Jan
26

I dream of Mauer

By

Over the weekend, a few astute readers sent us e-mails about this, and iYankees touched upon it on Saturday: ESPN’s Peter Gammons is dreaming about a bidding between the Yankees and the Red Sox for the service of Joe Mauer.

He writes:

Memo to Twins CEO Jim Pohlad: Get Joe Mauer’s contract extension completed, because he will be the next great Yankees-Red Sox war if he hits the free-agent market in November 2010.

If the Twins don’t wrap up Mauer, he’ll be the most sought-after free agent since Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia. By the end of 2010, the Yanks will be able to shift Posada from behind the dish, and Mauer would be a perfect fit. Meanwhile, the Sox, who have extended something of a two-year deal to Jason Varitek. That would come due after 2010 as well.

If Mauer hits the market — and that is a huge if right now — he would stand to make a killing. It’s feasible that half of the teams in baseball could get in on Mauer. I’d love to see Mauer in New York. Who wouldn’t?

206 Comments»

  1. Jake H says:

    That would be crazy

  2. Mike A. says:

    …he will be the next great Yankees-Red Sox war if he hits the free-agent market in November 2010.

    Gammons should know better. There is no bidding war. If the Yanks want him, they win.

    • Relaunch says:

      Just like they won Dice K.

    • Sully says:

      Not for nothing…. The Twinkies are not a stupid bunch…. if they can’t extend Maeur, it won’t reach the free agent market…. he’d be traded in winter ’09/’10 or in July 2010. At which point the Red Sox would be in better position to trade for him with a deeper farm system as a result of actually having draft picks. If you recall, the Yanks may win in free agency, but lately the Sox have won in the trade market. Schilling, Beckett, Pedro… oh, and one last note, when have the Yankees EVER won because of the free agent market? Their last great run was a result of using their farm system…. Mariano, Andy, Derek, Jorge, Bernie… what has buying Giambi, Damon, Matsui, Mussina, A-Rod, Big Unit….what has that gotten them?

      • george says:

        you seem to forget that Mauer knowing his worth would be better to sit it out rather than allow a trade to the redsox. he knows where the money is and it is and always has been in NY. NO Way will Yanks allow mauer to go to boston. wake up !

  3. jsbrendog says:

    this would be interesting. so much so that my head owuld explode. possibly even for real. the question is do we really think the twinkies will lock him up tho? it’s hard to decide…they did just sign morneau right? so they could possibly be able to do so, esp with a new ballpark coming down the road, a couple years i think…..

    very interesting indeed

  4. jps says:

    lets hope that by the end of 2010 Jesus M is still catching (could happen?) and beating up on AAA pitching. although i’m not sure that would stop the impending bidding war.

    • Mason says:

      Yea plus you have to remember the Yankees have Austin Romine on top of Jesus Montero. So catching is pretty deep for the Yankees right now. Maybe not at the big leaugue level. But by 2010 I sure would hope one of them is ready to go. And along with most other Yankees fans and sensible people, if the Yankees wanted joe when he is a free agent,they could most certaintly get him.

  5. Bruno says:

    Twins’ll lock him up, he’s from St. Paul.

    Plan B: IPK = http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....pid=457762

  6. Joe Mauer = Albert Pujols = Cal Ripken = Tony Gwynn = never leaving

  7. Ryan S. says:

    Mauer in 2011 with perhaps Austin Romine as his backup? YES PLEASE.

    • Joe B. says:

      If the Yankees get Mauer in 2011, I think Posada will have to DH and backup Mauer behind the plate. After that, though, I think Romine is a possibility. Montero to DH at that point if he’s hitting like we think he can?

      It’s a good problem to have – two catchers in the minors and a potential FA all coming close to the ML club at the same time. If 2/3 don’t pan out, we’d still be covered.

  8. Kilgore Trout says:

    For no good reason at all, I hate that SOB Mauer.

  9. steve (different one) says:

    Mauer is too tall to be a catcher in the majors.

  10. Bo says:

    Well the agents for Joe Mauer just popped open a bottle of bubbly and stopped returning the calls of the Twins.

  11. UWS says:

    I, too, dream of Mauer. Those dark soulful eyes, the rakish smile, the sexy sideburns……..

