Joe Mauer and the Quest for .500 (or .400, as it will eventually become)

[Déjà Bru]

Now listen, any of you who are Minnesota Twins fans. Will you hold onto these players by paying them what they are worth on the market when the time comes? I'm sick of you guys hating us when players like Mauer and Morneau end up with the Yankees because their former employers like to squeeze a buck.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Now listen, any of you who are Minnesota Twins fans. Will you hold onto these players by paying them what they are worth on the market when the time comes? I'm sick of you guys hating us when players like Mauer and Morneau end up with the Yankees because their former employers like to squeeze a buck.

LOL, I wish I had control over that situation. Id be very surprised if anyone got their hands on Mauer.(the fans would boycott) They gave Morneau an extension a year ago so he is safe for awhile and he is a ways until he is past his prime so the yankees wont want him yet

[usry723]

I don't think anyone will ever hit .400 again in our lifetimes. The real question is which catcher would you rather have on your team, Joe Mauer or Brian McCann?

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by usry723

I don't think anyone will ever hit .400 again in our lifetimes. The real question is which catcher would you rather have on your team, Joe Mauer or Brian McCann?

Id probably go with the gold glover and 2 time batting champ without too many questions

[MorseMoose]

Originally Posted by usry723

Joe Mauer or Brian McCann?

Seriously?

[MorseMoose]

3/3 today with a 2-run shot. Wow.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by usry723

The real question is which catcher would you rather have on your team, Joe Mauer or Brian McCann?

Interesting question. And until I looked it up it is much closer than I would have thought. McCann is a year younger and so far more durable but Mauer has the advantage of holding a pretty significant advantage in batting.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

Interesting question. And until I looked it up it is much closer than I would have thought. McCann is a year younger and so far more durable but Mauer has the advantage of holding a pretty significant advantage in batting.

And 2 gold gloves! A good defensive catcher trumps any other position IMO.

[MorseMoose]

21 plate apperances short; but is currently the batting title leader.

[MorseMoose]

Nice showing today...dang he is good.

[dsvitak]

If someone DOES hit .400, it may well be someone like Mauer. Minimun plate appearances to qualify, and a TREMENDOUS streak for a 2-3 month period.

George Brett hit .390, Carew hit .388, and Tony Gwynn hit .372 over a four YEAR period, from aged 34 to 37.

In all of the cases above, the league average was less than this current era's.

The game IS a bit different. You have closers and set up men for the late innings...although, to be fair, starters aren't going as deep into games either, so you get some middle relief guys that you wouldn't have seen before.

In our lifetime, someone will hit .400 again. Maybe this year!

[MorseMoose]

Mauer is currently batting .425 a month and a half into the season...that's insane.

His OBP is .495!! Joe Mauer is on base every other at bat! Morneau is doing awesome too.

I'd argue that the Twins have two of the best back-to-back hitters in baseball in Mauer and Morneau.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

And 2 gold gloves! A good defensive catcher trumps any other position IMO.

I would say defense at catcher means less than any other posistion on the diamond.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

I would say defense at catcher means less than any other posistion on the diamond.

I hope your kidding!

Mike Piazza in his prime was getting stole on 110+ times a year. Joe Mauer between 25-50. Thats atleast 60 extra bases a year not even including passed balls and wild pitches. What other position can have that much impact?

Im not even going to get into to a guy like Varitek who knows how to handle pitchers better than anyone in the game.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

I hope your kidding!

Mike Piazza in his prime was getting stole on 110+ times a year. Joe Mauer between 25-50. Thats atleast 60 extra bases a year not even including passed balls and wild pitches. What other position can have that much impact?

Im not even going to get into to a guy like Varitek who knows how to handle pitchers better than anyone in the game.

I am sure Mauer is a decent catcher...but if you want to see a GREAT catcher, check out Yadier Molina's stats this year.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

I hope your kidding!

Mike Piazza in his prime was getting stole on 110+ times a year. Joe Mauer between 25-50. Thats atleast 60 extra bases a year not even including passed balls and wild pitches. What other position can have that much impact?

Im not even going to get into to a guy like Varitek who knows how to handle pitchers better than anyone in the game.

I would take Mike Piazza in his prime over any catcher in history. He was an offensive force made even better by offensve standards at his posistion.

And there is zero statistical evidence about a catchers ability to 'call' a game having any effect at all on a teams ability to prevent runs.

[molarmite]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

And there is zero statistical evidence about a catchers ability to 'call' a game having any effect at all on a teams ability to prevent runs.

I don't have exact stats but I'm sure a fellow Twins fan can help me out. The Twins pitching staff especially the starting rotation was terrible in April but since Mauer has returned, they've gotten much better.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by molarmite

I don't have exact stats but I'm sure a fellow Twins fan can help me out. The Twins pitching staff especially the starting rotation was terrible in April but since Mauer has returned, they've gotten much better.

The team at BP looked at mountains of data from thousands of teams from dozens of years and found no data at all to support the notion that a catcher can prevent runs through 'game calling'.

So either we do not know as yet how to look for it or there is no such ability.

I am leaning towards it is just another bucket of old time baseball rubbish.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

The team at BP looked at mountains of data from thousands of teams from dozens of years and found no data at all to support the notion that a catcher can prevent runs through 'game calling'.

So either we do not know as yet how to look for it or there is no such ability.

I am leaning towards it is just another bucket of old time baseball rubbish.

So in other words youve never played baseball at a competive level.

Which really wasnt the point in the first place it was the extra bases Piazza gives up because he couldnt throw out a dead duck trying to steal a base. You can have Piazza and his abililty to hit like no catcher in history Ill take Mauer and his ability to win batting titles and gold gloves.

If you cant tell by watching a game that Varitek is crucial towards the Red Sox success there is nothing I can say to prove it. Stats cant prove anything when one catcher catches 85% of the games. There will always be the case size excuse.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by molarmite

I don't have exact stats but I'm sure a fellow Twins fan can help me out. The Twins pitching staff especially the starting rotation was terrible in April but since Mauer has returned, they've gotten much better.

You are right but we cant win an argument based on stats because he will use the sample size excuse. I am pretty sure the 99.9% of baseball people know that the catcher isnt the least important defensive position on the field so this argument really isnt worth the time.