Joe Mauer is in the midst of a pennant and MVP race, life is good but its about to get complicated. Mauer will be a free agent at the end of next season and if the Twins expect to keep him they will try and sign him this off season. If they realize they don't want to keep him expect him to be traded before July 2010.

    There is another piece to this puzzle: Does Joe Mauer want to be a Twin? Mauer like every other professional athlete wants to be on a team that competes for the playoffs every year. The Twins have a history of trading away star players.

    They have traded Johan Santana who is arguably the best pitcher in the bigs, they also traded all world center fielder Tori Hunter to the Angels, but they do seem to be in the playoff mix every year.

    Minnesota Twins team president Dave St. Peter said that they did have enough money to keep Mauer. When his current contract is up after the end of next year Mauer will command big money.

    Two teams stand out that would love to pick up Mauer. The Red Sox and Yankees, shocking right. Both teams have two aging catchers in Jorge Posada and Jason Varitek and both teams have big pockets and would love to have a young gun like Mauer manning the dish.

    The Twins locked up MVP Justin Morneau and their management structure is the envy of the entire league. They will have a new stadium in 2010. The Twins will always be competing, and all you have to do is make the playoffs and get hot, it doesn't matter how many all stars or how big your payroll is come October (see 2003 Marlins, 2006 Cardinals, 2008 Phillies).

    Mauer is also from Minnesota and lives in his home town of St. Paul today. He was a #1 draft pick by the Twins and turned down a full ride scholarship to play quarterback at Florida State University in 2000. He is a god in Minnesota, he struck out 1 time in 4 years while playing high school ball in St. Paul. No matter where he goes no community will stand by him and love him like Minnesota.

    I would like to see Mauer grow old, switch from catcher to first base and win 3 batting titles in a Twins uniform.