Re-sign Mauer? YES WE CAN!

So as promised here is my first account prognosis on when, and for how much Mauer will be re-signed for. I'll preface this with a statement to disparage you from thinking that there is anyway possible that this will not happen. It will. Why am I so sure? Here's why. I was watching MLB Network the other day and they were interviewing Mauer from our spring training complex in Ft. Meyers, a place that I love BTW. Of course they were feeding him filler questions such as "How do you top last year's success" and "How do you feel, health-wise, this spring, as opposed to the back pain that caused you to miss the first month of last year. This is all filler because you could tell the reporter simply wanted to talk about "the contract". Mauer answered the inevitable question with the same plead the fifth attitude that he has had since the Twins season ended last October. None of this of course explains why he will resign. That significant clue came not what came out of his head, but more so what was on top of it. As Mauer seamlessly answered questions, perched on top of his cranium was a huge Univ. of Minnesota "M" hat staring right at NY, Boston, LA, and whomever else to see. Simply put, the man IS Minny. He was Mr. all-state in baseball AND football. He was offered a full ride to QB Fla. St, but turned it down to be the number 1 pick by his hometown team. A team whose stadium was five minutes from his house. (I have to say that all of those people who said we were crazy when we drafted Mauer ahead of Mark Prior should all have their ball's cut off. Nice call, jerks.) Anyways, his family lives here. He has been pressurized in the spotlight since he was a teenager. Money truly is no object to him. (Can't say the same about LBJ, who professed that he wants to be the next Warren Buffett. Hello, NY!) He loves Minny and we love him back. All he wants is the chance to compete for a Championship. Uh, have you looked at the offseason moves we have made? When was the last time you heard of the Twins bringing in three big time free agents(Thome, O-Dog, JJ Hardy) and resigning another(Pavano)? Never, that's when. We don't sign free agents, just like we supposedly don't spend. Well guess what else we are about to change. Terry Ryan, our old GM, arguably retired and handed the job over to his long time assistant Smith because of the backlash over not getting anything back for Santana. That will not happen again. The Pohlad's are billionaires, and for Mauer, they'll spend. It all started with Morneau, and the idea of winning, especially with a new city financed stadium, will make owners spend. The logistics have to be worked out, but my guesstimation would be: He will sign somewhere in the first two months of the regular season and it will be a 6 year deal worth $100-$115 million. Back loaded, that would pay him over 20 million annually towards the end of the extension, making this a sure bet. That will keep he and Morneau together for at least the next half decade, giving us more than enough time to wrap up a championship. If I am wrong, then expect to hear something on the news about hysteria in NYC. Either way, win-win for me.

Keeping with follow-ups, and the aforementioned Prior, regardless of what non-baseball followers will say, Strasburg needs to start the season in the minors. Not to say that he couldn't handle big league batters now, but I so much don't want to see him get overworked. It's not like the Nats are threatening this season, or next for that matter, so why take the risk? Let's see him work on some pitches (Changeup, Slider) and location for a half a season and call him up after the all-star break to really see what the kid is bringing. He'll have confidence and more importantly, know-how. I hate seeing kids get called up and rocked for a million runs their first few starts. I don't care how good you are, that kind of beat down takes a toll on your ego. How about let him get comfortable with professional hitting, and I guarantee he'll be better in the long run. If not he won't be pitching for a team, he'll be pitching for a minor league deal in five years. Take your time Nats. Lord knows you have plenty of it.

Keeping with beat downs, although the scoreboard did not show it, man, what a massacre Vasquez did on Duke's morale last night. He and Scheyer, whom I actually like, had a nice Bird-'Nique thing going on for a while. Then the last two minutes came. Start with ferocious defense from the Terps and add to that a couple of impossible Vasquez fallaway's and we have a tie atop the ACC standings. What gave me so much pleasure was not watching Vasquez terrorize Duke the whole night, but it was watching a bubble team overpower a supposed #1 seed. This is the team clamoring for the last #1 spot? The book on these guys could be dissected just off lats night's game. Allow Scheyer to get his usual buckets, but you can't do much to stop him. Double up on Nolan Smith because he's there only threat to penetrate. Play one on one with Singler cause he sucks. If the other team has any remnants of an athletic big man, Singler's all thumbs. Maryland proved that last night. It took an impressive display from Maryland's top scorer, but in it they exposed Duke's weaknesses. Allowing my prediction of a first round Duke loss to fall right in place. J/S