Mauer Says Concussions Blurred His Vision/Walk Away Joe merged threads

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

But the "play well" argument is valid statement. If the team is worse with Mauer on the field on a daily basis, that needs to be a factor.

Thanks. How much playing time should Mauer be getting? In essence, that's really all we are asking. 

 

Some folks don't present the evidence or articulate the questions as well as many of you would like. It's hard to tell what questions, if any, the front office has been asking up to this point, though hopefully they will shift this conversation into fifth gear with the publishing of the Pioneer Press articles. It's also a credit that the Twins acquired Byung-ho Park whose natural position is 1B, and it might be nice to get Park some innings this spring.

[DrNeau]

 

 

Terry Ryan's response to Joe Mauer's "revelation" that he has suffered from blurred vision for the past 2.5 years:

http://www.twincities.com/2016/02/19/twins-joe-mauer-wasnt-trying-to-make-excuses-terry-ryan-says/

 

February 19, 2016 - Pioneer Press

Twins general manager Terry Ryan said Friday it was news to him that Joe Mauer may have suffered from blurred vision at times in the two seasons since he suffered a career-altering concussion in August 2013. Mauer, the Twins’ franchise first baseman, made that revelation to the Pioneer Press in a recent interview that was published on Feb. 12.

“It never has trickled up to me,” Ryan said during a Grapefruit League media function that included Major League Baseball officials. “It still hasn’t, so I’m thinking that he’s fine.”

Ryan hasn’t spoken to Mauer about the comments, but said he has heard through an intermediary that some of the language may have been a little stronger than Mauer intended.

 

Terry Ryan responded today on Joe's "revelation" of blurred vision from the other day. 

 

* Ryan confirmed today what Mauer said the other day, that Mauer had never informed the Twins about "blurred vision", that he has reportedly had for 2.5 years.

(Concerning he elected no to report a huge issue like blurred vision to the team, but reported to the media instead.)

* Ryan said "It has never trickled up to me. It still hasn't, so I'm thinking that he's fine."

(Despite Joe's claims, Terry says he thinks Joe is "fine".)

* Ryan said he was told Mauer claims the language used in the interview was "stronger than intended". 

(It seems Mauer is having difficutly saying what he means.)

 

So, you've effectively got your star player saying he's had blurred vision for 2.5 years, and the GM is saying the player is fine. Ryan made a point to say that it still hadn't "trickled up to him". This is all very interesting. 

[DrNeau]

As weird as this all is, it's even more weird that the media is not demanding answers on this.

[Craig Arko]

As weird as this all is, it's even more weird that the media is not demanding answers on this.

They're probably still trying to figure out Deadpool.

[h2oface]

You know, I've got problems, but a phone isn't one of them. "It has never trickled up to me. It still hasn't, so I'm thinking that he's fine." How hard can it be for Ryan to pick up the phone and call the guy that supposedly works under him and gets paid $23 million to do so? Or for Mauer to make the call. This is all kind of childish and ridiculous. When people respect each other, they talk to each other and keep it out of the media frenzy, no?

[twinsnorth49]

You know, I've got problems, but a phone isn't one of them. "It has never trickled up to me. It still hasn't, so I'm thinking that he's fine." How hard can it be for Ryan to pick up the phone and call the guy that supposedly works under him and gets paid $23 million to do so? Or for Mauer to make the call. This is all kind of childish and ridiculous. When people respect each other, they talk to each other and keep it out of the media frenzy, no?

Exactly, what the hell kind of relationship do TR and Joe have? TR thinks he's fine? Why the hell not just bloody well ask him?

[mickeymental]

 

But maybe he can be a .285/.375/.425 player. I'd take that.

five years of 142 hits and 500 ab for joe would be a career average of .304 with 2407 hits. too tall an order? hof?

[KGB]

five years of 142 hits and 500 ab for joe would be a career average of .304 with 2407 hits. too tall an order? hof?

