Joe Mauer's debut at first base for the Twins could come sooner rather than later. Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said he considered starting Mauer at first base Saturday to give Luke Hughes a chance to rest a sore knee. "He's going to get out there [at first base] pretty soon," Gardenhire said. "I think he's pretty much ready to go out there, any time we say let's go do it." Mauer agreed that playing first base in a game will be the best way to learn the position's nuances. He's been taking ground balls during batting practice and working on throws to second base. "You'd like to maybe get into a couple spring training games and stuff like that, but that's not the situation we're in right now," Mauer said. "Really, the only reason I'm taking ground balls over there and things like that is we've had so many injuries, and if that's the way I can help out the team, that's what I'm going to do."