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Local legends weigh in on Joe Mauer’s bid for the Hall of Fame
Mauer, a St. Paul native, played 15 seasons for the Twins from 2003 to 2018.
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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Tonya Yarmakov, 23, was reported missing from Savanna State Park on Sept. 4.
NORTHFIELD, Minn. — On Friday night, a Minnesota college held a vigil for a woman reported missing more than two weeks ago.
St. Olaf College in Northfield hosted a candlelight vigil for 23-year-old Tonya Yarmakov, who was last seen on Sept. 4 while camping with her family in Savanna State Park near McGregor, Minnesota.
The Aikin County Sheriff’s Office said family members allegedly told authorities they left Yarmakov alone on a dock as they went fishing, and around noon, saw her get up and run away.
She is 5 feet tall and has dark brown hair. The sheriff said she was last seen wearing a rainbow tie-dyed t-shirt, gym shorts, black shoes and black headphones.
Yarmakov has autism and Type 1 diabetes, causing greater concern for her welfare, authorities said.
Officials said they’ve used drones, dogs and planes to search for the missing woman.
If you have information about Yarmakov’s current whereabouts, the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office urges you to contact them at 218-927-7435 or call 911.
Saturday’s event includes helpful resources for caregivers and anyone impacted by dementia.
MINNEAPOLIS — Thousands of people are pouring into downtown Minneapolis Saturday morning for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Twin Cities.
KARE 11’s Karla Hult is emceeing the walk – one of the largest walks in the country, with 7,000 to 10,000 people attending – along with Gabi Del Moral of Telemundo Minnesota.
“Those of us who know Alzheimer’s or another dementia, also know this disease can feel so overwhelming and isolating,” said Hult, whose dad finished his Alzheimer’s marathon in 2019.
“It’s why I’ve always cherished the Walk to End Alzheimer’s,” Hult said. “There’s just nothing like connecting with a stadium full of people who understand how it feels to live with this cruel disease. Together, we find incomparable empathy and support. Together, we find new strength to fight. And together, we find the joy that still exists during the journey.”
The event includes helpful resources for caregivers and anyone impacted by dementia.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, money raised from the event provides local support groups, classes and resources at no cost to Minnesota families. The Alzheimer’s Association is also a significant champion and supporter of critical dementia research, including research projects currently happening in Minnesota.
This year the goal is to raise $1.5M through the event.
More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide unpaid care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Minnesota alone, there are 101,000 people living with Alzheimer’s and 164,000 unpaid caregivers support them.
Two men died in the hospital and three others suffered injuries after gunfire rang out downtown.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after five people were shot, two fatally, in downtown Minneapolis.
Officers were called to the area around 5th Street and Hennepin Avenue just before 2 a.m. Saturday for a report that several small groups fighting had escalated into gunfire.
Police report five people were shot. Two men, aged 20 and 21, were taken to the hospital where they later died, according to officials. Three women, two aged 16 and 17 and another woman, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said one person was taken into custody and will be booked for “Probable Cause Riot.”
A handgun was recovered from the scene, police said.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
