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November 1, 2009

Best season by a catcher? Mauer’s really close

Edward Thoma

OK, the season stats are in, and we’ve had a bit of time to distance ourselves from the games.

Time to consider these questions: How great was Joe Mauer’s season? How does it rate historically? Was it the greatest season ever by a catcher?

The case for Mauer is in the percentages. He led the American League in batting average (.365), on-base percentage (.444) and slugging percentage (.587).

This is rare stuff, the “modern triple crown.” Alex Rodriguez hasn’t done this. Nor has Albert Pujols or Ken Griffey Jr. Nor did Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays or Henry Aaron.

It’s the kind of thing done by men like Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Barry Bonds and Ted Williams — the absolute dominant hitters of their eras.

And now Mauer stands with them.

Certainly no catcher has done it. We all know that Mauer now has three batting titles to his credit, which is equal to all other catchers in baseball history put together. And some of us know that two of those other titles wouldn’t count by today’s standards — too little playing time. What few realize is how seldom a catcher leads in the other percentage categories. Johnny Bench, for example: Two MVPs, two 40-homer seasons, three RBI crowns — but he never led in OBP or slugging.

Nor did Roy Campanella (three MVPs), or Yogi Berra (three MVPs), or Gabby Hartnett, or Bill Dickey, or even Mike Piazza, the consensus choice for best hitting catcher ever.

Of the candidates for best catcher in history, only Mickey Cochrane — not coincidentally the catcher Mauer seems most similar to — ever led the league in even one of the percentage categories. He led the league once in on-base percentage (1933).

That’s the case for Mauer. And it’s a strong case indeed.

But there’s a problem: Mauer missed a month. Not only do those missing games hurt his team (because a lesser man is in the lineup) and limit his counting stats, they probably helped his percentages by reducing the wear-and-tear the position puts on his body and mind.

Mauer had 28 homers, 94 runs, 96 RBIs. Not only did they fall short of the league top 10 (much less the lead), they don’t compare to the numbers Piazza put up routinely in the late ’90s and early ’00s. Piazza in 1997: .362 batting average, .431 OBP, .638 SLG, 40 homers, 124 RBIs, 104 runs. In a pitcher’s park, no less. Comparable batting average and OPB to Mauer this year, far superior SLG and counting stats.

Of course, Piazza’s peak was in the heart of the steroids era, and there were and are rumors about him and performance enhancers. For those who hold steroid users in disdain, any and all numbers from the late 1990s — hitting or pitching — are suspect. Guilty until proven innocent, if only because the innocent among the players allowed the guilty to do as they wished.

Bill James’ win shares stat credits Mauer with 32 win shares — the third time Mauer has topped 30, which, again, is typical only of the very best of players. Catchers almost never lead the league in win shares; Mauer has now done it two years running.

Bench in 1972 had 37 win shares; Piazza in 1997 had 39 — the most ever credited to a Dodger.

Had Mauer played in April, and played as well as he did the rest of the year, and maintained it all season, he would probably be up there with Piaza and Bench. He didn’t.

It takes nothing away from the marvel that was Joe Mauer in 2009 to say that the missing month means his wasn’t the greatest season ever for a catcher.



Edward Thoma is a Free Press staff writer. He is at 344-6377 or at ethoma@mankatofreepress.com. He also has a baseball blog at www.mankatofreepress.com/ethomabaseball

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