Mike Bauman, columnist for MLB.com, explains why the $184 million deal that keeps Joe Mauer in Minnesota for the next eight years, is good for baseball.
This is where the encouragement occurs for the rest of the non-Yankees in the baseball universe. Instead of Mauer moving to the Bronx to take over for Jorge Posada, for instance, he will simply remain in the upper Midwest as a member of the Minnesota Twins. What a nice, clean, refreshing story line.
and furtherā¦
There should be encouragement in this example for other franchises of less than gargantuan size, with star players coming into their own free agency. The best players can be retained by someone other than the biggest franchises.
The figure of $184 seems like a high number but for the number of years and the quality of the product, some feel that the Twins got a pretty good deal. Iāve even heard the word ābargainā bandied about.
Put simply, what this does is lock up one of the best players in baseball who was lucky enough (from the Twinsā perspective) to develop within their system. The Twins are saying goodbye to the Humpdome and hello to Target Field which in the long run will probably help pay for Mr Mauer.
Back to Mike Baumanās point, though. Is this good for baseball? I guess it doesnāt matter since well, itās already happened right? But part of me understands Baumanās point. Itās nice to see the small guys hold on to the big players once in a while.