Reusse: On court, pals Moe Hargrow, Joe Mauer put on a show

BleedGopher

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Maurice Hargrow moved from Springfield, Ohio, to St. Paul during a blizzard in the late winter of 1991, as a third-grader. The family found an apartment on Dale Street and the lad known as “Moe” discovered Oxford Playground and the Jimmy Lee Rec Center once the snow stopped.

The basketball team that was assembled when Moe was in the fourth grade included Joe Mauer.

“Joe was playing for Jimmy Lee before I got there,” Hargrow said. “And I think he was the only white kid we had on our team until the eighth grade.

“Teams didn’t like it when Jimmy Lee showed up for a tournament. We would run and press, steal the ball and shoot layups. The parents on the other team would complain, but we were just young kids, going as fast as we could.”

Could the Caucasian lad keep up? Hargrow laughed and said:

“Joe was special, a natural. In the fourth grade, he had this Pistol Pete [Maravich] move. He would go hard with his right hand, fake left, then keep going righthanded, and he’d get you every time.”

Moe and Joe became buddies. “Teresa, Joe’s mom, would pick me up almost every day for practice,” Hargrow said. “And I spent a lot of time hanging out at Joe’s house.”

Hargrow said there were so many first-place trophies, medals and ribbons from the Jimmy Lee days that there still are drawers full in unknown locations.

He paused and said: “Joe was selected for a traveling team called the Minnesota Ice; I think it was the fifth grade. And his grandfather went to an early practice and told the coach, ‘There’s another kid that should be on this team — Moe Hargrow.

“Because of playing for Minnesota Ice, I wound up playing for Streets, and then I wound up playing for Howard Pulley, and because of Pulley, I wound up being recruited by major schools.”

Hargrow played 3½ seasons for the Gophers, peaking at 13.2 points per game as a sophomore in 2002-03. His college career included a transfer semester at Arkansas (he didn’t play there) when he was crossways with coach Dan Monson.

Moe played nine seasons of international basketball in the United Kingdom, Austria, Luxembourg, Qatar, Japan, Morocco and Colombia. Mauer played 15 seasons for the Twins, won three batting titles, was an MVP and will have his No. 7 retired this weekend at Target Field.

“He was one of the first friends I made when I moved to St. Paul,” Hargrow said. “Joe — and Big Jake and Teresa, and Grandpa … I love the Mauers.”

http://www.startribune.com/on-court-pals-moe-hargrow-joe-mauer-put-on-a-show/511328642/

Go Gophers!!
 

I still have nightmares about playing Jimmy Lee as a kid. We couldn't even get the ball past mid-court most of the time.
 

Great story, I did not know any of this. Too bad Reusse doesn’t write more stories like this.
 


I still have nightmares about playing Jimmy Lee as a kid. We couldn't even get the ball past mid-court most of the time.

Haha. I remember the same. We thought we were pretty good. Then we played Jimmy Lee.
 


Mauer stole money from the Twins for years. 23 million a year for a slap hitting, 8 HR, 60 RBI hitter.

I've never understand the Mauer fascination.
 

Mauer stole money from the Twins for years. 23 million a year for a slap hitting, 8 HR, 60 RBI hitter.

I've never understand the Mauer fascination.

The contract was not Joe's fault. And 3 batting titles isn't too shabby.....
 

Mauer stole money from the Twins for years. 23 million a year for a slap hitting, 8 HR, 60 RBI hitter.

I've never understand the Mauer fascination.

You're right, Joe should've said no that's too much money. He probably should give some of it back too. Also should tell them to unretire his number... I hate these takes.
 

Mauer stole money from the Twins for years. 23 million a year for a slap hitting, 8 HR, 60 RBI hitter.

I've never understand the Mauer fascination.

Mauer was paid an amount that matched his previous achievements, including batting titles and an MVP, who in theory was about to be in his prime. Several other teams would have ponied up the same amount if he had not accepted the Twins offer.
 



Mauer stole money from the Twins for years. 23 million a year for a slap hitting, 8 HR, 60 RBI hitter.

I've never understand the Mauer fascination.

Mauer is a border-line Hall of Famer who due to injuries was overpaid for a few years on a contract that was perfectly reasonable when it was signed. Get over it and move on people. I wonder if Angels fans piss and moan this much about Pujols, whose contract is far, far worse?
 
