Joe Mauer and Ron Gardenhire "fire back". Yawn....

I love Mike Redmond. He's 5'11", 205 pounds and has lasted to be 36 years old. But he has more heart than anyone on this Minnesota Twins team. And he's largely been an underrated hitter. Granted over his 10 year career in the show, his power numbers leave little to be desired (the most home runs he has ever hit were 4 in 2001 with Florida, and the most RBIs he has had in a season are the current 38 he has).

His career averages (batting average/on base percentage/slugging percentage) stand at .293/.349/.354, and .295/.347/.354 this season. Compare that with say an unnamed third baseman with a .198/.286/.254 line on the season, those numbers appear that Mike Redmond is Ty Cobb compared to Nicky Punto.

What's my point? First, Mike Redmond is everything to love about a baseball player. Although being physically inferior to the skills of a Joe Mauer, he has more heart and guts than Mauer could ever give on his best day. He had seven stitches in his head after get plunked in the head with a bat, and still went out, put on his gear and manned the backstop for the Twins the next day. Mike Redmond is America.



Nick Punto sucks. No one would question moving Joe Mauer if there was an actual competent player at the hot corner instead of the Twin's version of Neifi Perez. The most insane decision by this front office was to let Jeff Cirillo go for nothing. Granted in the long term, his future would have been short with the Twins, but a solid bat and the ability to play Third, Second, First, DH pays dividends on a team with little right handed pop or depth.



As I write this, Joe Mauer likely tripped over Tim Brewster's defensive game plan (Nah, that doesn't exist. It was probably a rock) in the parking lot on the way home and injured his hamstring. If his legs have responded this way towards catching, it's unlikely it will get better over time. I understand the argument of his impact as a defensive catcher, but what good does it do if he's going to face (or not face in this case) injuries?

I'm not a doctor, nor am I much of a baseball manager (and neither was Dusty Baker), but a move of Mauer if no viable option emerges at third would be a smart, progressive idea. Something the Twins seem foreign too.