    Oh, and I guess he’s pretty good at playing baseball, too. Huh.

  12. Paulie says:

    I dream of him in pinstripes at least twice a week.

  13. Pastafarian says:

    Well it’s either him, Holliday, or Lackey to be the free agent that the Yankees are probably going to pick up next season, but if Mauer is on the market the Yanks better wrap him up. Also Andy Pettite 5.5 million with incentives for a year I’m happy now :)

  14. Eric says:

    Mauer is always injured. Also he’s sort of a jerk in real life. Also a long term contract for a catcher is stupid. Let him go to Boston.

    • steve (different one) says:

      130+ games in 3 out of the last 4 seasons = “always injured”

    • UWS says:

      ….

      [ facepalm ]

      • Eric says:

        Yes. He is always injured. Maybe if you looked beyond the # of games he’s played and at his actual injury history, you too would know the “facts”.

        From CBS Sports – “All-Star catcher’s injury history has been well-documented, beginning with a torn-up knee that kept him out for most of his rookie season in 2004 and including a bunch of lower-body ailments – notably a strained quadriceps muscle – that limited him to 109 games in 2007. His toughness was questioned that year by certain teammates. Skeptics about the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Mauer’s durability at such a dangerous, draining position were silenced last year when he played in a career-high 146 games – including 135 starts at catcher. He said Friday the back pain popped up in September during the stretch run in the division race, but that didn’t affect his ability to win a second batting title in three years and play every game after Labor Day except the second half of a doubleheader in Baltimore.”

        He also just had offseason kidney surgery. He’s turning 26 in April and he’s missed two seasons due to injury. You want to sign him to a 8 year deal at 20+ Million a year? Starting after 2010 when he’ll be 28? Pass.

    • Mauer is always injured. Also he’s sort of a jerk in real life. Also a long term contract for a catcher is stupid. Let him go to Boston.

      Four sentences, none of them right.

      • Eric says:

        You are wrong. Per usual. Please see above. Thanks.

        • Mike A. says:

          He’s been on a disabled list once in the last four seasons. Catchers get banged up, it’s what they do. A few games off here or there for a bruised hand or something is par for the course.

          • Eric says:

            Yeah but in 2004 he was out the whole year with a knee injury. He’s not even 30 and he’s missed roughly 200 games since he came into the league due to injury. There are a lot of people who have been concerned with his injury history. I’d think that if you want to sign him to a 8 year, 160 million dollar deal (which is close to what he might actually get), you have to address that fact.

        • 2005: 131 games caught, 554 plate appearances – “not injured”
          2006: 140 games caught, 608 plate appearances – “not injured”
          2007: 109 games caught, 471 plate appearances – “sorta injured”
          2008: 146 games caught, 633 plate appearances – “not injured”

          So, three great, healthy seasons and one sorta banged up season = “always injured”? Really? You have high standards.

          Then, ” he’s sort of a jerk in real life.” – no way to respond to that, not that it matters one iota;
          “so a long term contract for a catcher is stupid” – depends on the catcher and the contract;
          “Let him go to Boston.” If he hits FA (which i don’t think he would), letting him go to Boston when they need a catcher, if we in fact need a catcher, would let them fix one of their holes while we don’t fix one of our holes. That’s not smart either.

          0-4.

          • Whitey14 says:

            I agree with you today, but let’s not get too use to the feeling ;-)

            P.S. Thanks for making me laugh up above in the Brett Favre section!

          • Eric says:

            The jerk in real life comment is based on the fact that the only time I’ve met him (spring training), he was charging everyone, including kids for autographs. It was his rookie season. So yeah, that’s my personal opinion. I’ll leave it at that.

            I think a long term contract for a catcher is stupid. Show me one catcher who has been worth 8 years stretching from 28-36 at 18+ million a year. I am assuming based on other contracts/the whole Red Sox/Yankees thing, that is what he’d be looking for.

            Finally, I’d be fine with him going to Boston and using the 18+ million to get a better hitter (even at a position where their VORP isn’t as high). Then after Mauer blows out his knee again in his mid 30s, the Red Sox will be stuck paying 18 million a year to a guy who can’t catch/is a 300 hitter with little power playing first base.

