Mauer, what to do?

[ScrapTheNickname]

1) Bat him 7th or 8th in the order.

2) Play him part-time against select pitchers he is likely to do well against.

 

As a result, his performance will improve, but in a limited way.

 

WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE!

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

Negotiate retirement?  What's to negotiate?  His contract is guaranteed.  Why on earth would he agree to give money back?  He'd be the first player to do so, it would only highlight his decline, and further humiliate him.  The chances of him retiring are a fraction of a fraction of the options we're not allowed to propose on this thread.  However, you did hit on a couple points: pride and below-avg at the position.  Would he accept either of those roles?  Would other more forbidden options start to look more appealing?  

And I don't think the Player's Association would approve of such a precedent.

[kab21]

 

Move Mauer to the 7th spot in the batting order now!

 

1. Hicks (S)

2. Dozier (R )

3. Rosario (L) <<<

4. Sano (R )

5. Plouffe  (R )

6. Hunter (R )

7. Mauer (L) <<<

8. Suzuki (R )

9. Escobar (S)

 

this way our 4 fastest players are batting consecutively.

Hunter has Mauer batting behind him.

Mauer doesn't really need a top hitter batting behind him.

The only problem with this is that Rosario isn't actually a better 2/3 hitter than Mauer.  Mauer isn't great right now but I would be hesitant to disrupt things to make a trivial swap like this.

[glunn]

There are a lot of good ideas here.

 

Why not also offer a $1 million prize to anyone who can develop a catcher's mask that eliminates the risk of concussion?  That would be a small price to pay if someone could develop this.  

[zchrz]

 

What you do with slumping players, you give them three at bats a game instead of four. Move him down in the order.

 

You also rest him,depending on where you are in the wild card race, and give Kepler (doubtful...he'll stay in Chattanooga for the playoffs) and Vargas and maybe Plouffe (so you can play Sano at third) time at first. 

 

Mauer and Hunter on the bench in September? Dream on, Joel! Wish could add Susucki to that mix, too.

 

Come spring, Joe has to fight for playing time. He's in the mix, but the best guy starts, the better guys bat higher in the order. We got three more years of Joe.

 

I still believe shaving the beard will make him the old Joe!

 

The beard has been the one positive thing to happen since the concussion!

[the_youngster]

What to do with him? Simple, keep playing him. I like to look at it this way: look at Mauer's stats and Dozier's stats; Mauer's production has been roughly been equal to Kolton Wong and Dozier's has been roughly equal to Edwin Encarnacion. Thus we have a 1B performing like an above average 2B, and a 2B performing like a solid 1B. I don't think there would be much discussion here of "what to do" with Kolton Wong or Edwin Encarnacion. The team as a whole is strong offensively (at least when they are confident, usually at home), and has even more potential in the very near future. We don't need Joe to be a slugging 1B, or even his old batting champion self. As long as he doesn't crash and burn to Dan Uggla levels, he is just fine, as well as the rest of the team. 

[wickedslider]

It is too bad that Mauer has little to no versatility. Other than moving him down in the batting order I don't see much to be done. I'd always heard that your best hitter should bat 3rd and that guy is Sano. Then you move everyone else up a spot and bat Joe 7th or so. His OB% is good enough to either spark a back of the order rally occasionally, or continue an ongoing rally with a walk or single. He would still have RBI opportunities courtesy off the guys in front of him. We need to limit his chances of gidp's so often. If he has guys with more power in front of him, perhaps there is a better chance that they are at least on 2nd base when he bats. The money owed to him, and his decided lack of versatility precludes his being a bench player. Ladies and gents, we are stuck with him at 1b till his contract is up.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Seriously, if Joe Mauer is still a .715 OPS player at this time next year, the Twins should consider negotiating his retirement.

The MLBPA would throw a ****fit if Joe ever tried to do such a thing.

 

Again, let's all remember there are powerful forces at work here that are not Joe Mauer or the Minnesota Twins.

