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.”

— Kelly Thesier-MLB.com

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.”

– Samuel Zuba – MLB.com

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.

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.

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).

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

Credit

I added 16 high quality images from June 15th game against the White Sox.
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Joe Mauer had only one full day away from the ballpark during the all-star break, and he knew just what he wanted to do with it — sleep. The private plane he chartered from Anaheim to Minnesota after Tuesday night’s All-Star Game landed about 4 a.m. Wednesday, and when Mauer’s head finally hit the pillow about an hour later, the catcher didn’t stir until about 3 that afternoon, just in time for a little fishing (the other thing he wanted to do on his day off).

“I just try to wake up when I wake up,” Mauer said. “I don’t like alarm clocks.”

The uninterrupted sleep and four-day stretch of so little time in catcher’s gear seemed to make a difference in Mauer’s young second half.

In the first two games of the Twins’ four-game series against the Chicago White Sox, Mauer is 5 for 10 with five runs batted in and two doubles, raising his batting average from .293 to .300, and Thursday marked his first three-RBI game since Aug. 18, 2009.

Rest of the article at the PioneerPress

Twins catcher Joe Mauer is the fans’ top choice for tomorrow’s All-Star game in Anaheim, California. The two-time Gold Glove winner, three-time batting champion and reigning American League MVP earned 5,372,606 votes, the third-highest of all-time. On Monday, Mauer took some time out of his day at FanFest to talk to SIKIDS.com about baseball, the All-Star atmosphere, and the season’s second half…

SIKIDS.com: You are on the cover of MLB 10: The Show. What were you doing with the game at FanFest?

Joe: We just went to FanFest and got to play the game a little bit with the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Santa Ana. I actually got to play the game in 3D, which was really cool because you get to see different things. It was really fun to do that with the fans and see how excited they are for these couple of days.

SIKIDS.com: Did the kids beat you?

Joe: [Laughing] Yeah. They are pretty good at the game. I have to brush up next time before I go back there.

SIKIDS.com: It’s your fourth All-Star game and the third one in which you have been voted a starter by the fans. Do you feel like an old pro at this?

Joe: I don’t know about that, but I kind of know what to expect coming into these couple of days. It’s a crazy couple of days. It is also a lot of fun.
Read the whole story »

7-13-10 – FSNorth
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7/13/10: Joe Mauer talks about leading the Majors in All-Star voting with over five million votes

This was an adorable interview!

This one is from @bSquared13

From Gettyimages:

By Phil Miller

I’ll never forget the best quote Joe Mauer ever gave me, partly because it set him so far apart from the self-absorbed and the swollen-headed that dominate sports headlines in the Age of Hype, but also because it was such a rare glimpse into his humor. We were discussing a laughably generic doll that was being handed out to fans at the Metrodome that weekend, a moppet in a Twins jersey that was supposed to be a likeness of the All-Star catcher but failed miserably.

Mauer said he had thrown the featureless toy to his family’s dog, but that the pet had simply sniffed at it and walked away.

“Figures,” he catcher mused. “I’m not even cool enough for the dog to play with.”

That’s right, Minnesota’s most eligible bachelor, the guy with the swank sideburns and the sweet batting stroke, the hometown hero with the $184 million contract — he doesn’t consider himself one of the cool kids.

Refreshing in its absurdity, isn’t it?

That’s Joe Mauer, though, a 25-year-old ballplayer who tries to be as nondescript off the field as he is unforgettable on it, a lifelong son of St. Paul who may be Minnesota’s most famous citizen — and one of its least-known.

Mauer dutifully fulfills his responsibilities to speak to the media, but does so with a distinctly bland manner, as though even he is bored with himself. He’s one of the most fascinating personalities in the Twins’ clubhouse, ironically because there appears to be so little complexity to him. He appears almost bewildered at times by the interest that reporters, and the public, take in him, and his tepid answers frequently reflect that bafflement.

I looked at my notes from the last time I spoke with Mauer after a game, and was struck by how earnestly he gave his answers, but how unrevealing they were. “I just looked for a good pitch,” he said after a three-hit night. “I tried to put a good swing on it.”

Read the rest of this post at FSNorth – It’s a great article!