You have to separate that into 2 times periods, though. Pre-2011 and 2011 and beyond. Even after Mauer signed his big contract, I think (from a distance), Mauer was still beloved by most Minnesota fans regardless of the money. But 2011 had a devastating effect. The contract, his virtual absence, the way the publicity was handled and his failure to put out good information. Plus, for me, the way it seemed like the Twins were "kow-towing" to him when he was permitted to do his rehab in Florida with big brother Jake. The Twins were in the middle of negotiating the renewal of the Player Development deal with Rochester and it was fairly shaky -- I thought it was a perfect time for Mauer to show leadership by doing a rehab stint in Rochester and building bridges. It just seemed like he needed "kid gloves" to be used when handling him. And I do think that some people reacted to that. I don't hate Joe Mauer. In fact, his struggles over the last few years have probably increased my affection for him. But part of it is "the bigger they are, the harder they fall". When you have someone who was made a Deity by a large part of the fan base, it isn't surprising that there would be a lot of disfavor when something goes wrong. Perfection is a b*tch. Nobody could live up to the build-up that many Minnesotans (including the media) had given Mauer.