Joe, but hittng over .350 is nothing to be disappointed about.
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| Joe Mauer went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the National League in the All-Star Game at Busch Stadium. |
Our View: The elite catcher had the only double for the AL, and their only other extra-base hit was recorded by Curtis Granderson, who had a triple in his lone at-bat. Mauer helped the AL claim home-field advantage for the World Series as well.
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| Joe Mauer went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts and stranded five runners on Sunday. |
Our View: Mauer was the only one that didn't get in on the fun Sunday during the Twins' 15-hit, 13-run attack launched on the White Sox. His average has now dipped to .373 since hitting .407 on June 21st.
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| Joe Mauer went 3-for-5 with a double, a homer and a pair of RBI in the Twins 4-3 loss to the Yankees on Wednesday. |
Our View: Mauer is having an incredible season, but the dream of hitting .400 likely won't come true. Since hitting .407 on June 21st and falling to .395 after an 0-for-5 the next day, he has yet to get his average back to that magical plateau. He's currently at .388, but in the good news column, he did hit his first homer since June 20th.
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| Joe Mauer went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 5-1 win at Kansas City. He also drew two walks. All three of his knocks were singles. |
Our View: Mauer ended a five-game skid without an RBI, and raised his batting average to .392. He continues to play up to high expectations as an elite catcher.
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| According to MLB.com, Twins' catcher Joe Mauer will get a day off on Saturday when the Twins play the Cardinals at St. Louis. Manager Ron Gardenhire said he wanted to get Mauer a day off on this road trip, and Saturday seemed like the best day. |
Our View: It is always nice when managers give fantasy owners some advance on when their star players will be getting a day off. If you have another option at the catching position, use it tomorrow. If not, Mauer will be fine for Sunday so you will only have to go one day without.
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| Joe Mauer pounded another homer on Saturday in the Twins' 6-5 loss to the Astros. Mauer went 1-for-4 with the homer, two runs scored, and an RBI in the game. |
Our View: Mauer is only hitting .417 this season, which is pretty good. He may be the best hitter in the AL, and his fantasy value is sky high considering his position. Mauer should not be traded unless you absolutely get overwhelmed by a deal, because he is as good as it gets.
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| Joe Mauer is getting a day off on Thursday in the Twins' afternoon game against the Pirates. He will be replaced in the battery by Mike Redmond. |
Our View: Mauer is on fire right now, but the Twins have no desire to catch him on a day game after a night game, especially considering he missed the first month with an injury. Mauer will be back tomorrow, and if anything the rest should do him some good. It's hard to imagine he could be much better than he has been, though.
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| Joe Mauer went 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 8-2 win over the Pirates at the Metrodome. He had a double and three singles. |
Our View: The elite catcher extended his hitting streak to nine games, with 18 total hits and six RBI over the span. He has not cooled off in June after hitting .414 in May.
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| Joe Mauer hit his 13th home run of the season on Friday, as the Twins beat the Cubs 7-4 at Wrigley Field. |
Our View: Mauer continues to tear the cover off the ball, and is now batting .413 on the season. He has hit safely in 32 of 38 games since making his season debut on May 1.
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| Joe Mauer was productive in Monday's 4-3 loss at Oakland, as he went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.
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Our View: The elite catcher has 11 hits over seven games in June, and has not cooled off after hitting .414 over 99 at-bats in May.
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| Joe Mauer has been named the AL Player of the Month for May, according to the Sports Network. He led the AL with a .414 batting average, with seven doubles, 11 homers and 32 RBI. He also led the majors with an .838 slugging percentage. |
Our View: Mauer already launched 12 homers this season, and is one away from tying his career high. This is the second time he earned the monthly honor, the last time coming in June of 2006.
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| Joe Mauer had another strong night at the plate, as he went 3-for-3 with three RBI in Tuesday's 4-3 win over Cleveland at the Metrodome. He hit two singles and a two-run homer. |
Our View: The elite catcher is hot as he has seven hits over his last three games. He notched his 12th homer, and is only one away from tying his career high of 13, set back in 2006.
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| The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that Joe Mauer was given the day off on Sunday. He is not injured and is expected to return to the lineup on Monday. |
Our View: Mauer is just getting a routine day off today since he has been DHing when he doesn't catch. He will be back tomorrow, so make sure he stays in your lineup. The way he is hitting, you can't afford to not play him.
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| Joe Mauer is ridiculous. The Twins' backstop was 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and a run scored in Friday's 5-3 loss to the Rays. |
Our View: Joe's bat has done all the talking this season. Mauer's current line: .417/.500/.844. We think that speaks for itself.
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| Joe Mauer has been named the AL Player of the Week, according to the Sports Network. He earned the honor by leading the AL with a .458 batting average and 13 RBI, while also collecting four homers and 25 total bases. |
Our View: This marks the second time the elite catcher took the weekly award, the last time coming in June of 2006. Teammates Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau were also nominated for the weekly honor.
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| Joe Mauer sat out Monday's home game against Boston, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: The elite catcher played in 20 games in a row, and manager Ron Gardenhire felt it was time to give him a day of rest. He should draw back into the lineup Tuesday.
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| The power surge for Joe Mauer continues. The Twins' catcher was 2-for-3 with a homer and two runs scored in their 6-3 series-sweeping win over the Brewers on Sunday. |
Our View: Mauer has now officially eclipsed his entire home run total from last season. He has ten on the year in just 22 games after needing 146 games to hit all of nine in 2008. Oh, by the way, Mauer is hitting .438 this season.
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| Joe Mauer had a huge game against Milwaukee on Saturday, going 3-for-3 with a walk, two RBI, three runs and his ninth home run of the season. |
Our View: Mauer has been completely tearing the cover off the ball since his return from the DL. He already has a batting title on his resume, and if he can maintain the power surge he's displayed so far this season, you can make an argument that he's the league's most gifted hitter this side of Albert Pujols.