            Mauer is not a guy whose offensive numbers would make him worth 18 million at DH or 1B so if you sign him to a contract of considerable length he’d have to catch the entire way through.

  15. Chris says:

    I wonder what the Twins situation will be between now and 2011, especially with the death of Carl Pohlad. The uncertainty in ownership may prevent an extension from getting done. Of course, the flip side is that the purse strings might loosen up without Pohlad pinching his pennies.

    • A.D. says:

      The lack of Pohlad being overly cheap might help the Twins get some payroll flexibility.

      • Plus, now they can make long term plans without fear of having their club volunteered for assassination.

        • Bruno says:

          I enjoyed this comment. Thoroughly.

        • Chris says:

          That all depends on what the plan is for the team, right? I assume that Pohlad’s estate will sell the team, but maybe it goes to his kids. I don’t know what will happen in this case, and any uncertainty in ownership could hold up an extension.

          • Chris, it’s in reference to the fact that during Selig’s game of chicken with the Union where he was pushing contracting two of the MLB teams, Pohlad volunteered (with basically no prodding) to offer up his Twins for contraction in exchange for a nice hefty chunk of money.

            The Twins former owner was a bajillionaire, yet he never really invested his money at all in the club, operated for years on a shoestring budget (until recently), had the smallest scouting staffs and lowest-paid managers, pocketed virtually all of the revenue sharing money, etc. He ran the Twins not like a competitive team but like an turnip from which to squeeze blood. Most of the Twins success is likely in spite of Pohlad, not because of him.

  16. What’s Mauer really going to ask for anyway? 5/75? 6/90? The Twins and totally would do that. I bet a dollar he signs an extension and never hits the market at all.

  17. JohnnyC says:

    If only Pohlad had had the billions that George Steinbrenner had at this disposal, there’d be parity in MLB. Oh, wait…

    • The Honorable Congressman Mondesi says:

      Relatively minor quibble, but this has come up before… I’m not so sure it’s fair to say “well Pohlad has more money than the Steinbrenners so the Twins could spend as much as the Yankees if they wanted to.” I think the question is how much money does the franchise make, not how rich is the owner. The Twins don’t make nearly as much money as the Yankees do.

      • radnom says:

        Exactly.

        It isn’t like the Steinbrenner’s just toss money into the Yankees as a hobby and don’t get any return back.

      • Chris says:

        Please tell that to Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks.

        If you consider spending on the team as an investment, then it makes sense to take a slight loss in the short term to increase popularity and revenue in the long term.

        Of course, not offering to contract the team would also be a good way to build up a fan base.

        • The Honorable Congressman Mondesi says:

          “If you consider spending on the team as an investment, then it makes sense to take a slight loss in the short term to increase popularity and revenue in the long term.”

          I agree. That’s a different issue than what I addressed above, though.

      • JohnnyC says:

        And yet they’ve posted a profit margin of 10-15% every year since 2002. Yes, their revenues are less than half of NY’s (mostly due to media revenues) but they have chosen to maintain a certain level of profit rather than spend-to-win. That’s their choice and it’s a sound business decision but…yes, it’s more than fair to point out their operating philosophy.

        • The Honorable Congressman Mondesi says:

          Oh I’m not defending the Twins or any other spendthrift organization here, I just think you have to separate organizational finances from personal wealth.

  18. A.D. says:

    Pettitte appears to be official, 5.5M base:

    http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....8;c_id=nyy

  19. Mike Francessa says:

    Joba Bullpen! Islanders Cleveland!

  20. Mike Pop says:

    I know I’m going to get blasted for this but I would take McCann over Mauer.

    • Reggie C. says:

      You know what … they’re both very very good. Baseball pple still think there’s more power in Mauer’s bat. Still, a couple BA titles puts him in elite company. Defensively, Mauer’s rep is sterling .. not so sure about McCann though. Mauer’s better … but McCann is only a tier below.

      • Mike Pop says:

        McCann does have a grit beard, so I think when you compare the two we have to bring that into the convo.

        • Mauer’s a former football/hockey player. He doesn’t need a gritbeard, that alone makes him gritty.

          Although, were he to grow a gritbeard, he’d reach the absolute pinnacle of grittiness only briefly reached twice before in MLB history (by Larry Walker and Darin Erstad).

