The Minnesota Twins and catcher Joe Mauer
have apparently agreed to terms on a 10-year contract extension. WCCO-TV in
Minneapolis was the first to report the deal, but no financial figures were
mentioned.
Mauer, who became just the second catcher in the last 33 years to be named the
American league's MVP this past season, is slated to earn $12.5 million this
coming season and could have become a free agent at the end of the year.
Despite missing the first month of the 2009 season with a back injury, Mauer
hit .365 to win his third batting title in the last four years, while putting
up the best power numbers of his career, belting 28 home runs with 96 RBI. He
also led the AL with a .444 on-base-percentage and a .587 slugging percentage.
The 26-year-old Mauer, who also walked more times than he struck out (76-BBs,
63-Ks), also led the AL with 23 three-hit games.
Mauer, whose previous career-high in home runs was 13 back in 2006, also
captured his second straight Gold Glove Award and is the first player since
George Brett in 1980 to lead the league in batting average, on-base
percentage, and slugging. He also earned his third trip to the All-Star Game
this past season.
A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Mauer is a lifetime .327 hitter with 72 home
runs and 397 RBI in 699 games with the Twins, who made him the first overall
pick in the 2001 draft.
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