Target Field is among the most beautiful baseball stadiums throughout the country. Opened in 2010, the Minnesota Twins have experienced plenty of ups and downs at their new home. Joe Mauer’s talent helped to open the cathedral, and now the fruits of his labor will further impact its footprint.
One of the more notable features that helps to enhance the fan experience on the outside of Target Field is the quasi-museum that the Minnesota Twins have built. Permanent pennants hang on the edges of the main plaza, depicting the greatest players in franchise history. The true Twins legends, though… they get a bronze statue erected outside the near 15-year-old stadium.
And according to Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press, Joe Mauer is next. In the ‘Don’t print that…’ section of his bi-weekly column, Charley writes,“it’s not a matter of if, but when the Twins will erect a statue of Joe Mauer at Target Field”.
Mauer is scheduled to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 21st and he was inducted into the Minnesota high school hall of fame on Monday night. But clearly, there’s more bronze in Joe’s future. Currently, there are only four Twins legends — Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew and Tony Oliva — who have earned the honor.
The placement of Mauer’s statue remains to be seen and so does the date of its erection. Charley reported, in 2022, that Jim Kaat and Bert Blyleven would be next on that exclusive list. We’ll see if Mauer jumps them on the bronze totem pole. Nonetheless, Walters (a former Twin) reports that it will happen soon enough.
Beyond his impending statue, Mauer will probably have his number seven placed at an entrance somewhere around Target Field, per stadium tradition. Gate 34, next to Kirby, would make sense. That area is currently home to the Twins ‘Creator’s Corner’, as well as their lawn games and the largest beer tap stand in the stadium. By splitting up some of the metal sections in that area, construction and redesign would likely be minimal.
Mauer going into the Hall of Fame on his first try was hardly a guarantee. But here we are. And soon, he’ll become the youngest Hall of Famer alive. It only makes sense to celebrate his contributions to the Minnesota Twins franchise outside of Target Field for decades to come. He’s Mr. Minnesota, after all.
