Joe Mauer
Encyclopedia
Joseph Patrick Mauer is a Major League Baseball
catcher
for the Minnesota Twins
. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles. He has also won three consecutive Gold Glove awards (2008–2010), and the 2009 AL MVP award.
, basketball
, and baseball
for Saint Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders
, the high school of Paul Molitor
, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. In his senior year he became the only athlete ever to be selected as the USA Today
High School Player of the Year in two sports (football in 2000 as a quarterback
and baseball in 2001 as a catcher).
In December 2009, Sports Illustrated
magazine included Mauer in its article on ten "signature" moments in U.S. high-school sports in the 2000–2009 decade, referring to his selection by the Minnesota Twins as the first pick in the 2001 amateur draft.
r and former Milwaukee Brewer
Paul Molitor
. Molitor has said that Mauer "has the best swing he had ever seen". Jim O'Neill, Mauer's baseball coach at Cretin-Derham Hall, said his former student "has been groomed for this job since he was a little boy. Mauer's dad, Jake, created a contraption for Joe he later named the 'Quickswing'. The device dropped balls down a tube from eye level and released them at waist level." Mauer had been asked to leave his T-ball league at the age of four, because he was hitting the ball too hard for the other players. "Another guy that came from Cretin-Derham Hall, Paul Molitor, was very similar, [and] had a good short swing," O'Neill said. "And they're both able to wait on the ball so long because they don't have the big swing. Like anything, you keep simple and keep it small or short, there's not a lot of holes in it and not a lot of room for errors."
A stand-out in baseball, Mauer struck out
only once during his four-year high school career, and hit .605 during his senior season. Years later, Mauer laughingly told an interviewer: "I can remember the time I did strike out. It was junior year, and it was in the state tournament. I came back to the bench and everybody thought something was wrong with me." Mauer's high school batting average exceeded .500 every year. He also set a Minnesota high school record and tied the national preps mark by hitting a home run
in seven consecutive games. Mauer caught for the Team USA
Junior National team from 1998 to 2000 and hit .595 during his final year on the team. He was voted best hitter at the World Junior Baseball Championship
in Canada in . In , Mauer was voted the United States District V Player of the year.
career. In 2000, he appeared in the Faces in the Crowd section in Sports Illustrated. During his senior season as the Raiders' quarterback, Mauer completed 178 of 288 passes (62% completion percentage), for 3,022 yards, 41 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He finished his two-year career as a starter with 5,528 yards and 73 touchdowns, leading the Raiders to two consecutive Class 5A State Championship Game appearances and winning the title in 1999, the Raiders' first of all time.
Mauer was honored as the 2001 Gatorade National Player of the Year in both football and baseball, was named to the USA Today All-USA high school football team, was honored as USA Today's Player of the Year, and was a Reebok
/ESPN
High School All-American. Mauer was also named National High School Quarterback Of The Year in 2000 by The National Quarterback Club.
to enter the Major League Baseball Draft. Mauer was selected by the Twins as the first overall pick of the 2001 draft
, ahead of college pitcher Mark Prior
, who was taken second overall by the Chicago Cubs
. Mauer was part of the United States' roster at the All-Star Futures Game
at U.S. Cellular Field
before being promoted to the Twins' roster in after his predecessor, A. J. Pierzynski
, was traded to the San Francisco Giants
, in the 2003 offseason.
Mauer went 2-for-3 in his Major League debut, hitting a single off Rafael Betancourt
of the Cleveland Indians
for his first major-league hit. A knee injury to his left medial meniscus
on April 7, 2004, required surgery and sidelined Mauer for more than a month. After a rehabilitation stint with the Twins' AAA affiliate Rochester Red Wings
, Mauer returned to the Twins' lineup in June. In July, pain and swelling in his knee forced an early end to Mauer's 2004 season. Following his injury-shortened 2004, Mauer signed a contract for $5.7 million with the Twins on January 24, 2005. In 2005, Mauer returned to the Twins' lineup for his first full major league season and had 144 hits
in 131 games, with 9 home runs and 55 RBI. He ended the year with an average of .294.
