Souhan's solution to the "Mauer Problem"

[USAFChief]

http://www.startribune.com/a-solution-to-the-twins-joe-mauer-problem/331496821/

 

The gist: Plouffe at third, Sano at first, Mauer to super-utility player.

[Linus]

Souhan's can come up with some doozies. I am always amazed at how much Mauer still rankles people. People just need to accept that Joe is here, is going to finish his contract here and will be the first baseman.

 

Imagine the angst if he was a bad guy.....

[lukeduke1980]

It's a fun conversation per usual w/the anti Jobos- I just think back to Escobar's year this year, and how he didn't really settle in at the plate until he was everyday SS.  To me it would give Joe (another) excuse for inconsistency.

[wsnydes]

To me Mauer doesn't really profile as a utility player.  I'm sure that he could learn to play multiple positions, but I don't know how effective he'd be at them.  Before the emergence of Hicks, I was a big proponent of moving Mauer to RF, moving Plouffe to 1B, and Sano playing 3B (or visa versa with Plouffe/Sano).  With Hicks emerging, that wouldn't be a fit anymore either.  I think you almost have go to ST and see what you have for DH hitters and whether Sano can handle 3B at the MLB level.  Then you have to decide what to do with Plouffe.  I'd hate to see him go, but I'm not sure what else you do if you have younger pieces that are capable.

 

I'd say this conundrum is a good problem to have.

 

I'm also in agreement with Linus.  He's not going anywhere.

[Mike Sixel]

Mauer is not good compared to other 1B, offensively or defensively. Throwing up your hands and saying "he's signed, he's going to play" is not good leadership*

 

*assuming your primary goal is to win games. If it is to sell tickets to people that think a guy that was born here, but chose to move the moment he could, is somehow a local hero......well, maybe it's good leadership. Depends on your goals.

[KGB]

You have Mauer, Plouffe and Sano for 3 positions.  Plouffe is clearly the best fielder, so you have to keep him at 3rd, Sano is your future star and 1B is his future position so you should start letting him play there.  So that leave Mauer competing for the DH spot and backup first baseman.  I know he doesn't profile as a DH, but he also doesn't profile as a 1B.

 

The Twins need to start building a playoff team and stop worrying about how they are going to plug Mauer into the lineup.  If he can produce, there will be a spot for him but if he continues to trend downward, they need to start moving on.

[HitInAPinch]

I'm pretty sure people going to Twins games, or watching, aren't doing so just because of Joe Mauer.  That ship has passed.  Mauer as a "super utility" player is one bizarre idea.  He doesn't have the legs to catch anymore and is pretty stiff at 1st base.  Can't imagine that would change at other positions.

 

Overall, I think Souhan's strategy has 3 parts:

 

1.  Try to shame Mauer enough to quit [leaving behind, what is it, $69M on the table] or

2.  Somehow try to shame Mauer to play better or

3.  Get some desperately needed "reads" on his blog.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Not against the super utility idea.  I see value there, more than what he's providing now.  It also means he's on bench a lot more. 

 

Side note, he needs to get rid of the beard.  That's his problem.  Shave that, and old Mauer returns.

[Platoon]

With some orginisations this would be a topic to be discussed. With the Twins, it's a waste of digital ink. (Soy based I hope). Mauer is going to play first base. As for the trio of him, Sano, and the Plouffeman, if you keep all three, you might as well let Sano DH. It gives you the best chance to win in that situation. But if you can trade Plouffe for a legitimate catcher, that's the ideal situation. Possible? But definitely preferable.

[Kwak]

Souhan berated Mauer's defense at 1B,  yet he concludes that he would succeed at other positions (that he hasn't played!) that require more athleticism than 1B!  This would be called trolling if he published on a blog rather than on a newspaper.  Mauer will not improve as a hitter because he moves to a different position--nor will anyone else.  If the twins want to sit Mauer--OK, it's their team, but to imply that moving people around like living room furniture will improve their performance is lunacy.  Souhan's last sentence was a veiled urge to return Mauer to Catcher.  Will it happen?  I doubt it--especially when there were so many public statements about Joe, concussions, and the Catcher position.  The Twins painted themselves in a corner with respect to Mauer ever playing Catcher again.

