Hot take alert! Local media supernova thinks a Hall of Fame catcher would be a great fit with the team he writes about.
Okay, it sounds pretty stupid when I put it in writing (especially the local media supernova part). Of course, Joe Mauer, he of three-time batting champion fame, would be a great complement to this year’s Minnesota Twins club. But there are levels to this scorching-hot declaration.
The perennial Gold Glove-winning catcher who doubled as one of the best pure hitters in the game? Yeah, he’d fit in with the 1927 Murderers Row New York Yankees.
However, the post-peak Mauer that could only play first base and get on base at a great clip from the left side? Even that guy would be a stellar fit with the 2024 Minnesota Twins.
Both versions of Joe would supply this club with much-needed consistency, a calming presence for a lineup that often navigates stormy seas. His career .388 on-base percentage never dipped below .338, making him a consistent basepath lurker, which this club sorely needs when they go through one of their patented cold stretches. Even that career-low for St. Paul’s native son would rank third among qualified Twins hitters this season and sixth if you include the likes of Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, José Miranda, and Matt Wallner. And that’s Joe at his lowest, during one of only two seasons where he had a bat that was below average.
Mauer also excelled when the lights shined the brightest during a game. In high-leverage situations, Joe was more than capable, batting to the tune of a .284/.429/.405 clip – producing about 15 percent better than league average. His .834 OPS in those situations would be a drastic improvement over Minnesota’s current first base corps: Carlos Santana (.681), Miranda (.729), and Alex Kirilloff (.697).
With men in scoring position, Mauer’s offensive firepower was even more lethal. In those instances, his .934 OPS trailed only Lewis, Miranda, and Wallner on this year’s club.
I could go on all day about how Mauer would be an excellent addition to this team as a player, whether he was at his peak or his lowest point. However, an underrated factor is how Joe the person would gel with the current corps of Twins stars. Outgoing personalities that have led to voices of leadership in the clubhouse, like Correa, Buxton, and even Lewis, often match each other’s tone. Mauer’s leadership was very much that of a quiet competitor. He was a steadily determined surgeon who never twitched, someone who spoke softly but carried a big bat. That type of guidance doesn’t match their tone, but it just might harmonize with them.
Mauer also brings a dedication to this organization that we’ve seen in Correa and Buxton, who signed long-term deals to stay with the Twins well into their 30s. That shows loyalty to their club. However, Mauer didn’t just have allegiance — he strove for devotion to his hometown team, the one he rooted for as a kid growing up on St. Paul’s Lexington Parkway. Joe was tied to the organization, its legends of yesteryear, and the fans who came out in droves to watch him.
“You showed up for me, and I wanted to show up for you as well,” Mauer said as he addressed those gathered to welcome him back to his old home stadium for the first time after his induction, hosted in the same hallowed chapel that was once dubbed The House That Mauer Built. “Every time I’m back at Target field, it feels like home.”
If sprung into this year’s Twins roster, he could theoretically find ties to each person in that clubhouse. From being a marquee name player trying to live up to sky-high expectations while dodging injury woes to being a former global top prospect to being a local standout in high school.
His bat, defensive ability, and legendary stoicism make Joe an ideal fit for any team — even the best in the game’s history. Based on his career accolades and the respect he’s garnered around the game, that should not be a hot take.
