Author: David Shama

Joe Mauer’s extraordinary start this season has substantiated the enthusiasm of perhaps his biggest fan, grandfather Jake Mauer.  Whether it’s home runs or batting average, the Twins’ 26-year-old catcher is one of the most talked about players in the majors.

Last season Mauer hit nine home runs in 146 games and 536 at bats.  This year, despite not playing in his first game until May 1, he’s homered seven times in 18     games, with 68 at bats.

In his five previous big league seasons the 6-5, 225-pound Mauer hit a total of 44 home runs but his grandfather said this is a different hitter now.  “He’s lifted weights in winter time down in Florida, and he’s built up his muscles in his biceps, and his chest and his shoulders,” Jake said. “He’s really big through there now.  He’s really grown up.  He came out of that baby fat and put on muscle. …He’s strong.  I would say he’s probably 40 percent stronger than last year. I mean it and that’s a big up, I will tell you that.”

Most of the home runs have been hit by the left handed Mauer to left field.  Pitchers have been throwing sinkers toward the outside of the plate and Mauer sends some of those balls over the fence.  Now, according to Jake, he’s been pitched inside more and the likelihood of home runs to right field is next.

Jake predicts 20 home runs this season, 25 to 30 next year and then 30 to 35 in 2011.  He’s predicted for many years that as his grandson enters his peak years physically he will not only hit more home runs, but also bat over .400.

“I think 27, 28 is the year that he’s going to hit .400,” Jake said. “I made that statement when he first signed…(his pro baseball contract).”

Mauer is hitting .397 so far after batting .328 last season and winning his second American League batting championship.  His grandfather doesn’t rule out a .400 season in 2009 but is convinced it will happen next year in the new Minneapolis ballpark where he said the ball will carry better than inside the Metrodome.

Mauer could hit more home runs if he wanted to sacrifice his average.  “Oh, definitely, but he wants to win the batting crown,” Jake said.  “He said, ‘Grandpa, I am going to win it again.  I am going to get enough time at bat, too (to qualify).’  I said I know you are, Joe.  When you make up your mind to do it, you’ll do it.”

Mauer missed the early weeks of the season because of inflammation in his right sacroiliac joint but Jake said health isn’t an issue now.

Jake, 79, won 12 letters as a high school athlete at Cretin in St. Paul.  He was all-state in baseball, football and basketball.  He’s been selling his racing tip sheet at Canterbury Park since 1985 and is in the race track’s hall of fame.

Twins second baseman Matt Tolbert is hitting .167 since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester.  Alexi Casillia, who Tolbert replaced, is batting .326 at Rochester.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners that relief pitcher Pat Neshek, on the disabled list this season, is expected to rejoin the club in spring training next year.  Neshek is rehabbing his right arm following ligament replacement surgery last year at the Twins complex in Fort Myers, Florida and St. Peter said there’s optimism that the late inning reliever will be a “big part” of the team’s future.

The team’s beleaguered bullpen and failure to advance runners were factors in the Twins losing four straight games to New York by a total of  five runs.  If the Twins fail to win the Central Division title by a few games, there’s no doubt the disastrous Yankees series will be a contributing factor.

The Twins, who have lost two straight to Chicago and are on a six game losing streak, have a 4-14 road record this season, the worst in major league baseball.

The Twins hope to host the All-Star game at Target Field in 2014 or 2015, according to St. Peter.

As a result of Tuesday night’s NBA draft lottery, the Wolves will choose sixth in the June NBA draft.  The Wolves have never selected higher than third and three times picked sixth.  Fans who took advantage of the Wolves’ “Pay the Pick” promotion will only pay $6 per game for the team’s 29-game NBA Sampler package, featuring one game against each of the other 29 teams.

In addition to the sixth overall pick, the Wolves also have the first round picks of Miami (18th) and Boston (28th), along with the second round picks of Philadelphia (45th) and Miami (47th).

That was former Minnesota Twins infielder and ex-Gophers all-American Jerry Kindall providing commentary on the Big Ten Network’s telecasts of the Minnesota-Penn State games last weekend.

The Gophers will announce this morning that an individual is making a $6 million gift to TCF Bank Stadium.  The $6 million commitment moves the University past its initial $86 million fund-raising goal for the new $288.5 million, 50,000-seat on campus football stadium.  The gift is the 25^th to the stadium at the legend’s level represented by commitments of $1 million or more, and is the largest made by any single individual to the project.  Over 2,100 individuals have donated financially to the stadium, including 500 first-time University donors.

Brett Favre reportedly was going to earn about $13 million playing for the Jets this season.  Given his age (40 this fall) and injured right biceps, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a potential deal with the Vikings pay him less in base salary but include incentives for performance and games played.  He won’t be inexpensive and why should he be after building a Hall of Fame resume and bringing so much marketing clout he will sellout every Vikings home game before fall.

Adrian Peterson and other Vikings teammates hosted Special Olympic athletes yesterday at Winter Park for a Punt, Pass and Kick clinic.  The smiling youngsters had questions, too, including asking about Favre, but Peterson told a group of media after the event he’s deferring questions to coach Brad Childress.  The Vikings All Pro running back said his weight is in the 215-217 range and that although he fumbled nine times last season he’s not concerned about it going forward.  He’s interested in adding about 10 pounds but it has to be in the “right places.”

The Sporting News issue of May 11 named the best sports rivalries within each of the 50 states.  Gophers-UMD hockey was the Minnesota selection.  St. John’s (led by legendary coach John Gagliardi) versus St. Thomas in football could have been on the final list of possibilities, too.

Former KSTP TV sports reporter Ryan Kibbe has started a church in Green Bay.  Kibbe worked in Green Bay before coming here.