Joe Mauer wins second AL batting title

Joe Mauer autographed wiffleball Congratulations to Minnesota Twins catcher, Joe Mauer, who finished the 2008 season with a .328 batting average and won his second American League batting title. Mauer also won the award in 2006 with a .347 average

Earlier this week, Baseball Hall of Famer Peter Gammons referred to Mauer as the most indispensable player in the American League. In the National League, Gammons said Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad Lidge is the most indispensable.

Mauer was drafted number-one overall by the Minnesota Twins in 2001. At the time, it looked like the Twins were making a mistake by choosing Mauer, a local prospect, over stud pitcher Mark Prior. Seven years later, it looks like the Twins made the right choice.

Mauer autograhped the wiffleball above in Fort Myers, Florida at the Twins’ spring training facility. As far as we know, it’s a one-of-a-kind souvenir. We keep it with our Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter autographed items.

A .328 average wouldn’t be high enough to win a Major League Wiffleball batting championship in any season. The lowest single-season average to win the batting title in MLW history was .442 in our first season. But .328 was good enough for Joe Mauer to win the American League batting title in 2008.