Joe Mauer Contract

The baseball season is finally over, leading us to the start of the always exciting off-season. This year there's only one question on my mind.

What are we going to do with you Joe?

As anyone in the greater Minnesota area is aware, our golden boy Joe Mauer has a contract that is set to expire at the end of next year. The Twins will no doubt be negotiating a long-term contract with Joe and his agent, hopefully wrapping up a record-setting (for the Twins) new contract before spring.

The problem is that everyone knows the Yankees and Red Sox have old catchers and would be willing to pay every penny the Twins offer to get Joe. He's a franchise player and could instantly cement that position for 5-10 years if he stays healthy. Imagine Mauer going the other way putting double after double off the Green Monster at Fenway, it would be almost automatic. With either team he would have a legitimate title chance every year, something the Twins can't offer.

Especially after this playoff run for the Yankees where we saw Posada struggle mightily behind the plate, and I can't remember his doing anything with the bat. That first round of the playoffs this year may turn out to be a tryout of sorts for Joe to be a Yankee. There can't be a Yankee fan in the world that wouldn't have loved to trade catchers with the Twins.

If the Twins can't re-sign Joe in this off-season they need to trade him. The Twins should be able to start a bidding war of sorts between the Yankees and Red Sox, coming away with a king's ransom. Although I'm not convinced the Twins can pull off such a deal, remember the gems the Twins got from the Mets in the Johan Santana trade........one center fielder who wasn't even a started by the end of the season.

Let's end on a positive. Maybe Joe really does like it here, maybe he'll play here for a massive amount of money, maybe he'll sacrifice a better chance to win championships for the small market, low pressure environment here in Minnesota. Maybe the Twins make a couple other big moves this off season (in addition to re-signing Mauer), a top end starting pitcher, a shortstop, maybe a second baseman, help for the bullpen.

Idling where they are will only hurt the Twins, now is the time to make a couple big moves and bring that trophy to Minneapolis. Or trade Mauer, Nathan, Cuddyer, Morneau and hit the reset button.