Mauer finishes hitless for Miracle

By Scott Hotard
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — Where had the great Joe Mauer gone? Out of town so soon, off to rest up for his return to life as Minnesota Twins poster boy?

A couple of reporters searched for him in the Fort Myers Miracle clubhouse, but he wasn't there. They wondered if they had missed him.

Nope.

Someone pointed to the home dugout, where only one player remained. It was Mauer, still signing whatever the fans put in his hands.

Hats. Balls. Programs. Even the box of a bobblehead doll.

Mauer signed away.

"We'll see you in two weeks," one man said, as he collected an autographed item. "In Miami."

"Sounds good," Mauer told him. "I'll see you there."

Likely, he will.

Mauer stayed in Fort Myers for three full days. He played in an extended spring training game on Tuesday before making the move to primetime and suiting up for the Miracle in Hammond Stadium, where a 3-2 victory over Vero Beach was hardly the story.

The 1,012 paid fans -- a disappointing number, to be sure, but Wednesday nights are notoriously slow -- came to see Mauer, who has been on the disabled list since early May. A strained quadriceps muscle had robbed him of about five weeks in the Minnesota lineup.

That's taken care of.

Mauer is headed back to the show to defend his AL batting title. He was to fly home to the Twin Cities on Thursday and make his return behind the plate for Friday night's game against the Washington Nationals, who open a three-game series with the Twins.

So long, folks. See ya again ... in the offseason, Mauer hopes.

Or maybe in Miami. The Twins will visit the Marlins later this month.

"It's hot out here," Mauer said with a smile. "But I felt pretty good."

Even if his bat didn't. Mauer went 0-for-3 with three groundouts in Wednesday's game with a walk in the ninth, when pinch-runner Caleb Moore replaced him at first. That means he went 0-for-Fort Myers -- the All-Star catcher was 0-for-3 on Tuesday afternoon.

But the point of this trip wasn't to get his stroke back. That, Mauer said, was the least of his concerns, and he deemed the rehab assignment a success.

Heck, he beat out a double-play grounder in the bottom of the first. Turned it into a fielder's choice.

"That felt really good," Mauer said later. "But it's something I knew I could do."

There is so much more he can do, of course, and he has proven that since his days as a Miracle favorite. He has become one of the best catchers in baseball.

People here are proud of that. People who watched him play 62 games for the Miracle in 2003 and earn a spot on the Florida State League all-star team.

People like John King, a Fort Myers resident who has attended these games for 10 years. Mauer remains his favorite player.

"Tonight's pretty special," King said, as he waited for the first pitch to be thrown. "Who is catching is pretty important."

That's why King brought his wife, Olive, and son Sean to the ballpark. They sat on the first row in Section 111, a couple of footsteps from the Miracle's on-deck circle.

Soon enough, Mauer, all 6 feet, 5 inches of him, was there with his bat. He waved it as he timed pitches in the first inning, close enough for King to feel the breeze from Mauer's backswing.

The Twin Cities native hadn't changed much since his days as a regular here. He was wearing a different jersey -- No. 35, instead of No. 16 -- but, well, those sideburns are still classic.

King, sporting a navy Mauer T-shirt, soaked it in. It felt like 2003 all over again.

"He's come up through the ranks and earned his spot," King said of Mauer, who made his only other appearance in a Miracle uniform during the '04 season, with two rehab starts. "He's an athlete. First time I saw him, I said he would go places. He did."