          • Mike Pop says:

            Dude, come on. We both know Youk, Pedroia, Lowell, and Ortiz have reached that pinnacle before.

            • Not quite. Darin Erstad and Larry Walker are the manliest, grittiest, guttiest, ballsiest, scrappiest most clutchtastical of all men. They play the game the right way and make the plays that help you win; they give 110% and love their mothers.

              The only reason neither of them were ever Red Sox is that putting such gritty gamers on the Red Sox, a team that personifies selfless play and grittiness, may have caused a singularity that could have engulfed the world in a white hole of grittiness impossible to escape, literally folding the universe into itself.

              Bud Selig could not allow that to happen, not while the un-gritty Yankees were too weak to stop it with their anti-grittiness.

          • King Jaffee Joffer says:

            A conversation about grit is not complete without mentioning Lenny Dykstra. Facial hair aside, his nickname is Nails. Doesn’t get any grittier.

  21. Zack says:

    look at his numbers, one year he hits the ball great for avg, then next year hes just average. Not to mention he always seems to be hurt (it comes with the position) but why pay $20m/season for a guy whos only going to play 130games, and Jeter is the only position player worth 20m+ who doesnt hit 35+ hrs.

    plus its 2 years away, why even think about that? Yankees fans should stay focus on 2009

    • Ryan S. says:

      This is the internet. In January. If we don’t waste our time speaking of such things, who will?

      • Zack says:

        there’s nothign wrong with talking about potential free agents, but “the evil empire” poster is worried about our lineup in 2015-2017? come on

        • The Evil Empire says:

          So you’re bashing me cause I’m conscious of what lies ahead?
          If management had you’re mentality there would be no future in this organization, baseball too, like Chess should be a game of strategic planning.

          We need to asses our options for the future, we’re not a team that’s built around our farm system, so looking ahead is just perfectly fine.

          • Zack says:

            ok mr cashman

            • Zack says:

              fans of rebuilding teams look at the team 4years from now.
              i dont care what happens 4 years from now, you cant predict trades, FA, major injuries. Look at the Padres, 2 years ago they won 90 games, this year they’re talking about trading Jake Peavy, could anyone imagine that 3 years ago? no.

              having a heart attack because you dont know who will be the CF in 4 years is stupid, worry about 2009

  22. The Evil Empire says:

    First of all, who is going to be playing the OF for us? by 2010?
    Can we afford TWO more mega deals, we don’t want to lock up 4 players through 2015-17 (5 with Jeter who we all know is getting an extension)

    A Rod at third base until 2017 (DH)
    Teixeira at first through 2017
    Jeter at SS (LF) for his career
    NOW:
    Mauer at catcher through 2015-17*
    or
    Holliday through 2015-17*

    I don’t know, but i doubt we can get both, I’m sure we can afford it, but I don’t think it’ll go down.

    We have Ajack Melky and Brett, after 2010 unless we sign Damon to an extension I don’t see us picking Mauer up.

    +
    C.C and Burnett’s mega contracts

    • Ryan S. says:

      You’re forgetting Nick Swisher.

    • Mike Pop says:

      We won’t get Holliday unless he takes a “discount” to play for us. Highly unlikely.

      • Zack says:

        discount for NY? Yeah because Jeter/Posada/Rivera gave NY a discount so Matt Holliday will definately give one..

        • The Evil Empire says:

          Are you mentally ill?
          He just said we WON”T get holliday UNLESS he takes a discount.

          • Mike Pop says:

            Ya I guess I’m an idiot Zack, haha.

            • Zack says:

              “He just said we WON”T get holliday UNLESS he takes a discount”

              why even say that? its a stupid/pointless comment
              when was the last time a FA gave NY a discount?

              • pat says:

                Mark teixeira. A few weeks ago actually. He took less to come to the yankees than what the nationals offered. Reality is fun!

                • Zack says:

                  $181m is a discount? would you go to the nationals?

                  if red sox offered 200m and he turned them down thats 1 thing, turning money down from nationals is different

              • Jay CT... Ben Sheets biggest fan says:

                Zach, are you the same one who was arguing that Boston won 2 titles due to Becket yesterday? I apologized for calling you a retard then, but it seems you are proving your intellegence again. You are actually insulting people for attempting to think to the future?