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| Joe Mauer's incredible start to the season continued on Thursday. His 3-for-4 effort included a grand slam, six RBI, two doubles and two runs scored in the Twins' 20-1 destruction of the White Sox. |
Our View: Mauer has eight home runs this season. That would sound about right if we were approaching the end of September, but it's just past mid-May and Joe has only played in 19 games. We don't know where the power came from, but we don't care. Mauer is raking to the tune of a .417 average with eight homers and 24 RBI.
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| Joe Mauer went 1-for-4 with a home run, a run scored, and an RBI in the Twins' 6-2 loss to the White Sox on Tuesday. |
Our View: Mauer has been a beast since returning from the DL earlier this season, and the power he has shown has been very impressive. Those of you who stashed him on your rosters until his return are reaping the rewards now. Expect him to keep it up as long as his health remains intact.
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| Joe Mauer homered again on Tuesday and was 2-for-3 with two RBI in the Twins 6-2 win over the Tigers. |
Our View: Mauer now has four homers in 36 at-bats since returning from the DL and has found a hidden power stroke that has eluded him for years now. He's also hitting .500 with 12 RBI, so he hasn't lost anything in the other categories.
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| Joe Mauer continued his hot hitting with a 2-for-4 day in the Twins 5-3 loss to the Mariners. He had an RBI and a run scored in the game. |
Our View: Mauer already has 10 RBI through nine games and he is hitting .485/.553/.848. Despite missing the first month of the season, he looks like he could still make a run at being the top fantasy catcher in 2009.
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| Joe Mauer's power surge continued on Saturday as the catcher went 2-for-3 with a double, homer, two walks and three RBI in the Twins 9-6 win over the Mariners. |
Our View: In just eight games this season Mauer has three homers, three doubles and nine RBI. He only had nine homers last season and seven the year before, so fantasy owners are not wrong to be shocked by his recent slug fest. Still, feel free to relish it. The former batting champ is also hitting .483.
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| Joe Mauer was 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI in Friday's 11-0 rout of the Mariners. |
Our View: Mauer has been fantastic since coming off the DL. He's hitting .462 with two homers and six RBI and looks like he hasn't missed a beat from last season. He's also showing more pop in his bat and that power surge owners have been waiting for may have finally arrived.
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| Joe Mauer was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk in Minnesota's 5-4 loss to Baltimore on Thursday. |
Our View: Mauer looks to have benefitted from the day off. He had gone 0-for-7 in his last two games, but his average jumped back up to .476 tonight. Expect steady hitting from the reigning AL batting champ all season long.
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| Joe Mauer wasn't in the starting lineup for the Twins on Wednesday night, according to MLB.com. He should return to the starting lineup on Thursday as he is merely getting a rest after playing in back-to-back games. Mike Redmond will start in his place. |
Our View: Mauer is 7-for-17 (.412) on the year, though he is 0-for-7 in his last two appearances. Look for the sweet swinging Mauer to be back at it against Brad Bergesen on Thursday.
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| Joe Mauer went 4-for-6 with an RBI in Saturday's 10-7 loss to the Royals at the HHH Metrodome. He hit a double and three singles. |
Our View: Mauer is off to a strong start over two games since being activated from the DL, as he has six hits (one homer, two doubles). Fantasy owners who stashed him on their rosters did not have to wait long to be rewarded for their patience.
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| Joe Mauer made his presence felt early on tonight as he homered in his first at-bat of the season. Mauer finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. |
Our View: Mauer owners are jumping for joy after his performance tonight. He is an elite hitter when he is healthy, so those of you who waited patiently while he was on the DL should reap the rewards.
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| Joe Mauer has been activated from the DL, according to the Associated Press. Juan Morillo was outrighted to Triple-A Rochester as the adjoining move. |
Our View: Mauer is expected to return to the starting lineup tonight against the Royals. The elite catcher should be employed in fantasy lineups immediately.
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| Joe Mauer will be activated from the DL prior to Friday's game against the Royals, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: It is not official, but the club hinted that Mauer will return to the No. 3 spot in the batting order upon his return.
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| Joe Mauer caught seven innings with Single-A Fort Myers Monday, according to the Star Tribune. Mauer is expected to catch five to seven innings Tuesday and is slated to serve as the DH Wednesday.
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Our View: Mauer remains on track to return to the Twins Friday when the club starts a three-game set against the Royals.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 with two RBI in his first rehab start but the team will not accelerate his expected return from a back injury, according to the Star Tribune. "He didn't do anything all winter and didn't do anything all spring, and now all of a sudden, he's caught 12 innings [in extended spring training games], and everybody wants to move the schedule up," manager Ron Gardenhire said. |
Our View: Mauer is expected to be back in the lineup for the Twins Friday game with the Royals, and barring a setback, that appears to be a timeline that everyone is pleased with. Those of you who have exercised patience with Mauer, you are almost ready to be rewarded.
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| Joe Mauer fared well in an extended spring training game Wednesday in Fort Myers, Florida, according to the Star Tribune. Mauer went 3-for-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly and one RBI. He also caught six innings and gunned down one runner trying to steal. |
Our View: The Twins are optimistic that the elite catcher can return May 1, when they battle the Royals. He shall remain patiently stashed on fantasy rosters.
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| MLB.com is reporting that Joe Mauer went 1-for-3 with a double and two walks in his simulated game on Monday. It was Mauer's first baseball action of the season as he recovers from a sore sacroiliac joint. |
Our View: The Twins are hopeful that Mauer will be ready to go on May 1 for the start of their series against the Royals. He still has some minor league rehab games to play, but if all goes well expect him to be in the Twins' lineup on the first day of May.
