Twins' top priority in offseason: re-sign Joe Mauer

Seems part of Mauer's contract extension has to include signing some significant "hole fillers"... naming in pitching--esp a closer, a legitimate dh, and a couple of double duty fielder/hitters. Make the team a legitimate contender and I'm sure the Twins won't need Yankee-type dollars to keep him at home.

okay, grammar not clear after midnight... guess I won't be the one drafting the contract language (lol).

Just get Mauer some additional teammates to make this team a legitimate contender. That should be the Twins management's off-season priority.

Kelsie Smith has to be called on this one.

The so-called "trades" she referred to were waiver
trades; they were players put on waivers and claimed by the Twins. The other teams already wanted to release them and didn't ask for much in
return, so it was pretty easy to come up with a deal. Dealing before the July 31st deadline? Not a chance. Signing a free agent or two that would actually cost some money and be a good risk? Not a
chance. And never forget the two trades that Smith
did make: getting the least humanly possible for
Santana, and trading your starting shortstop and one of your starting pitchers for an average left
fielder and a utility infielder. Waiver deals, picking up released players, low cost free agents,
and trading top players for mediocre ones; sorry, but so far that is Smith's record with very little
to say positive; that is unless you say signing a couple players to longer term contracts makes up for the above.

You will have to excuse me if I am not exactly counting on Smith to come through big time, but I
will gladly stand corrected if he does.

Every once in awhile someone comes along who seems to embody how a city or team wants to perceive itself. Span is right -- Jordan and Chicago are a fine example. Minnesota? There's Bud Grant. There was Harmon Killebrew, though we let him finish his career out to pasture. Kirby? Maybe. But Joe, like Bud, was home grown, or pretty close to it. The Twins manipulated, wheedled, and promised the world in order to get their new palace adjacent to the garbage burning plant. Now they'd better manipulate, wheedle, and promise the world to get Joe Mauer into a Twins uniform for the rest of his life. We have Killebrew Drive and Kirby Puckett place. How about the Joe Mauer Garbage Burning Plant? That should entice him.

Joe will not be going anywhere soon as all of his family and friends are here. Minnesota loves Joe and he knows it. Its not about the money for him either but to win a championship again for Minnesota. To much going for him and excuse me for saying this but those damn Yankees can KISS our ---and forget about trying to lure him away. Minnesota is in Joe's blood and like I said earlier so is his family and friends. See ya next season at Target Field Joe.

batting for the Yankees the Joe Mauer

I'm sure Joe will be happy to stay after hearing what Chip Carey said: "As punto goes so go the Twins." What an asinine remark. What a local hatchet job of prepping the TBS commentators. No one told poor Chip, punto is one of the most fan despised players on the team.

eddiep wrote:

I'm sure Joe will be happy to stay after hearing what Chip Carey said: "As punto goes so go the Twins." What an asinine remark. What a local hatchet job of prepping the TBS commentators. No one told poor Chip, punto is one of the most fan despised players on the team.

I know I could not believe it when I heard that comment.

eddiep wrote:

I'm sure Joe will be happy to stay after hearing what Chip Carey said: "As punto goes so go the Twins." What an asinine remark. What a local hatchet job of prepping the TBS commentators. No one told poor Chip, punto is one of the most fan despised players on the team.

By you and which friend? I don't know a single person who doesn't love Nicky.
Next time, you better tell our guy Chip, or nobody else will.

Clueless wrote:

<quoted text>
By you and which friend? I don't know a single person who doesn't love Nicky.
Next time, you better tell our guy Chip, or nobody else will.

Punto is ok when the home crown noise doent affect his baserunning..what an ecuse

bonnie wrote:

Joe will not be going anywhere soon as all of his family and friends are here. Minnesota loves Joe and he knows it. Its not about the money for him either but to win a championship again for Minnesota. To much going for him and excuse me for saying this but those damn Yankees can KISS our ---and forget about trying to lure him away. Minnesota is in Joe's blood and like I said earlier so is his family and friends. See ya next season at Target Field Joe.

and you know all this about Joe, how?

why spend millions Joe when we dont have a closer?

Mauer wants a World Series ring. He could sign a short term deal with a contender (Red Sox unfortunately) and return to Minnesota afterwards to end his career. The Twins organization does need to prove that it is serious about making a run at the World Series, or who could blame Mauer for walking? Gardenhire had most of the tools he needed in 2006 but couldn't get in. No doubt he would like another crack at the play-offs with a line-up that is more comparable to the Yankees, Red Sox, or Angels. Without Mauer, however, unless the Twins were able several top tier players for him, it's hard to imagine the Twins going anywhere but down in the division standings. The Metrodome certainly added points to batting averages--there's no question, but Mauer will still be a .300+ hitter with a near .400 on base percentage. And, he is very good with the pitchers. In other words, he'll continue to be a premier player.

Things will be tougher the first couple seasons at target field. Hopefully the heaters in the dugouts will work properly and the players get used to running in thermal underwear.

Joe, PLEASE insist that the Twins trade for Roy Halladay before you sign your extension.

"...able (to acquire) several..." Apologies.

Sign this man. No matter what it costs.

First fire Gardenhire, then resign Joe.

oxboro wrote:

why spend millions Joe when we dont have a closer?

Joe Nathan had a 2.10 ERA with 47 saves. He was the co-winner of the AL Relief Man of the Year Award.

NATHAN, RIVERA TIE FOR RELIEF MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankee...

eddiep wrote:

I'm sure Joe will be happy to stay after hearing what Chip Carey said: "As punto goes so go the Twins." What an asinine remark. What a local hatchet job of prepping the TBS commentators. No one told poor Chip, punto is one of the most fan despised players on the team.

Perhaps Caray was right. As you know, the Twins won 17 of their final 21 games to surge into first place. In those 21 games, and the three postseason games, Punto's on-base percentage was an incredible .430. That might have had something to do with the Twins' success.

The Twins don't have a choice. I for one would NEVER go to another game, buy a Twins t-shirt or hat, or even watch them on TV ever again if they didn't sign Joe. Not only that, I would burn all the Twins stuff I do have. By not signing Joe, they would be ensuring that stadium is empty. It would be the kiss of death to the franchise. They have no choice; they must sign Joe, no matter the cost.