Joe Mauer's concussion disrupted his career, Twins' trajectory 10 years ago

La Velle's 3-2 Pitch: Three observations and two predictions on Sundays.

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Joe Mauer had remarked earlier in the 2013 season that he was taking more foul balls off his helmet and mask than he could remember.

He wasn't the only one. In that season, several catchers, like the Royals' Salvador Perez, the Tigers' Alex Avila and Boston's David Ross, had landed on the concussion list. Most of them were from foul tips that struck the mask. No one had it worse than Mauer.

On Aug. 19, 2013, Mauer took a foul to the mask off the bat of Mets first baseman Ike Davis. It was a career-altering moment for Mauer that also changed the course of Twins history. Mauer, like several catchers that season, landed on the seven-day concussion disabled list. One week wasn't enough for the symptoms to go away. Two weeks wasn't enough. Or a month. Mauer missed the remainder of the season and needed about two months following the season for the symptoms to finally leave. He was sensitive to light. He was forced to change rooms if one of his twin daughters, about 6 months old at the time, began to cry.

When he returned to spring training in 2014, he was a first baseman. Doctors concluded that Mauer had suffered a severe concussion, making him at risk for worse outcomes if he suffered more. This came after teammate, friend and fellow AL MVP Justin Morneau suffered a concussion in 2010 that also altered his career.

"It's crazy when you look at it and how connected to so many things we were," Morneau said. "Success and failure and the battle and injuries and missed time. Two guys on the same team."

Mauer was a .323 hitter in 10 seasons as a catcher with an .823 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage). He hit .273 with a .746 OPS in five seasons as a first baseman. His case for Cooperstown could be stronger if he hadn't taken that foul ball off the mask, but many believe he still is a future Hall of Famer.

But let's play the dangerous what-if game. What if Davis' foul ball had missed Mauer's mask and he had been able to finish his career as a catcher? What if Mauer hadn't suffered another concussion in 2018 while diving for a ball, an injury that fueled his decision to retire? He probably would have played in 2019 and scored 100 runs hitting in front of the Bomba Squad. What if Morneau's head had missed John McDonald's knee in Toronto in 2010? He might have kept mashing and never left the Twins.

"You can look at it a couple different ways," Morneau said. "What could have been or what wasn't. At this point, it is what it is."

Goodbye, Detroit Tigers. The Twins aren't going to miss you after you won the season series 8-5. They aren't going to miss Spencer Torkelson, who hit six home runs in 13 games against them this season.

At least you could have left a parting gift after tormenting the Twins and stopping them from running away with the American League Central Division crown. You could have left James Rowson behind.

Rowson currently is your assistant hitting coach. You and I both know he should be running his own shop. Rowson was the Twins hitting coach from 2017 to '19. The 2017 team scored 815 runs, fourth most in team history. The 2019 team set a major league record with 307 home runs and a club record for runs scored. He is missed here.

Besides, you have two other hitting coaches on the major league staff. Let the Twins have Rowson back for 2024. This must be done.

I'm impatiently waiting for Pukki Power to propel Minnesota United.

When the Loons acquired Teemu Pukki from Norwich City, I watched every goal he scored for the Canaries in five seasons there. Good for coach Adrian Heath, I thought. Being a former striker, he knows the value of a good finisher. And some prolific Pukki poaching probably adds punch to the Loons portfolio. Pukki needs proper passes to produce, but he knows all the angles. Heath has one of the best playmaking passers around in Emanuel Reynoso, who will provide the perfect partnership for a player with Pukki's pedigree.

The combination of Pukki, Reynoso and the emerging Bongokuhle Hlongwane should produce plenty of points. Pukki has a goal in three appearances, including two starts. I want more. This team hasn't had a proven threat up front since Christian Ramirez. A prolific Pukki can present plenty of problems for people.

Turnaround for Lynx: They might be down a point guard, but the Lynx will protect the ball, rebound and defeat Dallas on Tuesday to avenge the 40-point loss they suffered against the Wings on July 12.

Lefties stymie Twins: In a weekend showdown between playoff-hunting teams, the Rangers will use lefthanded starters Andrew Heaney and Jordan Montgomery to slow down the Twins offense and win three of the four games.