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| The Associated Press is reporting that Joe Mauer could be back with the Twins in two weeks. Mauer will play a simulated game on Monday, followed by a handful of games with the Twins' rookie league team, and finally finish with a stint with the Class A squad. |
Our View: If all goes well, this is great news for those who have stashed Mauer on the bench and are waiting desperately for his return. He should still be an elite catcher once he gets on the field, so if for some reason he is available in your league be ready to pick him up soon.
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| Joe Mauer was able to run on Monday and Tuesday without back pain and is expected to start a rehab assignment at some point next week, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: This is encouraging, as the only time that Mauer felt pain in his inflamed right sacroiliac joint this spring had been while running. The plan for Mauer is to continue taking batting practice, running and catching bullpen sessions at the Twins' training facility in Fort Myers, Florida, for the remainder of the week. Barring a setback, he will start participating in Gulf Coast League games next week. There is belief that the elite catcher could return to the Twins' lineup before the end of April.
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| Joe Mauer, who is recovering from a sore sacroiliac joint, will begin a running program early this week, according to the Star Tribune. Manager Ron Gardenhire said, "Everything has gone great. He has been catching in the bullpen, hitting on the field. He feels great." |
Our View: It is uncertain how much running on the field the elite catcher would need before he would begin participating in minor league games. But Mauer has been running in a pool at a facility outside of the Twins' complex to keep the pounding off his back. The club thinks that the water resistance will help his legs get close to game-ready.
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| The Star Tribune reports that Joe Mauer has been catching bullpen sessions at the Twins minor league camp. He has also been able to hit off a tee and he is expected to take batting practice on Wednesday night. He is currently on the DL with a sore sacroiliac joint. |
Our View: He still is not running and he will have to take in a few minor league games to get ready before he returns to the Twins. While some believe he'll be back by the end of the month, we won't subscribe to that theory just yet.
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| Joe Mauer has been placed on the 15-day DL by the Twins, according to the Sports Network. |
Our View: Mauer is still dealing with inflammation in the sacroiliac joint, and there is no timetable for his return. Mike Redmond will start at catcher until he is ready to return, with Jose Morales the primary backup.
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| Twins catcher Joe Mauer has been taking new medication, and it has eased the pain in his back, allowing him to walk with greater ease, according to the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. |
Our View: This does not change the fact that Mauer will not be ready by Opening Day, and in fact it's not even known when he'll resume batting practice. Still, it's a step in the right direction for fantasy owners counting on Mauer to deliver his usual production.
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| Joe Mauer will not be ready for opening day due to pain and inflammation in his back, according to ESPN. |
Our View: The Twins do not believe the ailment will be a long-term issue, but there is no timetable for the AL batting champ's return. Mike Redmond is the likely starter behind the plate while Mauer is on the shelf.
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| The Twins are nearing a final diagnosis on Joe Mauer's ailing lower back, according to the Star Tribune. GM Bill Smith said there are "no red flags" and he added, "What I have been told is it is not a surgical issue. It is something we can treat, and hopefully, what we want to do is treat it once. We do not want to rush this thing back and have further issues down the road." |
Our View: A final update may come later today, and another person familiar with the situation said an update will be announced by Thursday. This should give us a better idea whether or not Mauer will be ready to go for opening day.
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| Joe Mauer's MRI revealed an inflamed lower back that will require additional medication, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. It is not considered to be overly serious. |
Our View: An inflamation isn't terrible news, but Mauer's availability for Opening Day is still in question. Hopefully the new meds work because Mauer is too valuable to the Twins and his fantasy owners to go down for an extended period of time.
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| Joe Mauer is slated for an MRI on his back to determine what is causing chronic pain, according to the Pioneer Press. Mauer underwent off-season surgery to remove a kidney blockage. The pain in his back got so severe down the stretch last season that he could barely walk at times. The surgery should have cleared up Mauer's back pain then, but the lingering soreness has sent him for another doctor visit, and put his availability for opening day in question.
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Our View: Mike Redmond would start at catcher if the elite Mauer is unable to go, with either Jose Morales or Drew Butera as the primary backup.
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| Joe Mauer has been slowly recovering from kidney surgery, but the Twins are hopeful he will be ready to go for opening day, according to the Star Tribune. Manager Ron Gardenhire said, "He has been here every day. He gets going, he does his lifting and bike-riding and all that stuff, and it just does not feel good enough to go out and run and all those things right now. And you know, in baseball, you have kind of gotta be able to do that."
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Our View: If Mauer is not ready, the Twins would employ Mike Redmond behind the plate, with either Jose Morales or Drew Butera as the backup.
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| Twins catcher Joe Mauer said he experienced no pain in his torso after swinging a bat for the first time in nearly five months Monday, according to MLB.com. "I don't feel any different from yesterday, which is good," said Mauer, who underwent kidney surgery on Dec. 22, after waking up Tuesday pain-free. |
Our View: In light of Monday's successful batting session, which consisted of 25 balls and a tee, Mauer said the next step is to begin doing some light running drills.
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| According to the Associated Press, Twins catcher Joe Mauer will be limited as spring training opens Monday after undergoing surgery Dec. 22 to remove a blockage in one of his kidneys. "I'm going to take it slow," Mauer said. "I think that's the right thing to do." |
Our View: Mauer is expected to be ready to go for the start of the regular season.
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| The Star-Tribune reports that Joe Mauer may not be ready to practice by the time pitchers and catchers report next month. He is still recovering from a surgery he had to repair a kidney obstruction. |
Our View: This news likely indicates that he will not participate in the WBC. However, there is very little chance that he will not be ready for Opening Day.
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| Twins catcher Joe Mauer will not play in the World Baseball Classic, according to TwinsBaseball.com. |
Our View: Mauer had surgery for a kidney obstruction recently and wants to be sure he is healthy for the season. He is just one of numerous players to decline an invitation.
