Joe Mauer looked good making throws to second base earlier and likely will catch Sunday, though that will depend on how his arm feels in the morning. He is DHing tonight for the fifth straight game, with Drew Butera catching Pavano again.- StarTribune
Mauer still not catching: Joe Mauer was in the Twins’ starting lineup for Friday’s game at Cleveland, but for the fourth straight game, he was the team’s designated hitter, as Drew Butera drew the start at catcher. Mauer received a cortisone shot on Saturday, but has been battling a sore shoulder even several days after receiving the shot.
From LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune – Entire article can be read at this link:
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – The Twins left Tropicana Field on Thursday convinced they can play with the Tampa Bay Rays after absorbing late-inning comebacks in each of the past two games to win and split the four-game series.
“To me, they have the best starting rotation in baseball,” Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer said, “at least in the American League. One through five, one through six, they can matchup with anyone.”
As their charter flight headed to Cleveland for a three-game series against the Indians, the Twins were left with one big question:
When will their All-Star, All-Galaxy catcher actually be a catcher again?
One thing Joe Mauer revealed on Thursday is that he expects his right shoulder to give him some trouble the rest of the season. The goal right now it to get it to a level where he can be productive at and behind the plate.
“I know it is not going to be 100 percent,” he said. “As soon as it gets back to where I can play back there, that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Mauer didn’t play Monday as he waited for the effects of a cortisone shot on Saturday to take place. The improvement in his shoulder, however, has been slower than he expected. He was the designated hitter the final three games of the series against the Rays.
Catcher Joe Mauer, still unable to throw without discomfort in his right shoulder, was in the starting lineup as the Twins‘ designated hitter for the third consecutive game Thursday in Tampa. Mauer has not caught since Saturday, when he received a cortisone shot in a bursa in his right shoulder.
Mauer began playing catch Tuesday, but after throwing again Thursday, he reported to manager Ron Gardenhire that his arm still was not ready to attempt throwing out Tampa Bay’s speedy base-stealers. Gardenhire believes Mauer will return to catching this weekend in Cleveland.
“He’s still not quite there, but I think probably this next series he should be able to catch and start going back out there,” Gardenhire said. “He tried (Thursday) and said it didn’t work out, that it didn’t feel great yet. All I can do is go by what he’s telling me.”
Gardenhire said he wants to wait until Mauer’s arm is better than just “OK.” According to the manager, Mauer’s shoulder pained him each time he threw from home before the cortisone shot. The manager also said the injury had started to pain Mauer at the plate.
That problem appeared resolved during Mauer’s three games against Tampa Bay, when he went 5-for-11. He’s now batting .400 in his career against the Rays and .433 in his career at Tropicana Field — the highest among all active players with at least 50 plate appearances at the Rays’ home ballpark.
From PioneerPress:
Considering the speed of Tampa Bay’s lineup, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he didn’t want to push Mauer’s right shoulder hard so soon after having a cortisone shot on Saturday night. Mauer is likely to DH again in this afternoon’s series finale at Tropicana Field
Mauer’s return can’t change outcome
Joe Mauer returned to the lineup and hit three RBI singles, but that couldn’t make up for the Rays’ home runs. The Twins had not allowed a homer in 310 plate appearances until Sean Rodriguez’s blast in the first.
Wrap > 
Mauer’s RBI 1Bs: 1 | 2 | 3 
Mauer returns, but only as DH (AP)
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – Twins catcher Joe Mauer seemed fine Friday when he reached back and threw a bullet to catch Seattle’s Chone Figgins attempting to steal second base.
But Mauer said his right shoulder wasn’t fine.
“Actually, we made the decision to have it before that,” Mauer said.
The “it” was a cortisone injection to take care of soreness and inflammation that has bothered him for weeks. After missing games Sunday and Monday, Mauer was back in the lineup — albeit as a designated hitter — on Tuesday. He was 3-for-4 with three RBI, raising his average to .652 (15-for-23) with 13 RBI over his past six games.
Mauer played light catch before Tuesday’s game and will see how he feels Wednesday before getting back behind the plate. “It feels better than a couple days ago,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll be in there soon.”
Mauer’s shoulder issues came to light right before the All-Star break, the latest known development in a season in which he’s been banged up throughout.