                • Zack says:

                  wow i messed up on the beckett thing, hold that over my head forever.

                  yes im insulting people for thinking about 2010, 2012, 2017.

                  hey, lincecum is a free agent in 2014, can we get him? he’d be perfect. on and david price in 2015, an amazing #2. and hanley in 2015, boy i cant wait

      • Reggie C. says:

        Well lets see what kind of numbers Holiday posts in the AL. If the dropoff is significant, Holiday is looking at a shrunken pay day.

  23. Kyle says:

    If any of you think that the Twins won’t re sign Mauer you are an idiot. The twins would be the worst organization in baseball if that happened. No one would go to the games because he, Nathan and Morneau are the only superstars on the team, not to mention Mauer is by far the fan favorite. If the the Twins do no re sign him I will never root for the twins again, ever.

    • Zack says:

      correct, remember they drafted Mauer #1 overrall ahead of Mark Prior just because he was a hometown kid, there’s no way they’ll let him leave, and i highly doubt he’ll leave for just money

      • JohnnyC says:

        Unless he gets rid of his current agent and hire Scott Boras.

      • correct, remember they drafted Mauer #1 overrall ahead of Mark Prior just because he was a hometown kid.

        Well, that, and the fact that he wasn’t a pitcher. Taking a surefire stud catcher #1 makes more sense than taking a stud pitcher #1, for injury reasons…

        • Zack says:

          yeah taking a 18yr old catcher with no power playing in high school over a 20yr old pitcher who strike out 13 guys per 9innings in the PAC10. Yes obviously Prior didnt work out but the guy was in the majors after 9 minor league games.

  24. Steve says:

    And move Posada where? Full time DH?

  25. Booch says:

    The only problem is that Mauer is from Minnesota, grew up 6 miles away from the Metrodome. He grew up idolizing Kiry and Hrbek. He is on record saying that the Twins is all he knows. At the very least I am sure he will give a hometown discount to stay put where he is. I don’t see the Twins passing him up, he is one special player.

  26. Hans says:

    Oh my god shut up you imperialistic monster. Joe Mauer is not a piece of meat, he’s all we have (Considering that Morneau is rather overrated). East Coast teams don’t have to have a superstar at every position. I suppose in 6 years you’ll be drooling over Matt Wieters? Or David Price? Is that what big market fans do? This story shouldn’t exist.

  27. Hans says:

    Yes! We’re people, too. It’s also fun to root for a perpetual underdog that can still reach 88 wins. Sans Santana and Hunter. Which was, how many more than the Yankees managed last year? You’re everything that’s wrong with capitalism.

    • Ben K. says:

      The answer to your question is -1. The Twins won -1 games more than the Yanks last year.

      And the Yanks are actually what’s right with capitalism. You pay the most; you win a lot. That’s a capitalism. People like Carl Pohlad who refused to invest their own money into their teams while accepting revenue sharing payments are what’s wrong with capitalism.

    • Bruno says:

      One less. Yanks won 89.

    • The Honorable Congressman Mondesi says:

      Dude, slow down… You think rooting for a “perpetual underdog” is the best. Good, I’m happy for you. You also think the Yankees are the baseball embodiment of pure evil. But your little engine that could up there in the Twin Cities wouldn’t be what you consider to be a “perpetual underdog” if you didn’t have the big bad Yankees to deal with, right? We all root for our respective hometown team, and some teams come from bigger markets and have more financial resources (or more motivation to use their financial resources) than other teams do. Such is the way of the world. It’s the circle of life, friendo.

  28. deadrody says:

    It would be interesting to see. Between now and then, between Rivera, Jeter, Matsui, and Damon, there is another $62 Million coming off the books by the end of 2010. Jeter will likely re-up, but not likely the same $21 Mil he will make in 2010. I doubt any of the other three come back after their current deals. MAYBE Mo, but he would be 41 to start the 2011 season. I’m not sure I see that happening, and if so, not at $14 Mil.

  29. Hans says:

    Oh wow. I feel dumb. The Yankees did win 89 games. I hate myself now.

