Twins catcher Joe Mauer returned to Target Field today and addressed the media for the first time since being diagnosed with pneumonia.
Asked about the speculation he might have something more serious, Mauer referred to a reporter asking him about "walking pneumonia" at the start of his interview.
"You started this interview off with a term I've never heard of," Mauer said. "People are going to put in their own two cents. There's a lot of [speculation] out there. The fact is I have pneumonia. I'm dealing with it. I'm not over it yet. That's first on my list to take care of. Hopefully I can get strong and get ready for next year."
Asked if he'd been assured by doctors that he doesn't have anything more serious, Mauer said, "I'm doing everything I can to get healthy. When they discovered pneumonia down at the Mayo Clinic, that's what they do. They check over everything. That's what they came up with and that's what they're treating."
Mauer said he came to the ballpark to support his teammates during their final series. He repeatedly had to pause to cough during his media session, assuring the reporters at one point that he's not contagious. His voice was strained and his eyes looked tired. I'll have more details in tonight's first editions.
Note: Denard Span plans to rest tonight after playing back-to-back days for the first time since mid-August, but he's hoping to play the final two games of the season, Twins trainer Dave Pruemer said.
Finishing against the Royals
The Twins need to win two of three games in this final series against Kansas City to avoid 100 losses.
