Mauer at first

Joe Mauer makes a play at first base in Game One
of Monday's doubleheader.

Joe Mauer has played first base in two of the last three games, and given the nonsense to be found in some corners of the Internet, I fully expect to start seeing references to him as the Twins new regular first sacker.

No. He's still primarily a catcher, overwhelmingly primarily a catcher. He's had the time at first base because:

• The weather is brutal;
• The Twins will today play their fifth game in four days, three of them day games;
• They want to keep both him and Jim Thome in the lineup when he's not catching, and;
• First base is the least demanding position and thus the easiest one to pick up in midseason.

He's not changing positions so much as he is adding one. And if/when he does change primary positions, it won't be to first base, at least not while Justin Morneau's still under contract.

I noticed one play Tuesday night — a ground ball hit to Mauer's right on which he barely flinched. He just trotted over to first to take Alexi Casilla's throw. Luke Hughes, who's been playing quite a bit at first during Morneau's absence, would almost certainly have gone after the ball and taken himself out of the play. Mauer appeared to know it was the second baseman's play, and he let the second baseman have it. Nice.