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| Joe Mauer is unlikely to play in the World Baseball Classic, according to MLB.com. He recently had a minor surgery on his kidneys. |
Our View: Mauer has not made anything official, but playing in the WBC may be rushing his recovery. Stay tuned.
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| Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad has passed away at age 93, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Pohlad had been owner of the Twins since 1984 and won the World Series as owner in 1987 and again in 1991. He also owned part of the Minnesota Vikings from 1980-91. It is unclear what this will mean to the Twins as a franchise, but we wish his family the best.
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| The Star Tribune reports that Twins catcher Joe Mauer recently underwent surgery to remove an impurity in his kidney. "It's something he's had since he was a kid," Minnesota GM Bill Smith said Friday. "It is something that has bothered him more lately. Everything went fine and he will be ready for the season." |
Our View: Mauer, 25, has to be one of the AL's most gifted hitters. Playing a position not normally synonymous with offense, Mauer hit .328 a year ago, raising his lifetime batting mark to an impressive .317.
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| Joe Mauer is rumored to be on Boston's radar for 2011 when he becomes a free agent, according to the Pioneer Press. |
Our View: Mauer, who is a two-time batting champ, will only be 27 when he is eligible for free agency in 2011.
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| Joe Mauer won his second Silver Slugger on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Mauer continued to be one the best hitting catchers in the majors in 2008 and it doesn't look like he's going to slow down any time soon. Mauer won the AL batting title again in 2008 with a .328 mark, giving him two batting titles in three seasons. This is unheard of for a catcher.
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| The Minnesota Twins have given manager Ron Gardenhire a two-year contract extension, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. |
Our View: The deal means he is under contract until the year 2011. His coaching staff was also given two-year deals to remain with the team.
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| Joe Mauer went 0-for-3 on Tuesday night to end his season batting .328 to capture the AL batting crown, his second title in three years. |
Our View: Mauer owns a career .318 batting average over 2,059 AB, so even if his power has yet to emerge, he has just 44 home runs, he remains one of the smoothest swingers in the game. By the way, Mauer's .318 mark is the second best in history amongst all catchers with at least 2,000 plate appearances.
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| Joe Mauer collected his fourth triple on Sunday and helped keep the Twins' playoff hopes alive in Sunday's 6-0 win over the Royals. He went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. |
Our View: Mauer has been invaluable to the Twins this season. His .330 batting average is impressive enough, but his .358 RISP mark is among the best in the league. He has struck out just 48 times in 533 at bats.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 in Friday's disappointing 8-1 loss to the Royals. Both of his hits were singles. The Twins only mustered six hits in the game. |
Our View: He raised his average to .331, and recorded five hits over his last two games. He registered multiple hits 10 times in September.
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| Joe Mauer was 3-for-5 on Thursday in the Twins' 7-6 win over the White Sox. |
Our View: Mauer has been on fire in the month of September with an average of .378 and has helped the Twins take the lead in the AL Central.
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| Joe Mauer has played in 139 games this season, and in all but nine of those outings he has reached base by either a hit or a walk, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: Mauer has reached base by a hit or walk in 42 of the last 43 games and he has gone consecutive starts without reaching base only once way back on April 11-12. For all the talk of Justin Morneau being the team's MVP, you might consider placing that title on Joe Mauer instead.
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| Twins catcher Joe Mauer was the DH Sunday for the Twins, and he responded by going 2-for-4 with a double and triple while scoring a run in the Twins 4-1 win over Tampa. |
Our View: Mauer continues to hit, and would be the best offensive option at the catcher position in fantasy baseball if he could hit for more power.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-5 in Saturday's 7-2 loss to the Rays. Both of his hits were singles. |
Our View: He raised his average to .329, and continues to lead the race for the AL batting title.
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| On Thursday night, Joe Mauer came through in a big way for the Twins who are chasing a playoff berth. Mauer was 3-for-4 with three RBI in the Twins' 11-8 win. |
Our View: Mauer is in a battle with Dustin Pedroia for the AL batting title and after a 3-for-4 night, he took over the lead with a .327 average.
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| For the first time in 25 games Joe Mauer hit a home run in the Twins 3-1 loss to the Indians. The home run was Mauer's ninth of the year. |
Our View: Mauer's average is .321 but his power numbers are just not there. He only has nine home runs on the year and 74 RBI.
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| Despite going 3-for-5 and scoring a run, Twins catcher Joe Mauer could not lead his team to a win over the Tigers, falling by the score of 7-5. |
Our View: Mauer now has multiple-hit games in four of the six he has played in September. His average is at .326, the highest it has been since July 10, when it was at .328.
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| Joe Mauer did his part, but it still was not enough, as the Minnesota Twins were downed by the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-5. Mauer went 2-for-3 with a run scored and hit his 67th RBI. |
Our View: Mauer pushed his batting average to .323, which is about what he's hit all season for fantasy owners.
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| Joe Mauer went 5-for-6 and generated four RBI in Friday's 12-2 win over the Athletics. He hit one double and four singles. |
Our View: He set a season-high in both hits and RBI in a game this season, and raised his batting average to .324.
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| Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer went 1-for-4 with a single in the Twins 5-3 loss to the Angels, which extended his hitting streak to 16 games, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Mauer is hitting .321 on the season, which should please fantasy owners, but his lack of power is disappointing. Mauer has just eight bombs, and most people were expecting more, with the banal talk of the catcher developing his power a common refrain.
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| Joe Mauer scored the winning run in the thrilling 6-5 win over the Mariners on Saturday afternoon. The catcher went 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs, and two RBI, and he pushed his average to .321. |
Our View: The 2006 AL batting champ is in the thick of the race again. He also happens to be one of the game's best fantasy catchers despite his lack of homers.
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| Joe Mauer is in the Twins' lineup today, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: He was listed as questionable due to his sore neck, which kept him out of Tuesday's game. He should be fine if he makes it through today's game without any issues.
