Was Joe Mauer's Contract Extension Worth It?

[Matthew Taylor]

Prior to the Carlos Correa signing this past offseason, Joe Mauer’s $184 million extension was the largest contract in Minnesota Twins history. As we celebrate Mauer’s inauguration into the Twins’ hall of fame this weekend, let’s look back at that extension and evaluate if it was worth it.
 

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off of the 2009 season, Joe Mauer was on top of the baseball world. He had just completed a season in which he slashed .365/.444/.587 with a career-high 28 home runs and 96 RBI. Mauer was voted American League MVP, one vote shy of earning the honor in unanimous fashion.

Mauer also found himself one season away from becoming the most sought after free agent in all of baseball.

However, in March, heading into the 2010 season, in what would have been his final year under team control, the Twins signed Joe Mauer to an eight-year, $184 million contract extension. The contract was the fourth-largest contract ever handed out in MLB history at the time.

The reasoning behind the Twins inking Mauer to such a large contract was not difficult to understand. Mauer had been playing like a Top-5 player in baseball over the first five seasons of his MLB career, and at just 26 years old, Mauer had not even hit his athletic prime yet. Mauer was hitting better than a catcher had hit in a long time, and brought value to the Twins on both sides of the ball.

Additionally, the Twins signed Mauer to the contract extension just one month before they opened their brand new stadium, Target Field. There was no move that would have excited a fanbase and opened up a new stadium better than extending the hometown hero, Joe Mauer, to a massive contract extension. For an ownership group that was constantly criticized for being tight with their money, their paying up to keep Mauer in Minnesota was a massive boost to a fanbase at the perfect time.

So, the contract extension was definitely the right move at the time, but how did things play out after Mauer signed the extension?

In the season immediately following his contract extension, Mauer proved to the Pohlads that their investment was well-spent, as he was an all-star, finished Top-10 in MVP voting, and won his third consecutive Gold Glove and Silver Slugger from the catcher position. 

Things took a bit of a turn in 2011, though, when the infamous “bilateral leg weakness” began for Mauer. He only played in 82 games that season, and he started to get his first action at first base. His gradual transition to first base continued in 2012 and 2013 until he became a full-time first baseman in 2014 after Ike Davis's foul tip off of Mauer's face mask caused him to abandon catching for good, just four seasons after signing his extension. 

After becoming a full-time first baseman in 2014, Mauer would never go on to make another all-star team, earn MVP votes or Gold Gloves, while averaging just 1.4 fWAR per season through his final season in 2018.

Aside from being an elite hitter, what made Mauer so valuable and worthy of such a large extension was the fact that he played the catcher position. It’s so rare to find a catcher with elite batting skills, and that Mauer was such a great hitter was invaluable. When the Twins signed Mauer to the $184 million extension, they did so assuming that they would be getting an elite catcher for most, if not all, of the contract. 

How things turned out, though, was that Mauer was only a full-time catcher for the first season immediately following the extension. For five years of the extension, Mauer wasn’t a catcher at all.

If we look at Fangraphs’ financial value metric, Joe Mauer provided $125.7 million of value, despite earning $184 million over that timeframe. From that metric alone, one would conclude that the extension was not worth it. 

Although the dollar value says the money wasn’t worth it, the contract extension was still one that was ultimately the right move. The contract extension was worth it because it launched the opening of Target Field. It kept the hometown kid home. It signaled that the Pohlads weren’t, in fact, “pocket protectors”. It showed that the Twins were willing to spend money and ready to compete.

In the end, it was injuries that kept Mauer’s extension from providing the value they thought they would get when they inked him to the contract. But even though they didn’t get that value that they had hoped, the contract provided value for the Twins that went beyond the diamond.

Do you think Joe Mauer’s contract extension was worth it? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

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[Jocko87]

Yes, and the organization is still getting value from it. 

[dxpavelka]

Easy for lots of folks to say no but I guarantee you Mauer was a Red Sox or a Yankee on April 1 2011 this fan base would have lynched management. 

[JoeCool]

I don’t see him taking time away from family but I wish he was our hitting coach today.  I think he has a lot to offer the game still, but his children are young.

