As the WBC is going strong right now the USA still in the running to win the WBC this year.. I have been thinking is it a good think Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau (pictured above) are playing in the WBC, or is it a bad thing for the rest of the season for the Twins.....
If you asked me about Justin Morneau playing in the WBC around this time last year I would say don't let him play in it at all. Morneau still wasn't healthy at this time last year, nor was he really ready to play major league baseball last year. But he tired his best and played through some injuries that were following him through the season. Morneau just couldn't seem to click last year. You could tell it was very frustrating for him. Even though he did put up good numbers for most hitter his numbers last year, isn't as nearly as good as he could of put up if he was fully healthy.. Morneau did have 26 doubles, 19 Homeruns and 77 Rbi's.. Not a Morneau kind of numbers...
Let's flash forward to the present now...
Canada is now eliminated from the WBC.. but it wasn't because Morneau wasn't hitting the baseball... to be honest Morneau was tearing the cover off the baseball during his run with the Canadian team during the WBC.. Justin batted .667 with 3 RBI's had 7 hits in 11 at bats.. His OBP% .692 his SLG .909.. By looking at those numbers and his numbers thus far this Spring it's easy to say .. HE is BACK!
My Conclusion..... Letting Justin Morneau play in the WBC = Great for the upcoming season for the Twins.. They could have their former MVP back in MVP form.
Now onto the other M&M boy...
Joe Mauer had another Joe Mauer season last year but not the MVP season he had a few years ago.. Mauer only caught 74 games which is his lowest amount of games caught if you don't count 2011.. that would be the lowest games caught by Mauer since 2007 when he caught 91 games. Last year Grady did everything and anything to keep Mauer's bat in the lineup. Mauer played 1stbase a lot more then previous seasons. Joe finished with a usually over .300 batting average he finished the season at .319 which was 4th best in the America league last year. Joe drew an amazing amount of walks with 90 last year.. put it this way he only struck out 88 times.. and finished with a OBP& of .416... If you ask me a pretty good season for a baseball player.. but to a lot of Twins fans.. that was a so so kind of year for Mauer.
Flash forward to now..
Joe Mauer is just being Joe Mauer in the WBC.. nothing exciting if you have been following Mauer since he has come to the Majors. In the WBC he is hitting .429, OBP% .556 and SLG .557. Mauer has doubled in two straight games and has 2 RBIS.. He also has drawn two walks in front of David Wright, which has turned into two Grand Slam's by Wright. It seems like Mauer is clicking.
My Conclusion...I Think it's a great thing for Mauer to be seeing Major league pitching more often then he would in Spring Training games. Mauer has caught a few games but also has played 1st base.. But as of right now it seems like Mauer is healthy and ready to go... = another good choice for playing in the WBC.
If both M&M can continue what they are doing and did in the WBC.. the Minnesota Twins could and should surprise a lot of people this season.. could even surprise me this season... which I hope happens.
If you asked me about Justin Morneau playing in the WBC around this time last year I would say don't let him play in it at all. Morneau still wasn't healthy at this time last year, nor was he really ready to play major league baseball last year. But he tired his best and played through some injuries that were following him through the season. Morneau just couldn't seem to click last year. You could tell it was very frustrating for him. Even though he did put up good numbers for most hitter his numbers last year, isn't as nearly as good as he could of put up if he was fully healthy.. Morneau did have 26 doubles, 19 Homeruns and 77 Rbi's.. Not a Morneau kind of numbers...
Let's flash forward to the present now...
Canada is now eliminated from the WBC.. but it wasn't because Morneau wasn't hitting the baseball... to be honest Morneau was tearing the cover off the baseball during his run with the Canadian team during the WBC.. Justin batted .667 with 3 RBI's had 7 hits in 11 at bats.. His OBP% .692 his SLG .909.. By looking at those numbers and his numbers thus far this Spring it's easy to say .. HE is BACK!
My Conclusion..... Letting Justin Morneau play in the WBC = Great for the upcoming season for the Twins.. They could have their former MVP back in MVP form.
Now onto the other M&M boy...
Joe Mauer had another Joe Mauer season last year but not the MVP season he had a few years ago.. Mauer only caught 74 games which is his lowest amount of games caught if you don't count 2011.. that would be the lowest games caught by Mauer since 2007 when he caught 91 games. Last year Grady did everything and anything to keep Mauer's bat in the lineup. Mauer played 1stbase a lot more then previous seasons. Joe finished with a usually over .300 batting average he finished the season at .319 which was 4th best in the America league last year. Joe drew an amazing amount of walks with 90 last year.. put it this way he only struck out 88 times.. and finished with a OBP& of .416... If you ask me a pretty good season for a baseball player.. but to a lot of Twins fans.. that was a so so kind of year for Mauer.
Flash forward to now..
Joe Mauer is just being Joe Mauer in the WBC.. nothing exciting if you have been following Mauer since he has come to the Majors. In the WBC he is hitting .429, OBP% .556 and SLG .557. Mauer has doubled in two straight games and has 2 RBIS.. He also has drawn two walks in front of David Wright, which has turned into two Grand Slam's by Wright. It seems like Mauer is clicking.
My Conclusion...I Think it's a great thing for Mauer to be seeing Major league pitching more often then he would in Spring Training games. Mauer has caught a few games but also has played 1st base.. But as of right now it seems like Mauer is healthy and ready to go... = another good choice for playing in the WBC.
If both M&M can continue what they are doing and did in the WBC.. the Minnesota Twins could and should surprise a lot of people this season.. could even surprise me this season... which I hope happens.