'Means the world to me': Mauer immortalized outside Target Field with statue

MINNEAPOLIS -- On a gorgeous Sunday morning right outside Target Field, the “statue club” welcomed its newest member. The Twins unveiled the new Joe Mauer statue, an 8-foot-tall bronze depiction of Mauer in full catcher’s gear, set to throw out a baserunner.

Mauer, who turns 42 on Saturday, is a St. Paul native who spent his entire 15-year career with the Twins. He won three batting titles, three Gold Gloves, five Silver Sluggers and was the 2009 American League Most Valuable Player.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame last summer, and now has immortality outside his home ballpark. His daughters and son pulled the cover off the statue, to cheers from fans and great emotion from Mauer.

“To think I’m bronzed here at Target Field in Minnesota, it means more to me than you guys will ever know,” Mauer told the assembled crowd. “Obviously it was a big summer last year, going into Cooperstown -- that was just an unbelievable experience. But to see myself here, this isn’t going to be moving for a long time. Here in my home state of Minnesota, I was always proud to put on this uniform, to play for this club, and to go out there and try to win every night with my teammates. So this just means the world to me.”

Among those who spoke at the ceremony were longtime teammate Justin Morneau, manager Tom Kelly and Twins executive chair Joe Pohlad.

“This is amazing to see my old roommate up here in bronze at Target Field forever,” said Morneau.

Not coincidentally, the sculpture depicts Mauer in his original gear from 2009, from helmet to chest protector to shin guards. He posed for sculptor Bill Mack in the gear, making for an authentic look.

“It was one thing I took a lot of pride in, worked really hard at,” he said. “One of my favorite things to do on the baseball field is to throw runners out. And I’m looking at this right now -- looks like I’m going to throw someone out.”