, Mauer became the first catcher in major league history to lead the majors in batting average and the first American League
catcher to win the batting title, finishing with an average
of .347. Mauer's performance during the months of May and June garnered attention from the national media. He recorded a .528 batting average
over the first ten days of June and hit .452 over the course of the month. He was also the first player since Mike Piazza
in 1997 to reach base four or more times for five consecutive games. On June 12, Mauer was named the American League Player of the Week by Major League Baseball for his performance the week of June 4 – 11th, during which he hit .625 (15-for-24) with 5 doubles
, 4 RBI and 2 stolen base
s.
Mauer recorded his first five RBI
game June 26, against the Los Angeles Dodgers
. Mauer followed that up with his first career five-hit game on June 27, also against the Los Angeles Dodgers
. He was also named MLB Player of the Month for June after batting .452 with a .624 slugging percentage and .528 on base percentage
, 11 doubles, 14 RBI and 18 runs
. Along with Johan Santana
(Pitcher of the Month) and Francisco Liriano
(Rookie of the Month), Mauer was part of the first-ever single-team sweep of MLB's three monthly awards. On July 2, Mauer was selected by the players to his first All-Star Game
. Mauer appeared on the cover of the August 7, 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated.
Mauer finished the 2006 regular season with a .347 batting average, edging the New York Yankees
' Derek Jeter
and Robinson Canó
to win the American League batting title and become the first-ever American League catcher to win the crown and the first catcher to claim the title since Ernie Lombardi
in 1942 with the Boston Braves
. His .347 average was the highest in the Major Leagues, a feat not achieved by the previous three catchers to win NL batting titles. He was the youngest player to win a batting title since Alex Rodriguez
in 1996. After going 2-for-4 in the last game of the 2006 regular season, Mauer confessed to reporters, "When I told you I wasn’t thinking about the batting title? I was lying. I’ve never been that nervous in my life. I haven’t felt anything like that since Opening Day
as a rookie.” Mauer won his first Silver Slugger
award in 2006, along with teammate Justin Morneau
.
. The deal ensured that Mauer would remain in Minnesota long enough to play in the Twins' Target Field
in 2010. In July 21, Mauer hit his first career inside-the-park home run
against Angels
pitcher Scot Shields
. It was his fifth home run of the season, and there were two players on base when he hit the homer. It was the first inside-the-park home run
by a catcher since Kelly Stinnett
did it for the Arizona Diamondbacks
in 2005.
, he became the first American League catcher to win the batting title twice when he led the AL with an average of .328; Mauer also won his first Gold Glove Award
. On July 6, Mauer was announced as the starting catcher for the American League
in the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
. At the end of the 2008 season, Mauer won the AL batting title with a .328 batting average; it was his second in three years. Mauer underwent surgery for kidney obstruction on December 22. Mauer won his first Gold Glove
award in 2008, announced on November 6, He finished fourth in the balloting for American League Most Valuable Player, behind Dustin Pedroia
, Justin Morneau, and Kevin Youkilis
.
, he became the first catcher to lead the league in batting average, on base percentage
, and slugging percentage in a single year, and the first player to lead the American League in all three since George Brett
did so in 1980
. Mauer's .365 average, which is the all-time highest mark among catchers in MLB history, led Major League Baseball. Mauer also won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2009. Mauer was named the American League's 2009 MVP by a near-unanimous decision (27 out of 28 first place votes).
On March 11, Mauer was diagnosed with inflammation in the sacroiliac joint
by team doctors following a magnetic resonance arthrogram
. He was unable to take part in team workouts during spring training due to the pain in his lower back, which he first began experiencing late in the 2008 season. Mauer missed the start of the 2009 regular season and returned on May 1. He went 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored in his first game back, hitting a home run on his first swing of the season.
He returned May 1, and had the best month of his career. Mauer hit 11 home runs and drove in 32 RBI becoming the first-ever Twins player to reach that mark in a single month. During the week of May 18–24, Mauer led the major leagues in batting average at .458 (11–24), RBI with 13, and runs scored with 12, also hitting 4 HR and accumulating 25 total bases. On May 26, he was named MLB Player of the Week for his performance. Through the month of May, Mauer lead the major leagues in AVG at .414, OBP at .500, and SLG at .838, in addition to his HR and RBI totals, earning him his second Player of the Month Award honors. Mauer appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated for a second time on June 24. An additional 25,000 copies of the magazine were sent to Minnesota for the occasion. He was selected to the 2009 MLB All Star Game
as the starting catcher and participated in the Home Run Derby
, losing a tiebreaker to Albert Pujols
in the first round.
by seven games in the American League Central
division at the start of September, but rallied, winning 17 of their last 21 games to finish the season tied atop the division. On October 6, the Twins beat the Tigers 6–5 in 12 innings to secure the division title. In 2009 Mauer led the American League in batting average (.365), on-base percentage (.444), slugging percentage (.587), and OPS (1.031) Mauer became the first catcher to lead the league in all four offensive categories in a single season, and the first catcher to win three batting titles.