Maybe his son who was kind of hilarious at the ceremony last night will be the future face of the franchise.  :)

[CRF]

If the injuries/concussion(s) hadn't happened, and he remained as a catcher, that contract might have been the best bargain in MLB history. What happened to his career was a downright shame. Would love to see him become more involved with the franchise in some way. 

[Heiny]

That would be an unequivacal "YES".  Can you imagine the attendance if the Twins had not signed Joe?  In my opinion Joe has been arguably the best value in Twins history.  It makes me mad that this conversation even comes yet.  Now what they did after signing Mauer for the next several years did not help to improve the roster.  I think we all know that you can't win in baseball with just a few contributing players.

[Fatbat]

Its Pohlads $$ and it was well spent. The  investment is still paying off and will for generations. Anyone that questions Joes value to Minnesota sports needs to few courses in economics, sports psychology, sociology etc… 

[Twinsoholic]

No for Joe. The same is true for the Correa contract. I liked the Buxton signing when it happened, but so far that contract extension looks less than good. I get that Mauer is local, but that still does not mean he was worth it. When I think of Mauer now I think of left fielders waiting to catch his predictable fly balls and line drives to left field. Obviously injuries took their toll, dampening what had once been an exciting career. Growing up, I watched Tony Oliva and Rod and Harmon. All three were superior Twins players. Injuries also diminished Tony’s career, but he does deserve the plaque that honors him in Cooperstown. I am not sure Joe will get there. 

[Teflon]

I take Ted's view, too. A person can't just look at the high contracts at the end of a player's career for the simple reason that star players are so grossly underpaid at the beginning of their careers. You have to look at total production and total compensation like Ted's tweet did. For the whole of his career, Mauer's total salaries equated to only 70% of his estimated value to the Twins. That's quite a bargain.

[Nine of twelve]

Go back to the 2009/2010 off-season when this contract was negotiated. At that point in time Joe Mauer was the best baseball player in the world. Whatever it took to get him to sign was money well spent.                                                                                                               

[chpettit19]

52 minutes ago, Twinsoholic said:

No for Joe. The same is true for the Correa contract. I liked the Buxton signing when it happened, but so far that contract extension looks less than good. I get that Mauer is local, but that still does not mean he was worth it. When I think of Mauer now I think of left fielders waiting to catch his predictable fly balls and line drives to left field. Obviously injuries took their toll, dampening what had once been an exciting career. Growing up, I watched Tony Oliva and Rod and Harmon. All three were superior Twins players. Injuries also diminished Tony’s career, but he does deserve the plaque that honors him in Cooperstown. I am not sure Joe will get there. 

When you think of a career .306 hitter who only hit below .280 three times, and had an OPS+ under 100 once, in a 15 year career, 10 years of which he was a catcher, what you think of is "left fielders waiting to catch his predictable fly balls and line drives?" Yikes.

[chpettit19]

I don't think he makes it on the first ballot, but Joe Mauer should make the Hall of Fame. A Hall of Famer who plays his entire career with your team is always worth it. 

I get that his career got a little disappointing towards the end, and after he moved from behind the plate, but it's crazy to me that anyone looks at a Hall of Famer and thinks "yeah, what a terrible job this team did by keeping that guy around." Joe Mauer deserved his number being retired, and deserved his induction into the Twins Hall of Fame yesterday. It's absurd, to me, that we're still questioning his extension. Bi-lateral leg weakness will forever be joke worthy, but Joe Mauer is an all-time great Twin, and he was worth every penny (in the context of the pro-sports world).

[DocBauer]

If someone wants to make an argument that he wasn't worth the extension after his concussion issues...not his fault...I can understand the opinion. I'd disagree with it as he was still a good player, and meant a lot to the team, the fans, perception, etc. So my opinion is he was worth it.

But even still, the value he provided to the Twins before the concussion issues changed his career was gold for pennies on the dollar. 

His 10yr career as a catcher, and the awards, was outstanding and something we might not ever see again. He's an absolute HOF player to me.

[Twinsoholic]

35 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

When you think of a career .306 hitter who only hit below .280 three times, and had an OPS+ under 100 once, in a 15 year career, 10 years of which he was a catcher, what you think of is "left fielders waiting to catch his predictable fly balls and line drives?" Yikes.

