Yes, I landed a lengthy interview with Joe Mauer, which I wrote about in today's paper.
No, I didn't get clear answers about his injuries.
That's the problem: I don't think Joe knows exactly what's wrong, other than that his rehab process didn't put him in position to remain healthy once the season began.
Joe is a difficult interview to begin with, and my first go-round with him yielded few answers. Two subsequent phone interviews gave him a chance to elaborate a little. I think what kept him from providing more clarity - this is me reading between the lines - is that he doesn't want to blame anyone else for his lack of progress.
My guess is that he feels he didn't receive proper guidance or advice at some point during his surgery/rehab process, but he's too polite to call anyone out. That would explain why he took an extra visit to the Mayo Clinic to get checked out even after the Twins gave him medical clearance to play.
What I took away from my talks with Mauer is that he hates being portrayed as a slacker, and is desperate to get back on the field, but fears that if he rushes the process he'll be lost for the season or do himself permanent harm.
For those who say Mauer should be ordered onto the field, I would ask that you live in the real world. You can't order a player to play against his will. What if Ron Gardenhire ordered Mauer to play catcher tomorrow, and Mauer injured himself. That's a $184-million investment that Gardenhire would have ruined or damaged.
At this point, the Twins are so far out of contention that I'd recommend giving Mauer all the time he needs. There is no real urgency to his return. What's more important for the future of this franchise is that the braintrust and Mauer come to an agreement on how he'll be used next year, so if he's going to change positions, they can find a catcher.