This baseball offseason in Minnesota, all eyes will be on Joe Mauer. His contract will be up after next season, and teams along the east coast will be striving to trade for him, hoping to eventually resign him at the end of the season. The assumption is that the Twins will not have enough cash to sign Mauer and will be more likely to deal him, seeking something, rather than letting him walk for nothing. This was what happened when Johan Santana was traded to the Mets.
The thing is, though, that Joe Mauer may be the most popular public figure in the Minnesota right now. The Twins would be fools to let him walk. I think those days of penny pinching are over, and instead are marked by economic prudence, willing to spend money when necessary. With a new stadium on the way, it behooves the Twins to keep Mauer under contract forever, no matter what the cost. It will certainly be done.
That said, the Twins were knocked out of the postseason because they were outpitched. Never mind the fact that there were several boneheaded mistakes, magnified by the situation, the Twins need a better starting rotation next season. Getting Slowey back will certainly help, but I don’t like putting that much on a player that missed most of the previous season. Additionally, with all the money they will be spending on Mauer, free agency doesn’t seem like an option.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the fans are beginning to clamor for an overhaul. The team failed to win the world series for the second consecutive year. The now spoiled fans of Boston demand their team once again be rendered championship caliber. It’s already very close already, but I think the Twins and Sox are compatible to the point of making each team happy. The Twins have young hitters and the Sox have young pitching. If Minnesota has a trading partner, it’s in Boston.
The Twins are at the point that if they do anything, it won’t be a small move. They are so good where they are good, and so bad where they are bad, it won’t take minor moves to patch holes. Anticipate a very quiet offseason, but if it isn’t quiet, expect a mammoth deal, perhaps with the Red Sox. (Nathan to replace a discontented Papelbon and Kubel to take advantage of a short right field fence for the aforementioned Papelbon, a rental to be sure, maybe Clay Buchholz and another prospect?) Less than 6 months until the season starts…
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