Joe Mauer Set to Win Home Run Derby

by Jon Marthaler on Jul 10, 2009 4:11 PM EDT in Quick Hits

Admit it. You'll be surprised if he doesn't win.

Of course, you'd also be surprised if he didn't win any competition he might enter, including the NFL Quarterback Challenge, the NBA three-point contest, the revival of seventies game show "Superstars" on ABC, and the 2014 Minnesota gubernatorial election.

His coach at Cretin-Derham Hall, Jim O'Neill, will be his designated pitcher during the Derby, which I think we can all agree is too adorable for words.

[This news via Joe C.'s Twitter feed, at least that's how I got it, and I'm not sure how I feel about that]

Line of the night, from DavidRF in the comments: "He’ll probably lay a perfect bunt down the third base line on the first pitch… just to keep the wall honest."

Tweet Comment 20 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

ugggh

I would really prefer if he didn’t participate.

by guinness junky on Jul 10, 2009 4:26 PM EDT reply actions

Hope he stays being Joe...

It would be funny if he sent lasers to the base of the left-center-field wall all the time. Half of them going into the first row and the other half caroming off the base of the wall. That would be amusing.

Even if he decides to use an uppercut and pull balls into the right-field seats, I’m not too worried about him ruining his swing. Its hard to imagine that an hour of televised batting practice would ruin a swing he works on every day in the cage and in games.

by DavidRF on Jul 10, 2009 4:45 PM EDT reply actions

How can you not love this

Joe can come off of surgery, step in May 1 and hit .400. Nothing’s going to mess up his swing.

Joe could probably go up in a wheelchair with a broom handle and still hit .325.

Good luck to Joe. I love it.

by Neil on Jul 10, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

I would imagine

that by the end of the weekend, Busch Stadium will known as Mauer field. (Immediately angering the Target Corp. because they also had planed to re-name Target Field for him)

I am also a bit upset that he is not going to be throwing to himself as well. (and catching, for that matter)

Anything less than 65 HR’s will be a letdown.

Oh Joe, I do love you.

Baseball is the soundtrack to my summer.

by FoulJack on Jul 10, 2009 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

could be more than 65 HRs...

But he’ll probably lay a perfect bunt down the third base line on the first pitch… just to keep the wall honest! :-)

by DavidRF on Jul 10, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

HA!

Baseball is the soundtrack to my summer.

by FoulJack on Jul 10, 2009 5:39 PM EDT reply actions

ugh

He wouldn’t do this if he thought the Twins had a chance this season as there is a miniscule chance that this will screw up his second half. Therefore, at least we know where we stand now in regards to this season. We are throwing in the towel. We’re not making trades to get better. We are going status quo.

by ajmargarine on Jul 10, 2009 5:42 PM EDT reply actions

Dude that's pretty harsh.

And sort of not founded in reality.

by Jesse on Jul 10, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

:)

please teach me to convey sarcasm better on this site, so that these misunderstandings do not continue.

by ajmargarine on Jul 10, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

HA!

And I felt bad saying that! Thus my paragraphs below…

Damn text and its lack of context!

by Jesse on Jul 10, 2009 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions

wow if that was an attempt at sarcasm, it was really, really bad.

Either that or I am both more braindead and more cynical than I thought.

by montanatwinsfan on Jul 10, 2009 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions

On the same note - not sarcastic ... WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY?

I am SO against this for our catcher. There is NO good that can come of this other than a self serving accolade – which I am not always opposed to. But in this case, WHY!? He plays the most physically taxing position, he has already started to get banged up, he could use the time off, and the Twins org could use Mauer healthy and swinging when it counts. I know the risk here is small, but the gains are (IMHO) non-existent.

by montanatwinsfan on Jul 10, 2009 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Calm down.

Enjoy the game.

Mauer will be fine.

No sense worrying ourselves to death over something that should be fun.

by Neil on Jul 10, 2009 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

ya

he figures this is probably his only shot at HR derby in his career, so he’ll take it.

by ajmargarine on Jul 10, 2009 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions

i suppose simply a joke, more than sarcasm

shrug

by ajmargarine on Jul 10, 2009 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I owe you more of an explaination than that.

People say that the HR derby can screw up a swing as much as not, but the fact is that these guys are professionals. And nobody is more professional than Joe Mauer. To think that we’re “throwing in the towel” or that this is somehow an indication of how Mauer thinks the season will go is sort of a gut reaction, not to mention false.

I think a HR Derby can screw up the swings of some people…think Tom Brunansky. But Justin did just fine last year after winning it. There’s nothing wrong with participating in the spectacle, because that’s just what it is, a spectacle…

by Jesse on Jul 10, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions