Paul Feiner: My dream comes true 23 years after striking out Joe Mauer
Hello. My name is Paul Feiner, and 23 years ago I struck out Joe Mauer.
Last night I met Joe again at his Twins HOF induction ceremony. What he said to me I'll never forget, but I'll get to that in a minute.
First, let's go back.
It was the 2000 state baseball tourney. My school, Elk River, hadn't made it that far in 50 years. Meanwhile, we all knew Joe was the best player in the country.
I had thought all week that I might have Cretin and Joe, but what I didn't know was that he'd also be pitching that day.
And it may not surprise you that Joseph Patrick Mauer threw absolute gas. 90+ mph. Which, for high school, was like facing Jhoan Duran's 104.
Meanwhile, my fastball sat low 80s but my best pitch was a curveball I had honed since I was 8.
So as I tell you about the three at-bats I pitched against Mauer, know that my entire childhood I dreamed of someday getting the call to be a big league pitcher.
In the first at-bat, I threw Joe an "eephus pitch," which is a high-arcing lob, like a slow pitch softball thrown overhand. I figured why not? The guy was hitting .650 and maybe he'd ground out.
Nope. Took it for a ball. Kicked the dirt. Laced the next pitch into center for a single.
Next time he comes up. Ping! Joe hammers my fastball to left center for a solo shot. 1-0 game.
Paul Feiner throws a pitch for Elk River High School in 2000. Photo courtesy of Paul Feiner
Somehow we tied it up, so it was 1-1 as we entered that fateful 6th inning. Cretin had two runners on, and as Justin Morneau said, here came the "The Sideburns of The Franchise."
As Joe dug into the box, I was mad he'd gotten two hits already. When I got him to two strikes, my catcher, Tony Klaers, put down two fingers the way he'd done since we were 11.
So, I spun that 12-6 hook from his waist to his shoetops and he swung through it.
Inning over. Friends and family cheering. One last hurrah before Cretin dropped the hammer to beat us 7-1. Oh well.
That ended my baseball career and my big league dream with it.
What Joe did as a player for the next two decades you already know. So let's get back to what he said to me last night.
As his speech ended and I approached the mound, Dick Bremer surprised Joe by calling out the guy who threw one lucky pitch all those years ago.
Joe reached out warmly and said in my ear, "You aren't gonna throw me that dirty curveball again, are ya?"
Like it was yesterday! He hadn't forgotten.
And 23 years later, I got the call to the pitcher's mound in a packed big league stadium.
Thanks, Joe. I'll never forget it.
Related: Brian Murphy: A whiff to remember on an unforgettable night for Joe Mauer