He has won as many batting championships in a span of four years as all other Major League catchers in the history of baseball combined. Two National League
catchers have won a total of three batting titles: Eugene "Bubbles" Hargrave
in 1926, and Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi
in 1938 and 1942. On October 29, Baseball America
named Mauer its 2009 Major League Player of the Year. On November 23, Mauer was named the 2009 American League Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers Association of America
, with 27 of 28 first place votes. This made Mauer the second catcher in 33 years to win the AL MVP. Among active catchers with at least 600 games played, going into the 2010 season he was second with a .996 career fielding percentage, behind Mike Redmond
(.996), and ahead of A.J. Pierzynski (.995) and Brad Ausmus
(.994).
. He hit his 1,000th career Major League hit on 9/14/10 against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
Mauer finished third in the AL with a .327 batting average, and his 43 doubles rank second on baseball's All-Time list for doubles by a catcher (behind Ivan Rodriguez's 47 with Texas in 1996). For the second straight year, Mauer was named the Twins' Most Valuable Player, as he was voted the Calvin R. Griffith Award.
, a team managed by his older brother Jake
. After Mauer caught several games with the Miracle, it was speculated he could return to the Twins as early as June 16 or 17, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire
did not commit to a return date. Joe Mauer returned to play with the Minnesota Twins on June 17, 2011 and received a standing ovation from the fans.
He made his first Major League start at first base on July 7, 2011 in Chicago, where he turned the first ball hit to him into an unassisted double play. In all he had 13 putouts and 2 assists and went 3-5 at the plate with 2 RBI in a 6-2 victory over the White Sox. On August 18, 2011 Mauer played his first game in right field. He had 3 putouts and went 1-3 with 1 RBI in an 8 to 4 Twins loss against the New York Yankees.
Many fans became angry with Mauer during the 2011 season.
Mauer modeled for Perry Ellis in the 2004–05 off-season, and is featured in television commercials
for Head & Shoulders, Pepsi
, ESPN
, Fox Sports Net
, PlayStation 3
, Gatorade
and my29
.
Mauer's Quickswing Camp is held annually in the winter at a St. Paul area college. The camp teaches youth the basics of batting
skills.
Mauer taped an episode of Homecoming with Rick Reilly
for ESPN
on January 27, 2010 at Cretin-Derham Hall High School, his alma mater, in St. Paul, Minnesota. The episode aired on April 12, 2010.
Computer Entertainment's
MLB 10: The Show
game for the PlayStation
platform. He was also the cover athlete for the following installment
.
The game's tagline, "Well played, Mauer", used by actor Jerry Lambert
(playing the role of fictional vice president Kevin Butler
) in television commercials promoting the game, was mimicked by Twins announcer Dick Bremer
during a game versus the visiting Kansas City Royals
on June 10, 2010. Royals outfield
er Mitch Maier
fouled back a pitch from Twins pitcher
Brian Duensing
. The ball traveled over the protective net behind the home plate
area. Mauer tracked the ball, reached around the screen, and caught it, leading Bremer to exclaim, "Did he catch that? Oh, well played, Mauer!" The catch is featured in MLB 11: The Show's "Joe Mauer" introductory vignette.
Mauer appeared as a playable pro in Backyard Baseball 2009.
in St. Paul during the 2006 season. Mauer and Morneau no longer live together, as Morneau has married.
Mauer is also recognized for the large sideburns
that he has worn ever since joining the big leagues. On August 10, 2006, the Minnesota Twins
held "Joe Mauer Sideburns Night" in honor of the catcher. The first 10,000 fans were given synthetic replica sideburns with double-sided tape to share in Mauer's trademark look.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles. He has also won three consecutive Gold Glove awards (2008–2010), and the 2009 AL MVP award.