[Dantes929]

Maybe its just phantom pain but I still like the order with Mauer better than the lineup without him.    He never should have been #3 at any time in his career and should certainly not be there now.    HIs OBP last year was still very respectable for a #2 hitter but not so this year.   Drop him to 7th.      No way should he go the outfield.    We can finally look forward to an outfield of Rosario, Buxton and Hicks and I don't want to mess that up.     Anyone else think Rosario might actually have the best arm of the three?   

I still think Mauer has a good hitting streak in him this year yet.

Maybe the Twins should start talking about extending his contract.   That got him going last time. 

 

[Lonestar]

 

The MLBPA would throw a ****fit if Joe ever tried to do such a thing.

 

Again, let's all remember there are powerful forces at work here that are not Joe Mauer or the Minnesota Twins.

I don't think they can if he gets the same present value. 

[jharaldson]

In my opinion the comp for Joe Mauer right now in Twins history is Gene Larkin.  Joe and Gene were both somewhat slow LH hitters who played 1B and DH.  Gene also had the advantage of playing some OF, mostly RF.  Gene had a lifetime OPS of .723 which is right about where Joe is.  Based on that comp I would take the following actions if I were in Twins management:

 

1.  Tell Joe that he is going to be the primary 1B starter for all of 2016.

2.  Tell Joe that he will need to have an OPS above the league average 1B (.766) by the end of 2016 to have the job in 2017.

3.  Tell Joe to prepare this offseason to be able to play a little RF.  Tell him to expect 10-15 games, just like 2011 when they broke him into 1B.

 

Based on his current performance I would not expect him to meet the standard proposed in #2 and I would transition him to the role of 1B/DH/RF backup in 2017 knowing it limits the bench and I would find a league average or better 1B.  Mauer could then settle in to that reduced role and maybe the reduction in playing time will keep him fresher and improve his performance.

[Lonestar]

Bat Joe 9th so he can set the table for the top of the order.  Give him until the sometime next year when Vargas or Kepler force the Twins hand.  If he's not good enough to hold them off, bench him. 

 

Ask Joe if he is willing to back up RF and LF.  Maybe 3B. He can't be worse than Nunez.

[kab21]

 

The MLBPA would throw a ****fit if Joe ever tried to do such a thing.

 

Again, let's all remember there are powerful forces at work here that are not Joe Mauer or the Minnesota Twins.

 

Players have either walked away (Gil meche) or negotiated down (Russ Ortiz) before.  It is much rarer than other sports but it has happened.

 

There isn't any reason for either side to consider it at this point.  He isn't great but he is still a contributing player.  If he had just spent 120 games on the DL for 2 straight seasons and was in chronic pain by attempting to come back then perhaps this could happen. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Players have either walked away (Gil meche) or negotiated down (Russ Ortiz) before.  It is much rarer than other sports but it has happened.

 

There isn't any reason for either side to consider it at this point.  He isn't great but he is still a contributing player.  If he had just spent 120 games on the DL for 2 straight seasons and was in chronic pain by attempting to come back then perhaps this could happen. 

Ah, nice. I forgot about Ortiz. I know Meche just straight-up retired and thought of him while typing that... but I couldn't come up with an example of a renegotiated contract.

[Vance_Christianson]

Mauer to the OF is ludacris I think. We already have a surplus of OF's between AA and the 25 man roster. Only OF I could see him being better than is Arcia. He is avg-above avg defensively at 1b. Put up with Mauer at 1b for the next 3 years. I'm sure he'll get injured along the way, and our youth will out perform him, and he'll move to DH/backup 1b.

2015 Batting Order moving forward:

1. Hicks - CF

2. Dozier - 2b

3. Sano - DH/3b

4. Plouffe - 3b/1b

5. Mauer - 1b/DH

6. Hunter - RF/DH

7. Rosario - LF/RF

8. Suzuki - C

9. Escobar/Nunez - SS

 

Twins main problem right now is that they need a #3 hitter! Plouffe and Dozier are good, but they don't always make a ton of contact on a daily basis. Streaky hitters. Mauer of old (currently dreaming) rarely had back to back games of no hits, and always got walks.

