Monster Card Monday: 2009 Joe Mauer

In honor of Joe Mauer’s 2 for 4 performance in Team USA’s win over Canada in the World Baseball Classic yesterday, here is his 2009 APBA card. 

A St Paul native, Minnesota Twin Joe Mauer has played for his hometown crowd the last nine years.  In 2009, everything clicked for Mauer.  Not only did he hit a career high 28 homeruns but he led the AL in hitting/OBP/Slugging with marks of .365/.444/.587 respectively.  And his defense!  It’s no wonder he won the AL MVP and Gold Glove award by a sizable margin that year.

I have to admit, Mauer’s 2009 APBA card didn’t strike the fear in my heart like I would expect.  Don’t get me wrong.  As owner of Geovany Soto and John Buck, I’d love to have this card on my league team.  Maybe I’m too conditioned to 55-6s and 13-9s after doing this column for so long.  But Mauer’s card is pretty excellent. regardless.  Not many players rated as Catcher-9  have a 15-7. 

The Mauer card’s beauty might be hidden in the fact he has four 14s in addition to the many hit numbers.  And don’t forget to notice his 31s.  He has three of ‘em. 

Mauer is also one those players I enjoy who strike out less than they walk (see Albert Pujols, Ted Williams).  He struck out just 63 times in 606 plate appearances which netted him only three 13s. 

Good luck to Joey Da Gun and the rest of Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.