[kab21]

Fearless prediction - Joe pleasantly surprises with a nice season.  He isn't going back to 2012 and a .400 OBP but let's say .285/.365/.420/.785.  It isn't great but it will silence these silly threads.

[Seth Stohs]

Yeah, I think Mauer would struggle at 3B or in the OF. He's a 1B/DH. To me, the answer is simple.

 

Play Plouffe at 3B four out of six games. (DH twice per week)

Play Mauer at 1B four out of six games. (DH twice per week)

Get Sano two starts each at 1B, 3B and DH.

 

Keep them all fresh and keep their bats in the lineup.

 

For as much as Mauer is bashed the last couple of years, he still gets on base better than others on the roster, and Sano needs people to knock in.

[Mike Sixel]

Getting on base better than the others is an indictment of the others, not a statement about Mauer being good compared to other 1B or DH types.

 

I don't understand why it is wrong to comment on the fact that he's just not all that good the last couple years. And yes, calling these threads silly, or saying people are bashing him, are loaded phrases to stop honest conversations.

[jimmer]

Yet another thread for Mauer bashing.  Seriously, there need to be a forum created for this where all these threads are put.  All the problems this team has, this year and over the last couple, Mauer's issues get way too much grief.  But that was inevitable when he signed the contract.  

[D. Hocking]

 

 

3.  Get some desperately needed "reads" on his blog.

 

He loves to get the internet comments going and an article on Joe that could be read with a negative slant would do that.

 

I am  not saying there is not a legitimate issue and concern of what to do with Joe in the future that can generate some good writing and discussion, but I also think Souhan has something personal against him, and he loves when he can write something that will get the negative comments.  

  

He gets strangely mean girl and personal when there is someone he does not seem to like (not just Joe.).

[Mike Sixel]

Yet another thread for Mauer bashing.  Seriously, there need to be a forum created for this where all these threads are put.  All the problems this team has, this year and over the last couple, Mauer's issues get way too much grief.  But that was inevitable when he signed the contract.

Best sarcasm ever, or honest post, I can't tell.

 

There was an article in the paper* about Mauer. This thread responds to that article. Are we not now allowed to respond to Mauer articles?

 

*do people still read the paper version?

[Hrbowski]

My solution, start Plouffe at third, Mauer at first, and Sano as super utility with about 90 starts in the field, and the rest at DH. Now as a solution to the Souhan problem...

[dbminn]

Trade Mauer to Houston, along with $20-24 million. Get back a young prospect or two. Why would Houston and Mauer want to make this trade?

 

• The Astros don't consistently get on base and can't manufacture runs. When they hit less than two home runs, they lose.
• Minute Maid Park is a lot more Mauer-friendly than Target Field. Left field fence is 20 feet closer and the Astros plan to move it in even further this offseason. Fly balls become doubles.
• Mauer could bat second, between Altuve and Correa, with Springer in the cleanup spot.
• Mauer would replace Carter at 1st base, a maximum no-hit, home run only player.

Yes, it seems an unlikely trade but it makes more sense than turning Joe into a "super utility" player.

[jimmer]

 

Best sarcasm ever, or honest post, I can't tell.

There was an article in the paper* about Mauer. This thread responds to that article. Are we not now allowed to respond to Mauer articles?

*do people still read the paper version?

I think people should absolutely be able to talk about whatever article they want.  I wish there was some more areas to discuss that were more original than a thread that says, once again, 'Mauer is bad and let's figure out a way to get rid of him or minimize him' since that's covered on about 3 billion threads on this site and creates NO original comments or discussion.  

 

Then again, sometimes when a thread is created for some real fresh discussion, it has multiple posts deleted, so what do I know?

[Mike Sixel]

I think people should absolutely be able to talk about whatever article they want.  I wish there was some more areas to discuss that were more original than a thread that says, once again, 'Mauer is bad and let's figure out a way to get rid of him or minimize him' since that's covered on about 3 billion thread on this site and creates NO original comments or discussion.

