Post by billhammond on Jan 23, 2024 18:40:15 GMT -5
Excerpt from Star Tribune
Gee whiz.
That about sums up, to borrow Joe Mauer's own calm-and-unflappable vocabulary, the bulletin that the Twins' retired superstar received on Tuesday: Mauer has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
"He's what a Hall of Famer is all about," said Bert Blyleven, a Hall of Famer himself who watched most of Mauer's career from the broadcast booth. "He's such a class individual, on the field and off the field. Of course he'd never say it about himself, but he's very deserving."
The voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America agreed, as Mauer cleared the 75% of votes necessary to receive the sport's highest honor by getting 76.1%. He got four votes more than needed.
He is set to have a Zoom news conference later Tuesday.
The St. Paul native, whose career included three AL batting championships, the 2009 American League MVP award and three Gold Gloves, will be inducted on July 21 at the museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., where a plaque bearing his image will be permanently displayed.
Mauer, now 40 and retired for 4 ½ years, is only the third catcher ever to be elected on the first ballot, joining Johnny Bench in 1989 and Iván Rodríguez in 2017.
"His career, being [drafted] first overall and accelerating toward the big leagues, it was almost as if it was scripted," said Paul Molitor, a fellow St. Paul baseball legend who served as Mauer's manager for the final four seasons of the catcher-turned-first-baseman's 15-year career, entirely spent with the Twins. "He obviously kept surpassing expectations, high as they were. Three batting titles, the defensive skill he showed as a catcher — the Hall of Fame seemed like his natural destination."
Mauer will be joined by power-hitting third baseman Adrián Beltré and former Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. Beltré won five Gold Gloves and hit 477 home runs over a 21-year career with the Dodgers, Mariners, Red Sox and Rangers. Helton batted .300 a dozen times in his 17-year career.
Gee whiz.
That about sums up, to borrow Joe Mauer's own calm-and-unflappable vocabulary, the bulletin that the Twins' retired superstar received on Tuesday: Mauer has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
"He's what a Hall of Famer is all about," said Bert Blyleven, a Hall of Famer himself who watched most of Mauer's career from the broadcast booth. "He's such a class individual, on the field and off the field. Of course he'd never say it about himself, but he's very deserving."
The voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America agreed, as Mauer cleared the 75% of votes necessary to receive the sport's highest honor by getting 76.1%. He got four votes more than needed.
He is set to have a Zoom news conference later Tuesday.
The St. Paul native, whose career included three AL batting championships, the 2009 American League MVP award and three Gold Gloves, will be inducted on July 21 at the museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., where a plaque bearing his image will be permanently displayed.
Mauer, now 40 and retired for 4 ½ years, is only the third catcher ever to be elected on the first ballot, joining Johnny Bench in 1989 and Iván Rodríguez in 2017.
"His career, being [drafted] first overall and accelerating toward the big leagues, it was almost as if it was scripted," said Paul Molitor, a fellow St. Paul baseball legend who served as Mauer's manager for the final four seasons of the catcher-turned-first-baseman's 15-year career, entirely spent with the Twins. "He obviously kept surpassing expectations, high as they were. Three batting titles, the defensive skill he showed as a catcher — the Hall of Fame seemed like his natural destination."
Mauer will be joined by power-hitting third baseman Adrián Beltré and former Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. Beltré won five Gold Gloves and hit 477 home runs over a 21-year career with the Dodgers, Mariners, Red Sox and Rangers. Helton batted .300 a dozen times in his 17-year career.
