Fear the Beard: Joe Mauer off to a Hot Start
By Brennen Rupp
Minnesota Twins first baseman is sporting a beard. No, it’s not no shave November. It’s in honor of the Minnesota Wild and their Stanley Cup Playoff run. Mauer told friend and Wild star, Zach Parise that he’d sport the beard until the Wild were eliminated from the playoffs. With the way Mauer has started his 2015 season, let’s hope the Wild keep winning.
The 2014 season was the worst of Mauer’s 11 year career. He hit a career low, .277 and also set a career-high with 96 strikeouts.
Mauer is currently batting .300 with 11 RBIs to start the 2015 season. He’s hit five doubles and one triple. Fans will gripe about his lack of power, but, Mauer has never been known for his power.
The most impressive stat for Mauer thus far: He’s currently hitting .368 with runners in scoring position. If Mauer continues to produce with runners in scoring position, fans should be more than okay with his lack of power.
In the last ten games Mauer is hitting .317 with four doubles, a triple and seven RBIs. In that span he has four, multi-hit performances. Including a three-hit performance today in a losing effort against the Detroit Tigers. Mauer drove in two of the Twins seven runs.
If Mauer continues to stay hot will he keep the beard even after the Wild are eliminated? Or will he go back to the clean shaven, All-American look? Bearded or clean shaven, it appears that Mauer is primed to have a bounce back season in 2015.