“Just have to go day by day with him and see how it feels,” manager Ron Gardenhire said.
| Minnesota | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Span, CF | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .277 |
| Casilla, A, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .260 |
| c-Thome, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .251 |
| 1-Hardy, PR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .258 |
| Mauer, DH | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .318 |
| Young, D, LF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .330 |
| Kubel, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .261 |
| Cuddyer, 1B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .276 |
| Valencia, 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .360 |
| Plouffe, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .115 |
| a-Repko, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .316 |
| Butera, C | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
| b-Morales, J, PH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 36 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 20 | .281 |
a-Struck out for Plouffe in the 9th. b-Walked for Butera in the 9th. c-Reached on error for Casilla, A in the 9th.
1-Ran for Thome in the 9th. BATTING
2B: Span (15, Niemann), Cuddyer (25, Niemann).
HR: Butera (2, 7th inning off Niemann, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Span 3; Mauer 3; Kubel; Cuddyer 3; Butera 5.
RBI: Mauer 3 (56), Butera (8).
2-out RBI: Mauer 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Plouffe; Kubel 2; Young, D.
S: Casilla, A.
GIDP: Valencia.
Team RISP: 3-for-11.
Team LOB: 9.
BASERUNNING
SB: Cuddyer (3, 3rd base off Niemann/Shoppach).
FIELDING
Outfield assists: Span (Rodriguez, S at home).
DP: 2 (Valencia-Casilla, A-Cuddyer, Plouffe-Cuddyer).
| Minnesota | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duensing | 6.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2.10 |
| Guerrier(L, 1-6) | 0.1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3.45 |
| Mijares, Jo | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.59 |
| Crain | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.05 |
| Capps | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.64 |
| Mahay | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.38 |
| Totals | 8.0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 3.96 |
Gerry interviews Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.
The reigning AL MVP talks sideburns, shopping at Target and his underground rapping career.
Joe Mauer talks about his oscar performance in the infamous “Dude we went fishing in Cabo” Playstation commercial.
ST. PETERSBURG — Joe Mauer was not in the lineup Monday night against the Rays, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said before the game that the catcher would be available to pinch-hit if necessary.
Mauer had a cortisone shot in his right shoulder Saturday night, sat out Sunday with shoulder tendinitis and was feeling better Monday afternoon.
“A little sore still from the shot, but we’ll give him another day-to-day,” Gardenhire said. “He’s available to pinch-hit, and we’ll see where he’s at come tomorrow. He should be available to pinch-hit today, taking some light swings in the cage.”
Mauer’s right shoulder had been bothering him since a foul tip bounced off it during the Twins’ pre-All Star break road trip to Toronto and Detroit. An MRI showed no structural damage, so the cortisone injection should be enough to ease the pain.
“His arm feels a lot better, but it’s still going to be a little sore,” Gardenhire said. “We’d like to give him two days if we can possibly do that.”
Drew Butera started at catcher Monday night, and Gardenhire said he was happy to have depth at the position, as Jose Morales can provide a little backup after being called up from Triple-A Rochester on July 26. In the meantime, Gardenhire said, Mauer will just have to wait for the cortisone shot to run its course.
“We have to let it work. Time will tell,” Gardenhire said. “It’s about letting the medicine taking over now, and hopefully, he’ll get in the right spot and feel better. He feels better today than he did yesterday.”
Photos from the series against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City have been added to the gallery, you can view those photos by clicking the link below!
Joe Mauer took a cortisone shot to quell swelling in his right shoulder Saturday night and will miss at least the next two games.
The shoulder has been bothering him since being hit by a foul tip about a month ago. Manager Ron Gardenhire said Mauer has had a magnetic resonance imaging exam and “everything’s fine, everything’s sound. He’s just got a little tendinitis in there that keeps bothering him and won’t go away. You get in there and don’t throw for a couple days, he should be good.”
MINNEAPOLIS — Twins catcher Joe Mauer is expected to miss one or two days after receiving a cortisone shot in his right shoulder on Saturday night.
Manager Ron Gardenhire said after Saturday’s 4-0 victory over the Mariners that Mauer has been battling some tendinitis in his right shoulder. It’s been bothering the catcher since he took a foul tip right off the shoulder earlier this month during the club’s road trip to Toronto and Detroit right before the All-Star break.
