ESPN Busted with Hands Down Joe Mauer's Pants
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by user Fornelli
I was at last night's 7-4 Twins victory over the Chicago White Sox at US Cellular Field. I got to see the great Joe Mauer live and in person. Mauer is currently batting .380 with 8HR and 53RBI. One of those home runs, and three of those RBI's came last night.
In the seventh inning Mauer, with a 3-1 count(I think I read somewhere yesterday that Mauer is hitting .586 when thrown a fastball on a 3-1 count), sent a belt high fastball over the centerfield wall off lefty Neal Cotts. It was Mauer's first home run off a left hander this season.
Now don't get me wrong, I think Joe Mauer is a terrific young baseball player. He has a swing that would probably make Ted Williams say "Ooooh."
Well, if his lips weren't frozen anyway.
Then again I also realize this kid is only 23. ESPN though has basically started clearing his space in Cooperstown for him. The last few days at ESPN.com have been a Mauer Lovefest. Take for instance this quote from ESPN's Keith Law.
"The problem with Joe Mauer is that there are no problems with Joe Mauer. I'm not sure he's the perfect player, but he's pretty close. I wish to marry him and have 8 of his children."
Ok, so he never said he wants to marry him, or father his children, but he may as well have. Rob Neyer also jumped in on the Mauer reacharounds practically proclaiming him the greatest catcher of all time.
Now Mauer is good, but I don't think he's anything near perfect. First of all, I'm pretty sure he struck out twice, and grounded out meekly last night too. Also, for someone his size (Mauer is 6'4 220) he doesn't produce very good power numbers. The Twins believe he'll grow in time, and so will his power numbers. Well, that will affect his catching. Mauer already is a little bit too big to be a catcher. That large frame of his will be hell on his back and knees over time.
At some point I believe Mauer is destined to become a first baseman, and at that point will we still consider him to be so great? It's easier to get noticed as a great offensive catcher because there aren't that many. Big hitting first baseman on the other hand are very common.
I believe Mauer has all the tools and is fully capable of being a Hall of Fame hitter in his career, but for Christ's sake people he's 23. He hasn't even played a complete Major League season yet! So can we please slow down on his coronation as the Greatest Hitter of All-Time? Just look at the guy drafted after him in 2002 (Mauer was selected #1 overall), Mark Prior. He pitched one season, was heralded as a Messiah and the greatest pitcher of all time, and has done absolutely nothing since due to injuries.
A lot can happen to a baseball player in his career, let alone when that player plays the most demanding position in the game.
http://tomfornellisportsblog.blogspot.com
Date
Tue 07/25/06, 10:09 am EST