    And I disagree, however. You shouldn’t win more by spending more. You should win more by scouting and making the best management decisions. Which the Yankees cannot do. Otherwise Andrew Brackman, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy wouldn’t be so overhyped. Joba Chamberlain wouldn’t be so grossly misused. You know. Maybe the Yankees would be a well run business and not one that hemorrhages money to please such a demanding fan base.

    • Mike Pop says:

      How is the Joba misused?

      • jsbrendog says:

        dude, why are you egging him on. you know what follows that comment will have to do with opening doors, entrnce music and 8th innings.

    • Ben K. says:

      Do you see the thing that says “Reply to this comment”? Can you use it please? It helps everyone follow the discussion.

      Anyway, how can you say the Yanks are hemorrhaging money? They’re hugely profitable and are the most valued baseball franchise around. Could they be more efficient in spending? Probably, but your argument doesn’t match up with the financial reality.

    • The Honorable Congressman Mondesi says:

      Just stop. The Yankees do not hemorrhage money. They make a ton of money, which by definition makes them an incredibly successful business. The prospects/overhyped thing is just silly, and I think you probably know that. And the whole “you should win more by scouting and making the best management decisions” thing… That’s, just, like, your opinion, man. There are many ways to win, and it’s not like the Yankees don’t have a decent player development system. Every team buys players. It’s a cruel world, I know. So… I don’t know… You hate the Yankees, like a lot of people do. That’s fine, more power to you. But you’re coming off a little bit whiney here.

    • Bruno says:

      Joba Chamberlain wouldn’t be so grossly misused.

      Huh?!? He’s basically being broken in the same way Santana was. Was he misused too? Or are you one of those people simple-minded simpletons that thinks Joba should be in the ‘pen?

      • Bruno says:

        Just to make a point:

        If relievers are soooo valuable why did K-Rod and his 62 saves get $37m while CC got $161m?!?

      • Hans says:

        I just think they babied Chamberlain, and he got hurt anyway. They would have been better off just using him as a starter all of 2008. The more innings you get out of him, the better.

        And nothing was more annoying than seeing us not start Santana, particularly in 02 and 03, when he was one of our best starters.

        And when I mean hemorrhaging money, I mean that the Yankees, as a business, spent more than they made. The Twins were the opposite. That’s all.

        • Jay CT... STILL Ben Sheets biggest fan (till the season starts) says:

          They don’t spend more then they make though. The YES Network alone is worth millions and millions of dollars

        • pat says:

          Joba got hurt doing a reverse tumble off the mound during a 100 degree night in arlington. That would probably hurt anybody’s shoulder.

  30. david benjamin says:

    As a rabid Red Sox fan I agree with all of the Yankee crazies responding to this article — when the Yankees want to over-pay for talent, the Sox let them do it…let’s see….pay an extry $30 Mil. for CC Sabathia…pay through the nose for AJ Burnett, Johnny Damon, Carl Pavano, A-Rod…and all the Sox have done is win 2 World Series in the last 5 years while the Yanks thump their wallets as though its their crutch….

    Yankee fans are correct…if they want to throw an extra $5 — $10 — $15 — $20 — $25 — $30 — Mil. at a free agent like Big Teix or Joe Mauer, the Sox will undoubtedly let them do it….and inevitably…maybe some day…they’ll win 29…30 or whatever the next one is…..It must be wonderful to have the Steinbrenner boys heading up your team…emulating their Daddy…only all they know is spending…not talent…and Brian C. likes his job enough not to give them the facts of life a la Theo E. Maybe some day….Kevin Brown….or…Jason Giambi…..or A-Rod….or Bobby Abreu….or Johnny Damon…..or Chuck Knoblauch…or Alphonse Soriano….or one of your other extravagances that you trade away your farm system for will help you win that elusive next title. You used to call that “Derek Jeter” or “Mariano Rivera” or “Bernie Williams” or “Andy Pettite” or Jorge Posada” or some other pretty fair ballplayers that, if memory serves me, helped you win many of your vaunted titles, and many of whom will wind up “upstate” in Cooperstown. But I understand these days that “waiting is soooooo verrrrry hard to do.” These days, those players are named Youkkkkkkkilis, and Pedroia, and Lester, and Papelbon and Ellsbury, and Lowrie, and Masterson and Bowden. Maybe you’ve heard of them…they play just a few miles up the road from you…OOOOPPPPssss, maybe not….they’ve been sold out for like 5-6 solid years….so you may have trouble getting tickets to watch a team play that maintains its same identity year and and year out and actually wins championships!!!!!!!.