High-school career
Mauer played footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for Saint Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders
Cretin-Derham Hall High School
Cretin-Derham Hall High School is a private, co-educational Catholic high school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, it is co-sponsored by the Brothers of the Christian Schools and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet...
, the high school of Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor
Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. In his senior year he became the only athlete ever to be selected as the USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
High School Player of the Year in two sports (football in 2000 as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and baseball in 2001 as a catcher).
In December 2009, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine included Mauer in its article on ten "signature" moments in U.S. high-school sports in the 2000–2009 decade, referring to his selection by the Minnesota Twins as the first pick in the 2001 amateur draft.
Baseball
Mauer attended the same high school as Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
r and former Milwaukee Brewer
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor
Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
. Molitor has said that Mauer "has the best swing he had ever seen". Jim O'Neill, Mauer's baseball coach at Cretin-Derham Hall, said his former student "has been groomed for this job since he was a little boy. Mauer's dad, Jake, created a contraption for Joe he later named the 'Quickswing'. The device dropped balls down a tube from eye level and released them at waist level." Mauer had been asked to leave his T-ball league at the age of four, because he was hitting the ball too hard for the other players. "Another guy that came from Cretin-Derham Hall, Paul Molitor, was very similar, [and] had a good short swing," O'Neill said. "And they're both able to wait on the ball so long because they don't have the big swing. Like anything, you keep simple and keep it small or short, there's not a lot of holes in it and not a lot of room for errors."
A stand-out in baseball, Mauer struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
only once during his four-year high school career, and hit .605 during his senior season. Years later, Mauer laughingly told an interviewer: "I can remember the time I did strike out. It was junior year, and it was in the state tournament. I came back to the bench and everybody thought something was wrong with me." Mauer's high school batting average exceeded .500 every year. He also set a Minnesota high school record and tied the national preps mark by hitting a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in seven consecutive games. Mauer caught for the Team USA
USA Baseball
USA Baseball was founded in , and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. It is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and organizes the United States national baseball team...
Junior National team from 1998 to 2000 and hit .595 during his final year on the team. He was voted best hitter at the World Junior Baseball Championship
World Junior Baseball Championship
The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States...
in Canada in . In , Mauer was voted the United States District V Player of the year.
Basketball
Mauer averaged more than 20 points a game as a point guard for Cretin-Derham Hall.He was stopped one game by Louie Puente out of Minneapolis Prep High School. He was also named to the All-State team during his final two years on Cretin-Derham's basketball team.Football
Mauer had an extremely accomplished high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
career. In 2000, he appeared in the Faces in the Crowd section in Sports Illustrated. During his senior season as the Raiders' quarterback, Mauer completed 178 of 288 passes (62% completion percentage), for 3,022 yards, 41 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He finished his two-year career as a starter with 5,528 yards and 73 touchdowns, leading the Raiders to two consecutive Class 5A State Championship Game appearances and winning the title in 1999, the Raiders' first of all time.
Mauer was honored as the 2001 Gatorade National Player of the Year in both football and baseball, was named to the USA Today All-USA high school football team, was honored as USA Today's Player of the Year, and was a Reebok
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
/ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
High School All-American. Mauer was also named National High School Quarterback Of The Year in 2000 by The National Quarterback Club.
Professional career
Mauer ultimately turned down a football scholarship from Florida State UniversityFlorida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
to enter the Major League Baseball Draft. Mauer was selected by the Twins as the first overall pick of the 2001 draft
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
, ahead of college pitcher Mark Prior
Mark Prior
Mark William Prior is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2002-2006. His repertoire of pitches includes a low to mid 90s fastball, a curveball, a slurve, and a changeup.-Amateur career:Prior graduated from the...
, who was taken second overall by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. Mauer was part of the United States' roster at the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
at U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field is a baseball ballpark in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, it is the home of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball's American League. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at old Comiskey Park...
before being promoted to the Twins' roster in after his predecessor, A. J. Pierzynski
A. J. Pierzynski
Anthony John "A. J." Pierzynski is an American Major League Baseball catcher who is currently with the Chicago White Sox. Pierzynski previously played with the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants . Pierzynski was also a wrestler for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Early life:Anthony John...
, was traded to the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, in the 2003 offseason.
