Mauer told to manage time wisely and say 'no'

FORT MYERS, Fla. — If the Kid from St. Paul wasn't sure how different this spring training would be from the others, he got a heads-up before he took the field for the Twins' opening spring workouts Monday.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire met with rookie catcher Joe Mauer in the morning to remind him what to expect this spring and what the Twins expect from him as he prepares to replace departed all-star A.J. Pierzynski as the Twins' Opening Day catcher April 5.

"It's going to be a lot of attention," said Mauer, who has had a lot of experience with such things since the Twins made him the No. 1 overall pick in the June 2001 baseball draft. "I've never been through it like this. The main thing he kept on saying is that I've still got a job to do and sometimes I might have to say no."

Not necessarily the easiest thing to do for an obliging, 20-year-old rookie.

"There's going to be a lot of people wanting to know his story," Gardenhire said. "Everybody wants a piece of him. We can only do so much."

To that end, Twins media relations manager Sean Harlin has been put on the Mauer watch, essentially to help screen off-field demands on his time.

"We want him to put all of his efforts toward the field," Gardenhire said, "and his time management is going to have to be very good."

Mauer's first taste of formal workouts during the biggest spring of his life included plenty of attention from fans wanting autographs, or just to chat.

"Seemed like there were a lot of people from St. Paul," Mauer said. "A lot of people saying, 'I played ball with your grandpa' or they knew my dad."

Maybe 200 to 300 fans attended opening workouts, many seeking a glimpse — or more — of Mauer.

And that was just the first day.

"Maybe it'll die down a little bit," Mauer said.