In an interview with Twin Cities sports blogger David Shama headlined "Mauer's grandpa not blaming booing fans," Jake Mauer says he understands why Twins fans have been frustrated with his grandson Joe.
"He's getting a big salary, he should produce," Jake Mauer told Shama. "That's what the fans think and that's what the fans want. He's trying but it just don't happen (yet). But I don't blame the people."
Jake Mauer's comments were reported on Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners blog. Among other things, the elder Mauer said he thinks Joe is still suffering after-effects of the concussion that sidelined him for the final weeks of the 2013 season.
In addition to his poor hitting, Jake Mauer said his grandson was frustrated to hurt himself and go on the disabled list just when he was starting to figure out things on offense. Mauer was on a 12-game hitting streak in which he was batting .362 with a .400 on-base percentage when he was sidelined July 1 with a strained oblique muscle.
"He couldn't understand the (poor hitting) stretch that he went through," Jake told Shama. "He's never had it in his life. He starts coming out of it and then he gets hurt. He says, 'What the heavens are going to happen next? Here I suffer for two months and then I start a string of going good and then I get hurt. It's just terrible.' "
In addition, Jake said that Joe told him that "sometimes I have a lazy swing. Sometimes I have a good swing but I am never consistent."
To read Shama's entire blog post, including Jake Mauer's thoughts about how Joe will finish the season, go here.