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| Joe Mauer is questionable for Wednesday's game due to a sore neck, according to the Star Tribune. Manager Ron Gardenhire said, "Our catcher, Redmond, might have to catch again Wednesday. Mauer’s neck wasn’t good all night. He couldn’t really get anything going."
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Our View: The ailment isn't believed to be serious, and should be fine within a few days. Mauer has collected hits in six straight games, with four RBI over the span.
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| Catcher Joe Mauer was not in the Twins' starting lineup on Tuesday night against the Yankees due to a stiff neck, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Manager Ron Gardenhire said that he had originally slotted Mauer into the lineup, but the catcher informed his skipper of the neck problem when he arrived at the ballpark. Mauer said he's been feeling some discomfort in his neck for the past few days, but it had really stiffened up on Tuesday. Mauer did not take any swings during batting practice, but he said that he hoped to get a little more treatment on the neck and be ready to play on Wednesday.
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| Twins backstop Joe Mauer is out of tonight's lineup against the Yankees and hurler Mike Mussina, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Mauer is 0-for-8 in his career against Mussina, and the team has an afternoon game tomorrow, so Mauer gets the day off. Adjust your lineups accordingly.
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| Joe Mauer has not traditionally hit Royals pitcher Zack Greinke, who he will face tonight, very well. Mauer is just 3-for-19 off of the right-hander, good for a .158 average. |
Our View: Mauer is hitting .250 in August, even though he has a hit in four of the five games he has played in this month. Greinke is tough for most hitters, so Mauer's struggles are not a huge surprise.
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| Minnesota Twins manager has been suspended one game after his outburst and ejection Thursday against Chicago led to Twins fans throwing things on the field, according to the AP. |
Our View: Gardenhire will miss tonight's game against Cleveland. He was also fined for the incident.
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| Joe Mauer went deep for the seventh time this season, his lone hit in four trips to the plate on Friday night. |
Our View: Mauer is hitting a tremendous .319, and his 52 RBI are top shelf for a catcher, but the lack of power continues to hold him back from the elite. He owns a tremendously smooth stroke, but it's still surprising that a man as big as he is (6'5", 230 lbs) just can't seem to generate the leverage needed to drive the ball deep.
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| The White Sox and Twins engaged in an entertaining dog fight tonight, but in the end it was the work of catcher Joe Mauer that moved the Twins to the 6-5 win. Mauer went 2-for-4 on the night, driving in two and adding one run scored along the way. |
Our View: Mauer has struggled a bit this month, hitting .299 through July with three homers and 16 RBIs. The run production is solid, but we expect this guy to hit .320 or better at all times. There is no reason for worry, but even a minor fall for Mauer is surprising.
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| Minnesota and Detroit did battle this evening with the Twins emerging with the win, 6-5, thanks to the prolific bat of catcher Joe Mauer . Mauer went 2-for-5 at the dish, hitting his fifth homer of the season tot total two RBIs and one run scored. |
Our View: Mauer now stands with a .324 batting average on the season, right in the mix for the AL lead. He has been as consistent as any player in the game, hitting .333 through May, hitting .341 through June, and now hitting .333 through July.
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| On his originally scheduled day off, Joe Mauer came off the bench in the top of the ninth and hit a sacrifice fly scoring Denard Span and extending the game into extra-innings. The Twins would go on to beat the Tigers 7-6. |
Our View: Mauer has been on a tear lately with a 8-game hitting streak. He continues to be a great source for AVG, RBI, and runs, but his power numbers leave something to desire.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-3 raising his batting average to .328 with the performance. The Twins, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first innings with a Justin Morneau home run, lost their edge for good in the third inning when starter Livan Hernandez gave up four runs to the Sox in the bottom of the inning. |
Our View: Mauer scored and drove in a run raising his season totals to 38 RBI and 56 runs scored.
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| Joe Mauer walked three times, scored three runs and hit his fourth home run of the year for the Twins. |
Our View: Mauer has pushed his average up to .325 while he has managed to scored 54 runs thank to a OBP above .410. The power may not be ideal, but it's tough to complain about anything this guy is doing right now.
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| The Twins put the 7-0 whooping on the Tigers today, led by the bat of catcher Joe Mauer , going 2-for-4 at the plate with one walk, two RBIs, and one run scored on the day. |
Our View: Mauer has been as hot at the plate as expected, coming off a June performance hitting .341 on the month with 14 walks versus just seven strikeouts.
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| Joe Mauer will sit in favor of Mike Redmond at catcher against the Tigers tonight, according to the Star Tribune. Redmond is penciled in to bat third in the order. |
Our View: Mauer went 2-for-4 with two RBI on Monday against Detroit, but manager Ron Gardenhire felt he could use a game off. Adjust your lineups accordingly.
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| Local reporters have sent in news on the starting lineup and it appears the Twins will welcome catcher Joe Mauer back into action but Alexi Casilla won't be in the starting lineup while the team is giving Michael Cuddyer a day off, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. |
Our View: The outfield will feature Carlos Gomez in center and hitting leadoff, flanked by Jason Kubel in right and Delmon Young in left, hitting sixth and seventh respectively. Craig Monroe will be at DH with Brian Buscher at third and Brendan Harris at short.
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| Joe Mauer is in the Twins' lineup today against the Nationals, according to the Star Tribune. He was not given a day off following last night's game. |
Our View: He played today as the team may opt to go with Mike Redmond on Friday against lefty Randy Johnson. The Twins are also going for a sweep against Washington today, which would be their first since sweeping Kansas City May 27-29.
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| According to SI.com, Joe Mauer, who hit his first two home runs of the season this week, has changed his batting strategy. "Not anything too drastic, but I'm trying a couple of things to help, just taking a chance on some pitches," the Twins' catcher said Thursday. |
Our View: The report suggested that Mauer is essentially going to guess more and take some chances. He said he will look for a particular pitch rather than attacking the entire hitting zone. Both of Mauer's homers came on inside pitches, the latest wasn't even close to being a strike.