I definitely remember Joe’s highlights—much to admire. He had a remarkable stretch for a while as a catcher. But, during his last few seasons, Mauer monotonously flying out to Alex Gordon, who hardly had to move often, was mind-numbing. He was a first baseman without power. I never understood why he did not pull the ball much—for whatever reason. He did play good defense at first. I know my view about the contract extension is not shared by most on this forum. I am suggesting, however, that Mauer’s total career, viewed objectively in the context of the careers of Killebrew, Oliva, and Carew, could be understood as very, very good, but not legendary. At the time of the contract extension, I think the Twins were at or near rebuilding. Perhaps a trade would have been the better route to go, but we will never know. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

Imagine saying no to this. Ugh. Yes, the contract was worth it and I am glad we all got to watch Mauer stay a Twin for his career. 

[ewen21]

This is not going to be popular here, but I need to say it.....

 

The signing HAD TO happen, but to be honest, I was deeply disappointed with the Mauer I saw AFTER the contract.  I will start at the beginning.  In my estimation, he came into camp looking absolutely dreadful in 2011 because he literally did nothing over the winter.  He had five months of down time over the winter and to get all that money and look so out of shape when he came to camp raised my eyebrows.  His body looked like it had atrophied and he looked very pale.  You do not get diagnosed with "leg weakness" if  you are doing what you should be doing.  I made the observation about his apparent lack of conditioning IMMEDIATELY when he reported to camp on the old MLB site.  I was treated very harshly for this observation (I didn't care because I can take it).  A highly paid athlete should be working hard during the offseason to get his body right and Mauer did not seem to do it.  For example, Russell Martin had the same procedure on his knee at about the same time Joe did and he had an all star season--from the catcher position. 

https://www.nj.com/yankees/2011/02/yankees_russell_martin_wont_ca.html

Martin came into camp doing handstands.  Clearly he was doing some work.  According to his own words Joe chose to rest and take it slow in camp and that cost him, in my opinion.  That approach isn't explained away with his humble and self-deprecating demeanor.   I understand Joe is chill dude, but it went too far.  Harmon was essentially a choir boy and he wasn't turning over buffet tables, so I really do not care about that angle.  Bernie Williams was another guy...very much docile, but go take a look at what he did in the postseason alone.  Not only that, the Twins lost every single playoff game he played.  It is not his fault that Twins lost all of the playoff games he played in, but he managed to drive in just one run in those games. In most of those games we were desperate for a big hit.  He never delivered.  I do not think that is a coincidence.

Did anyone know Mauer actually went from 2007 to 2017 without getting a single walk off hit?  He had a walkoff against Oakland in 2007 and by about 2011 I started to notice he had not had a walkoff in a long LONG time.  He finally had one in the early summer of 2017.  How does a guy of his caliber do that?  I do not believe that is some odd anomaly or a statistical coincidence.  His career batting average close & late and in high leverage numbers were considerably lower than his career average.  Joe developed a nasty habit of deferring at bats and seemed content to grind out walks in situations where he should have been a hitter.  If I had a dime for every moment he came up in a high leverage spot and spit on fat pitches he should have driven to Mars I would have $796.51.  Finally, it was maddening to watch him get up there and try to inside-out everything into left field.  When the shift started he refused to adjust and that was absurd to me.  It was more of Joe being Joe and morphing into a player that made no sense to me.  The smack singles the other way approach worked against him being a run producer.  That is what a table setter does.  He was not paid to be a table setter.  If he drops a flare into left field for a single it is awfully hard to get the runner in from second base.  He did not adjust for situations and that was bothersome to me.  Where are the Joe Mauer moments in Twins history?  All of them seem to be centered on his personal accolades as a catcher who can hit.  I am not trying to take that from him, but we are talking about the contract.  HOW did his signing help the Twins?  That is the bottom line for me.  He seemed to be off the in the corner dancing to his own music (probably that gross TI song) while the party went on without him. 

 

I do not dislike Joe Mauer as a person, but he became a very frustrating ball player.  Sure, he had a solid comeback year in 2012 and good year in 2013, but apart from that he barely made an impact during the time of his contract.  In sum, the contract had to happen.  HOWEVER, I cannot imagine him doing what he did in 2011 in New York.  He'd have been slaughtered by the fan base and the press and THEY would have been right to do so.  He would have needed to stand in front of the press and answered questions and he somehow managed to stay away from the press during that 2011 season.  WThat 2011 was one of the most bizarre seasons I have ever seen a player have.  The only thing that touches Mauer 2011 is what we see with Buxton.  