“It’s a little bit of tendinitis in his shoulder that just won’t go away,” Gardenhire said. “Doctors seem to think that this will be a good thing for him, and we’re just going to have to live with it.”
Mauer had an MRI on the shoulder and it showed no structural damage, so the hope is that the injection will take care of the tendinitis. Gardenhire said that Mauer was probably not going to catch on Sunday since it was a day game following a night game, and backup catcher Drew Butera was scheduled to start behind the plate on Monday since Carl Pavano is pitching.
“Give him a couple days without throwing and go from there,” Gardenhire said of Mauer. “It should be good.”
Despite the shoulder tendinitis, Mauer has been hitting well since the All-Star break, batting .414 over that span. He finished the month of July with a .344 average after going 3-for-4 in Saturday’s win over Seattle.
Posted by Joe Christensen – StarTribune
Last update: July 31, 2010 – 8:50 PM
Twins catcher Joe Mauer is getting a cortisone shot in his right shoulder to treat tendinitis and is expected to miss one or two days, Manager Ron Gardenhire said after his team’s 4-0 victory over Seattle on Saturday night.
Mauer has been hitting well — .414 since the All-Star break — but his arm has been sore since he took a foul tip off his shoulder in early July.
Gardenhire did have good news about Justin Morneau, however. Morneau is scheduled to take batting practice on the field Sunday morning for the first time since he suffered a concussion on July 7.
?
I found this very interesting post at Baseball-Reference.com about Joe’s 5 hits and 7 RBIs game against the Royals two nights ago!
Credit to Baseball-Reference.com
Last night, Joe Mauer had 5 hits and 7 RBI while the Twins obliterated the Royals. Turns out this is quite a rare feat. Click through to see just how rare.
A player has had at least 5 hits and 7 RBI in a game just 44 times.
Here are the 10 most recent occasions:
Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO WPA RE24 aLI BOP Pos. Summary 1 Joe Mauer 2010-07-26 MIN KCR W 19-1 5 5 3 5 1 0 1 7 0 0 0.071 5.397 .238 3 C 2 Troy Tulowitzki 2009-08-10 COL CHC W 11-5 5 5 2 5 1 1 1 7 0 0 0.250 6.742 .408 4 SS 3 Victor Martinez 2004-07-16 CLE SEA W 18-6 6 5 3 5 0 0 3 7 1 0 0.130 6.116 .403 4 C 4 Shea Hillenbrand 2003-07-07 ARI COL W 14-6 5 5 4 5 1 0 3 7 0 0 0.620 6.925 1.142 4 3B 5 Casey Blake 2003-07-05 CLE MIN W 13-2 5 5 3 5 2 0 2 7 0 0 0.213 6.359 .604 6 3B 6 Shawn Green 2002-05-23 LAD MIL W 16-3 6 6 6 6 1 0 4 7 0 0 0.303 7.052 .433 3 RF 7 Jose Canseco 1994-06-13 TEX SEA W 17-9 6 6 3 5 0 0 3 8 0 1 0.233 6.547 .502 3 DH 8 Danny Tartabull 1992-09-08 NYY BAL W 16-4 5 5 3 5 1 0 2 9 0 0 0.273 6.697 .586 4 RF 9 Will Clark 1991-07-14 SFG PHI W 17-5 6 6 3 5 1 0 1 7 0 0 0.223 6.273 .805 3 1B 10 Tom Brunansky 1990-05-19 BOS MIN W 13-1 5 5 3 5 1 0 2 7 0 0 0.221 6.995 .722 4 RF Recently I mentioned that over this same period, there have been 230 cycles. So it’s about 5 times rarer for Mauer to do what he did than to hit for the cycle. Since 1920 there have been 176 no-hitters of at least 9 innings, so that’s about 4 times rarer.
Another thing I noticed: Mauer’s performance yesterday had the lowest WPA of all of them going back to 1950. (We don’t yet have WPA values for games 1920-1949). That’s because by the time he came up in the first inning, the Twins were up 1-0 with a runner on third and no outs, already with a 67% chance of winning the game. Mauer’s single pushed it to 71%, but by the time he came up again, it was already 92%.
