Mauer

[UdeLakeTom]

I saw the play on TV...that was one fantastic play.

[zamboni]

Nicky had a great catch of that foul pop as well. We got some serious players on our team. Outside the mound that is.

[SledNeck]

Mauer has got to be right there at the top for HR and RBI in May

[mnwild]

He is a stud when he is healty, it showed today...

[Drewski]

It makes you think. If he was in from the start of the season, he may have just as many if not more HR than Morneau with the way he's been hitting.

[juggs]

This guy is amazing. Take note, Twins fans. You're watching something special. Eight HRs in 72 ABs. I'll take the over. I don't know why he's hitting so many dingers this year--just getting the ball up a little more. I think all his homers are opposite field and his outs are hard hit, too. Stay healthy, Joe. I want to see you play for many more years.

[Scott K]

It looks as though the "CHOSEN ONE" is truly "THE CHOSEN ONE"!

[Drewski]

I don't know why he's hitting so many dingers this year--just getting the ball up a little more.

His body is also maturing and he's getting stronger. He will only hit more and more every year now.

[dfv87]

The guy is an atheltic freak... 6'6" tall and is cat quick behind the plate. Has a gun for an arm. Runs the bases as well as anybody we have. Highly Competitive, what more can you say about his hitting... He is only in his mid 20's!

It is fun hearing all the haters try and backpedal about how he would never be a power hitter... and when is this going to happen. Well, he is maturing and getting stronger, the game is slowing down even more for him now, he could be scary these next few years. (Especially with the other "M" boy hitting behind him)

[blue_healer_guy]

I don't think these numbers will continue, he's hot right now is my feeling. With his swing, I don't forsee him averaging more than 20 a year. Not a rip, just a opinion.

[Scott K]

Mauer, Boggs, and sudden displays of power

Aaron Gleeman

Yesterday afternoon, while the White Sox were waiting to hear if Jake Peavy would accept a trade to Chicago, the Twins handed them a 20-1 thrashing that tied for the most lopsided loss in franchise history. Joe Mauer led the Minnesota attack, going 3-for-4 with a grand slam, two doubles, and six RBIs before an early exit.

Mauer missed all of April with a back injury, but has hit .417/.500/.819 in 19 games since coming off the disabled list. If he had enough plate appearances to qualify, Mauer would lead baseball in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. He's such an amazing hitter that batting .417 or getting on base at a .500 clip over a three-week stretch probably shouldn't surprise anyone, but eight homers and five doubles in 72 at-bats is totally unexpected.

Prior to this season Mauer had one homer every 46.8 at-bats and an Isolated Power (slugging percentage minus batting average) of .140. So far this year he has one homer every 9.0 at-bats and an Isolated Power of .402. Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, and Mark McGwire are the only players in baseball history who've had a season in which they homered more than once every 9.0 at-bats and posted an Isolated Power above .400.

In other words, the 26-year-old two-time batting champion, career .320 hitter, and Gold Glove catcher whose only real flaw has been mediocre power is suddenly driving the ball like three of the greatest power hitters in baseball history. Naturally fans in Minnesota are giddy about the idea of Mauer adding 30-homer power to his already amazing all-around game and even my initial skepticism is starting to fade a bit. But not totally.

Mauer hasn't become more aggressive by abandoning his ultra-patient approach at the plate and he isn't suddenly pulling the ball consistently. Instead he's still taking tons of pitches and going the the other way with most of the pitches that he decides to swing at, but the fly balls to left and center field just seem to be traveling a little further. All of which makes me think that he's probably not turning into a slugger in front of our eyes.

I'd love to be wrong, of course, but what Mauer is doing seems similar to what Wade Boggs did back in 1987. Boggs then, like Mauer now, was an amazing hitter with an exceptional eye at the plate who posted huge OBPs while being criticized for his lack of power. Through his first five seasons Boggs hit .352/.435/.463 and won three batting titles, but averaged just six homers. In his sixth season, Boggs went off for 24 homers.

Through his first five seasons Mauer hit .317/.399/.457 and won two batting titles, but averaged just eight homers. In his sixth season, Mauer seems well on his way to 24 (or more) homers. Of course, the Mauer-Boggs comparison isn't a perfect one. Mauer has already shown more power than Boggs and he's just 26 years old, whereas Boggs was 29 years old in 1987. That certainly makes him more likely to suddenly develop big-time power, but the situations definitely seem similar.

After his out-of-nowhere power display in 1987, Boggs went back to hitting just five homers the next year, never homered even half that many times again, and finished his Hall of Fame career with single-digit homers in 16 of 18 seasons. Will Mauer follow in Boggs' footsteps, perhaps going deep 25 times this year before settling back into the 10-homer range for the rest of his career? Twinsfandom aside, I'm incredibly curious to find out."

[PierBridge]

I don't think these numbers will continue, he's hot right now is my feeling. With his swing, I don't forsee him averaging more than 20 a year. Not a rip, just a opinion.

I tend to agree.

We all know Joe hates to lift weights and his arms don't look any bigger then last year so this power surge does surprise me a bit. Obviously he's stronger this year but I think Joe could do much better as far as his off season training goes.