    Oh yes, to come back as an impatient and unsatisfied Yankee fan…please God….may I ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

    • kane says:

      You Sox fans call us retarded? Do we think anyone is going to take a biased Red Sux idiot fanboy seriously? The only thing you did was make us Yankee fans lulz at your stupidity.

    • Zack says:

      that post is too long to read, keep it under 10 lines please :)

    • Zack says:

      “and all the Sox have done is win 2 World Series in the last 5 years while the Yanks thump their wallets as though its their crutch”

      actually it was 2 WS in like 88years, maybe you should give advice to teh cubs or someone like that.

      and talking about Fenway park being sold out for 5-6 years is HILARIOUS. when you could probably fit twice as many fans in Yankee stadium then fenway park. and i have no problem getting tickets, its called stubhub

  31. Hans says:

    The Red Sox represent everything the Yankees should be. They develop people, but they don’t go crazy in free agency just to please their fans and insane ownership. They find a balance and take advantage of their resources, while still being smart business wise. They also win championships.

    • Zack says:

      “while still being smart business wise. They also win championships.”

      yeah because Yankees make no money and never win

    • Mason says:

      Hans,
      Here’s my thoughts about your comment. Baseball is a business, correct? And in every business the main goal should be to please the customer. You tell me how the Yankees are doing worse business-wise than the Boston Red Sox if the Yankees are the ones doing everything in their power to please their fans (customers) by taking risks and spending money in an attempt to field the best team that they can. The Red Sox obviously don’t get the concept that to make money, you have to spend money. Theo should grow some balls and take a risk now and then. Before you brag about how smart a business is that has won a whopping 2 W.S. titles since a lot of people have been born, think about what you say.

  32. Forrest Stredde says:

    Anyone who thinks Joe Mauer is going to leave his hometown team for the money has a drug problem. Mr Mauer is not a self centered me first type of player that flock to the Yankees for the allmighty dollar. He will retire as a Twin, no doubt about it. Thank God for the Joe Mauers of the world because the C.C. Sabathia’s and Mark Teixeira’s are getting old. They have their agents turn down 140 million dollar contracts to get 160 million dollar contracts and then have the balls to tell people that the Yankees were the only team they wanted to play for. I hope the Yanks are real proud off the Sabathia contract 4 years from now when he tips the scales at 360 and can’t play. Go Rays, Royals, A’s, Brewers, and Twins. You run your franchises the way they should be run, with good scouting and fiscal responsability. I am looking forward to the day when MLB has a salary cap, equal revenue sharing and a world wide draft. It will put the over paid and over rated Yanks out of business.

    • Zack says:

      If you’re thanking for CC and Tex make sure you give thanks for Manny, Drew, Lugo, Lowell, DiceK

      “Go Rays, Royals, A’s, Brewers, and Twins. You run your franchises the way they should be run, with good scouting and fiscal responsability”

      so running the right way is having a combined 1 rold series in the last 17 years? Tell me how the Yankees are not fiscal responsible??? Arent they making a profit ever year??

      ” I am looking forward to the day when MLB has a salary cap, equal revenue sharing and a world wide draft.”
      Yeah those damn A’s gave that 16yr old dominican kid a bunch of millions, and teh white sox keep buying cuban players

  33. TwinsFan11 says:

    Joe will never leave the MN Twins. He’s too loyal to his hometown.

  34. TK(2) says:

    I’d say that, despite the lack of WS title’s, those teams listed above do an extrememly good job at running thier respective franchises. If they had Yankee money to spend, they’d be winning titles ALL the time. They get more, MUCH MORE

    • Zack says:

      yeah and IF the Yankees got the #1 pick and got Joe Mauer they’d be amazing, dont play the IF game.
      the twins ownership is worth 3 billion, steinbrenner is worth 1b, dont cry about money, your team chooses not to spend it while the yankees spend it.