Yes, unlikely he get 5 more productive seasons

[h2oface]

 

Concussions drove me out of football after the eighth grade, and looking back, I'm glad. Had one in baseball, too, but that was a freak accident - ball thrown from the outfield hit me in the back of the head while I was pitching batting practice......  When I was a kid, .... I'd drop back to pass, get rid of the ball, and then wham, get smashed in the head. .....So, after the third time I'd been knocked unconscious in a couple games......

 

Ahhhhhhhhh..... now I understand.....  

 

[ewen21]

 

As weird as this all is, it's even more weird that the media is not demanding answers on this.

I know.  Even more bizarre is a few days later the Pioneer Press runs a "hey, how's the wife and kids" story up the pole.  Misdirection?  Maybe.

 

Pointless and strangely timed?  Absolutely.

 

Questions need to be answered before Joe proceeds with his season.  No player should be doing self-diagnosis.  Not with post-concussion syndrome being in the equation.

[Hrbowski]

I find it strange that people on here think that they know what is better for Joe than Joe himself.

[DrNeau]

Joe said in 2014 and 2015 spring trainings that he was feeling "good". We heard countless stories of pull power and gained strength. Joe said he didn't pick up a bat last year until February. Fast forward to February 2016, and Joe suddenly states he's had blurred vision since 8/2013, and stated it has adversely affected his hitting. Terry Ryan recently said he's never heard a peep from Joe about this, and he thinks Joe is "fine". TR also said that Joe now states his comments about blurred vision have been made too much of.

 

Recap:

* Joe says he's feeling great, but actually he's really not feeling great... he's hiding an injury. Oh wait he didn't mean exactly to call it that. Then the GM says he's never heard anything and that Joe is fine. All the while, Joe is squatting 55 lbs and not picking up a bat until February. Are they in bizarro world? Honestly, this is absurd. For some reason, there is a complete overload of confusion about a pretty straight forward issue, and it's an issue that needs to be figured out now.

[DrNeau]

Questions need to be answered before Joe proceeds with his season.

*****

[Craig Arko]

I find it strange that people on here think that they know what is better for Joe than Joe himself.

Yesterday I couldn't spell Neurologist and today I are one.

[formerly33]

 

Yesterday I couldn't spell Neurologist and today I are one.

Is we intentionally disregarding the fact that words taken out of context and used without regard to their meaning should be italicized, not capitalized?

[Craig Arko]

Is we intentionally disregarding the fact that words taken out of context and used without regard to their meaning should be italicized, not capitalized?

Bet your sweet Maltese Bippy we is.

[Hrbowski]

 

Yesterday I couldn't spell Neurologist and today I are one.

At least you spelled it correctly today.

[DrNeau]

Haha

[The Wise One]

 

I find it strange that people on here think that they know what is better for Joe than Joe himself.

The week before last on another thread I was assailed for saying that Mauer's problems were due to concussions.   Observationation when you look at the data.

The fan base here think they know what is better for Joe than he does. They know more about who will sign here better  than the GM. They know which players will be tradeable assests with a year contract that will sign with the Twins. They know that spending 20 more million means you could have had a contending team rather than a 100 loss team. They know which minor league player is better than another by statistics and not seeing other prospects. Sit back and laugh at it all. There are many who have thousands of posts, they are not going anywhere. They will continue to post the implausable and let you know  what they think is true and right.

[DrNeau]

There are some very odd facts coming out recently about the team's star player, and we are discussing. You act as if we don't have the right. What do you think these forums are for? Lifting more than 55 pounds, swinging the bat before February, and reporting major injuries to the team are all things that do not take a brain surgeon to believe are helpful.

[BrianTrottier]

 

There are some very odd facts coming out recently about the team's star player, and we are discussing. You act as if we don't have the right. What do you think these forums are for? Lifting more than 55 pounds, swinging the bat before February, and reporting major injuries to the team are all things that do not take a brain surgeon to believe are helpful.

