DrNeau

No one will ever ask him. Ever. Not from the Twins, and NEVER from a source of the media.

Yes, as mentioned previously in this thread, some have been made on his behalf by the media. I'm not blaming Joe for every one, rather listing. It is, however, a rather alarming list. Curious when the tide will turn, and the media will stop allowing excuses, and start demanding some answers to some very simple questions. If this was Philly or NY, some of these things would have been addressed by now.

It's not an insult to call it an excuse. If it's a valid reason to excuse poor production, then it is a valid excuse. If it's not, it's not. Regardless, it's an excuse. It's not such a big deal to call it that.

Correct. This is a newly-released excuse. Previously, it was: * No longer seeing the ball well at the plate because he's not catching. * Umpires are no longer giving him the benefit of calls at the plate because he no longer catching. * Defensive shifts by opponents * Being pitched around * Unlucky * Weak legs... he's not getting as many squat workouts, because he hasn't been catching BP Hate to say "here we go again with the excuses", but here we go again with the excuses. I truly hope this year he breaks out, though. If not, some accountability is in order.

There have been a ton of excuses. Some he has made, and many more others have made for him. Either way, I hope to see an increase in production or there should be some consideration in platooning him. If someone is ill-affected by injury, that is. That is what he is now saying, after many documented quotes in 2014 and 2015 spring trainings where he said he was "feeling good", "feeling strong", etc. Now here we are in 2016 and he states he has had vision problems for a few years. In a recent article it stated his "stretching" trainer reports Joe's progress to Perry Castellano, the Twins' strength and conditioning coach. The way it was stated, it makes one wonder what Joe's direct relationship is with the Twins' strength and conditioning coach. After Joe's comment today, it makes one wonder what his relationship with the Twins' medical staff is.

Hope you hit .400, Joe. Pull through this and show us something!

Thank God! Nolasco to long relief!

Would like to see Vargas traded, either way. Unsure how much Molitor likes Arcia due to lackadaisical plays in OF early last year, forgetting # of outs, and not running out hits. Still, he has a great deal of talent. Quentin certainly did have a good ability to get on; will be an interesting spring.

Do not disagree. A few guys (Santana, Arcia) without options remaining. Oh well. Will see how it all shakes out. There are no guarantees. You make a valid point, though.

Interesting. I guess a little competition can't hurt.

I'm sorry but you did mention Mauer's approach, and how you think that unless he changes his swing and approach, you don't think his increased strength is going to show up as HR numbers. Although I agree with you completely, you did shift the discussion. I was discussing strength and power and cited references to material that related to Joe on this topic. Forgive me for following your lead.

I think you misunderstand me. I hope Joe hits .400 this year. I'll be watching the games and will cheer him on. That being said, the concussion excuse is as tired as the constant reports of how healthy and strong he is. If Joe performs well, he should be praised for it. If he is coming off of consecutive poor years, sue me for not wanting to hear stories of his great strength. I just got home and am wearing a Mauer jersey right now. Hope that come April, he starts tearing into the ball again like the days of old.

I was being serious. I liked your comment and agree. Not being a smart-aleck. All this talk about overpaying for external talent at the same level of guys we already have is wild and crazy stuff.

Great comment.

Yes, the recent report on 1/22/16 stated that Mauer is "much stronger than in past seasons", which is the same thing we heard all last spring. The links I posted document last year's reports that Mauer is healthy, which is contrary to speculation that he is still adversely affected by a concussion. If it is acceptable for some in this thread to believe a player is injured while the player himself says he is healthy, I reserve the right to believe otherwise when hearing of all of this "gained strength" talk when the player spent the off-season stretching. I also reserve the right to believe that changes to his approach will not occur when he shows year after year that he does not pick up a bat until February. Bat speed comes with hard work in the cage. If he wants to brag about how he has not touched a bat all off-season, fine. At the same time, I do not want to hear one word about "pull power".

