REFLECTIONS
Another Minnesota Twin makes the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in New York.
Joe Mauer will be enshrined in late July of this year. He enters the Hall of Fame with the distinction of being a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Some big names appeared on the ballot this year, and Mauer earned the right to say he is a first-time Hall of Fame selection. Mauer, #7, is a hometown boy coming out of St. Paul Cretin-Derham Hall.
Mauer, a No. 1 overall pick out of high school in a star-studded 2001 draft that included uber-hyped Mark Prior and Mark Teixeira, Mauer quickly maneuvered through the minors and debuted in the majors at age 20 as baseball's top prospect.
The hype never seemed to bother the hometown hero. He hit .308 with a .570 slugging percentage in 35 games in 2004 and was an All-Star and batting title winner in 2006, finishing sixth in MVP voting at age 23.
3 batting titles
Mauer would win three batting titles across his 15 seasons, including awfully high marks at .347 and .365. He won the 2009 MVP while slashing a ridiculous .365/.444/.587 (171 OPS+). He led the league in on-base percentage twice and slugging once.
He was a long-time Twins catcher/first baseman/designated hitter. In 2009, Mauer became the first catcher to lead the league in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage in a single year, and the first player to lead the American League in all three since George Brett did so in 1980. Mauer posted a .306 batting average (2,123-for-6,930) with 1,018 runs, 428 doubles, 30 triples, 143 home runs, 923 RBI, 939 bases on balls, .388 on-base percentage and .439 slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .996 fielding percentage playing at catcher and first base.
Mauer had five career five-hit games and 23 four-hit games. As a catcher, Mauer won three Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers, but a series of injuries forced him to stop catching after the 2013 season. He moved to first base.
I am fortunate to have met Mauer on several occasions, mainly to interview #7. He has always been a classy hometown athlete and one who has received and earned many accolades.
I have a 16-by-20 enlarged Mauer photo that is personally signed by Joe and hangs in my office. I also have a Mauer autographed bat and had my photo taken with Mauer at the 2014 All Star festivities in Minneapolis.
Family man
Mauer is rightfully portrayed as a family man, married to Maddie and father to their three children.
They have twin daughters named Emily Teresa and Maren Virginia, born on July 24, 2013, and a son named Charles "Chip" Joseph, born on November 14, 2018.
Mauer was inducted last year into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. He also had his jersey retired.
I have been a Major League Baseball fan since I was a kid in the pre-10 era. Some of my favorite players have been: Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Hank Aaron, Harmon Killebrew, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Willie McCovey, Torii Hunter, Bert Blyleven and Joe Mauer.
With media connections, I was able to get closer to Joe Mauer. I was in the dugout when Mauer was presented his first Silver Slugger award. He proudly stood between Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Tony Oliva.
As he posed for dozens of photos on the field, the fans gave him a standing ovation, one of many he has received during his career.
Mauer then strode back to the dugout. I slipped in front of several other dignitaries and gave Mauer a firm handshake.
“Thank you very much, I appreciate it,” he replied sincerely.
I also remember seeing Mauer take the field after he was given the Most Valuable Player award and after he received a new $100 million contract in 2009.
Congratulations, Joe, on your latest HOF honors! There are not very many who have played the game who are as classy as you.