Joe Mauer is pretty good

The Yankees/Twins games this weekend have all been white-knuckle affairs, with two of them going into extra innings, and all three have so far (they play a fourth tonight) ended with walk-off Yankee victories.

Lots of exciting baseball, but this Joe Mauer play was just effing brilliant. The replay doesn't show it very well, but here's the sittchiashun: One out in the ninth in a tie ball game. The ball is hit up the middle and is blocked (by the pitcher's shin, I think) and bounces back towards the catcher, Joe Mauer. Mauer grabs the ball in front of the plate (while the pitcher is still wondering where the ball is) and begins towards first base to throw out the batter. Instead, though, he pump fakes the throw. Speedy Brett Gardner (who legged out an inside the parker and a triple Friday night) sees what he thinks will be a routine play at first and heads for home. The race is on.

I'm fairly certain Mauer knew that if he throws to first, the game is over as Gardner will score. So he dekes Gardner, who falls for it. I can't think of another catcher with that much presence of mind, athletic skill, and wingspan who coulda made that play.