Twins' Mauer "ready to go" after knee surgery

Andy Kent
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- A simple game of catch in the Southwest Florida sun this week had much more importance than might be imagined.

Out on the practice field adjacent to Hammond Stadium at the Lee County Sports Complex, Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer engaged in an informal workout with his two brothers, Jake and Billy, along with a handful of other ballplayers.

What's important is that Mauer did so without any pain in his left knee, which he injured last April and which wound up costing him most of the 2004 season.

His pain-free status has put a smile on the face of Twins general manager Terry Ryan and manager Ron Gardenhire - not to mention Mauer himself.

"The knee is feeling pretty good. I'm just ready for spring to start," the soft-spoken Mauer said before stepping onto the field. "It feels good to get back out on the field in this weather, so I'm ready to go."

Mauer, 21, has been ready to go for months after enduring the rigors of therapy and rehabilitation following the injury suffered barely a week into the 2004 season.

The heralded rookie had gotten off to a strong start and was chasing down a routine foul ball behind home plate at the Metrodome in Minneapolis on April 6. Mauer twisted the knee awkwardly when he slid to make the catch but finished the play.

X-rays and MRIs later revealed multiple tears of the meniscus and it was determined that surgery was required to repair the knee.

"When I came back (in July) I reaggravated the same knee. It was just all related," said Mauer, who appeared in just 35 games but still batted .308 with six home runs in 107 at-bats. "I started to irritate the bone and some other parts of the cartilage, so it wasn't good. I'm just looking forward to this year and hopefully it's behind me."

The Twins are confident that it is, and are preparing for spring training with the idea that Mauer will be their everyday catcher for the entire season. His rehab has gone better than expected thanks to Mauer's drive and work ethic.

"We don't have to worry about him working. He's a dedicated guy when it comes to rehabbing himself," Ryan said from Minneapolis. "He does and has done everything we've asked and he's been in Florida more than he's been in Minnesota ever since the season concluded. He's done a lot of therapy and rehab. In fact, we've wanted him to back off some because we're concerned that he's overdoing it."

Mauer just wants to be able to handle the regular catching duties without any discomfort.

"The first goal is to stay out of the training room, obviously," he said. "I just want to stay healthy and play a whole season. Everybody's on the same page. I talk to Terry Ryan quite a bit. He calls to see how everything's going. They keep checking up on me and it's good. They want to know what to expect when the season starts."

Ryan has the brightest outlook when he thinks ahead to Feb. 20, the day pitchers and catchers officially report to spring training for the Twins.

"Get him out there and it will be a foregone conclusion," Ryan said. "You won't have to even ask him about his health once we get down there for spring training. If that happens (he stays out of the training room) you know he's going to produce."