 

Is there anything to verify that Mauer actually doesn't squat more than 55 lbs, or are you latching onto a picture you posted and concluding that he doesn't? Because it is possible that that was one of many leg workouts in his strength program. It's also possible to gain strength without loading the bar depending on the exercise (personal note: I was very skeptical of an offseason training regiment for hockey one year where we didn't do a single squat and would do a lot of jumps holding a 45 lb barbell and other explosive movements. When I squatted at the end of the summer I could actually do about 75 or 80 lbs more than I could before the program three months before, which is a larger gain than I ever had doing squats over a similar same time span).

 

And the thing about not swinging before February was stated last year. It's probably the approach he'd taken his entire career to that point, and maybe it came back to bit him last year. But even if he did start swinging in January or December, who knows if that would've resulted in a better stat line? That's completely speculative.

 

But I do agree, he should've spoken up if he was having symptoms. However, it could be the case that he might not have recognized he was having issues in the moment, but realized it after his vision cleared up. Maybe he was staying tight lipped hoping the blurriness would go away. We're not Joe and we don't know what he was thinking orwhat his motivations to stay quiet were. Again, though, I agree that he should've spoken up. But to so confidently draw sweeping conclusions about Mauer's work ethic over a picture and a quote comes off as petty.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I find it strange that people on here think that they know what is better for Joe than Joe himself.

 

That's actually often the case, right? Athletes hang on too long very often. Addicts keep taking drugs. It is actually very, very, common that people that aren't emotionally attached and close to a situation have a better idea of what is good or bad for someone.

 

That may or may not be the case here, btw, but your statement doesn't hold water at all.

[Craig Arko]

 

That's actually often the case, right? Athletes hang on too long very often. Addicts keep taking drugs. It is actually very, very, common that people that aren't emotionally attached and close to a situation have a better idea of what is good or bad for someone.

 

That may or may not be the case here, btw, but your statement doesn't hold water at all.

I certainly appreciate random strangers on the Internet giving me medical advice.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I certainly appreciate random strangers on the Internet giving me medical advice.

 

Who is doing that? People are giving him career advice, some of them....but no one is giving him medical advice.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Who is doing that? People are giving him career advice, some of them....but no one is giving him medical advice.

 

Obviously Joe isn't reading this (and shouldn't be) for serious advice about what to do.

 

But are some of you high-horsing about this issue really serious?  You've never had someone come to you with a difficult health choice to talk to you about what they should do?  I'm sure you always asked them what the doctor said or encouraged them to go to the doctor, but we often lean on non-medical professionals for advice and conversation about serious things.

 

I can only imagine a guy like Koskie probably talked to his wife extensively about his future and his decision and she's not likely a neurologist.  I don't think anyone here is under some false impression that they are the best person to be giving advice to Mauer, but likewise let's not pretend that people (especially athletes) don't need to hear from a variety of sources about their future to make the best decisions.  And it's not always a doctor that determines their final decision on a medical issue.

 

And, to repeat, we're talking about this again because Mauer himself laid this out into the public consciousness.  He continues to let us in on this issue.  (And, apparently, the front office for the first time)

[ewen21]

 

Is there anything to verify that Mauer actually doesn't squat more than 55 lbs, or are you latching onto a picture you posted and concluding that he doesn't? Because it is possible that that was one of many leg workouts in his strength program. It's also possible to gain strength without loading the bar depending on the exercise (personal note: I was very skeptical of an offseason training regiment for hockey one year where we didn't do a single squat and would do a lot of jumps holding a 45 lb barbell and other explosive movements. When I squatted at the end of the summer I could actually do about 75 or 80 lbs more than I could before the program three months before, which is a larger gain than I ever had doing squats over a similar same time span).

 

And the thing about not swinging before February was stated last year. It's probably the approach he'd taken his entire career to that point, and maybe it came back to bit him last year. But even if he did start swinging in January or December, who knows if that would've resulted in a better stat line? That's completely speculative.

