Twins Daily Roundtable: The Looming Mauer Decision

If I had to bet, I'd go with a 1-2 deal. But Mauer is fairly sphinx-like: you never really know what he's thinking because he doesn't tell anyone. (which is why the dan barreiro's of the twins media use him as a punching bag so often)

I don't think he goes anywhere else, even to chase a ring. He can still play and he's been pretty healthy the last two years, so i think he'll want to play. I think the FO isn't going to shove him out the door if he wants to play, unless his contract demands are ridiculous. they'd get crushed if Joe Mauer has a press conference where he says, "I wanted to keep playing, but they wouldn't even offer me a contract."

I think he'll be back for 2019 for sure and depending on how the team does, how he does and how the minor league prospects do he might be back for 2020 as well. If he hits close to .280 with an OBP above .360 and an OPS above .750 I could see him back if the Twins team is progressing. How prospects like Kirilloff and and Rooker do next season and how close they're to the MLB will determine if the Twins want to bring him back in 2020.

While I think Mauer will want to come back and play one or two more years, I do not believe Mauer will be invited back.  The FO has made some "interesting" decisions regarding players lately.  I do not believe Mauer is in their plans and will not be swayed by his popularity or desires.

Sign Mauer. Rooker may not be ready to be an everyday player yet. Sign Joe to be the stopgap and platoon him with Austin.

Shouldn't the real question be:  "Do the Twins want Mauer to return"?  "Doing right by Joe" is not the real decision; instead, what is best for the team, given the alternatives, is the real issue for the FO and us fans.

Mr. Bonnes suggested there might be outside suitors? Really? Will there be much demand for a power-free 1B? A speed-free lead off hitter?

If the Twins bring him back as a platoon player, I hope they pay him as a platoon player. Mauer never offered a home town discount; I hope the FO doesn’t offer a home town premium.

If it is a one year deal, what number are we thinking? 5 mill?

I think if Mauer comes back it will be for more money than people think, the Twins will have quite a bit of money to spend. Unless of course they some how manage to land Manny or Harper.

Could you imagine Mauer in Boston's or New York's or Houston's lineups?? He'd score 90 - 100 runs in those lineups easy.

I'm one of the few who thinks Mauer will spend 2019 in another team's uniform.

The way I imagine this playing out is shortly after the season ends, Mauer will decide he wants to keep playing in 2019. The Twins' front office will be agreeable, but be transparent that they hope to use him in a platoon/bench bat role. Mauer, having made the decision to play, will want an everyday job, and ultimately some other team will offer it to him and he'll accept.

Great player once not now. Does a FO that is trying to build a strong playoff contending team really need a 36 yr old part time replacement level 1B/DH?

That's not true. It's easy to know what Joe Mauer is thinking. He's thinking about milk.

Always

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdMJrxCldzg

  I hate it, but I tend to be in the SD/Cody camp.  After what Falvey did over the weekend, I think they quietly push him toward retirement.  And, when concussion symptoms return after just diving for a pop up, maybe it'd be in Joe's best interest to hang 'em up.  

  If he returns, I think they can limit him to around 100 games at 1B and about 40 at DH.  He and Tyler Austin may make an interesting 1B/DH platoon.  Sano can play 125 at 3B, 25 at DH.

Had I answered before the FO move (or non-move) with Buxton, I would have said they could come to an agreement for a 1-2 year so Mauer can keep playing for the only team he should ever play for. But now, this FO has shown they will make purely business decisions, so I can see them saying "No thanks, you want to keep playing, find another team". 

Exactly.  Levine has talked about how "Joe has earned the right to....".  I think it's all lip service.  These Ivy League "baseball guys" are all business.

Joe Mauer is not the problem on this team. Start with ownership and the front office. Next year should be a definite and substantial move forward. If not.....then look at ownership. Any successful entity would.

If he values his long term mental health, he will take an inventory of his concussions and weigh that against ANY career benefit to be obtained over the next couple of years, and retire. Should he decide to try and come back: 1 year + 2 option years @ $20M.

Joe Mauer is not the problem on this team. Start with ownership and the front office. Next year should be a definite and substantial move forward. If not.....then look at ownership. Any successful entity would.

He's certainly not the problem, but isn't it possible that a player who is the third mostly highly paid first baseman in MLB, but not among the top 20 1b's in either WAR, slugging, or weighted OBA, is at least a problem?

I want Mauer back. Actually I want the old Mauer back but that doesn't seem realistic. 

I hope he doesn't even mentally flirt with the idea of 12 mil per year. More like a 2 year at 15-18 Mil total. 120 games at first next year, none as DH. The second year if Rooker is ready and Austin improves then maybe we have a quandary. For next year I don't see either ready to take over full time with a glove. Austin could get 100+ games as DH and have Joe help him with his glove work. 

Joe could go out as the best in Minnesota history, all he has to do now is be a player on a WS team and groom one of those 2 into a gold glove 1B!