FanPost

The Twins Won't Dump Joe Mauer And He's Not Going Back To Catcher

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

I've been seeing a lot of comments here on Twinkie Town along the lines of "Mauer sucks" or "Dump Mauer" or something like that. Some of your arguments might have fair points but it's pretty clear that the Twins don't want to get rid of him, and Joe doesn't want to leave Minnesota, being a hometown boy and all. But fans are disappointed with Joe, regardless of those facts. This is definitely a down year for Joe. He's not hitting a lot of home runs, instead grounding out more often. His hitting has not been as good. One thing I've seen a lot from #TwinsFanTwitter and Twinkie Town as well is "Why are they paying $23 million for a guy hitting .260?" Bear with me as I take you through the elements of Joe Mauer's contract.

Joe Mauer has a no-trade clause. That means that Joe Mauer can't be traded to another club (without his consent). It's kinda like a franchise tag in the NFL. Mauer last struck a deal with the Twins in 2010, the year the Twins last made the playoffs. His contract expires in three years, by which time he will be 35 years old. I'm definitely not saying that he's going to retire in 2018, heck no. But what I'm saying is that by the time that his contract expires, the Twins may be looking to make another deal with Joe, considering that the chemistry between Joe and the Twins organization is unmatched by most MLB team-player partnerships. Believe me, Mauer wants to stay in Minnesota for as long as possible.

One of the other Joe Mauer related things I've been seeing from Twins fans lately is "If they aren't going to trade Joe, they should at least move him back to catcher." Here's the deal, Joe doesn't want to move back to catcher. It took such a toll on his body, that he moved to first so his knees wouldn't get worse. He'd been squatting in that same catching position for years. That's got to hurt. It can lead to joint problems and other painful stuff I'd rather not get into. The reason he's playing first because he understands the risks and is playing it safe. Plus that concussion in 2013. Can't afford another one of those. Regardless, Mauer's not going to catch again. You probably should respect that.

So there you have it. Two super big arguments about Joe Mauer have been debunked (to the best of my abilities) by yours truly. Until next time. Peace out!