 

I know.....not a popular take, but I am willing to take the criticism for it.

[Beast]

Letting him walk would’ve been the biggest PR nightmare this team has ever dealt with. 

He was still a very good player for quite some time after signing the deal.  It wasn’t the albatross some make it out to be.

They also got a number of years of elite level performance out him at a team friendly rate.  In terms of his overall value to the franchise as a whole, you have to consider that as well.

It goes beyond the numbers on the field to make the contract “worth it.”  The merch, the exposure, and all the other things attached to the player.  Mauer alone was arguably bigger than the Twins franchise a whole in terms of national recognition.  He just won the MVP.  He was on the cover of video games, in TV commercials, in All Star games, winning batting titles, winning silver sluggers, winning good gloves.  It’s easy as Twins fans, I think, to forget the heights he reached and the trajectory he was on at that time.  His name was in the national conversation like it hadn’t been since Kirby.  At his peak he was in the conversation for the best catcher in the history of the game.  

It was the right move.  No question.  Even with the benefit of hindsight.  Have to do that deal 100% of the time.

 

[chpettit19]

2 hours ago, Twinsoholic said:

I definitely remember Joe’s highlights—much to admire. He had a remarkable stretch for a while as a catcher. But, during his last few seasons, Mauer monotonously flying out to Alex Gordon, who hardly had to move often, was mind-numbing. He was a first baseman without power. I never understood why he did not pull the ball much—for whatever reason. He did play good defense at first. I know my view about the contract extension is not shared by most on this forum. I am suggesting, however, that Mauer’s total career, viewed objectively in the context of the careers of Killebrew, Oliva, and Carew, could be understood as very, very good, but not legendary. At the time of the contract extension, I think the Twins were at or near rebuilding. Perhaps a trade would have been the better route to go, but we will never know. 

"During his last few seasons?" Few is 3. So his 3rd to last season he hit .265. Definitely not ideal. Down year for sure. His second to last season he hit .305 with a 115 OPS+. He was 15th in baseball in BA. His last season he hit .282. I assume you were a fan of the Arraez trade since he was a first baseman without power.

Mauer was the best catcher in American League history when they extended him. A Hall of Famer in his prime coming off an MVP season. I will never understand even questioning trading that player. There was no reason to think he didn't have another 6 elite years in him. If your FO tells you their rebuild plan is going to take 6+ seasons you should probably find a new FO. I will never understand the idea of not trying to have great players until your "rebuild" is complete, or close to. Imagine if the Rangers would've taken that approach instead of signing Seager and Semien. 

To each their own, but I will never understand why anyone would want their team to not bring in, or retain, great players at any point. Not going to argue that you should've enjoyed Mauer's career as much as you enjoyed Killebrew, Oliva, or Carew's. Or even put him in their category, objectively or not. But he's a Hall of Famer. Why would we ever want the team to trade him? Especially when we knew he'd prefer to stay here if they offered him anything reasonable. I just don't get that stance. Even knowing how his entire career played out afterward.

[rv78]

In reference to the post made by ewen21 .... I somewhat agree. I often wondered how much better he could have been had he NOT let those fat first pitch fastballs right down the middle just sail past him. Too many times he never seemed ready to hit until he had 2 strikes. Then it was, just make contact by slapping the ball to the left side. A better appproach and he would have been driving strike one or two into the gap or the seats. I also thought he wanted to walk or take a lazy single over hitting the ball with authority way too often. Yes, he was a hometown kid who made it big and I absolutely love the guy but I can't help but feel he could have been even sooo much better with a little bit of a different, more aggressive approach, early in his at bats. Twins HOF = Yes. Baseball HOF = probably not.

[jorgenswest]

Yes

[ewen21]

1 hour ago, rv78 said:

In reference to the post made by ewen21 .... I somewhat agree. I often wondered how much better he could have been had he NOT let those fat first pitch fastballs right down the middle just sail past him. Too many times he never seemed ready to hit until he had 2 strikes. Then it was, just make contact by slapping the ball to the left side. A better appproach and he would have been driving strike one or two into the gap or the seats. I also thought he wanted to walk or take a lazy single over hitting the ball with authority way too often. Yes, he was a hometown kid who made it big and I absolutely love the guy but I can't help but feel he could have been even sooo much better with a little bit of a different, more aggressive approach, early in his at bats. Twins HOF = Yes. Baseball HOF = probably not.