      “good job at running their franchise” = winning WS rings, anything else is not. most owners treat their teams as a business, george was always a fan of his team and wanted them to win; making trades, signing free agents, signing foreign players, those are all legal baseball practices. has he been out of line in the past? of course, but his heart was always in the right place. he always wanted to win, to win for the city and to win for the fans, not just “run a good business” and win 85 games a year.

  35. TK(2) says:

    I’d say that, despite the lack of WS title’s, those teams listed above do an extrememly good job at running thier respective franchises. If they had Yankee money to spend, they’d be winning titles ALL the time. They get more, MUCH MORE

  36. TK(2) says:

    out of less.

    Yes, Twins fan.

  37. Zack says:

    and to claim the Yankees dont run a good business is ridiculous, not only do they win but they make millions every year. how is that not a good business
    do other teams make better deicisions? yeah, but every team out there has “bought” players, even small market teams (meche to royals) and everyteam has signed guys who dont work out (silva in sea, matthews jr in LA, millwood/padilla in tex, lugo in bos, etc)

  38. Booch says:

    I guess this article was linked by mlbtraderumors since we got all the crazies commenting in here for a change. Here we go again, penis envy by all those other baseball fans. Go find your own blog to comment on.

  39. Michael says:

    Joe Mauer is a Minnesotan through and through. He will play for MN for the rest of his career. He probably has a good half a dozen years behind the plate regularly and will then become the Minnesota version of Wade Boggs at third. He will not leave Minnesota – it is in his BLOOD

  40. Hans says:

    Okay. I just fail to understand how you Yankees fans can’t comprehend how infuriating it is when you start coveting our few hometown stars. I have family and friend connections to Joe Mauer. He’s a legend, here. If the Yankees scoop him up he’ll just be another of your bloated contracts. And the fans will complain that he doesn’t hit enough home runs. I have the right to be bothered by that.

    As to judging 2 WS wins in 4 years versus not having any in the 88 years prior. I’d say the more recent success is more of an indication of the way the club is faring from a management perspective.

    On the same token, why are WS championships the only measure of the success of a club? That’s really annoying from a small market perspective. World Series or nothing is such an obnoxious mantra considering what a crapshoot the playoffs are. Sometimes the best teams win, like the Red Sox in 07, and sometimes the absolute worst playoff teams, like the 06 Cardinals, win.

  41. joe says:

    I’d hate it if he went to New York the Yanks would be amazing

  42. kenny says:

    simple. the yankees have more money than boston. mauer could get the same deal as teixeira. mauer could get a 5 year 50 million dollar contract with boston.the yankees have a perfect fit for mauer. and mauer would want to be with the best:jeter rodriguez(without drugs)teixeira sabathia burnett rivera damon cano chamberlain nady posada pettite aceves wang swisher posada and matsui. red sox=morneau yankees =mauer.

    • Buck Foston says:

      Mauer may be a better fit in Boston. He hits for Average has a Good OBP. He’s a white guy. (ever notice how the sox love the white boys) Anyway I’d love to have Mauer in the Bronx, let’s get him and use stud C prospect Jesus Montero to get a future SS replacement for the Captain so he can transition to the OF.

      As for other markets whining about how much the Yanks spend. Get over it. Do you know how expensive it is to live in NY? Or even in NJ or CT? WE DESERVE A GOOD TEAM. Not to mention we shell out another 100 BUCKS a TICKET TO SIT IN THE UPPER DECK! But game after game we come out in droves, to the tune of 4 MILLION TICKETS SOLD!

      And what is the excuse The Twins owner HAS MORE MONEY THEN GOD and or the STEINBRENNERS. Steinbrenner realizes that it takes money to make money. Thats why in 1970 he bought the Yankees for 10 million dollars and turned them into a billion plus EMPIRE in 30 Years time.

      As for our NY mentality I’d like to qoute Ricky Bobby “if you ain’t first your last!” That’s the mentality it takes to live in our great city. NY is the Rome of our American Empire. We expect great things because we are the toughest S.O.B.’s around. So congrats small market teams for actually scraping up enough dollars to pay your electric bill and you are welcome for the sellouts you receive when The Bronx Bombers are in town. But don’t hate the player hate the game. Truth is your hometown heros wont take a discount and want those big dollars. And deep down they’ve always dreamed of wearing our pinstripes.

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