Yesterday, the Twins put catcher Joe Mauer on revocable waivers. Now that the five time allstar has cleared, there is a possibility for some late season trade magic. At one point, this may have been wishful thinking, but with $133 million owed until 2018, a recent injury history, and a year removed from an awful season, there’s a good chance that the Twins would make Joe Mauer available.
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He’s put together a solid season in 2012, a .309/.403/.425 triple slash in the small confines of Target Field. Although he’s hit just 8 homerun, Mauer has strung together some pretty impressive power numbers in the past. In 2009, the year of his MVP, and the last year of baseball in the Metrodome, he hit 28 homeruns. He hasn’t touched the same homerun production since, but there is still double power in his swing. Some of this you can blame on Target Field, but there also seems to be something in the water in Minnesota. The Twins have hit just 108 homeruns as a team, the second lowest number in the American League. Trading him to another team might help his bat while he’s still in his prime years. And although he’s throwing just 11% of base runners out in 2012, this seems to be small sample size. His career caught stealing numbers are far better than the league average, and he’s only allowed 1 passed ball this year.
That’s where the Yankees come in. As a left handed hitter looking to improve offensive numbers, Mauer’s bat fits perfectly into Yankee Stadium. He’s a highly disciplined hitter who draws walks, works the count, and can hit the ball to all parts of the field. For all the talk about the Yankees placing importance on makeup, Joe Mauer is the epitome of class. He’s everything the Yankees want in a player.
Anyone can tell you that the catching situation in the Bronx has been terrible. Russell Martin is struggling to reach the Mendoza line, his catching is nothing better than average, and Chris Stewart has been even worse. Martin is a free agent this offseason, and the team can’t rely on guys like Austin Romine or Francisco Cervelli to take over the position next year. On the other hand, Mauer is the franchise player that the Yankees lost with Jorge Posada‘s retirement, a guy that pitchers can get comfortable with for years to come.
On the flip side, the money on Mauer’s contract is substantial. Yes, there would likely be some sort of salary relief from the Twins, but is it too much money for the 2014 $189 million budget? There’s also his injury history to worry about, and whether he can stay at catcher long term. Has his bat really declined? Will he decline to use his no-trade clause? There are enough questions and enough money to scare anyone off, but for a team that spends money like the Yankees, for a player that fits the mold perfectly, perhaps they should take a gamble.
Combine the Kevin Long effect and Yankee Stadium and I’d encourage the Yankees to go after any lefty bat that’s an improvement. Mauer is still in the prime of his career, and even with the lengthy contract, he’ll only be 35 in his final season. He is undoubtedly an improvement over Russell Martin, but it all boils down to money, and a decision is likely based on whether they can work his contract into the budget.
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8 Responses to Does Joe Mauer Make Sense For The Yankees?
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TIQ IQ
Wouldn’t even be interested if the Twins ate over half of the contract and didn’t ask for a significant prospect back. It’s not a question of whether he can continue to play catcher for the length of his contract. He can’t even do it full time now. He only started 60 games at C this year and that isn’t likely to get better with age.
He seems to be playing 1B and DHing as much as he’s catching these days. If he can’t catch 100 games/yr then I would really have to question the move.
Given the injury history and the amount of money he is still owed I just don’t think it would be worth the gamble.I know the catcher situation isn’t good, but Mauer doesn’t seem like a smart answer and if things so sour (more injuries or decline in skills) the team is stuck with another monster contract.
Let’s say he makes 70 starts at catcher this year I could see the Yankees make that trade. He could play the same amount of games behind the plate in NY and take Ibanez spot at DH against righties. When Tex needs a break you can play him 20 games at 1B.
That would makes sense for me.
He is also just 29 and his injuries we’re all last year. That could have been just an exception.
Part time catcher and we have logjam at 1B/DH. The only flexibility we have is outfielder. We are going to cut costs. It’s a nice thought but that contract dwarfs everything
The Yankees would be completely retarded for not signing mauer. You can’t trust Russell Martin in the playoffs with his terrible average and Stewart ain’t no better.
Mauer’s contract makes no sense for any team. If Mauer isn’t a full-time catcher, he’s a singles hitter getting paid as an MVP.
“The Yankees would be completely retarded for not signing mauer.”
Are you 12?
The Yankees would not sign him… they have to trade for Mauer and agree to overpay him by tens of millions of dollars.
Unless the Twins throw in an “oops” $20,000,000 I can’t see this one. He’s a very good C/1B/DH. But very good players get 10-15M and not 23M.