I often wondered...."where is his happy zone?" and "does he ever recognize he's set up for a waste pitch that could drift over the plate?"

Miguel Cabrera once singled on a pitch out attempt.  How's that for contrast?  Joe did not seem tuned in for a mistake.

 

He never deviated from his approach and his approach was narrow.  TexasLeaguers used to put up spray charts and his was perplexing to say the least.  He was making lots of contact, but with a table setter's mentality.  If he decided to make a more serious attempt to square up a ball, turn on it and drive it more often what the results would have been.  I surely didn't expect 2009.  I just feel that if the HR and RBI totals were like 2009 with a .285 average we'd have had a better player.  He played it "safe" and he did it to a fault, in my opinion.

 

On Cooperstown, I can drive there and get there within two hours.  I have never gone during HOF weekend, but have been there multiple times.  Does Mauer make it?  I have no idea.  They lost me years ago.  Scott Rolen and Harold Baines get in and Al Oliver and Steve Garvey don't get a whif?  No one should be upset if Joe doesn't get into the HOF.  Half of his career he was a first baseman/DH and his numbers from those spots were clearly not HOF.  Think of a guy like John Olerud.  He rivals Joe, in my opinion AND he had a penchant for being on teams that went someplace in the postseason.  Those things mean a lot to me.  Maybe more than most.

[Nine of twelve]

3 hours ago, Twinsoholic said:

 At the time of the contract extension, I think the Twins were at or near rebuilding. 

I don't think this is close to being true. The extension came before the 2010 season. Picture the 2010 team if two key players--Nathan and Morneau--hadn't been lost to injury. That's a World Championship team. 

[ewen21]

3 hours ago, Twinsoholic said:

I definitely remember Joe’s highlights—much to admire. He had a remarkable stretch for a while as a catcher. But, during his last few seasons, Mauer monotonously flying out to Alex Gordon, who hardly had to move often, was mind-numbing. He was a first baseman without power. I never understood why he did not pull the ball much—for whatever reason. 

It was like he painted himself into a corner with it.  The more he hit to slap the less willing he was to take a full confident swing with the intent of turning on it and hitting a places where it cannot be caught. The fact that he went from 2008 to 2017 without a single walk off hit was a side effect of this approach where he seemed content to draw a walk than rather than get the big hit in the big spot.  His close and late and high leverage batting averages are both 20-30 to thirty points lower than his career average.

He's a no brainer for the Twins HOF and retire the number.  Is a lock for Cooperstown?  No way in the world, in my opinion.

[SoDakTwinsFan]

3 hours ago, ewen21 said:

This is not going to be popular here, but I need to say it.....

 

The signing HAD TO happen, but to be honest, I was deeply disappointed with the Mauer I saw AFTER the contract.  I will start at the beginning.  In my estimation, he came into camp looking absolutely dreadful in 2011 because he literally did nothing over the winter.  He had five months of down time over the winter and to get all that money and look so out of shape when he came to camp raised my eyebrows.  His body looked like it had atrophied and he looked very pale.  You do not get diagnosed with "leg weakness" if  you are doing what you should be doing.  I made the observation about his apparent lack of conditioning IMMEDIATELY when he reported to camp on the old MLB site.  I was treated very harshly for this observation (I didn't care because I can take it).  A highly paid athlete should be working hard during the offseason to get his body right and Mauer did not seem to do it.  For example, Russell Martin had the same procedure on his knee at about the same time Joe did and he had an all star season--from the catcher position. 

https://www.nj.com/yankees/2011/02/yankees_russell_martin_wont_ca.html

Martin came into camp doing handstands.  Clearly he was doing some work.  According to his own words Joe chose to rest and take it slow in camp and that cost him, in my opinion.  That approach isn't explained away with his humble and self-deprecating demeanor.   I understand Joe is chill dude, but it went too far.  Harmon was essentially a choir boy and he wasn't turning over buffet tables, so I really do not care about that angle.  Bernie Williams was another guy...very much docile, but go take a look at what he did in the postseason alone.  Not only that, the Twins lost every single playoff game he played.  It is not his fault that Twins lost all of the playoff games he played in, but he managed to drive in just one run in those games. In most of those games we were desperate for a big hit.  He never delivered.  I do not think that is a coincidence.