Not that it will ever happen but could you even imagine Joe Mauer on Steroids... 100 Home-runs and 250 RBI's per season is not out of the question..

Rock on Baby Jesus!

[Getanet]

I'm pretty confident in Joe's offseason training regimen. Regardless of the sport, the days of taking the offseason, well, off, just doesn't happen anymore.

I would chalk Joe's power surge up to just getting older. He's about that age where the body gets thicker naturally.

Still, I'd be lying if the thought of HGH or Roids didn't cross my mind. Even though Joe seems like a great guy, and he's one of us, stranger things have happened.

[PierBridge]

Joe's on record as saying he hates lifting weights and its evident by his skinny arms.

I agree the with you, age and experience equals more power!

[dfv87]

Don't discount #33 standing in the on deck circle. ESPN radio was just talking about these 2 might be the best 1-2 punch in all of MLB right now. While that is maybe a stretch, it has legs.

Another thing is he is known as such a "good eye" at the plate that pitchers don't get those iffy on the black of the plate calls with him. And Joe is learning all the pitchers now, not too many new ones that can fool him, he may not like to lift weights but he sure seems to study hitters and pitchers tendancies well.

[SledNeck]

Size isnt the be all end all measure of someones strength.

Look at Ryan Braun, that dude crushes the ball and hes only 200lbs and not build like monster.

Evan Longoria also.

[Spinner1]

I attended the twenty run beatdown yesterday. He took the ball to the track or better four times if memory serves. He sure doesn't look physically different to me. His outs are even to the warning track though. Just changing your swing can make power. I think things will even out over time though. If his BA slumps at all, he will return to his role as the single-double hitting machine.

Slednecks examples are good though. You don't have to look like Morneau or Thome to hit 30 HR.

[UdeLakeTom]

If size was the case, Matthew LeCroy would still be our everyday catcher.

[bassNspear]

mauer is a stud, and i hope the twins can keep him around for his career. Hes there center stone, and they need him on the team!

[zamboni]

Size isnt the be all end all measure of someones strength.

Look at Ryan Braun, that dude crushes the ball and hes only 200lbs and not build like monster.

Evan Longoria also.

and BJ Upton- I think he weighs 100 lbs, but he showed a ton of power in the postseason last year

[Quackaddict9]

If size was the case, Mathew LeCroix would still be our everyday catcher.

it's Matthew Lecroy sir

[PierBridge]

I understand what different body types can do.

I also understand what happens when great players blow up, Bonds, Mcguire, A-Roid, Sosa....ETC ETC ETC>

My only beef with Mauer is, he is a bit lazy in his weight trainiong IMO!

[riverrat56]

Mauer bulking up may affect his swing and throwing in a negetive way, just something to consider.

[DHanson]

At first I didn't think Joe looked much different this year either as far as size goes. Then, I watched part of a Twins classic today that I think was from 05. There is a huge difference in weight from 05 to current. I'm sure someone here knows for sure what the exact weight difference is, but I'm going to guess 30 lbs of lean muscle. The thing that strikes me the most about Joe is his calmness throughout every game. He stays focused like no other pro athlete I have seen. He is a class act and there isn't too many pro athletes you can really say that about. Maybe Tiger Woods? Morneau is also a class act. I can't think of 2 better players to have on the Twins roster. I wouldn't trade them for anyone.

[HossFisher]

Mauer may be quoted on record to saying he hates lifting weights. Mauer didn't get to where he is now by not working in the off season. Granted he has tons of natural talent, but that alone is good enough to carry someone this far. Unless your Joe Mauer's trainer i dont see how you can just assume he is lazy in the offseason. Back when he first came up he looked like a little boy out there. All that your seeing now is his body starting to grow into his swing.

[alwaysonthemove]

I completely agree any pitcher cannot afford to walk joe to watch the ball fly over his head in the justin at bat. Th only thing we need to get is a good solid lead off hitter. Span is patient and does well I just don't think he fits the bill.

I actually think Gomez is the # 1 guy. But he has to pull his head out of his - - - .

The twins are back

way to go gardy on reversing the call way to get your team fired up.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

way to go gardy on reversing the call way to get your team fired up.

How many times has a manager won an arguement? Last night was the first one I've seen...it was funny I thought. Can the Twins continue their hitting against the Red Sox??

[riverrat56]

So....I know Mauer has played alot of games recently, but why on earth wasn't he at least the DH in this one, riding a 4 game winning streak and with the Red Socks in town we needed to have our best players on the feild for the entire game.

That said, WOW is this guy on a tear right now!

[DHanson]

He got hit by a pitch in the hand/wrist area in last nights game. That's just Gardy looking out for his players health and trying to get him a little rest. Obviously the soreness in his hand didn't effect his pinch hit homerun, or maybe he is just that good. I agree with you on the "WOW" part. Even if this team is an average team this year, Mauer and Morneau still make it fun to watch.

[Drewski]

I think it's safe to say that if he was in from the start of the season he would have more HR than morneau! Not saying anything negative about Justin, he is still the best 1st base in MLB IMO!