The usually stoic Joe Mauer revealed on Sunday just how frustrated he is with his extended absence from the Twins. He also defended his efforts to return to the field and his offseason schedule, and revealed that his injury never should have been described as "bilateral leg weakness." "This has been the toughest thing I've gone through," he said. "I don't read the papers, but I hear a lot of things through my friends and family. They know how hard I work and how much I want to be out there, but you can't control what people think or write. You just have to do what you think is best, and that's what I've been doing. "I've worked hard my whole career, and my whole life, at this. This is frustrating because I can't get out there and do what I love and what I do best. I think you know from following me for so long that this is very frustrating for me, the way this has gone and the way that we're playing right now. I want to be part of the solution for this team, as soon as possible." Mauer plans to work out at Target Field on Monday and Twins officials hope he could leave soon for a rehabilitation assignment in Florida.