Shout out to Raphy (not Ralphy) for bringing this to my attention. He heard it discussed on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio.
KANSAS CITY — Joe Mauer’s 5-for-5 night at the plate with seven RBIs on Monday was not only an impressive feat, it was rare as well.
Mauer became just the third catcher in history to go 5-for-5 and record at least seven RBIs. And while there was a lot of focus around baseball on the no-hitter thrown by former Twin Matt Garza on Monday night, Mauer’s feat is actually much less common.
According to the Twins’ baseball communications department, there have been 159 no-hitters compared to 23 games in which a player has tallied five-plus hits and seven-plus RBIs since 1952. That averages out to one no-hitter every 718.4 games and a player delivering a five-or-more hit game with seven-or-more RBIs once every 4966.3 games.
The night was just a culmination of some successful hitting for Mauer of late. The catcher is batting .386 since the start of the second half and .318 in the month of July.
“He gets five hits all the time, doesn’t he?” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire joked on Tuesday. “That’s the way it seems to us. Last night they all fell in and everything. We’re kind of on the side that he hits it pretty good all the time. For him to get five hits is great for his numbers and all those things. We see him hit it so hard all the time that it doesn’t surprise us.”
KANSAS CITY — For some, standing in the shadow of one of the greatest catchers in the game would be a daunting task, but not for Twins rookie Drew Butera.
Butera, who got the nod behind home plate as Joe Mauer was the designated hitter in Tuesday night’s game, views his opportunity as a chance to learn from the best — and he welcomes it.
“He is one of the greatest players to ever play, not even just at the catcher position,” Butera said. “This being my first year, to see him go about his everyday business and how he carries himself, it’s really special and an honor for me, because he’s the game’s best, and I get to learn from that.”
Assuming the role of backup catcher to a four-time All-Star means Butera’s starts are few and far between, but that’s not stopping him from preparing like he’s going to see his name on the lineup card every day.
Butera said his pregame routine is the same if he sees his name penciled in or not.
“I try to prepare every day like I’d be playing,” Butera said. “There might be a day when Joe needs rest, or he’s banged up, so I try to come to the park prepared like I’m going to be playing. That way when I see my name in the lineup, I won’t be surprised.”
The special thing about Mauer, as Butera says, is that he not only produces for the Twins on the field, he is also there in the clubhouse to help out any way he can.
“What’s good about him is that he’s always open and [available] to talk to,” Butera said. “Whenever I need anything or if I have questions on a hitter or anything, he’s always there.”
Behind Joe Mauer’s seven RBI, Danny Valencia’s grand slam and Francisco Liriano’s seven shutout innings, the Twins overwhelmed the Royals and Zack Greinke
Click the capture below to watch the video:
| Minnesota | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repko, CF | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .280 |
| Casilla, A, 2B | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .315 |
| Mauer, C | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .305 |
| a-Butera, PH-C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .176 |
| Young, D, LF | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .328 |
| Thome, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .259 |
| 1-Morales, J, PR-DH | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 |
| Cuddyer, 1B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .275 |
| Kubel, RF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .263 |
| Valencia, 3B | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .376 |
| Hardy, SS | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .254 |
| Totals | 44 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 6 | 12 | 20 | .280 |
FIELDING
PB: Butera (2).
The best thing that has happened for the Twins in 2010 when it comes to personnel remains the announcement on March 21 that Joe Mauer had agreed to an eight-year contract extension.
By PATRICK REUSSE, Star Tribune
Last update: July 24, 2010 – 11:55 PM
The best thing that has happened for the Twins in 2010 when it comes to personnel remains the announcement on March 21 that Joe Mauer had agreed to an eight-year contract extension.
The deal will conclude after the 2018 season, when Mauer will be 35 and rivaling Mickey Cochrane’s .320 as the highest career batting average in major league history for a catcher.
Mauer will have the advantage in that generational competition with the option to serve as an occasional designated hitter, and perhaps fill-in occasionally in left field or at first base in the years ahead.
Yet, if the Twins are smart, and they have been more often than not over the past decade, and if Mauer is smart, which he has been through a remarkable athletic career, then catching will remain his task for 100 or more games per season through the length of this contract.
Catching is where Mauer maximizes the edge he gives the Twins over opponents. Catching also would be Mauer’s route to Cooperstown, a worthy goal for a player with three batting titles at age 27.
