AL Central

Let me be the first to say congratulations to the Minnesota Twins for locking up Joe Mauer for the next eight years. His monstrous $184 million deal is good for their fans, good for the city, and good for baseball in general.

It’s too bad it's going to be bad for the Twins in the long run.

He is, without much argument, the most popular face in the state of Minnesota. He was born and raised in the same atmosphere where he recently broke out as a sporting icon and ripened as the greatest catcher in the majors.

Dating back to his childhood, Joe Mauer was covetous, immersing and engaging in a sport that he idolized, growing up as a Twins fan.

When the Cleveland Indians traded for Chris Perez last year, they envisioned him as the closer of the future. Well, for the next six to eight weeks, the Indians are going to get a glimpse of what their future at the closer position is going to look like.

Eight years and $184 million can do a lot of things, but prying inexpensive, top-tier closing talent away from a small-market club is a gargantuan task, regardless of the resources available.

Yet if the Minnesota Twins have any designs on persuading the San Diego Padres to part with their All-Star closer, Heath Bell, they took the first and most important step on Sunday.

That is when they agreed to a mega-deal with catcher Joe Mauer, extending him through the 2018 season and solidifying their catcher situation for the majority of the new decade. 

Minnesota Twins fans can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.

The biggest drama of the offseason—Joe Mauer’s contract status (or lack thereof)—has finally come to an end.

It’s official, the Minnesota Twins will be without All-Star closer Joe Nathan for the 2010 campaign.

Nathan elected to undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery today after feeling continued pain and discomfort following a bullpen session with pitching coach Rick Anderson.

Gerald Laird might have been the best catcher in baseball in 2009—defensively.

But Detroit's catcher forgot to pack his bat when he left Spring Training.

His seventh campaign was his most disappointing at the plate. In 413 at-bats, Laird limped to a .225 batting average, four homers, and 33 runs batted in, all while providing top-notch defense. With an on-base percentage well-below .300 (.278), he was a major blockage in Detroit's light-hitting bottom of the order.

So the Tigers' backstop worked endlessly in the offseason to improve the weak point in his game.

2010 Top 50 Twins Prospects | No. 6 | Angel Morales

Via ESPN.com chat:

So says Sid Hartman: