ST PAUL, Minn. — The Baseball Hall of Fame — where baseball immortality lives.
“Baseball's Hall of Fame gets it right,” said Minnesota Twins President Dave St. Peter
Located at 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York, less than 1% of all MLB players have a plaque hanging in the hallowed halls of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“It should be hard to get into the Hall of Fame," St. Peter said. "Yeah, it's the best of the best."
St. Peter was there last summer celebrating the inductions of Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat. It was a great day in Twins history. And he's planning to be back again in July 2024 for Joe Mauer.
“I don't think anybody disputes Joe's Hall of Fame credentials," St. Peter said. "There are some that might question whether he'll get adequate votes Year 1 on the ballot. But I, for one, believe he will."
Mauer, a St. Paul native, played 15 seasons for the Twins from 2003 to 2018. Ten of those years as a catcher, including six as an All-Star.
“To do what he did offensively is Hall of Fame worthy, and to do it while being the best catcher receiver in baseball, that's as good as it gets,” said Glen Perkins, a former teammate of Mauer's.
“In my mind, when he played, there was no catcher that was better than he was," said former Twins slugger Justin Morneau, who played nearly 10 full seasons with Mauer. "It's hard to argue if there was many players that were better than he was, and if they were, they're going to be in the Hall of Fame."
“MVP 2009, three batting titles. No catcher's ever had that," said LaVelle E. Neal, Star Tribune columnist. "He's done some things that no other catcher has done in the history of baseball, and that should be reflected with him having a plaque in Cooperstown."
Neal is one of some 400 baseball writers voting on the Hall of Fame this month.
“Do I think Joe can get in on the first ballot? Maybe. But some people are really picky and then people deliberate in their decision making,” he said.
"I'm going to vote for him," said longtime Star Tribune sportswriter Patrick Reusse. “Mauer will be a Hall of Famer, but I don't think he's going to make it the first time because he is not a slam dunk."
Reusse is one of the longest tenured baseball voters in the country, and he says there's already a slam dunk player on this year's ballot, in first timer Adrián Beltré. Voters, he says, may hesitate putting two first-time ballot players in the Hall, but says Mauer's spotless reputation certainly won't hurt.
“He missed Mass a few times on Sunday. But Cretin guys probably didn't like that he had a game to play," Reusse joked. "But beyond that, I don't know. He'd go to confession say, 'I got nothing.'”
As for Mauer, he's basically stayed out of the limelight since retiring five years ago. He spends most of his time with his family, which includes three kids. But, with Hall of Fame talk heating up, he's ready for what could happen.
“Obviously, there's a lot of opinions out there that could go either way, but I've never played the game for that," said Mauer. "But it would be a tremendous honor to be considered to a club like that."
“I had my career. The numbers are what they were and people are going to have their opinions, and I hope there's more opinions out there that will check the box 'Yes' than will check the box 'No.'”
“For me, there's a chapter of Joe's career that he was probably as good as any catcher almost in history,” said Paul Molitor, former Twins manager and HOF player.
Molitor is one of three St. Paul natives already in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jack Morris and Dave Winfield are the other two.
“I think he definitely has a good shot and just matter of when not will he make it," Morris said. "He will make it."
“So if Joe Mauer gets in in January, that would make four guys from St Paul. What do you say to that?" Randy asked Winfield.
“Well, I'll pull for him. I'm not one of the guys that votes. I, you know, I hope that it works in his favor,” said Winfield.
It is mind boggling to think four baseball players, who grew up in St. Paul, just miles from each other are among the greatest to ever play the game.
If Mauer gets the call to the Hall, it will be bittersweet.
He lost his dad, Jake, last January.
“You know, you talk about baseball. You know, nobody knew my swing better than him,” said Joe.
That swing. That sweet swing. It started in tee ball in St. Paul, and will likely carry him to Cooperstown.
“You know, as a kid, like I said, you never think about that sort of thing," he said. "But it would be it would be amazing. It'd be special."
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