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Guess what?

Joe Mauer is injured again.



Joe Mauer/Lyle Overbay 2012 running comparison:

Salary: $23,000,000/$1,000,000
PA's: 226/75
AB's: 191/62
Hits: 57/21
Ave: .298/.339
HR: 3/2
RBI: 25/6
OBP: .407/.432
SLG: .419/.532
OPS: .826/.965

Oh, and FYI: The Twinkies have the worst record in the American League. Face it, Twinkies fans: Your team is going to absolutely SUCK with that albatross of a contract around the team's collective neck until 2018.

fuck off.

DJH wrote:fuck off.

You're welcome.

Not a Twins fan, but they really had to sign the hometown kid or the fans would have gone nuts.
They have the worst record more due to pitching, as their top pitching draft picks have both had recent Tommy John surgery. Morneau and Span having concussion issues also does not help. Having a new stadium that sucks for warning-track power hitters doesn't help either.

In short------they need help

Gil Dobie wrote:Not a Twins fan, but they really had to sign the hometown kid or the fans would have gone nuts.
They have the worst record more due to pitching, as their top pitching draft picks have both had recent Tommy John surgery. Morneau and Span having concussion issues also does not help. Having a new stadium that sucks for warning-track power hitters doesn't help either.

In short------they need help

And they can't go get it because they have $23,000,000/year for the next 5 years tied up in a punch-and-judy-hitting-oft-injured-catcher/1B.

DJH wrote:fuck off.

Fucking potty mouth.

Gil Dobie wrote:Not a Twins fan, but they really had to sign the hometown kid or the fans would have gone nuts.
They have the worst record more due to pitching, as their top pitching draft picks have both had recent Tommy John surgery. Morneau and Span having concussion issues also does not help. Having a new stadium that sucks for warning-track power hitters doesn't help either.

In short------they need help

Disagree. This same argument was thrown around then Gonzo was in his last contract season with the Padres. He was a local kid (HS in SD) and there was a legitimate connection with fans because of that. However, no way in hell can a small market club let half of its payroll go to one player. This Mauer issue is a perfect example of why small market teams shouldn't do this.

SDHornet wrote:

Gil Dobie wrote:Not a Twins fan, but they really had to sign the hometown kid or the fans would have gone nuts.
They have the worst record more due to pitching, as their top pitching draft picks have both had recent Tommy John surgery. Morneau and Span having concussion issues also does not help. Having a new stadium that sucks for warning-track power hitters doesn't help either.

In short------they need help

Disagree. This same argument was thrown around then Gonzo was in his last contract season with the Padres. He was a local kid (HS in SD) and there was a legitimate connection with fans because of that. However, no way in hell can a small market club let half of its payroll go to one player. This Mauer issue is a perfect example of why small market teams shouldn't do this.

Win the battle. Lose the war.

Then why was TG19 a sacred cow?

SuperHornet wrote:Then why was TG19 a sacred cow?

He took a San Diego discount on his contract amounts. If he was all about the money, his career would have finished elsewhere.

AZGrizFan wrote:

SDHornet wrote: Disagree. This same argument was thrown around then Gonzo was in his last contract season with the Padres. He was a local kid (HS in SD) and there was a legitimate connection with fans because of that. However, no way in hell can a small market club let half of its payroll go to one player. This Mauer issue is a perfect example of why small market teams shouldn't do this.

Win the battle. Lose the war.

Yup. It sucks for fans but it doesn't benefit the team if one player takes up payrole space for other decent players who would otherwise contribute to a well rounded team....of course in the Padres case, that money that could have went to Gonzo went to a AAA replacement team.

SDHornet wrote:

SuperHornet wrote:Then why was TG19 a sacred cow?

He took a San Diego discount on his contract amounts. If he was all about the money, his career would have finished elsewhere.

I figured as much. But given how nice SD is just as a place to live, one would think that ANYONE would do the same. It's too bad that more players don't....

SuperHornet wrote:

SDHornet wrote: He took a San Diego discount on his contract amounts. If he was all about the money, his career would have finished elsewhere.

I figured as much. But given how nice SD is just as a place to live, one would think that ANYONE would do the same. It's too bad that more players don't....

It comes at a price. we have this thing called the "Sunshine Tax" that is pretty steep.

Joe Mauer, injury free, hitting .322 (4th in AL) with 35 RBI and 38 walks.

DJH wrote:Joe Mauer, injury free, hitting .322 (4th in AL) with 35 RBI and 38 walks.

Seriously, I'm happy he's injury free. Don't hide the Ben Gay, however....he just missed 5 games with a "bruised thigh".

