Thursday, December 24, 2009

The Joe Mauer Situation

There's a storm brewing in Minneapolis as the collective fears of the Minnesota Twins fanbase are already latching onto the Doomsday Scenario: Joe Mauer in Pinstripes in 2011.

Joe Mauer is the best catcher in the game and that's not up for debate.

The debate? That's the conversation that rages over what the Twins will have to do to extend Mauer long term and is it really worth it.

It sounds crazy right? Most fans will argue that Joe Mauer is worth a large long term extension and that it is a fact not an opinion. He's the hometown son made good. The best catcher in the game and one of the best players in the game regardless of position.

But there are paranoid fans wondering and whispering..."what it's going to take" to ink Mauer to a long term deal. Can the Twins really afford to give him what he is worth? What will it do the roster construction of the team if a large portion of the payroll is tied up between two men: Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.

Can the Twins survive that kind of contract? Can they survive a career ending injury to Mauer if they do give him a long term deal? Those kinds of contracts to frugal franchises can be anchors wrapped around the neck if they go bad.

So what do the Twins do? Faced with the backlash of seeing Joe Mauer returning to Target Field wearing the accursed Yankee gear how can they do anything but re-sign Mauer.

But for Mauer what does he do? Does he leave tens of millions on the table and re-sign with the Twins with an offer that leaves the Twins competitive? Does he take the best offer he can and sign with the Yankees knowing that they can absorb the contract with the greatest of ease and still be competitive?

What's best for him? And what's best for the Twins?

I can't answer those queries, but I can posit them for the Twins fanbase and for Joe Mauer. Maybe they'll have the answers.