Mauer went 2-for-3 in his Major League debut, hitting a single off Rafael Betancourt
Rafael Betancourt
Rafael Jose Betancourt is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. He was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox in September 1999. The Red Sox released him following the 1999 season and then re-signed him as a free agent in December...
of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
for his first major-league hit. A knee injury to his left medial meniscus
Medial meniscus
-External links: *...
on April 7, 2004, required surgery and sidelined Mauer for more than a month. After a rehabilitation stint with the Twins' AAA affiliate Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
, Mauer returned to the Twins' lineup in June. In July, pain and swelling in his knee forced an early end to Mauer's 2004 season. Following his injury-shortened 2004, Mauer signed a contract for $5.7 million with the Twins on January 24, 2005. In 2005, Mauer returned to the Twins' lineup for his first full major league season and had 144 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 131 games, with 9 home runs and 55 RBI. He ended the year with an average of .294.
2006
In his breakout 2006 season2006 Major League Baseball season
In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the National League's St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series with the lowest regular season victory total in history. The American League continued its domination at the All-Star Game by winning its fourth straight game; the A.L. has won nine...
, Mauer became the first catcher in major league history to lead the majors in batting average and the first American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
catcher to win the batting title, finishing with an average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .347. Mauer's performance during the months of May and June garnered attention from the national media. He recorded a .528 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
over the first ten days of June and hit .452 over the course of the month. He was also the first player since Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
in 1997 to reach base four or more times for five consecutive games. On June 12, Mauer was named the American League Player of the Week by Major League Baseball for his performance the week of June 4 – 11th, during which he hit .625 (15-for-24) with 5 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 4 RBI and 2 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
Mauer recorded his first five RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
game June 26, against the Los Angeles Dodgers
2006 Los Angeles Dodgers season
In 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to improve their record from 2005. The team switched General Managers from Paul DePodesta to Ned Colletti, and hired Grady Little as the new manager. The Dodgers were able to win 88 games...
. Mauer followed that up with his first career five-hit game on June 27, also against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. He was also named MLB Player of the Month for June after batting .452 with a .624 slugging percentage and .528 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, 11 doubles, 14 RBI and 18 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. Along with Johan Santana
Johan Santana
Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....
(Pitcher of the Month) and Francisco Liriano
Francisco Liriano
Francisco Liriano y Casillas is a left-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.-Professional career:...
(Rookie of the Month), Mauer was part of the first-ever single-team sweep of MLB's three monthly awards. On July 2, Mauer was selected by the players to his first All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. Mauer appeared on the cover of the August 7, 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated.
Mauer finished the 2006 regular season with a .347 batting average, edging the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
and Robinson Canó
Robinson Canó
Robinson José Canó Mercedes is a Dominican baseball player who currently plays as a second baseman for the New York Yankees.-Family and early life:...
to win the American League batting title and become the first-ever American League catcher to win the crown and the first catcher to claim the title since Ernie Lombardi
Ernie Lombardi
Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi , was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 years, from 1931 to 1947. He had several nicknames, including "Schnozz", "Lumbago", "Bocci",...
in 1942 with the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. His .347 average was the highest in the Major Leagues, a feat not achieved by the previous three catchers to win NL batting titles. He was the youngest player to win a batting title since Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
in 1996. After going 2-for-4 in the last game of the 2006 regular season, Mauer confessed to reporters, "When I told you I wasn’t thinking about the batting title? I was lying. I’ve never been that nervous in my life. I haven’t felt anything like that since Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
as a rookie.” Mauer won his first Silver Slugger
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
award in 2006, along with teammate Justin Morneau
Justin Morneau
Justin Ernest George Morneau is a Canadian Major League Baseball first baseman for the Minnesota Twins. At 6 feet 4 inches and 225 lbs, Morneau was originally drafted as a catcher by the Twins in 1999. He converted to first base in the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2003...
.
2007
On February 11, Mauer agreed to a four-year, $34 million contract with the Twins to avoid arbitrationArbitration clause
An arbitration clause is a commonly used clause in a contract that requires the parties to resolve their disputes through an arbitration process...
. The deal ensured that Mauer would remain in Minnesota long enough to play in the Twins' Target Field
Target Field
Target Field is a baseball park located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the home ballpark of the Minnesota Twins, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It is the franchise's sixth ballpark and third in Minnesota. The Twins moved to Target Field for the 2010 Major League Baseball...
in 2010. In July 21, Mauer hit his first career inside-the-park home run
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
against Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
pitcher Scot Shields
Scot Shields
Robert Scot Shields is a former American Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played his entire baseball career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, serving as their setup man since...
