Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins

May 9, 2007 @ 16:00:00

By Richard Garcia
Edited by Ryan Dodson

Minnesota Twins placed catcher Joe Mauer (quadriceps) on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, May 6, after a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a strained left quadriceps. Mauer had not played since Friday night, May 4, although the injury has been bothering him for most of the season.

The way the strain was explained to Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire is that it developed as a result of an impact to the leg. It's a strain often seen in football players that take heavy impact; although Mauer couldn't remember an exact time when he took a blow to the leg that might have caused the injury.

The decision to put Mauer on the DL came after an MRI revealed the strain. Mauer's DL time is retroactive to Saturday, May 5, which means he will be eligible to return May 20, when the Twins are in Milwaukee.

This is a huge blow to a Twins club that has had starters falling like flies. The reigning American League batting champ's .353 batting average and .446 on-base percentage are the best on the team, and his .480 slugging percentage is second to outfielder Torii Hunter's .632.

In the seven games this season in which Mauer has gone hitless, the Twins are 2-5. In games in which he hasn't reached base, they are 0-3 with a .200 batting average.

Fantasy Perspective

Mauer is the No. 1 catcher in fantasy. He is invaluable at a position that is the weakest in regards to depth. His numbers speak for themselves. He was hitting .353 with one home run, 14 RBI, 18 runs and three steals in 28 games. There is not a specific timetable for his return, but Mauer said he hoped he wouldn't miss more than two weeks.

"You don't want to put a timetable on it," Mauer said. "It could be two weeks, or it could be more. Hopefully it's not much more."

Some possible catcher options are:

•  Mike Redmond has been starting in his place and will handle the bulk of the catching duties while Mauer recovers. The 36-year-old Redmond hit .341 last year as Mauer's backup and is hitting .261 this year. Redmond is available in 98 percent of leagues polled.
•  Florida Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo, 28, is the everyday catcher. He is batting .248 with two home runs and 19 RBI. Olivo is available in 90 percent of leagues polled.
•  Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, 28, is getting most of the starts. He is hitting .286 with one home run and 12 RBI. Ruiz splits some time with Rod Barajas, but he is the better hitter. Ruiz is behind the plate for the Phillies most experienced starters: Jamie Moyer, Freddy Garcia and Jon Lieber. Ruiz is available in 93 percent of leagues polled.
•  Kansas City Royals catcher John Buck, 26, is in a similar situation as Ruiz. He is playing the majority of games, but he isn't the highest-paid catcher on the roster. Buck is hitting .290 with four home runs with eight RBI. The ineffectiveness of Jason LaRue continues to allow Buck to start. Buck is available in 86 percent of leagues polled.

The Twins are going to be extra cautious with the 24-year-old Mauer, who puts stress on the quad every time he squats his 6-foot-5 frame behind the plate.

There isn't a great option out there to pick up, but there are capable players that can throw up some numbers in Mauer's absence. Our suggestion is to pick up any of the catchers listed, and pray that Mauer's injury will not keep him out of the lineup for long.

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Richard Garcia
Garcia served as a managing editor for KFFL. Prior to his time with KFFL, Richard worked in managerial roles with both Frito-Lay Inc. and UPS. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in public relations from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and fulfilled his internship requirements with the Los Angeles Kings Hockey organization in 2001.

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