 

But I do agree, he should've spoken up if he was having symptoms. However, it could be the case that he might not have recognized he was having issues in the moment, but realized it after his vision cleared up. Maybe he was staying tight lipped hoping the blurriness would go away. We're not Joe and we don't know what he was thinking orwhat his motivations to stay quiet were. Again, though, I agree that he should've spoken up. But to so confidently draw sweeping conclusions about Mauer's work ethic over a picture and a quote comes off as petty.

Did he say Joe doesn't squat more than 55lbs?  The fact is, PP ran an article on Joe's training regimine and he gave them the OK to take pictures.  The only picture that was taken out of 8 or 9 (where he is actually working with weights) s one of him doing 55lb squats.  If the point they wanted to make was that Joe worked hard on building strength this winter both the author of the story and Mauer did a poor job conveying that to us.

At the very least, that picture is a ridiculous picture to put out there..  THe pictures of Joe chatting with Jake, him walking, tying his shoes, drinking water, and turning to one side while grimacing are equally as ridiculous.  They took 9 pictures of him supposedly "grinding it out" in the weight room and that is what we get?

This isn't the first time he tried to show us how hard he works on this strength and conditioning.  Here is Joe doing an upper body workout:
http://www.snappytv.com/snaps/upper-body-workout-time-for-an-upper-body-workout-joe-puts-about-spotlight-joe-mauer-all-access-on-foxsportsnorthcom
What we get is a very disinterested Mauer going through a lackluster workout.

I think what JOe does (or doesn't do) during the off season has hurt him.  His approach to working out is like his approach at the dish....stay back....don't try to do too much...maybe work out a walk
That is just the way he is.  I see nothing from him that says he approaches his workouts any differently.

 

I don't see that as being "petty".  I

[BrianTrottier]

 

Did he say Joe doesn't squat more than 55lbs?  The fact is, PP ran an article on Joe's training regimine and he gave them the OK to take pictures.  The only picture that was taken out of 8 or 9 (where he is actually working with weights) s one of him doing 55lb squats.  If the point they wanted to make was that Joe worked hard on building strength this winter both the author of the story and Mauer did a poor job conveying that to us.

At the very least, that picture is a ridiculous picture to put out there..  THe pictures of Joe chatting with Jake, him walking, tying his shoes, drinking water, and turning to one side while grimacing are equally as ridiculous.  They took 9 pictures of him supposedly "grinding it out" in the weight room and that is what we get?

This isn't the first time he tried to show us how hard he works on this strength and conditioning.  Here is Joe doing an upper body workout:
http://www.snappytv.com/snaps/upper-body-workout-time-for-an-upper-body-workout-joe-puts-about-spotlight-joe-mauer-all-access-on-foxsportsnorthcom
What we get is a very disinterested Mauer going through a lackluster workout.

I think what JOe does (or doesn't do) during the off season has hurt him.  His approach to working out is like his approach at the dish....stay back....don't try to do too much...maybe work out a walk
That is just the way he is.  I see nothing from him that says he approaches his workouts any differently.

 

I don't see that as being "petty".  I

 

Because we all know that the media's framing of events is always reflective of reality.

 

Edited to add: And yes, the poster has consistently implied that Mauer is only squatting 55 pounds without any additional leg work.

[spinowner]

 

Who is doing that? People are giving him career advice, some of them....but no one is giving him medical advice.

In this case the two are inexorably linked. Advising Mauer to retire may sound like career advice but it's being advised for medical reasons. There are probably no more than a dozen or so people who are really in a position to give him advice about this matter, and that includes nobody posting here.

[Craig Arko]

http://www.startribune.com/mauer-wants-to-move-on-after-blurred-vision-comments/369842021/

 

At least somebody else does.

[DrNeau]

...the poster has consistently implied that Mauer is only squatting 55 pounds without any additional leg work.

Let's see what Joe HIMSELF has said on the topic:

Mauer stated in March of 2014 (when transitioning to 1B) that ALL of his leg workouts in the past came from catching bullpens. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2014/03/07/joe-mauer-moves-to-first-base/6167525/

 

Now we're up to 55 lb. squats. Yippee!