Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins Plaques
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Joe Mauer is a catcher for the Minnesota Twins.
Mauer is considered by many scouts to be the best young catcher in the sport and has been said by some,
including Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., to have the best swing in baseball.
In his breakout 2006 season, Mauer became the first catcher in major league history to lead both leagues in
batting average and the first American League catcher to win the batting title, finishing with an average of .347.
He is also the first American League catcher to win a batting title twice.
Mauer turned down a football scholarship from Florida State University to enter the Major League Baseball Draft.
Mauer was selected by the Twins as the first overall pick of the 2001 draft.
On February 11, 2007, Mauer agreed to a four-year, $33 million contract with the Twins to avoid arbitration.
The deal ensures that Mauer will remain in Minnesota long enough to play in the Twins' Target Field in 2010.
At the end of 2008 season, Mauer won the AL batting title (.328), his second in three years.
He also won his first Gold Glove award in 2008, and finished fourth in the balloting for AL MVP.