. It was his fifth home run of the season, and there were two players on base when he hit the homer. It was the first inside-the-park home run
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
by a catcher since Kelly Stinnett
Kelly Stinnett
Kelly Lee Stinnett is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. He played all or part of 14 seasons in the majors, from until .-High school years:...
did it for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
in 2005.
2008
In 20082008 Major League Baseball season
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
, he became the first American League catcher to win the batting title twice when he led the AL with an average of .328; Mauer also won his first Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
. On July 6, Mauer was announced as the starting catcher for the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 79th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, home of the New York Yankees, on...
. At the end of the 2008 season, Mauer won the AL batting title with a .328 batting average; it was his second in three years. Mauer underwent surgery for kidney obstruction on December 22. Mauer won his first Gold Glove
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
award in 2008, announced on November 6, He finished fourth in the balloting for American League Most Valuable Player, behind Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Luis Pedroia is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award...
, Justin Morneau, and Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
.
2009
In 20092009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
, he became the first catcher to lead the league in batting average, on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, and slugging percentage in a single year, and the first player to lead the American League in all three since George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
did so in 1980
1980 Major League Baseball season
-Major league baseball final standings:-Postseason:The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals in 6 games to win their first ever World Series Championship.*American League Championship Series: Frank White, MVP...
. Mauer's .365 average, which is the all-time highest mark among catchers in MLB history, led Major League Baseball. Mauer also won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2009. Mauer was named the American League's 2009 MVP by a near-unanimous decision (27 out of 28 first place votes).
On March 11, Mauer was diagnosed with inflammation in the sacroiliac joint
Sacroiliac joint
The sacroiliac joint or SI joint is the joint in the bony pelvis between the sacrum and the ilium of the pelvis, which are joined together by strong ligaments. In humans, the sacrum supports the spine and is supported in turn by an ilium on each side...
by team doctors following a magnetic resonance arthrogram
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
. He was unable to take part in team workouts during spring training due to the pain in his lower back, which he first began experiencing late in the 2008 season. Mauer missed the start of the 2009 regular season and returned on May 1. He went 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored in his first game back, hitting a home run on his first swing of the season.
He returned May 1, and had the best month of his career. Mauer hit 11 home runs and drove in 32 RBI becoming the first-ever Twins player to reach that mark in a single month. During the week of May 18–24, Mauer led the major leagues in batting average at .458 (11–24), RBI with 13, and runs scored with 12, also hitting 4 HR and accumulating 25 total bases. On May 26, he was named MLB Player of the Week for his performance. Through the month of May, Mauer lead the major leagues in AVG at .414, OBP at .500, and SLG at .838, in addition to his HR and RBI totals, earning him his second Player of the Month Award honors. Mauer appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated for a second time on June 24. An additional 25,000 copies of the magazine were sent to Minnesota for the occasion. He was selected to the 2009 MLB All Star Game
2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of the...
as the starting catcher and participated in the Home Run Derby
2009 Home Run Derby
The 2009 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby was the sport's 25th annual home run-hitting contest and took place on July 13, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the host location of the MLB All-Star Game...
, losing a tiebreaker to Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
in the first round.
Role in 2009 AL Central race
The Twins trailed the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
by seven games in the American League Central
American League Central
The American League Central Division is one of six divisions in Major League Baseball. This division was formed in the realignment in 1994, and its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States...
division at the start of September, but rallied, winning 17 of their last 21 games to finish the season tied atop the division. On October 6, the Twins beat the Tigers 6–5 in 12 innings to secure the division title. In 2009 Mauer led the American League in batting average (.365), on-base percentage (.444), slugging percentage (.587), and OPS (1.031) Mauer became the first catcher to lead the league in all four offensive categories in a single season, and the first catcher to win three batting titles.
