So the Twins aren't cheap anymore? It's a storyline that has been developing all offseason, but the contract Minnesota just gave to Joe Mauer puts an exclamation point on it.
To see "$184 million" and "Twins" in the same sentence is just so jarring to me. Remember, we're only a few years removed from Minnesota trading the best pitcher in baseball (Johan Santana) at his absolute apex for a package highlighted by Carlos Gomez -- he of the career .638 OPS.
Mauer's contract is the fourth richest in baseball history. Sez
Big League Stew....
It's a tad more than Mark Teixeira(notes)
got from the New York
Yankees ($180 million) before the 2009 season.
Of course,
details might emerge about deferred money and whatnot,
but at face value, Mauer's deal is worth $23 million a season, which
ties him with CC Sabathia(notes)
as the second-highest paid player annually
in the majors after Alex Rodriguez(notes)
($27.5 million).
Mauer's deal also dwarfs the previously biggest
deal for a catcher, the $91-million contract for Mike
Piazza(notes)
and the New York Mets,
which ran from 1999-2005.
Last year, Minnesota's payroll sat at $67 million, 24th highest in baseball. This year, it's $96 million. That should put them near the top 10.
Man.
The Twins. Between this and the moving out of the
Nazi Dome, it's almost like I don't even know them anymore.
Those racists are all right.
Twins/Twins fans really are not racist at all. I don't how you could even say that. Has there been one incident? There's just lots of white people there, but there's no hatred. Don't be stupid.
But speaking of racist: http://twitter.com/cst_sox/status/10877435042
OH man.
I honestly could not hate Cowley any more.
WHOOSH
C'mon anonymous, its pretty much fact that Twins and Cubs fans are racists.
Where do you think Mauer ranks as far as best players in baseball right now?