It is true we've pretty much trodden this into the ground, but just today I've seen several posters with under 100 posts.....they may not have had the privilege of this discussion yet.....

[Squirrel]

Fearless prediction - Joe pleasantly surprises with a nice season. He isn't going back to 2012 and a .400 OBP but let's say .285/.365/.420/.785. It isn't great but it will silence these silly threads.

My wish as well. But, unfortunately, no matter what Mauer does short of being inhumanly God-like, these silly threads will continue to exist full of implications of laziness, not trying, indifference, poor athletic workout routine and a host of other things. Not that this situation isn't a little frustrating at times, but so are some of the proposed solutions. Guess I'll just throw my hands up in the air and learn to live with whatever will be.

[Willihammer]

There are a few ways to skin this cat. Among others,

 

1. trade Arcia

2. trade Plouffe

3. trade Vargas

4. trade Sano (/runs for cover)

 

 

What they shouldn't do, IMO, is play more infielders out of position.

[Mike Sixel]

I think it is pretty unfair to imply that anyone that questions Mauer's value expects him to be god like to be of value to the team.

[Winston Smith]

Simple, move him to the bullpen. He has a good arm and we need a  good relief pitcher. Plus he can also catch the other guys when they are warming up.

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

To me, the most annoying thing about the "Mauer problem" is where he hits in the lineup. Go around the league and tell me of another singles hitter who hits 3rd in the order. The only thing that is really valuable at this point is his OBP. Hit him 1st or 2nd. If you want speed at the top of the order, hit him 9th (GASP!!!!!, I know). It's a better spot for an OBP guy than say the 7-hole because he'd be on base for the 1-3 hitters as opposed to the 7-9 guys.

 

He isn't going anywhere. If Kepler isn't going to play first, than Mauer should be in competition with Vargas. Joe wins that one. With the outfield getting crowded, though, I think a Mauer v. Kepler competition would be real fun to watch next season.

 

Lastly, the mere fact Souhan's article has to lead with Mauer being a native guy shows how ridiculous the argument is. Who cares if he's from the area? Well, maybe the manager (another "native son") and obviously the GM.

[Vanimal46]

Looks like Souhan hit his monthly quota for clicks with this article. Essentially he wants Mauer to be like Escobar in the 1st half this year. That really worked out well didn't it...

 

Also, nice hot Twins take from Souhan on Mauer lifting weights to hit more HRs. Haven't heard that one before.

[USAFChief]

 

I think people should absolutely be able to talk about whatever article they want.  I wish there was some more areas to discuss that were more original than a thread that says, once again, 'Mauer is bad and let's figure out a way to get rid of him or minimize him' since that's covered on about 3 billion threads on this site and creates NO original comments or discussion.  

 

Then again, sometimes when a thread is created for some real fresh discussion, it has multiple posts deleted, so what do I know?

It would seem to me an article suggesting making Mauer a utility player is, indeed, the definition of an "original" idea.  Whether it's worth discussing is in the eye of the beholder.

 

What isn't original is "Let's ignore Mauer's actual performance."

[DaveW]

Classic Souhan hatchet job!

Once again proving that Michae Russo is the only one worth reading from that paper (and the Twins centric guys of course)

 

I love how one of the reasons for not moving Mauer to RF is because it would "block" hunter, classic, just, classic.

[Old Twins Cap]

Most expensive utility player in the history of baseball.  And, the least expressive.

 

Mauer's contract is going to loom over the Twins and overshadow everything until it goes away.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

It would seem to me an article suggesting making Mauer a utility player is, indeed, the definition of an "original" idea.  Whether it's worth discussing is in the eye of the beholder.

 

What isn't original is "Let's ignore Mauer's actual performance."

 

I'd agree with this.  Souhan's idea of shaming him is rather ridiculous and unoriginal.  It's not going to work.  Mauer's problem isn't that he's lazy.  His skills have declined, and to some extent I think teams have figured him out.  Can he have a resurgance?  Let's hope so.  The Twins desparately need that if they want to take another step forward.  What that looks like long term who knows.  We have 3 more seasons with him, he needs to be better than the last 2.