Joe Mauer: 236 AB, 3 HR, 34 RBI, 34 R, .322 BA, .417 OBP, .853 OPS, $23,000,000 salary
Lyle Overbay (actual): 75 AB, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R, .347 BA, .425 OBP, .972 OPS, $1,000,000 salary
Lyle Overbay (projected): 225 AB, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 33 R, .347 BA, .425 OBP, .972 OPS

I guess the question is: Would you rather have ONE Joe Mauer or 23 Lyle Overbays?

AZGrizFan wrote:

DJH wrote:Joe Mauer, injury free, hitting .322 (4th in AL) with 35 RBI and 38 walks.

Seriously, I'm happy he's injury free. Don't hide the Ben Gay, however....he just missed 5 games with a "bruised thigh".

Joe Mauer: 236 AB, 3 HR, 34 RBI, 34 R, .322 BA, .417 OBP, .853 OPS, $23,000,000 salary
Lyle Overbay (actual): 75 AB, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R, .347 BA, .425 OBP, .972 OPS, $1,000,000 salary
Lyle Overbay (projected): 225 AB, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 33 R, .347 BA, .425 OBP, .972 OPS

I guess the question is: Would you rather have ONE Joe Mauer or 23 Lyle Overbays?

Rather have a good Catcher as firstbasemen are a dime a dozen. If Mauer switches permanently to first base, then he isn't worth the money. There are a lot of kids out there with Joe Mauer's #7 jersey, being a hometown boy helps fill the seats.

Stat on the radio this morning. Only AJ Pierzynski, Yadier Molina and Victor Martinez have caught more games than Joe Mauer since 2004.

Mauer's numbers continue to rise, as he is pretty much back to old form as being one of the best players in baseball, ain't no doubt about it.

DJH wrote:Mauer's numbers continue to rise, as he is pretty much back to old form as being one of the best players in baseball, ain't no doubt about it.

There's lots of "doubt" about it. Mauer is the 3rd highest paid PLAYER in baseball...yet there's 21 other CATCHERS that have more HR's. 7 CATCHERS that have more RBI. He might have gotten the biggest hometown-hero salary bump EVER.

AZGrizFan wrote:

DJH wrote:Mauer's numbers continue to rise, as he is pretty much back to old form as being one of the best players in baseball, ain't no doubt about it.

There's lots of "doubt" about it. Mauer is the 3rd highest paid PLAYER in baseball...yet there's 21 other CATCHERS that have more HR's. 7 CATCHERS that have more RBI. He might have gotten the biggest hometown-hero salary bump EVER.

28% of team payroll

dbackjon wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
There's lots of "doubt" about it. Mauer is the 3rd highest paid PLAYER in baseball...yet there's 21 other CATCHERS that have more HR's. 7 CATCHERS that have more RBI. He might have gotten the biggest hometown-hero salary bump EVER.

28% of team payroll

Willingham is the 2nd best player on the team.

Gil Dobie wrote:

dbackjon wrote:

28% of team payroll

Willingham is the 2nd best player on the team.

Like I said. Having the "hometown hero" on the team is nice...but not at the expense of absolute SUCKAGE the entire time you're saddled with that albatross of a contract.

Z...we all know you base your view of how good a player is only on HR's.....

clenz wrote:Z...we all know you base your view of how good a player is only on HR's.....

Answer me this: is there any other slap-hitting catcher in MLB making $23 million a year?

Hell, is there any other slap-hitting player at ANY position making $23 million per year?

Be completely honest with yourself and admit that the Twinkies gave Mauer that monster contract based on his 2009 season where he actually might have EARNED $23 million....I guarantee you the upper management is sitting there wringing their hands wondering if the guy who signed that contract will EVER show his face again.

Among qualified catchers who have played this year....I.E. Catchers who have played in enough games to actually get enough stats


Most AB's
Most runs scored
Most hits
Joe is second in batting average (.329...only Carlos Ruiz is higher at .350 (80 points above career))
2nd in doubles
3rd in triples
10th in HR...never been a power hitter, but more than made up for with the average he has. Only two people with more HR have a BA over .300...Hell only 3 others are over .275
8th in RBIs
2nd in stolen bases
2nd most walks
Half the strike out as the guy with the most...7th overall of 11 "qualified" catchers
highest OBP
5th in slugging
3rd in OPS (.004 out of second)
3rd in offensive wins against replacement


5 time all star
4 time silver slugger winner (only 1 active catcher has more (5) and only 6 in history have more)
3 time gold glove winner (1 more moves him into 6th all time, only 1 active player has more (4))



Name one other catcher that comes close to the production Joe has....not just this year, but for their entire career, that is currently in the game. Hell, outside of the HR issue you seem to have he has stats that are earily similar to the greatest catchers of all time.



Heck, only 1 active player has a higher career BA than Joe....Albert Pujols (.324 vs .325)