There’s still no timetable for his return from bilateral leg weakness, but Joe Mauer is taking a significant step in his recovery by reporting to extended spring training in Florida.
For now he’ll merely work out in Fort Myers alongside Jim Thome and Tsuyoshi Nishioka, building up strength in his surgically repaired knee after admitting that beginning the season on the active roster was a mistake.
Being without Mauer for all but nine games has obviously contributed to the Twins’ horrendous start, but his backups hitting like pitchers has compounded the problem further. As a group Minnesota catchers have hit .139 with zero homers and a .358 OPS. NL pitchers are hitting .137 with a .338 OPS.