Not only is Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer chasing an improbable American League battle title (currently hitting .389 after last night’s monster 5-for-5 effort; Seattle’s Ichiro is a distant second at .357), but he’s also apparently dating the fetching brunette pictured here, Miss USA 2005, Chelsea Cooley.

Cooley, a passionate Atlanta Braves fan, also likes to partake in something called Shag Dancing.

As if there was any doubt, this revelation – not the Shag dancing, silly – should assist Mauer in leapfrogging whomever is currently ahead of him in the AL All-Star balloting.

Link-O-Rama (Aaron Gleeman)
Joe Mauer (Sportsfrog)