I believe that there are 21 ligaments, cartilige and tendons a knee. None of us has seen Mauer's chart, so we don't now which of those were repaired, and which were collaterally damaged by the surgery. Having played 17 years of rugby and the survivor of various surgeries, a non-arthroscopic knee repair can take about 2 years to fully recover. Obviously Mauer has hurried his recovery, as most athletes do. He may need more extensive and specialized physical therapy than a baseball training room can offer.

If he can't catch everyday, and has to play another position (he is enough of an athlete to do that)maybe it makes him a more valuable player.

His injury shouldn't cause too much concern, unless someone drafting him needs more than 600 innings behind the plate in 2005.