JoyDir.com - SportingWriters

The Twins started their season without their All-Star catcher Joe Mauer who was left at Myers, Fla to undergo rehabilitation after having an inflamed sacroiliac joint. And it was the team’s goal to play and try their best to play without Mauer.
The team did not fail, they won their 8-3 victory in their game against the Rays and when Mauer will be back to join them in their next game, he will be in a team with a record of .500.
It is not that the team would rely on Joe Mauer alone but his presence on the team surely makes a whole lot difference. Having Mauer on the game means more confidence for the rest of the team because of the lesser pressure that is on them.
Their game without Mauer is something that tells everyone that they can make it. They were able to take advantage over how the Tampa bay team played their first inning. They scored with the infield hits, after a blooper and the wild pitches that Kazmir, the starter of Tampa Bay, made.
Having the base loaded with no outs yet, Kazmir threw a wild pitch, his first, and Jason Kubel is to bat which allowed Denard Span, who was on third base, to score. With another throw from Kazmir, the Twins is on the lead with a 4-0 score.
By the fourth inning, the second baseman of the Rays made two errors that allowed the Twins to score at 8-1 lead.
The game that the Twins played and won added to their confidence in winning the next games. In the absence of Mauer, they came to the realization that they can win, but still it would be better if Mauer would be there to add to their confidence. The team would be different and they play now for the wins.