DETROIT - Joe Mauer pulled within six points of Miguel Cabrera for the American League batting lead in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader, but by day's end, Cabrera was batting .331, compared to .323 for Mauer.
Mauer keeps chasing Cabrera
September 24, 2012 at 5:51AM
After going 3-for-4 in Game 1, Mauer went 0-for-5 in the nightcap. Cabrera went 1-for-4 in each game, keeping at least a share of the lead in all three Triple Crown categories, with the top average, 42 home runs and 133 RBI.
"There's 10 games left [for Cabrera], and the way he's swinging the bat, it'd be pretty tough to catch him," Mauer said. "But I'm still going to go out there and do what I can do."
Arcia, Hermsen honored The Twins named Oswaldo Arcia their Minor League Player of the Year and B.J. Hermsen their Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Each started at Class A Fort Myers and ended at Class AA New Britain.
Arcia, 21, batted a combined .320 with 17 home runs, 98 RBI and a .928 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage).
"He's a prototypical corner outfielder," General Manager Terry Ryan said. "He's got power, he can play right field, he can throw. He's a guy we think is ultimately going to come up here and hit in the middle of the lineup somewhere."
Hermsen, 22, went a combined 12-6 with a 2.88 ERA in 26 starts.
"He's a relentless worker," Ryan said. "I can't tell you anything negative about B.J., other than he doesn't throw 94 mph. He'll settle in at 89. That's not what anybody wants to hear, but he has a knack of getting people out."
Mauer wants in on WBC Joe Mauer has yet to play in the World Baseball Classic, but he said he'd do it next March, if he's invited. Mauer wasn't selected in 2006, when the U.S. catchers were Jason Varitek, Brian Schneider and Michael Barrett. Mauer had to pull out in 2009 while recovering from an inflamed sacrioliac joint in his back.
Justin Morneau played for Team Canada in 2006 and 2009 and plans to do it again next March. Diamond, who hails from Guelph, Ontario, might pitch for Canada, too.
But after going 0-2 in the 2009 WBC -- with losses to the United States and Italy -- Canada must win this month's qualifying tournament to reach the 2013 WBC.
The qualifier is in Regensberg, Germany, and in Monday's championship game Team Canada will face a German squad featuring Toby Gardenhire, son of the Twins manager, who was born in Germany.
On Saturday, Canada and Germany were tied 4-4 through six innings before the Canadians pulled away for a 16-7 victory.
"If Germany beats them, Morneau and Diamond would be devastated because [the Canadian program] would lose a lot of funding," Ron Gardenhire said. "So the Canucks are nervous."
After an incredible 25-year career that saw him become MLB's all-time stolen bases leader and the greatest leadoff hitter ever, Rickey Henderson died Friday at age 65.