He has won as many batting championships in a span of four years as all other Major League catchers in the history of baseball combined. Two National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
catchers have won a total of three batting titles: Eugene "Bubbles" Hargrave
Bubbles Hargrave
Eugene Franklin "Bubbles" Hargrave was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Yankees. He won the National League batting title in 1926 while playing for Cincinnati...
in 1926, and Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi
Ernie Lombardi
Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi , was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 years, from 1931 to 1947. He had several nicknames, including "Schnozz", "Lumbago", "Bocci",...
in 1938 and 1942. On October 29, Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
named Mauer its 2009 Major League Player of the Year. On November 23, Mauer was named the 2009 American League Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
, with 27 of 28 first place votes. This made Mauer the second catcher in 33 years to win the AL MVP. Among active catchers with at least 600 games played, going into the 2010 season he was second with a .996 career fielding percentage, behind Mike Redmond
Mike Redmond
Michael Patrick Redmond is a former Major League Baseball catcher.Redmond graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School in 1989. He attended Gonzaga University. Mike and his wife Michele have two sons.Redmond made his Major League debut with the Florida Marlins on May 31, 1998...
(.996), and ahead of A.J. Pierzynski (.995) and Brad Ausmus
Brad Ausmus
Bradley David "Brad" Ausmus is a former All Star catcher in Major League Baseball, and currently a special assistant for the San Diego Padres....
(.994).
2010
On March 21, 2010, Mauer agreed to an eight-year contract extension with the Twins worth $184 million, which will take effect from the 2011 season to the 2018 season. It is the richest contract in the history of major league baseball for a catcher. On July 26, 2010, Mauer hit a home run and drove in a career-high seven runs in the Twins' 19-1 win over the rival Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. He hit his 1,000th career Major League hit on 9/14/10 against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
Mauer finished third in the AL with a .327 batting average, and his 43 doubles rank second on baseball's All-Time list for doubles by a catcher (behind Ivan Rodriguez's 47 with Texas in 1996). For the second straight year, Mauer was named the Twins' Most Valuable Player, as he was voted the Calvin R. Griffith Award.
2011
Mauer underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after the 2010 season, and missed most of spring training due to a difficult recovery from the operation. After further difficulties during the first days of the season, he was placed on the disabled list immediately after the Twins' game on April 15. Team doctors believed his problem, termed a "bilateral leg weakness", was due to too light a workload during spring training. Mauer returned to game action as a designated hitter in extended spring training on May 25, and made his first post-DL appearance as a catcher in another extended spring training game on June 2. The following week, he went on a further rehabilitation assignment to the Twins' Class A affiliate, the Fort Myers MiracleFort Myers Miracle
The Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...
, a team managed by his older brother Jake
Jake Mauer
Donald Charles "Jake" Mauer is a former Minor League Baseball player, and former NCAA Division III baseball standout. As senior in , he set the University of St. Thomas season record for hits with 83, and is the school's career leader in hits , runs & games . He was inducted into the St...
. After Mauer caught several games with the Miracle, it was speculated he could return to the Twins as early as June 16 or 17, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire
Ron Gardenhire
Ronald Clyde "Gardy" Gardenhire is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins.He is six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds during most of his baseball career....
did not commit to a return date. Joe Mauer returned to play with the Minnesota Twins on June 17, 2011 and received a standing ovation from the fans.
He made his first Major League start at first base on July 7, 2011 in Chicago, where he turned the first ball hit to him into an unassisted double play. In all he had 13 putouts and 2 assists and went 3-5 at the plate with 2 RBI in a 6-2 victory over the White Sox. On August 18, 2011 Mauer played his first game in right field. He had 3 putouts and went 1-3 with 1 RBI in an 8 to 4 Twins loss against the New York Yankees.
Many fans became angry with Mauer during the 2011 season.
Other work
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
for Head & Shoulders, Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
and my29
WFTC
WFTC, channel 29, is a MyNetworkTV owned and operated television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area...
.
Mauer's Quickswing Camp is held annually in the winter at a St. Paul area college. The camp teaches youth the basics of batting
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
skills.
Mauer taped an episode of Homecoming with Rick Reilly
Homecoming with Rick Reilly
Homecoming with Rick Reilly is an American television show on the sports network ESPN. The show is hosted by ESPN personality Rick Reilly, and features interviews with popular American sports figures.- Interviewed :*Josh Hamilton*Jerry Rice*Kurt Warner...
for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
on January 27, 2010 at Cretin-Derham Hall High School, his alma mater, in St. Paul, Minnesota. The episode aired on April 12, 2010.