 

I'm not on the Arcia and Vargas plane. I do think there's potential "possibly," but we already have enough DH's!

[Don't Feed the Greed Guy]

1.  Tell Joe that he is going to be the primary 1B starter for all of 2016.

 

2.  Tell Joe that he will need to have an OPS above the league average 1B (.766) by the end of 2016 to have the job in 2017.

3.  Tell Joe to prepare this offseason to be able to play a little RF.  Tell him to expect 10-15 games, just like 2011 when they broke him into 1B.

 

I would do all of the above, but speed up the timetable one year. Terry Ryan or Paul Molitor sits down with Mauer at the end of the season and explains,

 

"Joe, you will get every chance to be the primary first baseman when we break camp next spring and head north. But understand our situation. We can't have you playing ahead of Kennys Vargas, Trevor Plouffe, Max Kepler, Miguel Sano, and other potential first basemen if you are not more productive than they are by the All-Star Break, 2016.

 

We will do everything in our power to help you succeed and end your career here in Minnesota. If you want to play elsewhere, that's your decision. We will work with you to finish out your playing career where you want, when you want. This is a baseball decision--a competitive baseball decision. You know as well as everyone that your skills are diminishing. Father Time catches up to the best of us (a good line for Molitor to speak). You can retire and coach alongside your brother Jake in Cedar Rapids, you can take a front office job, or we can restructure your contract and let you play as a valuable bat off the bench. We don't want to release you and eat your contract. What would you like to do?"

[KGB]

Mauer’s current production level shouldn’t guarantee him a spot in the lineup.  I dislike making Sano at the age of 22, the full time DH.  I understand it for this year, but next year he should be at a position and if that turns out to be first base, then Mauer competes with the other players for DH AB’s or back up duties at first base.  He’s like Nolasco and Pelfrey for the rotation, an expensive option buying you time to find a better replacement.  The sooner you find that replacement, the better off the team’s future will be.

[Winston Smith]

It's past time for him to be just given a starting spot. It's now time for him to earn it and be the best player they have at 1b. If he isn't he is a part time player, like it or not.

Are we trying to win or not hurt Joe's feelings?

[Blake]

What to do with Joe Mauer?

 

If Joe does not improve this year, then, after the season is over, Terri Ryan calls Joe Mauer and invites him into a meeting that also involves Paul Molitor.

 

The conversation goes somewhat like this:

 

Terry Ryan: "Joe, unfortunately, you're not the player you were. Is there any chance we can renegotiate your contract?"

 

Joe: "No."

 

Ryan: "Joe, then, are you willing to consider retirement? If so, that will save all of us the embarrassment of cutting you next spring, right Paul."

 

Molitor: "Joe, at some point, a player has to realize that his best days are well behind him."

 

Joe: "?!?!?!?!"

 

 

 

[sane]

Just pretend you are doing him a favor and trade Mauer to a contender (no return acquisition necessary) and pay his salary to play for them.

 

[Minniman]

Send Mauer back to playing catcher.

 

That is what he signed up for; that is what he is being paid for.

 

Football players and jockeys take more risk for less money.

[Pius Jefferson]

The problem moving him down in the order is you're asking him to be a run producer which he's not. Unless he's expected to hit 7th or lower than he's a table-setter than the bottom of the order.

 

 

 

[DocBauer]

As stated previously, your one and only real option is simple....play him.

 

Unless he regresses to Drew Butera territory with the bat, you play him.

 

I don't get to watch as many games as I'd like to, or whole games at least. I'm sure many of you have the opportunity to watch him more than I do. But I find him solid defensively. Wasn't always the case when he first made the move to 1B, but he looks solid to me now. There IS value in that.

 

He has been better at clutch hitting in RBI situations this season. Can he maintain that? Hopefully. He still remains one of the better AVG and OB guys on the team. Absolutely NOT where we want him to be, where he wants to be, or where he used to be, or where anyone and everyone is used to seeing him perform.

