Joe Mauer has a no-trade clause and will never play catcher again.

[LaBombo]

 

I don't really care so much that he's batting third although clearly thats probably not the right spot.  My question is why is he on pace for the most plate appearances in his career.  Of course staying healthy is part of it, but the fact he doesn't get at least one off day a week is insane.

This is confusing to me.  How many 32 year old first basemen get a day off every week?  Why should Mauer?  If it would help his offense I'm all for it, but where is either the logic or the precedent?

 

It seems to me that the only first basemen in their prime who play fewer than 140 games in a season are the ones who are platooned and the ones who get hurt.

[lukeduke1980]

 

I don't think it matters how much of his salary the Twins would be willing to eat. Joe's a roughly replacement level first baseman. No team would want to trade for Joe unless it got them out from under a bad contract of Nolascan proportions.

Can Joe play SS?

[dxpavelka]

Collective IQ below the Mendoza line.

 

[mikecgrimes]

This is confusing to me. How many 32 year old first basemen get a day off every week?  Why should Mauer?  If it would help his offense I'm all for it, but where is either the logic or the precedent?

 

It seems to me that the only first basemen in their prime who play fewer than 140 games in a season are the ones who are platooned

given the almost complete lineup flexibility 1st base/dh gives you not platooning mauer means the manager isn't trying.

[SwainZag]

 

given the almost complete lineup flexibility 1st base/dh gives you not platooning mauer means the manager isn't trying.

 

Given Mauer's splits against Price, benching Mauer was absolutely the right decision.  Price has dominated him over the years.

[Dr. Evil]

He used to be a quarterback. Maybe we could convert him to a relief pitcher since we can't even get a quarter back?

[beckmt]

 

 

I don't think it matters how much of his salary the Twins would be willing to eat. Joe's a roughly replacement level first baseman. No team would want to trade for Joe unless it got them out from under a bad contract of Nolascan proportions.

 

It would have to be a   worse contract than that.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Given Mauer's splits against Price, benching Mauer was absolutely the right decision.  Price has dominated him over the years.

 

Most people would agree with you, but I would also call it "in a tough situation, never ask a vet like Joe to carry more than his weight"

 

The Twins face Cole Hamels next week. Joe is 0-9 versus Hamels. Don't rest him; bat him sixth that night, and then leave him there!

[Mike Sixel]

I didn't really have a problem with Mauer sitting. Not sure why anyone did, really.

[Teflon]

The only way Joe would catch again is if Chuck Norris made him!

 

[LaBombo]

 

given the almost complete lineup flexibility 1st base/dh gives you not platooning mauer means the manager isn't trying.

 

Ah.    Platooning.    When you said "day off" it looked like you meant resting him, not sitting him against lefties.    If the Twins can somehow find a way around the binding U.N. resolution that prevents them from platooning, I'm all for it.

 

And as I said in that game thread, with a career .176 average against David Price, it was nice to see Mauer sit.    Of course it was probably just organizational muscle memory from short turnaround games during Joe's catching days, but it's still pleasant to imagine they're thinking along sabre lines.