MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Mauer looks healthy.
He appears to have regained the weight he lost last season. He has a tan from his winter workouts in Florida. In general, the Twins catcher is smiling more than he did in 2011.
Then again, Mauer had never had a season as frustrating as 2011.
Before the year started, Mauer had offseason knee surgery that ultimately changed his whole season. He was never able to regain all the strength in his legs and was compensating for the results of his surgery. As a result, he missed two months early on with what was diagnosed as bilateral leg weakness. He was also shut down at the end of the year with pneumonia.
But as he talked to reporters at the team's annual TwinsFest this weekend, Mauer indeed looked healthy. Just how healthy remains to be seen, and Twins fans likely won't know until the season starts. The former MVP speaks with an optimistic tone, however, a tone he could rarely muster last season.
"This is the best I've felt in a long time," Mauer said. "I'm excited about that."
Since breaking into the majors in 2004, Mauer has consistently been one of the Twins' best hitters — and one of the best in all of baseball. He's a three-time batting champion and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 2009, when he hit .365, slugged .587 and hit 28 home runs — all career highs.
But 2011 was different. Much different. The 28-year-old Mauer batted a career-low .287 and slugged just .368 during the Twins' 99-loss season. More important, he was on the field for just 82 games. His inability to stay healthy drew criticism from some fans who have followed him since his high school days at St. Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall.
Yet Mauer is still widely loved in his home state despite the tough year he had in 2011. That was evident at TwinsFest, held at the Metrodome. Fans still clamored for a picture with Mauer or an autograph from the 2009 MVP. Seemingly, the demand was too high for the star catcher, who occasionally dipped into the Metrodome locker room for a brief pause or a quick meal before resuming his TwinsFest duties.
Mauer and the Twins can only hope he stays as active on the field this season. In an ideal world, he'd play 130 to 140 games for Minnesota, many of those behind the plate. The Twins also hope star first baseman Justin Morneau will play more than the 69 games he appeared in last year.
"You need them out on the field that much. They're MVP players, and we need them on the field for that many ballgames," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "They know that, and no one wants to be out there more than those two. And we're going to do the smart stuff, but the smart stuff is keeping them in the lineup as a manager. That makes you look good a lot of times."
But Mauer, 28, insists he doesn't have a number in mind for how many games he would like to play.
"I've never really been a guy to put a number on things, especially like average or home runs or things like that," Mauer said. "I just want to get out there and play."
And from the sound of it, he's ready to do that. He's ready to put 2011 — and everything that went along with it — in the past. Mauer began baseball activities in the past few weeks. He started playing catch and hitting off a tee, taking it slow before ramping things up prior to spring training.
He insists his knee feels "great" and doesn't think it will be an issue. Unlike last year, he'll report to spring training next month with far less uncertainty.
"This point last year, for me it's been night and day physically, how I feel," Mauer said. "I really was just kind of doing rehab stuff with the knee (last year). I don't think I grabbed a bat until I don't even know. … I feel good. I'm excited to get out there on the field and move around."
Mauer moved around the diamond a bit last season, playing a handful of games at first base and one in right field. He hadn't played either position at all in the majors but handled both well — perhaps not surprising for someone who excelled at three sports in high school. The move to first base helped keep Mauer's legs fresh while also filling a position in need. Morneau missed more games than Mauer did, so the Twins explored all avenues for a backup.
That included Mauer for 17 games in 2011 and perhaps more in 2012.
"One positive I can take out of last year is that I can go over to first base and feel a little more comfortable about that idea," Mauer said. "If it keeps my bat in the lineup and helps the team out, that will be good.
"I've always said we're best when I'm behind the plate, and that's what I like to do. But any way I can help the team is what I want to do."
After losing 99 games last year, the Twins need all the help they can get. A healthy Mauer would be a good start.
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