Posted August 9, 2011    

•Joe Mauer

•Mark Dayton

•John Gordon

•Tubby Smith

•Lewis Garrison

Knee Recovery Limits Mauer Power

Joe Mauer has one home run in 207 at bats this season.  The lack of power has become a source of frequent criticism about the Twins' left-handed hitting catcher.

His grandfather, Jake Mauer, has provided baseball counsel to the Twins’ $184 million man since Joe was a toddler.  The older Mauer told Sports Headliners the left knee Joe had surgery on during the past offseason still isn’t right and the usual physical abuses of catching doesn’t help the power hitting either.   

“Well, he’s banged up.  He’s only 80 percent right now,” Jake Mauer said.  “He still has trouble with his left knee.  When he hits off the back foot he cannot put all his weight on it (the knee).  He has to distribute his weight to the front foot, and therefore (hits) all ground balls, all easy plays.  No power because you hit off your back foot.”

Mauer has never experienced such a power outage with the Twins.  His previous season low was in 2004 when he hit six home runs in 107 at bats.

Mauer has played in part or most of eight seasons with the Twins.  He’s not a home run hitter, only twice achieving double figures in home runs, with 13 in 2006 and 28 in 2009.

His grandfather believes the home runs will come with more frequency next season.  “Oh, yeah,” Jake said. “He’ll get back next year, probably.  He’ll have the whole winter to relax.  No operation, no nothing.”

Many of Mauer’s hits this year are to left field, as they were during that 2009 season when he hit home runs that just cleared the left field fence at the Metrodome.  That season Mauer won the American League batting title with a .365 average and was the AL MVP.

Mauer has played 11 games at first base without an error this season but his grandfather said Joe has no plans to give up catching.  “He enjoys it (first base),” Jake said. “He thinks it’s fun. As a longevity (move), no.  He wants to be a catcher.” 

The Twins fell 10 games behind first place Detroit last weekend, ending hopes in the minds of many fans for a Minnesota Central Division title.   How does Joe feel about the club? 

“He still thinks he’s gotta chance,” Jake said.  “What the hell else can he say?  I think he’s saying that because he thinks no matter how low you can get, he always wants to climb up to be a winner. And he’ll never give up, and he still thinks the team is going to do it.”

 

Dayton Shows Commitment to Stadium Issue 

Mark Dayton has shown more commitment to leading the political fight for a new Vikings stadium than his most immediate predecessors, Minnesota governors Tim Pawlenty and Jesse Ventura.   

Dayton is interested in seeing a Vikings stadium plan approved and apparently doesn’t have a favored site.  His mandate last week directing both the Met Council and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission to fast-track a review of the Arden Hills stadium proposal is indicative of the urgency with which he regards the issue. 

The two agencies are to review various aspects of the Arden Hills site but a reliable stadium source told Sports Headliners that what he’s watching for are the findings regarding road infrastructure and environmental cleanup.   

Road costs have been a much publicized potential problem at the site.  Then, too, the proposed site is a former munitions plant that has been vacated for decades.  Would an environmental cleanup be cost prohibitive? 

The source said additional costs of “$50 million” each to improve roads and also clean the site would be problematic for the proposed partners in the Arden Hills project, Ramsey County, the state and the Vikings.  All three, the source said, have “capped” their contribution amounts for the proposed $1 billion retractable roof facility.  

If the review by the Met Council and MSFC is favorable for Arden Hills, it seems likely Dayton will want to call a special fall legislative session.  But even if the DFL governor is positive about the suburban site, he does have to work with a Republican controlled legislature.   

“The governor does want to deal with this,” the source said.  

The Arden Hills site can probably count on a wave of momentum this fall with the Vikings playing their NFL schedule, including home games at the Metrodome where the club’s lease expires after the season.  Fans are likely to call legislators and urge support for the site that has open spaces for tailgating, an amenity that stills has appeal almost 30 years after the Vikings vacated Met Stadium. 

Meanwhile, Minneapolis supporters continue to work quietly on a Farmers Market plan for the stadium.  But that site doesn’t seem to have the governor’s interest now. 

 

Worth Noting  

Infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka probably earns a pass from at least some Twins administrators for his disappointing rookie season that includes a .215 batting average and nine errors in 51 games.  The 27-year-old native of Japan is trying to learn a new language and culture while adjusting to opposing pitchers.   

Outfielder Joe Benson, who was the Twins Minor League Player of the Year last season, is hitting .405 in his last 10 games with New Britain.  In 83 games with the Double A team he is batting .297, with 10 home runs and 46 RBI. 

The Twins game on September 17 against Cleveland at Target Field will be John Gordon Day. The 71-year-old radio play-by-play voice of the Twins is retiring after this season.  Gordon’s 25 years on radio is second in franchise history to the late Herb Carneal.  Recognition on September 17 will include an on field ceremony. 

Twins marketing executive Patrick Klinger said the organization began the formal process on Monday of a national search for Gordon’s successor.  Klinger said he’s not sure if Gordon’s broadcast partner Dan Gladden wants to increase his play-by-play role.   

The Twins will send out season ticket renewals later this month and have a waiting list in the thousands, according to Klinger.  

1500 ESPN announced that Judd Zulgad is leaving the Star Tribune to host a show on the local radio station from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays.

Game time for the Gophers-Virginia Tech basketball game on November 30 will be 8:15 p.m. Minneapolis time.  The game, part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, will be at Williams Arena and televised by ESPN2.  The Gophers are 4-8 in the challenge, and last year coach Tubby Smith’s Minnesota team lost to Virginia at Williams Arena. 

Former Gophers football player Lewis Garrison will be officiating Big Ten basketball games for the first time next season.   

Garrison, Mark Smith, Rickey Foggie, Jay Thomas and Eric Smith, all former Gophers, finished up their work last week at the local PreSnap Football Academy.  During the spring and summer they have helped young players of various ages to improve skills. 

Jon Leuer’s dad, Mike, said his son has a 10 month contract with the Frankfurt Skyliners but the deal provides an out if the NBA ends its labor dispute and the season begins.  Leuer, who played at Orono High School and for Wisconsin, was a second round pick in June by Milwaukee.  Leuer reports to his German team next week, according to his dad.

 

The Twins will honor
John Gordon on Sept. 17.

 Tubby Smith