Paging Extraordinary Joe

Joe Mauer -- St. Paul scion, reigning American League Most Valuable Player and highest-paid Twin ever -- on Wednesday will catch the first pitch in the first playoff game in Target Field, against the Twins' enduring nemesis.

This will be a Minnesota moment to remember. Whether there will be more than one this week could depend on whether there are more Mauer moments to remember, whether our Shruggin' Superstar can seize the day like the rightful inheritor of Paul Molitor's grit and Kirby Puckett's karma.

Whether Mauer is yearning to play a leading role, is yearning to beat the Yankees in what would mark the biggest achievement in franchise history since the 1991 World Series, we'll never know.

Trying to discern Mauer's deepest thoughts is like staring into a dark well. The guy wears sideburns the way hunters wear camouflage. He displayed more personality during a video game commercial shot last winter than at any time since.

Now is the time for him to show a little fire, to take command of what has become indisputably his team.

Mauer enjoys all the trappings of stardom: a huge contract, national marketability, hero status in his hometown, the admiration of teammates, the respect of opponents and a slew of awards and achievements proclaiming him one of the greatest ever to play his position.

In the past year, he has signed a franchise-record $184 million contract, won an MVP award that eluded even the great Puckett, led all of baseball in All-Star votes and anchored a lineup that won a division title without his buddy Justin Morneau.

In this series, Mauer must lead the way, whether he likes it or not.

With Morneau out because of a concussion, Mauer is by far the Twins' best player. Even with Mauer on the roster, the Twins don't match up with the Yankees' home run and star power. If Mauer has anything less than a dominant series, the Yankees' advantages will become pronounced.

We don't have much to judge Mauer by, in terms of postseason experience. He's 7-for-23 (.304) with one double and one RBI in six games, all Twins losses.

In this series, the Twins need Mauer to be more cannon than cog. They need Puckett moments from him, to combat what New Yorkers call "Yankee Stadium Moments" in the Bronx.

If Mauer's performance is as mild as his demeanor, the Twins will fulfill the East Coast perception that they are cute overachievers who play mediocre competition and aren't built for the pressure and immediacy of the playoffs -- a perception the Twins have proven correct since 2002.

This week, the Twins need Mauer to be their Derek Jeter, a leader who lives for October.

Any objective analysis of the two would conclude that Mauer is the more valuable player. He owns one MVP award; Jeter has none. He owns three batting titles; Jeter owns none. Mauer plays a more difficult and important position, and one at which offensive superlatives are rarer.

Mauer and Jeter are similar in that they are superstars who never embarrass themselves or their teams, who are diligent and likable craftsmen.

Jeter, though, more willingly embraces the role of alpha male.

Tuesday, I asked Mauer if, given his status in the game, he felt responsible for leading the Twins. "As far as doing anything more, you know, we have a lot of great players here," he said. "I think when we get into trouble, that's when I try to do more than what I need to do."