The overflow of reports of his health, gained strength, and newly-found pull power are far from a “side comment”. Here are just a few. Pull power: 3/28/15: Joe Mauer isn't known for his pull-side power, but that could change this season. http://www.nj.com/phillies/index.ssf/2015/03/mauer_hits_1st_spring_homer_twins_beat_phillies.html 3/31/15: Twins’ Joe Mauer Improving Power to Right Field http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-joe-mauer-improving-power-to-right-field/ 5/4/15: Now healthy Mauer seeing success pulling the ball http://www.foxsports.com/north/story/now-healthy-minnesota-twins-joe-mauer-seeing-success-with-pulling-the-ball-050415 Health: 1/25/15: “I feel good.” http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-joe-mauer-says-his-legs-feel-strong-heading-into-2015/ Strength: 2/3/15: “I feel strong.” http://www.startribune.com/twins-mauer-feels-good-so-molitor-does-too/289729801/ 3/5/15: “I feel strong.” http://www.gammonsdaily.com/with-strong-lower-half-will-joe-mauers-plate-coverage-return/ 4/2/15: “Just overall I feel great.” Article also mentions “new pull power”. http://www.twincities.com/2015/04/02/twins-joe-mauer-ready-for-reboot-after-offseason-makeover/ --------------------------------- One interesting excerpt from this article on 2/3/15, Joe reported that he had not yet swung a bat during the offseason, in preparation for the season ahead. Joe Mauer: "I’m starting to swing this week and will see how much progress I have made.” --------------------------------- There are lots of reports that demonstrate he is healthy - many supported by his direct quotes - but you feel otherwise. Okay. Curious why many continue to state he is injured, while report after report says the opposite.

Putting aside both the contract and the fact that I wish for Joe to turn things around, the production level itself is an issue. .265 BA, 10 HR, 66 RBI, .718 OPS There were 31 first basemen with at least 400 plate appearances in 2015. Also, considering there are only 30 teams, it's concerning that Mauer ranked 27th. This holds true to any player, at any position. If a player's production is near the bottom in the entire MLB for that position, that player will be discussed. Additionally, if fans are barraged with stories of that player's gained strength and power, they are likely to respond in some way, as the stories do not match up with the statistics.

Congrats to Torii and Gordo. Hunter, despite a few random curveball comments, was an unbelievable talent and leader for this organization... an investment that I predict will continue to reap benefits in the future. I always respected his love for the game and no-nonsense approach to preparing and competing. Morneau and Cuddyer are two other players I hope will one day be given Twins HOF honors as well; they have already been earned, in my book. They were straight up hard working guys who came from the same group who made believers out of us in MN. Beyond their on-field talents, they were good people who stood for the right things, dedication, respect, playing the game the "right" way, stepping up and leading others. We've had some great players through the years and it's nice to see them be honored in this way. Classy move by the Twins.

I'll be making quite a few weekend games and some scattered weekday games. Can't wait for baseball to start again. Will be interesting to see how the roster shakes out; curious which young guns will step up and win bullpen spots, if Berrios can force the front office's hand, how our new catcher looks, if Kepler can hang with the big boys, what progress Buxton has made, etc. Going to be exciting!

Not as much demanding verification as much as making a point: It seems that speculating he has gained strength is acceptable discussion, while speculation to the contrary is unacceptable discussion. I agree on your other point regarding strength; bat speed by far outweighs strength. I will take an explosively torqued swing over simple strength any day. These things being said, it can't hurt to add core strength. I also agree with your point that it would be helpful for him to mix up his approach once in a while. Thanks for mentioning. He cannot continue to automatically start 0-1 in every at bat. Most 3-hole hitters gear up and look for something to drive early in the count. In Mauer's case, there are many at bats where he does not even swing hard once. Very odd for a 3 hitter. Take strike one, foul off strike two, then, when behind in the count, chasing and flailing while needing to protect the plate. Would be worth considering slipping in a big hack at that first strike down the middle once in a while. You made the comment about Mauer's tendency to make contact "in the back of the zone as opposed to the front". I agree fully. Seeing him gear up for a fastball and drive the bat head out to the front of the zone would be nice. Players call that "cheating on a pitch". Can't hurt to keep the pitchers honest and make them aware you can hurt them for grooving one down the pipe. We heard an overflow of reports last year that Mauer has found new “pull power”. A few of the stories are linked below. http://www.nj.com/phillies/index.ssf/2015/03/mauer_hits_1st_spring_homer_twins_beat_phillies.html http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-joe-mauer-improving-power-to-right-field/ http://www.twincities.com/2015/04/02/twins-joe-mauer-ready-for-reboot-after-offseason-makeover/ As there are so many reports about Mauer’s gained power and strength, it’s good us fans can discuss. Hopefully he’ll make some of the adjustments you mentioned.

