American as Apple Pie

Football or baseball, Joe?

That was the question all Minnesotans asked in the summer of 2001. With this week’s announcement that Mauer was the near unanimous choice (27 out of 28 first-place votes) American League MVP, it’s clear that the sporting gods always wanted Mauer to play the game of DiMaggio & Williams, and not the game of Nitschke & Montana.

As a senior in high school, Mauer was not only an all-world baseball prospect, but also the boy with the golden arm. Mauer was the most sought after quarterback in the country, winning both USA Today & Gatorade National Player of the Year awards.

Mauer seemed destined to follow in the steps of Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, Florida State’s latest stud signal caller. The lure to play for the Minnesota Twins, however, was too great to overcome. The Twins passed on can’t miss pitching prospect Mark Prior, whose injury plagued career may have ended after the 2009 season.

Joe Mauer made the right decision after all. It’s hard to question Mauer’s remarkable talent. He hit an astounding .365, which not only led Major League Baseball in 2009, but also was the highest average ever for a catcher. Mauer’s career clip through five seasons is an impressive .328, including 72 homeruns and 397 runs batted in.

Mauer has made his mark in Minnesota. He’s a hometown boy that has done wonders for his childhood team. If the sporting world didn’t have an idea of Mauer’s star-power before the award, it does now. The question is no longer, football or baseball, but rather Minnesota or the bright lights of New York?

That’s a much more difficult question to answer, but Joe Mauer has some time to figure it out.