First-base duty for Joe Mauer is on deck. Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said he was planning to play Mauer at first -- for the first time in his major league career -- Thursday, when the Twins play the White Sox in Chicago. Mauer was out of the lineup Wednesday to rest, while Rene Rivera served as the catcher for left-hander Francisco Liriano against the Tampa Bay Rays and Jim Thome took his turn as the designated hitter. Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6742785
