Minnesota Twins superstar Joe Mauer has looked nothing like the old high-.300s hitter he used to be so far this season. The catcher-turned-first baseman is only hitting .264 with just a single home run and five RBI. Sure, Mauer has never been known as an extreme power hitter, but he is normally a lock to hit around .320 or above when healthy. Hitting only .264 nearly a month into the season just isn't normal.

A possible explanation for Mauer's struggles is that this is a year of adjustment. Mauer has become a full-time first baseman for the first time in his career and he is now hitting second in the Twins' batting order instead of third; a spot he has filled for the majority of his career.

Last season, Mauer hit .388 in 85 at-bats hitting third but only .310 (still not a bad number) in 358 at-bats hitting second. Also, he hit .330 in games in which he caught, but only .286 in games in which he played first base.

It is also possible that the departure of Justin Morneau could have had a negative impact on Mauer. The other half of the "M&M Twins" and Mauer's protection in the lineup was shipped off to Pittsburgh before last year's trade deadline.

WIthout Morneau looming in the on-deck circle, have pitchers felt more comfortable pitching Mauer carefully? It is a definite possibility.

Despite all of the changes going on, Mauer is still a top catcher/first baseman and will certainly pick his game back up sooner rather than later. He has proven over the course of his career that he is a pure hitter and is more than capable of rebounding from a slump like this.

Also, you can probably use all of these new adjustments in order to trick your opponent who owns Mauer into selling him for a much lower price. Mauer is a player that will certainly rebound, and he can help fill any voids you may have at catcher or first base.