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| Joe Mauer homered and drove in three runs as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-5 on Wednesday night. |
Our View: The home run was Mauer's second of the season in 191 at-bats. Not what fantasy owners expected from one of the top offensive catchers in the league.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 on Monday and socked his first homer of the season. It only took him 51 games. |
Our View: You know what they say... the first one is always the toughest. It's hard to believe a guy of his size and with his sweet swing doesn't hit a few more over the fence.
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| Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer helped his team get the 4-3 win over Kansas City in 12 innings this evening, but a review from fantasy owners may offer mix emotions. Mauer went 0-for-4 at the plate, but he failed to strike out, he took two walks, and he posted two runs scored along the way. |
Our View: Mauer now sits at .329 on the season, hitting 28-for-76 (.368) through May.
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| Joe Mauer has reached base safely in 28 of his last 32 games, and should remain hot today against Justin Verlander and the Tigers, according to MLB.com. Mauer is hitting .444 (8-for-18) over his career against Verlander, who is currently 2-7 with a 5.61 ERA. |
Our View: Mauer is yet to hit a homer over 157 at-bats, but is hitting .338 with 20 RBI and 28 runs scored in 44 games.
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| Joe Mauer had two hits and two RBI on Monday night for the Twins in their 12 inning, 7-6 victory over the Rangers. |
Our View: Mauer is hitting .319 but he astonishingly hasn't hit a single home run in 141 AB. Without any long ball pop he's going to have to get that average back up in the .340's to justify his cost on draft day.
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| Joe Mauer strained his neck during early batting practice and there was concern he may be scratched tonight, but he managed to play the entire game, and went 1-for-5 with an RBI in the Twins' 4-2 win over the Rockies. |
Our View: Mauer seems to be fine, and is once again a safe fantasy option.
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| Joe Mauer strained his neck during early batting practice but indicated that he can play, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: There was initial concern that he may be scratched, so he will be a risky fantasy option for tonight.
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| Joe Mauer returned to the lineup after a day off to go 2-for-3 to raise his average up to .346. |
Our View: Mauer hit .347 in 2006 before slumping to .293 last year, so there is certainly a possibility that Mauer will continue to push for the AL batting lead. However, injuries often up to catchers, so it's a bit of a stretch to expect Mauer to maintain his current pace.
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| Joe Mauer will sit out the Twins game on Wednesday night simply as a break to rest his body, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: Mauer is hitting a scalding .407 over his past 16 games to bump his average all the way up to .337. Mike Redmond will make just his fifth start of the season in Mauer's absence.
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| Joe Mauer already has 10 multi-hit games to his credit this season, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: He is yet to hit a homer, but is hitting .333 overall, with 19 runs scored over 27 games. He has reached at least two hits in three straight games, racking up seven over the span. When healthy, there aren't many catchers better than Mauer.
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| Joe Mauer went 2-for-4 with a double, one run, and two RBI in Sunday's win over the Tigers. The catcher went 7-for-11 in the series and is up to .333. |
Our View: Mauer led the majors with a .347 average in 2006, and we know he's capable of long hot streaks when he avoids bumps and bruises. It's good to see him healthy and swinging well.
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| Joe Mauer continues to keep fans happy, hitting 2-for-5 in the Twins’ 12-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. Mauer ended with two runs scored and now has a seasonal batting average of .323. |
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| With spring training winding down and the starters getting more at-bats, Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer showed well in the Twins' 3-8 loss to Toronto in Grapefruit League action today. Mauer went 2-for-3 with one RBI, one of just two Minnesota players with multiple hits. The fantasy owner knowns Mauer is the man to own behind the plate, but the durability is the most troublesome concern and won't be measured in these early games. |
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| A series of tests on Joe Mauer has concluded that he won't need hernia surgery after all, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "Joe Mauer is doing great," GM Bill Smith said. "He's had a series of opinions and ... the consensus opinion is that the hernia repair that was done three years ago is sound and requires no further treatment." Mauer will rest for a few weeks before beginning his offseason conditioning program. |
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| Joe Mauer he will begin a series of tests Oct. 10 to determine if he will need hernia surgery, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. In addition, Mauer is also going to fine-tune a workout plan for the offseason that will help him stay on the field for the entire season. |
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| Joe Mauer will not catch again this season, but manager Ron Gardenhire did say the former batting champ would be available as a pinch-hitter over the final three games, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Needless to say, if you're in a tight race for you fantasy title, you're not going to be getting much help from Mauer this weekend. |
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| Joe Mauer will undergo a physical once the season is over to determine whether or not he needs surgery, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The Twins have made no announcement that they're shutting Mauer down for the rest of the year, but manager Ron Gardenhire has indicated that Mauer may have seen his last game behind the plate this season. |
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| Joe Mauer said he's been dealing with a groin injury, that may require surgery, since the middle of the season. He underwent a physical Saturday, but more tests will be required to determine whether he'll have to have surgery to repair the damage, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "I don't know if it is a hernia or what, but, yeah, I need to get some stuff done," Mauer said. Despite the injury, the catcher intends to be behind the plate on Sunday. |
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| Twins catcher Joe Mauer blasted his sixth home run of the season on Monday. It was a solo shot. Mauer hadn’t hit a home run since July 21 prior to this one. |
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| Joe Mauer returned to the starting lineup Sunday for the first time since Aug. 25. Mauer, who had been sidelined by a hamstring injury, was 1-for-3 with a walk in the game. He started behind the plate but might see a little action at DH next week so he doesn't overextend himself. |
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| Joe Mauer, who hasn't started since Aug. 25 due to a hamstring injury, is expected to get the start behind the plate on Sunday with Johan Santana on the mound, according to the AP. Even though Mauer's injury is clearly improving, expect the Twins to ease him back into action, possibly using him at DH for a couple of games next week. |
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| Joe Mauer was able to test out his injured hamstring Thursday by doing some light running, though he's not close to returning to game action. He didn't run the bases and said the muscle remained sore, according to the AP. The Twins were hoping he might get back in the mix this weekend, but that appears unlikely right now. |
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| Joe Mauer was forced to play in Tuesday's game because he was the only catcher available on the bench, but he's not ready to return to the lineup yet. Manager Ron Gardenhire estimated that Mauer, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, is only "45 to 50 percent" healthy, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He was able to take batting practice for the second straight day Tuesday and could return to action as early as this weekend. |