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You're right, Joe should've said no that's too much money. He probably should give some of it back too. Also should tell them to unretire his number... I hate these takes.

It's what any good Minnesotan like GoldTeam would have done. :rolleyes:
 

Mauer was paid an amount that matched his previous achievements, including batting titles and an MVP, who in theory was about to be in his prime. Several other teams would have ponied up the same amount if he had not accepted the Twins offer.

And Twins fans would have been outside Target Field with torches screaming about how the Pohlads lied about needing a new stadium to keep players like Mauer. I swear the crossover between the fans that scream "cheap Pohlads" every winter and the ones who cried about "$23 million" for 8 years is about 90%.
 

Mauer is a border-line Hall of Famer who due to injuries was overpaid for a few years on a contract that was perfectly reasonable when it was signed. Get over it and move on people. I wonder if Angels fans piss and moan this much about Pujols, whose contract is far, far worse?

He was overpaid severely for his whole contract. Just flipping brutal. 8 flipping years of a slap hitter getting 23 million in the 3 hole most of the time too. Had they kept him at 23 million this year, they would not have paid a lot of these new guys and would not be close to 10 games in front.

As for Pujols, he has 12 HR's and 40 Rbi's as of today. That's a whole year for Mauer.
 
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And Twins fans would have been outside Target Field with torches screaming about how the Pohlads lied about needing a new stadium to keep players like Mauer. I swear the crossover between the fans that scream "cheap Pohlads" every winter and the ones who cried about "$23 million" for 8 years is about 90%.

I am glad Maeur got to stay here. If he would have gone to the Yankees or Red Sox on that deal, they'd have ran him out of town.

It was a blessing for Joe to stay in Minnesota. No expectations in Minnesota.
 
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He was overpaid severely for his whole contract. Just flipping brutal.

As for Pujols, he has 12 HR's and 40 Rbi's as of today. That's a whole year for Mauer.

He wasn't. As a catcher, he was not over-paid.

Pujols is also hitting .235 and over the last 3 years is averaging ~.240 with about 22 HR's and an OPS barely over .700. For this he has been paid $84 million. Mauer's last 3 seasons, he averaged ~.283 BA and .760 OPS while being paid $69 million. He was also a far better defensive first baseman.

Also, Pujols is owed another $87 million for the next 3 years, his age 40, 41 and 42 seasons. I'm sure they'll get their $'s worth.
 

He wasn't. As a catcher, he was not over-paid.

Pujols is also hitting .235 and over the last 3 years is averaging ~.240 with about 22 HR's and an OPS barely over .700. For this he has been paid $84 million. Mauer's last 3 seasons, he averaged ~.283 BA and .760 OPS while being paid $69 million. He was also a far better defensive first baseman.

Also, Pujols is owed another $87 million for the next 3 years, his age 40, 41 and 42 seasons. I'm sure they'll get their $'s worth.

Pujols is severely overpaid. As was Joe.

We had a slap hitting first baseman with no power at all making 23 million for EIGHT straight years. EIGHT

Again, they are 10 games up thanks to spending money elsewhere.
 

Pujols is severely overpaid. As was Joe.

We had a slap hitting first baseman with no power at all making 23 million for EIGHT straight years. EIGHT

Again, they are 10 games up thanks to spending money elsewhere.

What should've the twins done then? At the time it was market value.
 

Pujols is severely overpaid. As was Joe.

We had a slap hitting first baseman with no power at all making 23 million for EIGHT straight years. EIGHT

Again, they are 10 games up thanks to spending money elsewhere.

Yep, for 23 mil Joe should have been able to duck and miss the concussion inducing foul balls that hit him in the noggin'.
 

What should've the twins done then? At the time it was market value.

Offer him less on a shorter deal.

If he doesn't take it, let him walk, and let fans cry.

They'd have stopped crying rather quickly.

Were you ever excited Mauer was in the batters box during those 8 years? NO ONE WAS!

Of course he took the deal, but no one had better call him out.

Kirk Cousins got ripped to shreds last year and his numbers were far better as a qb, than Mauers were as a batter in MLB. I'll never understand it. Carry on!
 
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Yep, for 23 mil Joe should have been able to duck and miss the concussion inducing foul balls that hit him in the noggin'.

I thought he did fine. Why are you talking concussions?