There were many conclusions reached last week when Mauer had a chance to drive in a lead run in the seventh inning against Cleveland and tried to bunt for a hit.
There were loud voices proclaiming that this proved Mauer was “soft” as a competitor, and that the Twins already should regret the $23 million-per-year contract that kicks in next season.
As a Twins follower from Day 1, I declared the Mauer bunt to be the second-worst play in the team’s 50 seasons, trailing only the play at Met Stadium on Sept. 5, 1978, when Disco Dan Ford failed to score from third before Jose Morales successfully made it home from second.
This observation came with no other conclusions on Mauer as a competitor, or the wisdom of his enormous long-term deal. The attempted bunt was an astounding blunder for a player with Mauer’s baseball instincts, but not more than that.
Delmon Young went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and a homer, and Scott Baker struck out eight in seven strong innings as the Twins beat the Orioles, 7-2, on Saturday in Baltimore. Wrap >
Twins 7, Baltimore 2
Baker gets boost from Young’s bat, sagging O’s
A combination of Delmon Young’s hot hitting and facing the worst team in the majors gave the starter some confidence.
| Minnesota | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Span, CF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .270 |
| Casilla, A, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | .273 |
| Mauer, C | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .295 |
| Cuddyer, 1B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .278 |
| Young, D, LF | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .325 |
| Kubel, DH | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | .259 |
| Valencia, 3B | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .329 |
| Hardy, SS | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .254 |
| Repko, RF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .250 |
| Totals | 40 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 23 | .276 |
BATTING
2B: Valencia (4, Berken), Repko (1, Berken).
HR: Young, D (12, 5th inning off Matusz, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Span 2; Casilla, A; Cuddyer; Young, D 7; Valencia 4; Hardy 2; Repko 2.
RBI: Young, D 3 (73), Casilla, A (3), Valencia (5), Repko (1), Span (41).
2-out RBI: Casilla, A; Valencia; Repko; Span.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kubel; Casilla, A 3.
SF: Young, D.
GIDP: Kubel.
Team RISP: 5-for-14.
Team LOB: 12.
BASERUNNING
SB: Hardy (1, 2nd base off Albers/Tatum), Casilla, A (1, 2nd base off Matusz/Tatum), Span (18, 3rd base off Matusz/Tatum).
FIELDING
Outfield assists: Young, D (Tejada at 2nd base).
DP: 2 (Young, D-Casilla, A, Baker, S-Hardy-Cuddyer).
| Baltimore | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roberts, B, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .136 |
| Tejada, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .273 |
| Markakis, RF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .296 |
| Scott, DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .291 |
| Wigginton, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .249 |
| Jones, A, CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .272 |
| Pie, LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .271 |
| Tatum, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .271 |
| Fox, J, C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .221 |
| Izturis, C, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .248 |
| Totals | 31 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | .257 |
BATTING
2B: Pie (5, Baker, S).
HR: Scott (16, 4th inning off Baker, S, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Roberts, B; Tejada; Scott 5; Wigginton; Pie 2.
RBI: Scott 2 (38).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Roberts, B; Pie.
GIDP: Pie.
Team RISP: 0-for-5.
Team LOB: 5.
FIELDING
E: Roberts, B (1, fielding).
DP: (Roberts, B-Izturis, C-Wigginton).
| Minnesota | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker, S(W, 8-9) | 7.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Guerrier | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.68 |
| Rauch | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.22 |
| Totals |
Reposted with permission of Babes Love Baseball (Thank you!)
A Major League Baseball player’s job isn’t always to hit a fastball out of the park, or make a spectacular game saving catch. Some of their best work is done outside of the ballpark. Many players get involved with charities and community events, and they don’t get nearly enough credit for doing so. That being said, Babes Love Baseball would like to tell you about – and commend – Denard Span and Orlando Hudson from the Minnesota Twins, along with Friends of St. Paul Baseball, for the upcoming “Twins & Pins Bowling Classic.”