It is relevant because it is footage of how Joe trains. As claims have been made that he is "much stronger" than in past seasons, it is natural to seek information on his workout habits. Especially enjoyed the 30-minute drill where he sits on the floor and spins his feet around. http://www.snappytv.com/snaps/upper-body-workout-time-for-an-upper-body-workout-joe-puts-about-spotlight-joe-mauer-all-access-on-foxsportsnorthcom Curious what he has done to gain strength. I'm also curious who is qualified enough to make the statement that he has gained strength. Maybe a live-in personal pro trainer? I guess this gained strength can't be verified. Last spring, we read quite a few articles about Mauer's newly found "pull power", too. We'll see about all of this very soon.

http://www.snappytv.com/snaps/upper-body-workout-time-for-an-upper-body-workout-joe-puts-about-spotlight-joe-mauer-all-access-on-foxsportsnorthcom Here is a very relevant video I found.

Interesting that fans have been informed by both the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press that Joe is "much stronger than in past seasons". A noteworthy observation I've seen has been if someone implies a player may not have adequately trained, they are quickly dismissed - as they are unqualified to make such a remark, as (A) they do not spend 24 hours a day with the player, and ( B ) they are not a professional physical trainer. With these arguments, it sets a foundation that is impossible for a fan to comment. I must mention that Charley Walters is neither a professional physical trainer, nor does he spend 24 hours per day with any player. Jim Souhan at the Star Tribune made a comment the other day about Glen Perkins, saying that he "needs to prove he can condition himself to pitch well for a full season". I must add that he is also neither a professional physical trainer, and also does not spend 24 hours per day with any player. If it is acceptable for a sports writer who is not a live-in pro physical trainer to comment positively about a player's physical condition, a sports writer's negative comments about a player's physical condition must also be accepted. Again, the initial post consists of sports writer's reports, as well as quotes directly from Joe. The time is coming very soon, and we will see if Joe has truly gained strength. All this being said, I am rooting for Joe, and hope he hits .330 with 20 bombs. At the same time, I am concerned how many more excuses we will hear.

Bumping this, as a multitude of excuses in favor of Mauer were cited in this thread, as well as quotes directly from Joe that support a pattern. Relevant again, as fans have been informed by both the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press that Joe is "much stronger than in past seasons". A noteworthy observation I've seen has been if someone implies a player may not have adequately trained, they are quickly dismissed - as they are unqualified to make such a remark, as (A) they do not spend 24 hours a day with the player, and ( B ) they are not a professional physical trainer. With these arguments, it sets a foundation that is impossible for a fan to comment. I must mention that Charley Walters is neither a professional physical trainer, nor does he spend 24 hours per day with any player. Jim Souhan at the Star Tribune made a comment the other day about Glen Perkins, saying that he "needs to prove he can condition himself to pitch well for a full season". I must add that he is also neither a professional physical trainer, and also does not spend 24 hours per day with any player. If it is acceptable for a sports writer who is not a live-in pro physical trainer to comment positively about a player's physical condition, a sports writer's negative comments about a player's physical condition must also be accepted. Again, the initial post consists of sports writer's reports, as well as quotes directly from Joe. The time is coming very soon, and we will see if Joe has truly gained strength. All this being said, I am rooting for Joe, and hope he hits .330 with 20 bombs. At the same time, I am concerned how many more excuses will be added to this growing list.

Check out the depth chart on the official Twins website. Sano cannot be found at the top of any spot, which is laugh-out-loud outrageous. Very odd. http://mlb.mlb.com/team/depth_chart/index.jsp?c_id=min