Twins third baseman Mike Lamb was talking about the challenge of hitting in the major leagues.  Pitchers routinely master multiple pitches like the fast ball, curve, slider, cutter and others.  In a typical game, three or four pitchers make appearances, keeping fresh arms in front of batters and often throwing a high volume of 90-plus miles per hour fast balls.

Despite an environment like that (you can add the challenges of travel and playing day after day without a break in the schedule) how does a player like Joe Mauer achieve or flirt with batting averages of .350 or beyond?  “It’s unbelievable,” Lamb told Sports Headliners.

Lamb, in his first season with the Twins but his ninth in the majors, is a career .279        hitter.  He’s been struggling this spring and his numbers include a modest .225 average with no home runs and 16 RBI.

Mauer has a career batting average of .313.  In 2006 he led the American League in hitting with a .347 average.  This season he’s hitting .316, among the best averages in the American League.  During the month of May he’s hitting .354.

How does Mauer hit like that?  “I don’t know,” Lamb said with a smile.  “I wish I did, then I’d try to steal some of it.  It’s a gift.

“He’s got a great eye.  He doesn’t swing at too many bad pitches. He’s got an inside out swing that keeps his bat in the zone a long time. So even if he’s fooled, he has a chance of getting the barrel (of the bat) on it.

“He’s not afraid of getting jammed (by pitches).  He uses the whole field.  Stuff I try to do but I don’t do it as well. …

“Obviously he sacrifices power (Mauer has no home runs so far this season).  Maybe because I don’t hit many home runs, I am not a believer in the almighty home run.

“But ultimately, it’s a gift (how Mauer hits).  You just watch him and you’re just jealous, man.  Why can’t I do that?  He’s good.”

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When a team loses a leader like Torii Hunter, it’s to be expected that fans will ask where does the leadership come from now?  Hunter is not only a seven time gold glove winning center fielder and power hitter, but a commanding locker room presence who will give advice to teammates, and both entertain and inform reporters who regularly gather around him.

Joe Nathan, who has been on Twins teams since 2004, didn’t deny that Hunter, now with the Angels, was a leader but told Sports Headliners the team has had and continues to have multiple leaders.  He mentioned Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, players who have been with the team in the past, and also Livan Hernandez, Adam Everett and Mike Lamb, newcomers this season.

“It’s a team where it’s not really like we need that one guy… to step up for the whole team,” Nathan said. “We have a pretty good group of guys and everybody kind of knows their roles. If something needs to be said, everybody can speak up. …There’s a number of guys who can kind of be that leader role, and…do that if we have to.”

Nathan is perhaps baseball’s best closer.  This season he is 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA. He ranks second in American League saves with 13.

How does he see himself in regard to leadership this season?  “I am not trying to do anything different…than I’ve always done,” he said.  “I am not so much of the vocal leader (type) guy.  I think for our bullpen, we’ve got guys that have been around here for a number of years and pretty much know what we need to do down there. …”

Nathan is certainly willing to answer questions from teammates.  “As far as me just coming out and talking, it’s not really my style,” he said.

Nathan, 33, has been a starting pitcher, early reliever, set up man and closer.   Those roles have provided various experiences he can share with others.

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Scout.com reported Friday that the basketball Gophers made a scholarship offer to Loganville, Georgia center Daniel Miller, a high school senior next fall.   The Gophers also reportedly have interest in the son of former NBA star Glen Rice.  Glen Rice Jr. is a high scoring guard from Marietta, Georgia.

Manager Ron Gardenhire is fond of 22-year-old center fielder Carlos Gomez who does the unexpected.  Last week Gardenhire good naturedly told reporters Gomez was unique because he provided a scouting report in the newspaper about how inside pitches trouble him when hitting and that he prefers to be pitched outside.

Twins third baseman Mike lamb, now in his ninth major league season, told Sports Headliners he may want to play another three years.  Reaching 10 years in the major leagues provides a better baseball pension than where he’s at now.  Lamb speculated that a 10-year player might receive a $140,000 annual pension, while a five-year veteran could get perhaps $60,000 to $70,000 a year.

Earlier this month the ACC rejected the idea of adding a ninth conference game for its 12 teams each season.  The Big Ten Conference is considering a ninth game, according to Gopher coach Tim Brewster.  ACC leaders are concerned about teams having more losses on their annual records and being less likely to qualify for bowl games, according to an article on espn.com.

Brewster will be attending the annual Bruce Smith Golf Classic on Monday, June 23 at the Faribault Golf Club.  The event raises money for Faribault schools and is named after Faribault native Bruce Smith, the only Gopher ever to win the Heisman Trophy and to inspire a Hollywood movie, “Smith of Minnesota.”  More information about the golf classic is available by contacting event chair Bruce Krinke, contact@fctv10.org.

Rick Spielman, the Vikings’ vice president of player personnel, talking to Sports Headliners about quarterback John David Booty, the franchise’s fifth round pick in the 2008 draft: “He ran a pro style offense (at USC).  He’s a very quick decision maker. (He) makes a lot of throws that our quarterback has to make in this offensive scheme.  He has what they call the ‘it’ factor; a little bit (of) that leadership quality, that ability to take charge of a huddle.  He has good arm strength and we’re looking forward to seeing if we can develop him and see what we get coming out of that because we thought we got great value getting him in the fifth round.”

The Vikings will have organized practices at Winter Park this week and next.   After the O.T.A’s (organized training activities), the coaching staff will hold a mini-camp for veterans June 6-8 at Winter Park.

May is tennis month across the country.  Sports Illustrated published a cover story in the 1990s about the decline of tennis but the United States Tennis Association and other organizations have worked hard to promote the game and keep it relevant for millions.

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