Video games
Mauer was the cover athlete for SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
Computer Entertainment's
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
MLB 10: The Show
MLB 10: The Show
MLB 10: The Show is a baseball simulation video game created by Sony Computer Entertainment's San Diego division. The MLB: The Show series of video games is the longest officially licensed baseball simulation game on the PlayStation. The game is made for Sony's own PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and...
game for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
platform. He was also the cover athlete for the following installment
MLB 11: The Show
MLB 11: The Show is a Major League Baseball video game published by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by Sony San Diego. The game was released on March 8, 2011 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2...
.
The game's tagline, "Well played, Mauer", used by actor Jerry Lambert
Jerry Lambert (actor)
Jerry Lambert is an American stage, film, and television actor and voiceover artist, best known for his work on the ABC sitcom, Sons and Daughters, as well as commercials for companies including GEICO, Holiday Inn, and playing a fictional Sony executive named Kevin Butler.-Education:Lambert...
(playing the role of fictional vice president Kevin Butler
Kevin Butler (character)
Kevin Butler is a marketing character used by Sony Computer Entertainment America as part of their It Only Does Everything and Long Live Play advertising campaigns for the PlayStation 3 in North America...
) in television commercials promoting the game, was mimicked by Twins announcer Dick Bremer
Dick Bremer
Richard J. Bremer is a sports broadcaster for Fox Sports North. He does the play-by-play announcing for the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Gophers men's basketball and other Minnesota sports...
during a game versus the visiting Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
on June 10, 2010. Royals outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
er Mitch Maier
Mitch Maier
Mitchell William Maier is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Kansas City Royals.Maier attended the University of Toledo. In the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft, he was a first round selection. He was selected 30th overall by the Kansas City Royals.Maier began his professional career in ...
fouled back a pitch from Twins pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Brian Duensing
Brian Duensing
Brian Matthew Duensing is a major league baseball starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.-High school:...
. The ball traveled over the protective net behind the home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
area. Mauer tracked the ball, reached around the screen, and caught it, leading Bremer to exclaim, "Did he catch that? Oh, well played, Mauer!" The catch is featured in MLB 11: The Show's "Joe Mauer" introductory vignette.
Mauer appeared as a playable pro in Backyard Baseball 2009.
Personal life
Mauer used to share a house with good friend and Twins teammate Justin MorneauJustin Morneau
Justin Ernest George Morneau is a Canadian Major League Baseball first baseman for the Minnesota Twins. At 6 feet 4 inches and 225 lbs, Morneau was originally drafted as a catcher by the Twins in 1999. He converted to first base in the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2003...
in St. Paul during the 2006 season. Mauer and Morneau no longer live together, as Morneau has married.
Mauer is also recognized for the large sideburns
Sideburns
Sideburns or sideboards are patches of facial hair grown on the sides of the face, extending from the hairline to below the ears and worn with an unbearded chin...
that he has worn ever since joining the big leagues. On August 10, 2006, the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
held "Joe Mauer Sideburns Night" in honor of the catcher. The first 10,000 fans were given synthetic replica sideburns with double-sided tape to share in Mauer's trademark look.
Relatives
- In the 2001 draft, the Twins also selected Joe's older brother JakeJake MauerDonald Charles "Jake" Mauer is a former Minor League Baseball player, and former NCAA Division III baseball standout. As senior in , he set the University of St. Thomas season record for hits with 83, and is the school's career leader in hits , runs & games . He was inducted into the St...
as the 677th overall pick in the 23rd round. Jake played at the University of St. ThomasUniversity of St. Thomas (Minnesota)The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
in St. Paul. Some observers concluded that this was an attempt to induce Joe to sign a contract, but Mike Radcliff, the scouting director of the Twins, denied this. Jake Mauer ended his playing career after the 2005 season but went on to manage the Gulf Coast LeagueGulf Coast LeagueThe Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
Twins (Rookie Level). After winning the GCL South with the Twins in 2009, Jake moved up and currently manages the A-Ball Fort Myers MiracleFort Myers MiracleThe Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...
. - The Mauers have a third brother, Billy, who signed with the Twins as an undrafted free agent in 2003, and pitched in the organization for three seasons before chronic shoulder problems forced him to retire from the game. He ended his minor league career with a 3–4 record and 3.66 earned run averageEarned run averageIn baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 43 games. Billy now owns Mauer Chevrolet, an auto dealership in the Twin Cities suburb Inver Grove Heights.