Are you saying he did not perform?
 

Offer him less on a shorter deal.

If he doesn't take it, let him walk, and let fans cry.

They'd have stopped crying rather quickly.

Were you ever excited Mauer was in the batters box during those 8 years? NO ONE WAS!

Of course he took the deal, but no one had better call him out.

Kirk Cousins got ripped to shreds last year and his numbers were far better as a qb, than Mauers were as a batter in MLB. I'll never understand it. Carry on!

I didn't care for the amount of years either, but at the time it was the 23 million number was about as low as we were going to get him. He also was good to us and didn't wait until the off season and started a bidding war. In hindsight of course it didn't pan out. At the time we have a 27 yr old catcher who's skill with the bat was something that had previously aged well with other players of his caliber. Metrics have changed since then as well and Joe isn't as valued either. I think it's more than fair to be critical of Mauer's final years and play if you'd like, but bringing up his contract isn't fair to him. I am one of those who was not happy about the Cousin's signing. I rip Zim and Spielman for that, not Cousins. I rip Cousins for being terrible in the big moments.
 

I can't believe people are dissing Joe.
 

I think a lot of you are missing the point here. Signing Joe was paramount because it kept the fans coming to Target Field. Many, many fans came to see the hometown hero play. He's probably the most popular Twin since Kirby Puckett. That contract was absolutely worth it to the Pohlads.
 


I thought he did fine. Why are you talking concussions?

Are you saying he did not perform?

The Twins paid the 23 million annually assuming for the bulk of the contract he would be playing Catcher with perhaps part time First Base/DH. The numbers Mauer continued to put up would have been stellar for Catchers along with Gold Glove defense, the salary would be totally worth it. The dollars for a non-power hitting 1B (a move dictated because he had several concussions behind the plate), not so much.
 

Saying he was grossly overpaid for the whole contract is not dissing him. It's pure fact.

Completely agree. He never lived up to that contract, he was paid for what he had already done with the hopes it would continue. Basically the same as every other player that signs a contract in pro sports whom is still in their prime. It is only an issue when that player regresses in performance which was the case with Mauer. If he had produced accordingly or exceeded expectations, no one would have complained. I don't think it is a coincidence they are having success this year now that we are free of that contract.
 

Saying he was grossly overpaid for the whole contract is not dissing him. It's pure fact.

It's also pure fact that it wasn't a bad contract when we gave it to him. Sometimes things don't work out as planned. That's life.

Also, with the direction of this thread it belongs in the off-topic forum.
 

He was overpaid severely for his whole contract. Just flipping brutal. 8 flipping years of a slap hitter getting 23 million in the 3 hole most of the time too. Had they kept him at 23 million this year, they would not have paid a lot of these new guys and would not be close to 10 games in front.

As for Pujols, he has 12 HR's and 40 Rbi's as of today. That's a whole year for Mauer.

Wow this is about as uninformed as you can get. Got to give Goldteam credit, he is consistent in his buffoonery.
 

Offer him less on a shorter deal.

If he doesn't take it, let him walk, and let fans cry.

They'd have stopped crying rather quickly.

Were you ever excited Mauer was in the batters box during those 8 years? NO ONE WAS!

Of course he took the deal, but no one had better call him out.

Kirk Cousins got ripped to shreds last year and his numbers were far better as a qb, than Mauers were as a batter in MLB. I'll never understand it. Carry on!

Let him walk? Then the Twins would've been paying $23 million for somebody to play for another team. Smart. Real smart.

Sure, you could put him on waivers and if someone claims him they would pay the salary. But nobody would've claimed him at that salary for more than a year. If you release him and someone picks him up after he clears waivers, the new team would have to pay the MLB minimum. The Twins would've been responsible for the rest. Every year.
 

He was overpaid severely for his whole contract. Just flipping brutal. 8 flipping years of a slap hitter getting 23 million in the 3 hole most of the time too. Had they kept him at 23 million this year, they would not have paid a lot of these new guys and would not be close to 10 games in front.

As for Pujols, he has 12 HR's and 40 Rbi's as of today. That's a whole year for Mauer.

It's almost like you have different expectations for hitting from a catcher than you do a first baseman.

Joe Mauer will be a Hall of Famer for his hometown team who did everything the right way. It's shocking anyone doesn't see the fascination with him.
 




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