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Injury Emotionally Tough on Mauer
Joe Mauer’s left quad injury that has sidelined
him since May 5 is “tearing his heart apart,” according to grandpa
Jake Mauer. Jake said Joe’s family members feel bad because the
Twins catcher is “climbing the walls” he’s so frustrated.
Jake
also said his grandson has been to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and also
seen doctors in Cleveland but so far no one has been able to explain the
injury or offer a guaranteed remedy. The quad has been sore and Jake
said there’s been internal bleeding after Joe runs. Jake said his
grandson suffered the same injury in high school and at that time also
had bleeding in the leg.
Now
assigned to the Twins’ Class A farm team in Fort Myers, Mauer has been
told to not run but jog on balls hit to infielders, according to Jake.
He will also catch for the Miracle and be with the team for an
indefinite period.
The
injury prompts talk again that Mauer, 24, should move to another
position. Mauer, manager Ron Gardenhire and general manager
Terry Ryan have consistently expressed no interest in such a
change. Mauer, a former high school quarterback, likes being a leader
and working with pitchers.
“We’re going to keep him behind the plate,”
Ryan told Sports Headliners earlier this year. “That’s where he’s
always played, that’s where he wants to stay and there’s no reason to
move him. …”
Mauer
was batting .353 through his last game on May 4. He had only five hits
in his last 22 at-bats. He won the American League batting title last
season with an average of .347.
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The Twins catcher is “climbing the
walls” he’s so frustrated, his grandfather said.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins
Joe Mauer
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Nathan Still Wants to Stay Here
Joe Nathan, who became one of baseball’s
best relievers beginning in 2004, will be free to join another team
after this season if Minnesota doesn’t pick up the option on his
contract. Even with the option, Nathan can leave the team after the
2008 season if a new multi-year contract isn’t agreed to. He told
Sports Headliners last week that although there were past discussions
about keeping him here, there’s no communication now between his agent
and team management.
The
Twins face major contract decisions regarding Nathan, Johan
Santana, Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer and Torii
Hunter. Nathan could be seen as the most expendable of the five
because Santana is arguably baseball’s best pitcher, the other three are
every day star players and the Twins have a history of developing bull
pen stoppers.
Nathan would welcome more contract talks (currently “leaving here is the
furthest thing from my mind”) but team precedent has been to deal with
contracts before and after the season, not during. However, the closer
Nathan comes to free agency the more likely he will want to listen to
other clubs. Coming into this season he had 123 saves during the last
three seasons, second in the major leagues to Trevor Hoffman and
Mariano Rivera (130 each). His salary is $5,250,000 according
to espn.com. The Web site lists Hoffman’s at $7 million and Rivera at
$10,500,000.
Nathan said his new contract doesn’t have to be the richest among major
league relief pitchers. “I don’t want to say I am only going to take
that (the highest), but it’s something where you are compared to guys
and it’s got to be at least in the ballpark. …”
A
possible willingness to take a “little less” than market price could be
influenced by multiple factors including bonus money, contract length
and the team’s commitment to winning. Not only does Nathan express a
desire to stay here but he’s appreciative of how the Twins have
showcased him as a top reliever and used restraint in not over working
him. He said his career has been lengthened by the team’s bullpen
depth.
Although he will be 33 in November, Nathan doesn’t think his next
contract is necessarily the last. “I am still young,” he said. “I am
32 but I feel like I am younger than that because I haven’t been
pitching that long so I feel like I’ve got plenty of good innings in my
arm. I haven’t shown any signs that would be different. …” |
“I am 32 but I feel like I am younger than
that because I haven’t been pitching that long so I feel like I’ve got
plenty of good innings in my arm."
Joe Nathan
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins
Joe Nathan
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Worth Noting
Torii Hunter is the player of choice in a
Sporting News feature regarding high profile center fielders that will
be free agents after this season and possibly move to other teams.
Hunter was preferred over Andru Jones of Atlanta and Ichiro
Suzuki of Seattle. The article praised Hunter’s club house
leadership and potential for improvement, mentioning that even at age 31
the Twins’ center fielder is having a career season with a .305 average,
11 home runs and 45 RBI.
High
energy Gopher football coach Tim Brewster will
be promoting ticket sales to University students. “I would like to see
25,000 show up for games,” he said. That total would more than double
recent past seasons but Brewster looks at a campus enrollment of over
50,000 and becomes excited.
Brewster’s philosophy on non-conference scheduling is focused on playing
schools that appeal to recruits. He plans to upgrade the non-conference
schedule and wants to play a prestige BCS opponent.
The
Gophers will play at least four of their seven home games this season at
night. Brewster considers night football appealing to fans and
players, most of whom spent their high school careers playing on Friday
evenings. “I would like to play every game at 7 p.m.,” he said.
The
Vikings expect a renewal rate in the low to mid 90% range, according to
vice president of marketing Steve LaCroix. He said seats are
available to prospective season ticket purchasers.
Ken Lien, who for 31 years has been a committee member or chair of
the Mr. Basketball Committee, suggests that the four state champions
from each class play a week after their tournaments in a prep Final Four
to determine one champion. A move like that would provide much needed
interest for Minnesota high school basketball.
Lien’s nephew, 7-foot-1 Alex Jacobson of Brea, California,
graduated from high school on Saturday and enrolled in summer school
yesterday at Arizona where he will play for Lute
Olson’s Wildcats.
Dave Tentis will be trying to repeat as
champion of the Tapemark Pro-Am Friday-Sunday at Southview Country Club
in West St. Paul. Tentis won the tournament four times and his
competition includes seven time champion Don Berry. Former Twins
John Castino and Tim Laudner will also play in the
tournament that has raised more than $5.5 million to support people with
developmental and learning disabilities since it began in 1972.
Admission is free. |
John M. Williams, DDS
Cosmetic & Family Dental Care
612-521-7611 |
