Joe Mauer agrees to 8 year 184 million deal with Twins

Mauer signs 8-year deal with Twins

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - AL MVP Joe Mauer has agreed to an eight-year, $184 million contract extension to stay with the Minnesota Twins.
The deal announced Sunday covers the 2011-2018 seasons and includes a full no-trade clause. It's the culmination of a monthslong negotiation between the Twins and their hometown star.
Mauer has won three AL batting titles and an MVP award. He is considered one of the best defensive catchers in the game. Last year he hit .365 with 28 home runs and 96 RBIs to help the Twins win the AL Central division.
The St. Paul native was the No. 1 overall pick by the Twins in 2001.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

And he is on the cover of MLB '10: The Show

Joe having a good time and hasn't even taken a pitch yet

Pujols up next...might as well make him 8 year 185M.

yes mauer

I think if anybody deserves it, he does.

I see him as the best catcher ever....at this stage of his career.

I can't see any current catcher being close to him, maybe some early player, I'm not aware of, but he is surely the best current catcher, by a mile.

I'm sure the Yankees would have gone 200 M, to lock him up, and replace an aging Posada.

His numbers are just sick.

Doug said:

I think if anybody deserves it, he does.

I see him as the best catcher ever....at this stage of his career.

I can't see any current catcher being close to him, maybe some early player, I'm not aware of, but he is surely the best current catcher, by a mile.

I'm sure the Yankees would have gone 200 M, to lock him up, and replace an aging Posada.

His numbers are just sick.

Click to expand...

Add to the fact that Twins fans have fallen in love with Mauer. He has a big fanbase in the area.

He is somewhat like Jeter for the Yanks....Yanks can't can him, if they wanted to,Jeter is still decent, but he will be around several extra years because he is popular. Jeets has been there his whole career, realistically there are several better shortstops in MLB, but he has earned his place....most hits by a NYY player, sure shot HOF, etc.

Mauer should wind up with similar status.

Mauer is awesome, and I think clean.

What catcher was ever better, at his age ?

no real difference between 184M and 250M somewhere else, more money than you can possibly spend, short of playing 100k hands of baccarat, giving your money away,etc,not even a huge coke habit blows that kind of money.

Doug said:

I think if anybody deserves it, he does.

I see him as the best catcher ever....at this stage of his career.

I can't see any current catcher being close to him, maybe some early player, I'm not aware of, but he is surely the best current catcher, by a mile.

I'm sure the Yankees would have gone 200 M, to lock him up, and replace an aging Posada.

His numbers are just sick.

Click to expand...

The great Johnny Bench's numbers through the first 6 years of his career. Average doesn't match Mauer but HR's and RBI's blow Mauer away. 9, 11 and 19th columns are HRs, RBIs and Average.

<TABLE class=boxed width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=datacolBoxC noWrap>1967</TD><TD class=datacolBox noWrap>Reds</TD><TD class=datacolBoxR noWrap>26</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>86</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>7</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>14</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>3</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>6</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>5</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>19</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>4</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.163</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.207</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.256</TD></TR><TR><TD class=datacolBoxC noWrap>1968</TD><TD class=datacolBox noWrap>Reds</TD><TD class=datacolBoxR noWrap>154</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>564</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>67</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>155</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>40</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>2</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>15</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>82</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>31</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>8</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>96</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>2</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>8</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>2</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>14</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.275</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.311</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.433</TD></TR><TR><TD class=datacolBoxC noWrap>1969</TD><TD class=datacolBox noWrap>Reds</TD><TD class=datacolBoxR noWrap>148</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>532</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>83</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>156</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>23</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>26</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>90</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>49</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>7</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>86</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>7</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>4</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>7</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.293</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.353</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.487</TD></TR><TR><TD class=datacolBoxC noWrap>1970</TD><TD class=datacolBox noWrap>Reds</TD><TD class=datacolBoxR noWrap>158</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>605</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>97</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>177</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>35</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>4</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>45</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>148</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>54</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>9</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>102</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>11</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>12</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.293</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.345</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.587</TD></TR><TR><TD class=datacolBoxC noWrap>1971</TD><TD class=datacolBox noWrap>Reds</TD><TD class=datacolBoxR noWrap>149</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>562</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>80</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>134</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>19</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>2</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>27</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>61</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>49</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>7</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>83</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>2</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>20</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.238</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.299</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.423</TD></TR><TR><TD class=datacolBoxC noWrap>1972</TD><TD class=datacolBox noWrap>Reds</TD><TD class=datacolBoxR noWrap>147</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>538</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>87</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>145</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>22</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>2</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>40</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>1</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>125</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>100</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>23</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>84</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>0</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>12</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>2</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>18</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.270</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.379</TD><TD class=datacolR noWrap>.541</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

I thought of Bench, he is a bit before my time.

Certainly not many others ?

Didn't Rose catch for awhile ?

I'd want Mauer on my team, if I was an owner.

I remember Munson more than Bench and Rose.

Who is currently the 2nd best catcher ? It sure ain't Varitek or Posada.

Doug said:

I thought of Bench, he is a bit before my time.

Certainly not many others ?

Didn't Rose catch for awhile ?

I'd want Mauer on my team, if I was an owner.

I remember Munson more than Bench and Rose.

Who is currently the 2nd best catcher ? It sure ain't Varitek or Posada.

Click to expand...

I guess McCann and R. Martin are a distant #2 and #3.

twins spending some money there, too bad they chose not to do the same w/other players...guess the new outdoor digs have 'em feeling liberal now

Yes, a huge gap between Mauer, and the next guy....that's why he is almost worth the contract.

The dude didn't sell out to the big market teams either !

I respect him for that.

He seems like a great person/teammate, in addition to being possibly the best catcher ever !

With all that said, let's see how the next 8 years play out.

He's on pace to be one of the best ever.

what if...

the twins had been able to sign & then drafted mark prior? that would have been a history changer for sure...

Doug said:

Yes, a huge gap between Mauer, and the next guy....that's why he is almost worth the contract.

The dude didn't sell out to the big market teams either !

I respect him for that.

He seems like a great person/teammate, in addition to being possibly the best catcher ever !

With all that said, let's see how the next 8 years play out.

He's on pace to be one of the best ever.

Click to expand...

u are dead spot on Doug..

The Yankees probably had him pegged as their starting catcher for the next 10 years. Great news!

Kabbagecough said:

The Yankees probably had him pegged as their starting catcher for the next 10 years. Great news!

Click to expand...

they can still make a trade.@)

Through age 26, Joe Torre is very similar. Average and obp a bit lower, but also playing in the 60s before the mound was lowered and the enviornment changed a lot to favor the hitters (Mauer had the advantage of playing 81 games at DH)

No question Bench had a superior start through the same age, having already played in 1093 games compared to 699 for Mauer. Though that says nothing about going forward eight years

For any 26-year-old, the chance of becoming the best ever at his position is very small. But when you have to search that hard to find just a couple examples of better players, it is a sign he could actually be worth the mega-contract

Congrats on 2k hits!!!


[FONT=&quot]Mauer is just the third Twins player to notch 2,000 hits, joining Rod Carew and Kirby Puckett in an exclusive club of Twins greats. Only nine active players have reached that mark.[/FONT]