Did anyone know Mauer actually went from 2007 to 2017 without getting a single walk off hit?  He had a walkoff against Oakland in 2007 and by about 2011 I started to notice he had not had a walkoff in a long LONG time.  He finally had one in the early summer of 2017.  How does a guy of his caliber do that?  I do not believe that is some odd anomaly or a statistical coincidence.  His career batting average close & late and in high leverage numbers were considerably lower than his career average.  Joe developed a nasty habit of deferring at bats and seemed content to grind out walks in situations where he should have been a hitter.  If I had a dime for every moment he came up in a high leverage spot and spit on fat pitches he should have driven to Mars I would have $796.51.  Finally, it was maddening to watch him get up there and try to inside-out everything into left field.  When the shift started he refused to adjust and that was absurd to me.  It was more of Joe being Joe and morphing into a player that made no sense to me.  The smack singles the other way approach worked against him being a run producer.  That is what a table setter does.  He was not paid to be a table setter.  If he drops a flare into left field for a single it is awfully hard to get the runner in from second base.  He did not adjust for situations and that was bothersome to me.  Where are the Joe Mauer moments in Twins history?  All of them seem to be centered on his personal accolades as a catcher who can hit.  I am not trying to take that from him, but we are talking about the contract.  HOW did his signing help the Twins?  That is the bottom line for me.  He seemed to be off the in the corner dancing to his own music (probably that gross TI song) while the party went on without him. 

 

I do not dislike Joe Mauer as a person, but he became a very frustrating ball player.  Sure, he had a solid comeback year in 2012 and good year in 2013, but apart from that he barely made an impact during the time of his contract.  In sum, the contract had to happen.  HOWEVER, I cannot imagine him doing what he did in 2011 in New York.  He'd have been slaughtered by the fan base and the press and THEY would have been right to do so.  He would have needed to stand in front of the press and answered questions and he somehow managed to stay away from the press during that 2011 season.  WThat 2011 was one of the most bizarre seasons I have ever seen a player have.  The only thing that touches Mauer 2011 is what we see with Buxton.  

 

I know.....not a popular take, but I am willing to take the criticism for it.

The Twins needed to sign him and coming off a 28 home run mvp season it looked like a no brainer.  
But I think his career after he big pay day is fair to criticize.  How do you hit 28 home runs in your contract year then not hit more than 11 after that?  That’s not a coincidence.  
 

A #3 hitter constantly taking first pitch 92 mph heaters right down broadway was so maddening.  Why could he not adjust?  While he needed to be signed by the Twins, he was being paid to be a run producer.  He absolutely never did after 2009.

[ewen21]

1 minute ago, Nine of twelve said:

I don't think this is close to being true. The extension came before the 2010 season. Picture the 2010 team if two key players--Nathan and Morneau--hadn't been lost to injury. That's a World Championship team. 

Yes and no.  You are correct, they were not rebuilding, but rather had probably the deepest roster they ever had.  That was the maddening thing about getting swept AGAIN.  I believe you are incorrect to believe that Morneau (if healthy) and Nathan would have made the difference.  Nathan was a straight up nightmare against the Yankees and in the playoffs.  What about about him makes you think he'd be a difference maker? His postseason pitching record is ugly:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=nathajo01&t=p&post=1

10 games and one save with an 8.10 ERA.  Joe also struggled at Yankee Stadium.  I had little confidence in him closing in Yankee Stadium just watching his body language and the results in games where he had to go in there.  In retrospect, I don't think he or Morneau would have made much of a difference.  

[ewen21]

7 minutes ago, SoDakTwinsFan said:

The Twins needed to sign him and coming off a 28 home run mvp season it looked like a no brainer.  
But I think his career after he big pay day is fair to criticize.  How do you hit 28 home runs in your contract year then not hit more than 11 after that?  That’s not a coincidence.  
 

A #3 hitter constantly taking first pitch 92 mph heaters right down broadway was so maddening.  Why could he not adjust?  While he needed to be signed by the Twins, he was being paid to be a run producer.  He absolutely never did after 2009.