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| Joe Mauer entered Tuesday's game in the 10th inning after Mike Redmond injured his hand during an at-bat. Mauer hadn't played since August 25. The Twins had no choice but to put Mauer in, as he was the lone catcher left on their roster, so this doesn't mean that he's healthy enough to start just yet. |
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| The Twins have been without Joe Mauer for more than a week, and it looks like they'll be forced to make due without him for awhile longer. Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said Mauer could be out for another week of action, according to the AP. The catcher is dealing with a hamstring injury. |
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| Joe Mauer could attempt some baseball-related activities today. Mauer hasn't played since straining his left hamstring on Saturday, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Mauer told the medical staff on Wednesday that his hamstring felt better, but it's unclear how much he'll be able to do. |
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| Joe Mauer missed his fourth game because of a strained left hamstring Wednesday, the AP reports. "He's better, but not better to go out and do anything," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's not going out on the field." |
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| Joe Mauer said his sore left hamstring felt a little better Monday, but he's not close to returning to the lineup. He has missed the last two games. "All he is is Kirk Gibson, waiting to pinch hit," manager Ron Gardenhire said in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
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| Joe Mauer missed his second straight game on Monday with a strained left hamstring. He is likely to miss the Twins' three-game series against the Indians this week. |
Our View: Despite being listed as day-to-day, he may still end up on the disabled list.
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| Joe Mauer left Saturday's game in the eighth inning due to tightness in his left hamstring. He's expected to sit out Sunday's game, something Ron Gardenhire was planning on doing all along; Mauer has also been battling sore ankles. |
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| Joe Mauer is probably going to get the day off Wednesday, the AP reports. Given that it's a day game following a night game, and on Toronto's turf, it makes sense for Ron Gardenhire to rest his star catcher here. |
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| Joe Mauer caught his third straight game Thursday and has been behind the plate for five of Minnesota's six games since he came off the disabled list following a month-long absence because of a strained quadriceps, the AP reports. Ron Gardenhire said he'd probably use Mauer as the DH on Friday and Sunday. |
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| Joe Mauer will get a break from catching Sunday, but the possibility of him being the DH on those days has decreased in light of his recent thigh injury, the AP reports. "Those days off, he needs that to recoup," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "DHing, obviously that's more wear and tear." |
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| The Twins activated Joe Mauer from the disabled list on Friday, according to the AP. He missed more than a month because of a strained left quadriceps. Mauer played one game for Single-A Fort Myers, going 0-for-3 on Wednesday, during a minor league rehab stint. He is batting .353 with one homer and 14 RBI in 28 games for Minnesota this year. |
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| Joe Mauer will play on Friday night for the first time in 29 games, but his long absence with a quadriceps injury has some concerned about his long-term future as a catcher. Don’t count Twins management among the doubters. “He’s got a great frame,” general manager Terry Ryan told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “He’s everything you look for in a ballplayer. I don’t think you start planning for a change.” Added manager Ron Gardenhire, “Obviously, if it becomes and issue and he continues to have leg problems as he goes along, you have to think about it.” |
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| Joe Mauer caught nine innings during a minor league game on Thursday and is expected to be in the lineup for the Twins on Friday against the Nationals. “Felt pretty good,” Mauer told the Associated Press of his injured thigh. “My timing didn’t feel very good.” |
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| As Joe Mauer continues to recover from a strained left quadriceps, he will catch five innings in an extended spring training game on Tuesday and still has plans to join the Twins on Friday for their weekend series against the Nationals. “Mauer did great,” manager Ron Gardenhire told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Had a good workout. Everything feels really good.” |
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| Joe Mauer has been sent down to Florida for extended spring training. Mauer, who is out with a quad injury, hopes to join the Twins soon, but there currently is no timetable for his return, according to the AP. |
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| The Twins might send Joe Mauer to extended spring training rather than on a rehab assignment, the AP reports. Mauer (left quad) did some sprinting, base running and aglity drills before Saturday's game. "He felt good," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He did push the issue. Taking off from first base, that's the hardest I've seen him run. We're all trying to figure out the best thing to do."
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| Joe Mauer has had to back off his workouts. The condition of his strained left quadriceps worsened after recently picking up the intensity of his rehab program, so he's been told to curtail his workouts for three days, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Manager Ron Gardenhire said he thinks it might be a good idea for Mauer to consider a rehab stint before eventually returning to action. "It wouldn't take much of a (rehab assignment) if he had to do it, just a couple of games," the manager said. That he's still having problems a month after sustaining the injury, isn't a good sign. Expect the Twins to be very cautious with his return and wait for him to be fully recovered. |
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| Joe Mauer continues to be frustrated with his slow progress as he attempts to come back from a quadriceps strain. Wednesday, Mauer still felt soreness in his leg and was unable to run the bases or squat behind the plate like the team had hoped, so his return has been pushed back indefinitely. “We’ll see where he’s at, but he’s not going to be activated Friday. So we’re just going to keep pushing it back,” manager Ron Gardenhire told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. |
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| Joe Mauer will not come off the disabled list Friday, as the Twins had originally planned, the AP reports. Mauer will travel with the team on a six-game road trip and see if his strained left quadriceps muscle fully heals. |
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| Joe Mauer showed up sore on Tuesday after a strenuous workout, still bothered by a deep bruise and some bleeding in his strained left quadriceps, according to the AP. The Twins are still counting on him to be back this weekend, but Mauer might have a second MRI test on the muscle to make sure everything is OK. |
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| Joe Mauer, on the disabled list with a strained left quadriceps, is on target to return to the Twins lineup on Friday, according to the AP. Mauer has been sidelined since May 5 with the injury. |
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| Joe Mauer, on the disabled list with a strained quad, could be activated from the 15-day disabled list before the team's homestand concludes Wednesday, according to the AP. He's been sidelined since May 5. |
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| Joe Mauer was back on the field in his regular batting practice group on Friday, but he was still not in the Twins lineup, the team's official site reports.
