Joe Mauer

[.JagMan.]

What is up with him, since I've traded for him right after he came off the DL he's pretty average and has been pathetic at time, has he forgot how to hit? seriously

[ceLpH]

hit a slump over the past week

still hitting about 300, cant really complain

[Whisp]

i drafted him like #20 overall, and it's really hurt my team. didn't know what i was doing. he's been awful for fantasy baseball this year, but none of the waiver catchers are nearly as good.

[Rollotommasi]

What is up with him, since I've traded for him right after he came off the DL he's pretty average and has been pathetic at time, has he forgot how to hit? seriously

have you noticed that the entire Twins lineup sucks badly ??

they avg 2 runs x game in August

[cymbaline]

I wouldn't go as far as saying he sucks, but he's been a disappointment for me.

A couple things I've noticed ....
1. He almost always takes the first pitch. He swings at the first pitch only 14% of the time which is the among the lowest percentages in the league (might be the lowest -- not sure). The word has gotten around the league that you can put him in an 0-1 hole every time with a batting practice "get-it-over" fastball. Since he is constantly hitting behind the count, his average is suffering. Once he's behind 0-1, pitchers just throw him stuff off the plate or on the corners. He only has moderate power on pitches down the middle and he ain't seeing many of them after called strike one.

Sometimes the best pitch is the first one and Mauer is hurting himself by taking strike one on every AB.

2. His team is extremely weak offensively. Minnesota has the fewest runs scored since the all-star break, and by a big margin too. Post break they've scored 111 runs in 34 games and I don't know if this includes today's 1-0 win which would only further the offensive struggles. Since the Twins got rid of Castillo (who is still leading the team in BA despite being on the Mets now), there is almost never anybody on base for Mauer. He can't do it all himself. Runs / rbis are more a factor of the team rather than the individual when it comes to singles hitters like Joe.

On the plus side, he continues to help fantasy teams in BA and maybe a little bit in SB. He's average or slightly above average in R and RBI mainly due to the fact that he's DH'ed 18 times this year.

Just my 2 cents.

[ChoneJohn]

That's a good analysis, Cymba...I totally agree.

I drafted him in the 3rd Rd (!) for his BA and the occasional steal. I thought that I'd be set at that position for the rest of the year. Now I catch myself cursing the fact that I didn't keep B. Molina when Mauer went on the DL in the middle of the year.

Pick it up, Twins!

...but not so much that you somehow overtake the Tigers...

[rowe33]

I paid way too much to keep Mauer for this season, thinking he'd improve in his power numbers a little while probably dropping a bit in batting average. And all I have to show for it is a remarkably boring catcher. He's without peer in grounding out to second base though - that seems to be his forte this season. His average with RISP is remarkably good but honestly I can't recall too many times I've actually seen him get an RBI while following the boxscores at work.

[Whisp]

when mauer went on the DL, i was going to pick up Posada. he was on waivers, and i considered using my waiver but figured no one needed a catcher. someone used their waiver on posada, and he's thoroughly outperformed mauer since. i also just went without a catcher for a month, which kinda hurt. hindsight is 20 / 20

[.JagMan.]

Well I guess Joe Mauer heard our venting, 2-4, 2 R last night

[sportsguy138]

i drafted him like #20 overall

That's your problem. There's no way Mauer should have been taken that high.