This is not to say the decided to milk the system.  He fell into a certain approach after the Twins invested fully in him as the face of the franchise.  In a way, Mauer invested in an extreme approach the Twins tried to sell.  The Twins had "go the other way" grained into their heads for years.  They pushed on their hitters too strong and Mauer came up in the middle of it.

 

I read an article about JJ Hardy and how when he arrived at Baltimore their hitting coach Jim "Hound Dog" Presley asked him why he kept doing that in batting practice.  Hardy answered him and Presley told him to stop doing it.

[IndianaTwin]

Was it the right move at the time? Unequivocal “yes” in my mind, for a lot of the reasons listed above. 

“Was is worth it” is actually a different question, however. It’s also the standard “hindsight is 20/20” question.

I think my answer on that one is also a “yes,” but it’s not as unequivocal. Many, perhaps even most, big free agent contracts don’t end up being “worth it” if you only count the on-field contribution over the years of the contract. It’s why a lot of us are concerned whenever they start talking big money with pitchers, in particular.

But in the case of a guy like Mauer, they still had to do it. 

[Nine of twelve]

1 hour ago, ewen21 said:

In retrospect, I don't think he or Morneau would have made much of a difference.  

Until he was injured, Morneau was playing better in 2010 than he did in 2006. And regarding Nathan, you can cherry pick all you want but he was an elite-level closer at or near the peak of his career. Moreover, had he not been injured the infamous Wilson-Ramos-for-Matt-Capps trade would not have been made. So I guess we'll have to agree to strongly disagree.

[SwainZag]

2 hours ago, SoDakTwinsFan said:

The Twins needed to sign him and coming off a 28 home run mvp season it looked like a no brainer.  
But I think his career after he big pay day is fair to criticize.  How do you hit 28 home runs in your contract year then not hit more than 11 after that?  That’s not a coincidence.  
 

A #3 hitter constantly taking first pitch 92 mph heaters right down broadway was so maddening.  Why could he not adjust?  While he needed to be signed by the Twins, he was being paid to be a run producer.  He absolutely never did after 2009.

Adjust to what?  Mauer was a professional hitter who worked counts his entire career.   It had nothing to do with adjusting and more than him wanting to see pitches, work the pitcher and wait for a pitch he wanted.  

 

The odd complaint and straight irritation of Joe taking the first pitch will always baffle me.   He swung at just above 10% of all 1st pitches.   His OPS when swinging at the 1stc pitch was .846.  It was .824 when he didn't.   

For the majority of his career he had more walks than strikeouts, it changed towards the tail end, but he was the definition off a patient contact hitter.  Almost all the people who discount Mauer point to his 09 season and say.... this is who he should have been his whole career instead of accepting that as an outlier and using the rest of his career as the standard. 

I'm always baffled by how many twins fans down play how good Joe Mauer was as a player.  I don't know if it's because he was a hometown guy and they somehow expected more, or if it's because he was always so humble and a likeable genuine human..... but man I will always come with numbers to back him up.  

 

 

 

 

[ewen21]

6 hours ago, SwainZag said:

I'm always baffled by how many twins fans down play how good Joe Mauer was as a player.  I don't know if it's because he was a hometown guy and they somehow expected more, or if it's because he was always so humble and a likeable genuine human..... but man I will always come with numbers to back him up.  

These are not the reasons why I offered up my opinion.  It is not personal.  
 

I spoke at length about his approach and refusal to adjust to one of the most bizarre shifts in baseball history.  His unwillingness/inability to turn on a baseball and drive it during that contract was a problem for me because curtailed his production.  Additionally, his close & late and high leverage batting averages were 20 to 30 points lower.  In 12 playoff games he was always on the losing end and in those contests he drove in only one run.  He went from 2008 to 2017 without a walkoff hit.    Correct me if I’m wrong on any of this.

 

He also was a first baseman/DH during a very large portion of that contract.  This about Mauer AFTER the contract.  Please refer to information posted here if your baffled as to why I’d say he didn’t live up to the contract.  After all, that is what this is about.  It isn’t personal or that I’m being hard on him because of his personality or because he’s a Minnesotan.  That’s got nothing to do with it