Purely hypothetical fun: Joe Mauer

[Tom Servo]

I guess an off day feels like one of those long winter days around the hot stove for me. I was looking over the Minnesota Twins roster and it's interesting to me how unlike in the past for them, they have a better offense than pitching. Of course, any offense in baseball is better than the Twins pitching but with Mauer, Morneau, Plouffe, Willingham, Span, and Doumit, along with the solid Revere, the Twins have a pretty capable hitting team. And I was thinking about how since his injuries have cropped up again, along with the Twins tumbling in the standings, you never seem to hear about Joe Mauer anymore (other than in those Head and Shoulders commercials). So I was looking up some information on him, and I was pretty surprised to hear Twins fans opining that he's unmoveable and a waste of money due to his contract, saying things like "...you're clueless if you think any of those teams would take on Mauer's contract at this point! If the Twins truly wanted to trade him they would have to eat half his contract."

So I decided to take a look at Mauer's deal with the Twins



and it is pretty rough.

But I'm curious: If you were the GM for the Reds and Bob Castellini signed off on bumping the payroll over $100 million, into Cardinals territory, would you try and acquire Mauer or are you gun-shy about trading for an age 30, rather injury prone, non-power elite hitter with a big contract? If it factors into your decision, #19 for us doesn't get into the $20 million range until 2016.

I fully expect the majority of responses to be "HELL no", for the simple fact that it's so much money and his 'best' days (2009) are behind him...it may be the inner Kenny Williams in me but I think I would. I'd see what the Twins are willing to kick in financially and if it cuts Mauer's yearly salary down by several million a year, to say maybe $16 million a year (a hypothetical $96 million dollar investment, though certainly I'd be willing to let Minnesota take on more if they desperately want out of his deal), I'd roll the dice on his health.

So go ahead, tell me what you think. Call me crazy, but it would be pretty fun to have Mauer and Votto hitting back to back, and it's not my money.

[camisadelgolf]

I'd love to have Mauer, but if the payroll's getting raised that much, I could probably come up with better ways to spend that money. For one thing, there are a ton of players due for arbitration next season, so we're already talking about something close to a $90M payroll next year.

[Vottomatic]

I'd love to have Mauer, but if the payroll's getting raised that much, I could probably come up with better ways to spend that money. For one thing, there are a ton of players due for arbitration next season, so we're already talking about something close to a $90M payroll next year.

I agree.

I think the reason Votto and Phillips were giving big contracts is because of the type of people and players they are. Neither one wants to come off the field. Phillips plays hurt all the time.........he's not a slacker.......and neither is Joey. There are players who get hurt and milk it........and then there's Joey and Brandon. Votto works too hard at his craft to ever become a slacker. BP simply loves playing the game. Two good investments.

I don't know much about Mauer. And I'm not saying HE'S a slacker. But some guys get that big contract and could care less if they're on the field or not......or atleast it appears that way.

My point is that I think it would be rare for the Reds to do another big signing at this point. If the outcome of this season falls short like 2010, it won't surprise me to see some tinkering with the roster/lineup. This offseason, I think Bruce is jumping from the untouchable list to the available for the right trade list. Other than still being "young" and hopefully improving, Bruce has worth to the lineup since he's lefthanded. Stubbs could be traded if something of worth is offered in return. I think Frazier is here to stay. But bolstering the lineup spots ahead of Joey and the spot behind him to protect him might finally be addressed.

And I think upgrading the pitching will always be an option if the right deal comes along.

Mauer? Too much money and risk for me.

[Chip R]

I wouldn't. He's had some injury problems in the past and playing catcher doesn't exactly help that. So if he's not catching, if he's in the AL he can DH. In the NL, not so much. He could probably play 1st but the Reds already have a 1st baseman.

[redsfandan]

Depends on how much money the Twins chipped in but it would probably have to be more than they're willing to do.

2009 was an anomaly. I wouldn't even look at that year for him except if I wanted to look at how everything fell into place for him to have a historic career year.

I'm pretty content with Hanigan/Mesoraco. My only question is what do the next 14 months have in store for Mes.

[Tom Servo]

I wouldn't. He's had some injury problems in the past and playing catcher doesn't exactly help that. So if he's not catching, if he's in the AL he can DH. In the NL, not so much. He could probably play 1st but the Reds already have a 1st baseman.

Well the idea of Mauer moving to 3B for the Twins has long been thrown out (he's played 1B and has taken grounders at third), so he could conceivably play there.

[Big Klu]

Well the idea of Mauer moving to 3B for the Twins has long been thrown out (he's played 1B and has taken grounders at third), so he could conceivably play there.

I think I've had my fill of injury-plagued 30-plus-year-old ex-catchers moving to 3B. (Is that a record for most consecutive hyphenated words?)

[cumberlandreds]

I think I've had my fill of injury-plagued 30-plus-year-old ex-catchers moving to 3B. (Is that a record for most consecutive hyphenated words?)

I thought of Johnny Bench at 3rd when I read that. Not a pretty sight.

[traderumor]

He does have great hair and can talk to a pretty girl in the stands while waiting for the highest foul pop in the history of the game to come down. He might be worth it for that reason alone.

[Hoosier Red]

I wouldn't. He's had some injury problems in the past and playing catcher doesn't exactly help that. So if he's not catching, if he's in the AL he can DH. In the NL, not so much. He could probably play 1st but the Reds already have a 1st baseman.

Yeah and he's already better than the guy who they're paying 20 million/year for the next 10 years.

[traderumor]

Yeah and he's already better than the guy who they're paying 20 million/year for the next 10 years.

This would seem to be sarcasm, but the smiley use confused me. Is this sarcasm, before I comment?

[westofyou]

I thought of Johnny Bench at 3rd when I read that. Not a pretty sight.

Perhaps the most disappointing position switch in my baseball watching life

[Hoosier Red]

This would seem to be sarcasm, but the smiley use confused me. Is this sarcasm, before I comment?

Yes