The folks who brought you the Mauer Golf Tournament and the Molitor Golf Classic are doing it again, this time they’re hoping for lots of strikes – on the bowling lanes. Hosted by Orlando Hudson and Denard Span, members of the Minnesota Twins are signing up to participate in the Twins & Pins Bowling Classic to raise money for charity, and you can join them. The Classic will be on Thursday, July 29th at 7pm at the Brunswick Zone XL in Brooklyn Park, MN, and there are still spots open for you to participate as well.
As of this afternoon, the players expected to participate along side of Span and Hudson are: the ever versatile Michael Cuddyer, Man Muscles (and BLB’s one true love) Joe Mauer, one of our personal favorite players of all time Jim Thome, pitcher Jesse Crain, pitcher Ron Mahay, former BLB interviewee and beloved stuck-on-the-DL closer Joe Nathan, our favorite head first slider Nick Punto, and the 30-pounds-lighter Delmon Young. Also on the roster? Twins great and Hall-of-Famer Harmon Killebrew and Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer. You know you want to shell out the money and play along with these guys. And, you can feel good about doing it too, as it goes to three very deserving charities. Sooze and I will be there covering the event for you, our faithful readers, and we’d love it if you came with us!
A variety of single and team packages are available for those who would like to participate, with entrance fees ranging from $300 to $5000. All packages include personalized bowling shirts, gift bags, team photos, guest passes, and complimentary food and beverages. Every dollar raised will go to the benefit of children within Twins Territory.
The non-profit organizations benefitting from the event are The Friends of St. Paul Baseball, The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM), and Curing Autism Through Change and Hope (C.A.T.C.H.) – a group founded by Hudson.
The Friends of St. Paul Baseball is to enhance the opportunity for participation in the game of baseball within the city of St. Paul through updates and enhancements of existing baseball fields, capital improvements, on-going operational support, and the construction of additional baseball facilities.
The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM), founded in 1971, exists to enhance the lives of individuals with Autism spectrum disorders. AuSM seeks to realize its mission through education, support, collaboration, and advocacy for individuals and their families within their community.
The C.A.T.C.H. Foundation (Curing Autism Through Change and Hope) was created by Orlando Hudson in 2008 after a lifetime of experiences with students on the Autism spectrum. C.A.T.C.H. provides resources and a support system for youth coping with Autism.
If you want to register for the event, or to learn more about the Friends of St. Paul Baseball, visit the event’s website at www.twinsandpins.com or call 651-343-4239.
[Twins & Pins] [Friends of St. Paul Baseball] [C.A.T.C.H] [AuSM]
Hello again, everyone. Well, the second half of the season is underway, and the team is off to a really good start. The first part of the season was great, and I expect more of the same in the second half.
I had a blast out at the All-Star game in Anaheim, and I wanted to say thank you to all of the fans that voted for me to be included in the game. Unfortunately the AL wasn’t able to pull out a victory, but everyone had a great time. I saw quite a few Twins jerseys in the stands, both during the game and also at the Home Run Derby. It’s always great to see some hometown support, especially when you are all the way out in California. It is certainly an honor when you are selected to play in the game, but it really doesn’t sink in until you actually get there and are on the field with all of those great players. Thank you again to all of the Twins fans who voted for me to be a participant.
The All-Star break gave everyone an opportunity to be with family and to rest their bodies. I know we are in the peak of the summer months, but this year it seems like the temperature in every ballpark has been a bit higher. No matter where we go, the local paper reports the heat is breaking records. You really have to make sure you stay hydrated, not only during the game, but also before and after.
You should make sure you are staying hydrated for your workouts as well. It is great to have a bottle of water or Gatorade with you while you workout. But more importantly, you should be sure that you are hydrating throughout the day. Another thing to focus on in the heat is stretching. I think sometimes people feel that because their body is warm, it means their muscles are loose. This is definitely not the case. I try and keep the exact same stretching routine in July and August that I do in the beginning of the year. And remember, when the heat and humidity get unbearable, your Anytime Fitness club is your best option for a climate-controlled workout.
We are in Baltimore now for a four game series. Then, it’s off to Kansas City. We’ll be back in the Twin Cities next week for a series with Seattle. I am still hearing great things from fans about how much they enjoy outdoor baseball in Minnesota, and judging by the size of the crowds we have been playing in front of all year, it doesn’t look like that enjoyment is going to fade any time soon. If you’re in the area—plan to attend a game.
Best,
Joe
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