Mauer: 'I have no intention' of leaving Twins after contract expires
Joe Mauer has spent his entire life in the state of Minnesota and is evidently looking to stay following the expiration of his contract.
He was born and raised in Saint Paul and is a graduate of the city's Cretin-Derham High School, the same as his manager, Paul Molitor. Then the Twins, who play across the city line in Minneapolis, drafted Mauer first overall in 2001, and he's never played anywhere else.
But this year may be the final chapter of Mauer's turn as the face of baseball in his home state. The eight-year, $184-million contract he signed in 2011 - still the richest ever given to a catcher - is expiring after this season, and there are no guarantees that Mauer, now a first baseman, will still be with the Twins in 2019.
That's a prospect he doesn't want to think about.
"No, not really, to be honest," Mauer told Phil Miller of the Star-Tribune when asked if he could see himself in another uniform next season. "This is where I want to be. This is where my family is, where my daughters are growing up. I have no intention of going anywhere else. Hopefully it doesn't come to that."
The 34-year-old also told Miller that he hasn't tried to engage the Twins in contract discussions; the team, in turn, has not moved to start any extension talks.
Mauer's certainly crafted Hall of Fame credentials as a Twin: five Silver Sluggers, four Gold Gloves, the 2009 AL MVP, and the only catcher to ever win three batting titles. He's also one of the most important figures in Minnesota sports history, as his hometown stardom helped revive the Twins franchise after they were nearly contracted in the early 2000s.
But Mauer's bat, while still solid, hasn't translated to first base since concussions forced him out from behind the plate, and his production has turned that massive contract into a sore spot for some Minnesotans. Though last year's .305/.384/.417 line marked his best season since his catching days (and he also contributed stellar defense), Mauer's seven homers were a league low among first basemen.
Moreover, the Twins don't have a surefire replacement for Mauer at first base right now. The fact the young team continues to mature into a contender might work in Mauer's favor if he hopes to stay home beyond 2018.
He also sees a bright future for the inexperienced group of Twins who are trying to take another leap following last season's shocking playoff berth.
"We had some tough years, but things changed last year. We've got the talent to win, if we just get these guys some experience," Mauer said. "I want to see this organization win, and I want to be a part of it."