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Joe Mauer

Odds And Ends: Rockies, Spilborghs, Harper

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Joe Mauer’s Next Contract

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If the Twins don't sign him to an extension, Joe Mauer will hit the free agent market after 2010 as a 27-year-old catcher with at least two batting titles and two All-Star Game selections to his name. Already, some writers are starting to speculate on the sort of contract Mauer could command. In the last week heavyweights Peter Gammons and Nick Cafardo both suggested Mauer could sign a deal worth over $180MM and Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press made a similar suggestion today. Here are some of the reasons Mauer could command the biggest contract in baseball history not signed by Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter.

  • At 27, Mauer will have plenty of good years left when he becomes a free agent. Remember Jorge Posada signed a four-year deal after his age 35 season.
  • Most teams- we'll exclude those with talented young catchers like the Orioles, Braves and Dodgers- could upgrade at catcher. This should leave Mauer with many suitors, including high bidders like the Red Sox and possibly the Yankees.  
  • Most importantly, he's one of the game's best players. Even if you set aside his Bonds-esque 2009 OPS of 1.344, he's always had good strikeout to walk ratios and entered this year with a career OPS of .856.   
  • Throw in his defense and teams will be lining up for Mauer. 

  But a lot has to go right for him to be in a position to command close to $200MM.

  • He has to stay healthy. 
  • Since he's most appealing as a catcher, teams will have to be confident that Mauer can catch long-term if they're going to offer him Mark Teixeira-type money.

Odds & Ends: D’Backs, Mauer, Options

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Links for Wednesday…

Gammons On Indians, Nationals, Mauer

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Here are the highlights from Peter Gammons' analysis on Mike and Mike in the Morning. Joe Haggerty of the Boston Metro has the interview transcript on his blog, Hacks with Haggs.

  • The Padres will have a hard time dealing Jake Peavy because there aren't many takers who have the resources to acquire him. The Braves don't figure in now that they have enough pitching and the Cardinals aren't a likely fit either. 
  • "Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee are not on the trade block," according to Gammons.  
  • The Indians would deal Mark DeRosa for "major league ready pitching."
  • Washington would like to deal Nick Johnson, Austin Kearns and some of their "semi-attractive" relievers. 
  • The Nationals offered Johnson to the Red Sox for Manny Delcarmen.
  • Gammons says he believes it's in the best interest of the buyer and the seller to deal earlier, rather than later.
  • The Yankees and Red Sox could offer Mark Teixeira money ($180MM) to Joe Mauer if the catcher hits free agency after the 2010 season.  

Cafardo’s Latest: Mauer, Red Sox, Glavine

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With every Sunday come rumors from the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo:

  • Cafardo asks Tom Glavine whether he’d consider another year if 2009 is a success. Glavine didn’t say no: "I’m not prepared right now to say. It would take a lot of good things to happen this year to consider playing next year. Last year, I didn’t think I’d be sitting here this year, so I guess you never know."
  • Nomar Garciaparra had placed a call to the Red Sox front office inquiring about their potential interest.
  • If he hits free agency, Joe Mauer is expected to receive offers in the $20-25MM range and "The Sox are expected to be front and center." Mauer is signed with the Twins through 2010. He’ll make $10.5MM this year and $12.5MM in 2010.
  • Dusty Baker thinks Barry Bonds would still be a top hitter in the league. Says Baker, "He’s one of those guys that will be able to pick up a bat when he’s an old man and still get a hit."
  • Andruw Jones is 4 for 18 with 10 strikeouts to start spring training.
  • Scouts agree: George Kottaras would clear waivers if designated for assignment, meaning the Red Sox may not have to deal the catching prospect.
  • Cafardo would make the Clay Buchholz-Jarrod Saltalamacchia trade right now.

Mauer Extension Talks Soon?

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According to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, representatives for catcher Joe Mauer are expected to meet with Twins GM Bill Smith at some point this week.

Walters suspects that a long-term contract will be the primary issue discussed.  Mauer, 25, can become a free agent after the 2010 season.  This early in the game, though, perhaps the two sides are just feeling each other out and setting initial parameters. 

Mauer has a .317/.399/.457 career line over five MLB seasons.

Odds and Ends: Yamarin, Eaton, Atkins, Ohman

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Links for Monday…

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pirates, Rays, Pettitte, Cubs, Dodgers, Gomes, Mauer, Cruz

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On this date 28 years ago, the Red Sox traded Fred Lynn to the California Angels for Frank Tanana and Joe Rudi. After six seasons that included an MVP and six all-star appearances, the Red Sox were forced to trade Lynn when the front office failed to mail a new contract to Lynn by the mandated deadline. Without the new contract, Boston was faced with the possibility that Lynn would be declared a free agent (Carlton Fisk was declared a free agent for the same reason). The player’s association dropped their case when Lynn agreed to a contract extension with the Angels. With many of this year’s free agent class still waiting for contracts to be mailed, let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • Bucco Blog sees an Adam LaRoche-Jonathan Sanchez trade as a "win-win deal."
  • DRays Bay would like to see the Tigers take either Troy Percival or Dan Wheeler off the Rays’ hands.
  • Mets Geek makes a case for the Mets signing Andy Pettitte.
  • Goat Riders of the Apocalypse are not worried that the Cubs have traded away yet another former top prospect.
  • Center Field isn’t buying that Jason Varitek didn’t know about the draft pick compensation as a result of his refusing arbitration.
  • Her Rays isn’t taking the loss of Rocco Baldelli well at all.
  • Dodger Thoughts doesn’t understand why the Dodgers keep spending money on veteran, offensively-challenged backup catchers that will never play.
  • Anaheim Angels all the way says the Reds replaced "90% of Adam Dunn" with Jonny Gomes and a very favorable contract. On Baseball and the Reds is not sure Gomes’ offense will offset his horrible defense and sees him as a decent platoon option.
  • UmpBump grades the Rays offseason favorably.
  • El Lefty Malo laments the contract of Dave Roberts and feels he is the type of player that would be forced to retire if he were a free agent this off-season.
  • Twins Geek speculates on what it would take to sign Joe Mauer to a long-term deal.
  • Bullpen Call sees only the Mets and Yankees as options for Juan Cruz.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.

Walters On Joe Mauer

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Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press wrote yesterday about Joe Mauer, whose contract runs through 2010.  He says the Red Sox are "already salivating over Mauer."  I’m sure many teams are.  The Twins have yet to talk to Mauer about another extension.  Since Mauer is just 26 in April and his next contract will cover only free agent years, the deal could be record-setting (for a catcher) if he stays healthy.

Joe Nathan Agrees To Extension With Twins

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2:07pm: LEN3 has details.  He says it’s $11.25MM per year for 2008-11.  He’s unsure of the amount of the 2012 option, but it has a $2MM buyout.  Since Nathan was set to earn just $6MM in ’07, it seems that’s been overwritten or increased. 

1:19pm: MLB.com reports the deal as done.  It’s a three-year extension with a club option for a fourth.

MONDAY, 8:22am: La Velle E. Neal III says only minor details remain on Nathan’s extension.  They still need to figure out what to do about a no-trade clause.  Buster Olney says the deal will have "significant no-trade provisions."

SATURDAY: ESPN’s Buster Olney (Insider required) reveals in his blog that the Twins have all but re-signed Joe Nathan to a four-year deal, paying $11-12MM per.

Olney considers this a surprising move for a mid-market team. It’s particularly unusual for the Twins, as they re-signed Justin Morneau earlier in the year (and Joe Mauer last year), but couldn’t hold on to Torii Hunter or Johan Santana.

Alejandro Leal writes for umpbump.com. He can be reached here.

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