 

But for a moment, try to live in a vacuum where we ignore his greatness pre- concussion, pre -1B move. Forget how much he earns because it's NOT an on the field factor. Further, there is nothing to be done about it.

 

If the LH hitting Mauer could consistently hit in the .270's, keep his OB in the .330-.340 area, and produce 30+ doubles with 10-12 HR's while playing a solid to good 1B, he is an overall average/solid ML baseball player. Whether, on this team in this lineup for '16 and beyond, that places him ideally as a #2 or #3 hitter...or down around 7-8, he provides value. 

 

And I'm not doing an "average 1B OPS" comp. That's not what's up for debate here. Baseball teams and lineups are built in many ways. Most teams, for instance, don't have a 2B like Dozier, or a SS like Tulo. So sometimes you get more offense at a position, sometimes less at another. The whole point is, Mauer can still be productive, just not like he used to be. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Players have either walked away (Gil meche) or negotiated down (Russ Ortiz) before.  It is much rarer than other sports but it has happened.

 

There isn't any reason for either side to consider it at this point.  He isn't great but he is still a contributing player.  If he had just spent 120 games on the DL for 2 straight seasons and was in chronic pain by attempting to come back then perhaps this could happen. 

To be fair, the original suggestion wasn't to consider it at this point.  It was to consider it at this time next year if his performance hasn't improved by then.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Any feedback on my day or two off per week suggestion?  He's had that usage pattern for much of his career anyway, and it's a good way to rotate in other bats around 1B/DH/OF spots.

 

Plus, if Mauer really does have that clutch gene, he can be deployed as a pinch-hitter in high-leverage situations on his days off.

[D. Hocking]

 

Any feedback on my day or two off per week suggestion?  He's had that usage pattern for much of his career anyway, and it's a good way to rotate in other bats around 1B/DH/OF spots.

 

Plus, if Mauer really does have that clutch gene, he can be deployed as a pinch-hitter in high-leverage situations on his days off.

 

I think more off days might not be bad for both him being fresh and getting other bats in the rotation.  Sometimes I think they try to put him in everyday partially as a response to criticism that he does not play enough.  I think they need to move past that (they are going to get criticism regarding Mauer no matter what they do).

 

Not to be blindly optimistic, but while I don't think he will ever be the star of the team again, I still think he can be a solid part of the roster.

[kab21]

 

To be fair, the original suggestion wasn't to consider it at this point.  It was to consider it at this time next year if his performance hasn't improved by then.

If he maintains this performance then there will be no reason to consider it ever.  It has to be a situation where attempting to fulfill the contract (rehab and play) is incredibly painful (but not impossible).

 

He is the Twins version of Todd Helton.  This will have to run its course.

[sane]

On the other hand, I predict next week Torii Hunter will walk into the manager's office and offer up Joe Mauer's 1B job to Trevor Plouffe for the remainder of the year, thus freeing up Paul Molitor/Terry Ryan to call up Byron Buxton to play center field, move Aaron Hicks to RF, Hunter to DH, and Miguel Sano to 3B.

 

If it happens, I will be flabbergasted!

[Otto von Ballpark]

If he maintains this performance then there will be no reason to consider it ever. It has to be a situation where attempting to fulfill the contract (rehab and play) is incredibly painful (but not impossible).

 

He is the Twins version of Todd Helton. This will have to run its course.

Well, Helton only suffered two seasons at Mauer's current level of play during his big contract, nonconsecutive, and one largely impacted by injury (think Mauer's 2011).

 

I could see Mauer wanting to walk away after three straight years of this, especially when you add in the concussion and what's happened to Morneau this year. Not probable, but possible, I'd say.

[Joe A. Preusser]

Definitely you move him down in the order if he's not producing.  Other than that, I could care less about 'league average" first baseman stats.  Our DH/3B could be a world beater, so I don't care where the runs come from as long as they're produced. 

 

But definitely acknowledge he's not producing like he has in the past and bat him 7th.  When he does turn it on he will be quite potent at that stage of the lineup.