News
Mauer in line for AL MVP hardware
Twins catcher looking to put cap on fantastic season
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
11/22/09 11:48 AM EST
MINNEAPOLIS -- During Spring Training, Joe Mauer would have given anything just to be on the field with his teammates.
Back problems had plagued Mauer throughout the offseason and kept him from participating during the club's six weeks in Fort Myers, Fla. He was finally diagnosed with inflammation in his sacroiliac joint in mid-March and began the year on the disabled list. Mauer ended up missing the entire first month of the regular season as he allowed his aching back to heal.
By the time Mauer was ready to make his return to the Twins on May 1, his teammates were cautious not to put too much pressure on the All-Star catcher. They downplayed what he might be able to contribute to the team right away. After all, Mauer's preparation for the 2009 season had basically been limited to a handful of extended spring games and Minor League contests. Turns out the Twins had no need for any concern. Mauer not only hit a home run in his first at-bat but put together such an illustrious season that he's considered the favorite to win this year's American League MVP Award. On Monday, Mauer will learn whether or not he's earned his first MVP honor when the Baseball Writers' Association of America announces the balloting results. If Mauer wins, he would become the fifth Twins player to achieve the feat. He would join teammate Justin Morneau, who took home the honor in '06, as well as Zoilo Versalles (1965) Harmon Killebrew ('69) and Rod Carew ('77). The Yankees' Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira are considered to be Mauer's two biggest MVP challengers, but the teammates could split votes. Others expected to be in the mix are the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera and the Angels' Kendry Morales, both of whom had strong years for teams that made the postseason. But many, especially on the Twins, feel there is strong reason to believe that it will be Mauer who gets the phone call on Monday. "I don't see how anybody can compete with that," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of Mauer's season. "The year Joe had was just incredible. It's almost hard to wrap your mind around where he now stands in the history of the game. I know what he means to our ballclub and our organization. But I think everybody, nationally, is starting to get a little bit of a feel now how really, really good this guy is. I think you just top it off by giving him an MVP award, which he rightfully deserves." Statistically, it's hard to argue against Mauer considering the numbers he put up in only five months. He batted .365 to earn his second consecutive AL batting title. It was the third batting title of Mauer's career, making the 26-year-old the only catcher in Major League history to accomplish the feat. He's now the 10th player in AL history with three or more batting titles. In addition to leading the league in batting average, Mauer was also the leader in on-base percentage (.444) and slugging percentage (.587), giving him what some stat gurus have deemed the modern Triple Crown. He set career highs in home runs (28) and RBIs (96). And it was an unexpected power surge for Mauer that was the biggest change for him in 2009, as he more than doubled his previous high in homers (13). But Mauer's impact on the Twins is about more than just his offensive numbers. During the first month of the season, the club saw what it was like to not have its Gold Glove catcher behind the plate. In addition to having one of the better arms in the league, Mauer has also played a key role in helping to steady the Minnesota's pitching staff. "I can't say he's gone to the next level, because he's been at a level that not too many people have been at anyway," Gardenhire said. "But the MVP Award would really put a cap on what we've known all along here in Minnesota, and that's what he is -- he is an MVP of the league. He's one of the elite." Mauer was considered a front-runner for the MVP honor as he flirted with a .400 average going into the month of July, but the catcher saw his candidacy surge thanks to the Minnesota's late-season run. After sitting seven games back of the Tigers on Sept. 6, the Twins won 17 of their final 21 games -- including a one-game tiebreaker -- to capture the club's fifth division title in eight years. With Morneau out for the final three weeks of the season due to injury, Mauer's production became even more critical. The club went 11-11 in April without Mauer and posted a 76-65 record once he returned. "I think you take Joe out of this lineup, off this team, and I don't think we're still battling for a playoff spot right now," Morneau said in early September. "For me, I don't think there is anyone more valuable in the league -- the American League for sure -- let alone all of baseball." While Mauer is still waiting to learn whether he'll be named AL MVP, he's already taken home his share of honors this offseason. He was named the AL's Outstanding Player in the Player's Choice Awards. He also earned his third AL Silver Slugger Award and his second consecutive AL Gold Glove. By Monday afternoon, Mauer might have to clear another spot in his already crowded trophy case.Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
