So long, Joe
In one of the most touching tributes one could possibly draw up, the Minnesota Twins put Joe Mauer in catcher’s gear on the final day of the season. He caught just one pitch, but it was more than enough. Watching the video of the moment still leaves chills running down the spine.
Mauer gave the Minnesota Twins 15 years after being the #1 overall selection of the team in the 2001 MLB draft. He retires at or near the top of nearly every major hitting statistic in team history, finishing his career with an incredible .306/.388/.439 lifetime line.
For a decade, Mauer was the standard behind the plate for the combination of bat and glove both, as he was regarded as one of the elite defenders in the game behind the dish and became the first ever catcher in the history of MLB to win 3 batting titles, leading the entire major leagues two of those three seasons in hitting.
Joe’s peak came in his 2009 season, when he hit .365/.444/.587 with 30 doubles and 28 home runs, leading the American League in batting average, OBP, slugging, and OPS on his way to winning an MVP award.
Mauer finished his career with 6 All-Star game selections, 3 Gold Gloves, and 5 Silver Sluggers. The Twins have already announced that he will have his number 7 retired next summer.
Thanks for the memories, Joe.
Now, what lies ahead for the Minnesota Twins?