Mauer said that his leg was feeling better, yet he still did not know exactly when he will be activated from the disabled list. The hope of the club had been to have Mauer return at some point this weekend, but the catcher is still taking a cautious approach. "Every day it's getting a little better," Mauer said. "I guess they'll tell me when I'm ready to go. It's just encouraging that [Thursday] and [Friday] it feels a lot better than it did two days ago." |
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| Joe Mauer may return to action as soon as Friday. The catcher has been on the disabled list since May 5 with a strained left quadriceps muscle, but he has been running at close to full speed, has taken batting practice, and has caught bullpen sessions each of the last two days, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I’d like to get back in there Friday,” he said. |
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| Joe Mauer won't be activated from the 15-day DL until he can handle the physical demands of his position, according to the AP. That means he won't be eased back into the lineup as a DH. "He hasn't done any running or squatting," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "So he's a ways away. There's no timetable. We want him to be able to catch. I don't want him to take off running and pop something." Mauer has been out since May 6 with a strained left quad. |
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| As expected, Joe Mauer is not ready to come off the disabled list today, the first day he's eligible. His strained left quadriceps is improving but is not game-ready, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "He's starting to run out on the field, but he still feels tight," manager Ron Gardenhire said. The Twins will be cautious with his return, which likely won't happen until at least later next week. |
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| Manager Ron Gardenhire admitted Wednesday that catcher Joe Mauer will not return to action on Sunday, when he is officially eligible to return from the disabled list. According to the team’s official website, the swelling in his injured quadriceps muscle has decreased and he has resumed some baseball activities, but it’s likely that Mauer will not return to action until late next week. |
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| Joe Mauer is eligible to come off the disabled list May 20, but it remains uncertain if he'll be ready, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. Mauer has been playing catch and taking swings to keep in shape, while waiting for his strained left quadriceps to heal.
"It's getting better each day, but it's still in there," Mauer said. For what it's worth, here was Ron Gardenhire's take: "We're going to give him his time. That's why we put him on the DL, to let this thing heal so we're not fighting it the rest of the year."
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| The Twins placed Joe Mauer on the disabled list Sunday with a strained left quadriceps muscle, according to the AP. "It's tough," Mauer said after the game. "Nobody wants to be on the disabled list. You want to go out there and help your teammates. It's not really something I'm used to." There's currently no timetable for his return. Mike Redmond will start behind the plate for the Twins for the time being. |
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| Joe Mauer is expected to miss his second straight game today due to a sore left quadriceps, according to the Star-Tribune. He's scheduled to have an MRI this morning to determine the severity of the injury. Mauer said the muscle has bothered him slightly all season before aggravating the injury on Friday. "It’s kind of been lingering for a little bit," he said. "But it’s never been this sore before." |
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| Joe Mauer was a late scratch from the lineup Saturday night because of a sore left quadriceps muscle, according to the AP. He will have a precautionary MRI test done on his leg Sunday, the team said. |
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| Joe Mauer got a routine day off to rest on Sunday, according to the Pioneer Press. For what it's worth, his mother saw some action, as she tossed out the ceremonial first pitch. Mauer, who is hitting .325 thus far, will be back in the mix for the Twins' next game. |
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| Joe Mauer, who had been sidelined since March 22 with a stress reaction in his left leg, returned to the lineup on Saturday, going 1-for-3 with a three-run double. He should be fine for the start of the year. |
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| Joe Mauer was able to catch a bullpen session on Monday, according to the AP. He's recovering from a stress reaction in his left fibula but appears close to returning to action. |
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| Joe Mauer thinks he'll be back in action in a couple of days, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Mauer has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left fibula. "I think I just need a few days," Mauer said. "If this was something that happened during the year, it probably wouldn't be known or something like that. I just want to make sure I'm right for Opening Day." |
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| Joe Mauer has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left fibula, according to the Star-Tribune. He'll be treated with a bone stimulator and physical therapy and will be re-evaluated on Sunday. The Twins are optimistic that they caught the condition early enough to prevent it from being a long-term problem. |
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| Joe Mauer agreed to a four-year, $33 million deal with the Twins on Sunday, according to the AP. "I'm real excited to be in Minnesota for the next four years and that I'll be playing at home with my family and friends being there," Mauer said. "I'm excited to be there for the opening of the new stadium." Mauer would have been eligible for free agency after the 2009 season. |
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| Joe Mauer was given a routine day off Saturday, the Twins official site reports. "We're trying to play it all the way out with a lot of guys, but with a catcher, it's a different story," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "This will hopefully give Joe's legs a little break." The Twins should be able to wrap up a playoff spot before the end of the regular season next Sunday, so it will be a surprise if Mauer doesn't receive at least one more day off over the final week. |
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| Joe Mauer got a routine day off on Wednesday, according to the AP. "This gives [Mauer] an opportunity to get back-to-back [days off]," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "As hard as it is to write him out of the lineup, it is the right thing to do every once in a while for him." |
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