Joe Mauer Contract: Will Twins Give Catcher 10 Years?

by Michael Small | February 1, 2010 at 04:05 pm

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Does Joe Mauer have a 10-year contract with the Minnesota Twins? The Twins aren't confirming or denying the rumor that the two sides have come to an agreement.

A report by WCCO-TV in Minneapolis says Mauer has accepted a 10-year contract from the Twins, but no financial details were given. Both sides have acknowledged interest in getting a deal done, and Minnesota will have more financial flexibility with its new stadium opening this year.

It's no wonder the Twins want to lock Mauer up long-term; he's one of the most promising young stars in the Major Leagues. Last season, Mauer led the league in hitting with a .365 batting average to go along with 28 homeruns and 96 RBIs.

The 26-year-old has one more year on a contract that will pay him $12.5 million. It's no secret that other teams won't want this deal to go through, as Mauer would be one of the most attractive free agents in years.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire sounds confident Mauer will be a Twin for years to come.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told the St. Paul Pioneer Press over the weekend that he doesn't "sit and fret about" Mauer's future with the club.

"I think the right thing's going to happen," Gardenhire said, according to the newspaper. "I think we all do. I think we all know the ramifications if something were not to happen and it'd go the other way. ... Everyone knows the right thing to do here and the smart thing, and everybody's trying to get that done."