Pohlad reiterates desire to keep Mauer
February 8, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—The Minnesota Twins have been spending their way out of thatsmall-budget image, mirroring the imminent increase in revenue from their newballpark with a big spike in player salary commitments.
Lead owner Jim Pohlad said it’s a sustainable development. So even if theTwins sign Joe Mauer(notes) to a mammoth contract extension, they’re not afraid itwould cost too much to keep a contending-caliber core of players around theAmerican League MVP.
“I think Target Field puts us in better position to make sure that we havea competitive team from year to year,” Pohlad said Monday. “Names will comeand names will go, but overall the objective is always to have the best team onthe field.”
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The Pohlad family has consistently followed a model of keeping the annualplayer payroll pegged to 50 percent of team revenue, though in rebuilding yearsit’s fallen well below that. At the Metrodome, there wasn’t as much money comingin. This year, though, the payroll will rise by roughly $30 million to a teamrecord above $95 million.
“All new ballparks have their peaks, and I’m sure the initial years will bevery good to the Twins,” Pohlad said. “Then it’ll be up to us to sustain itafter that, but the ballpark itself I think can sustain it for a long time.”
In a question-and-answer session with reporters in a conference roomoverlooking a snow-covered Target Field, Pohlad dismissed the notion that theteam has been trying to disprove a tightfisted reputation.
“We’re not trying to show people,” he said. “We’re trying to do what wesaid we’re going to do.”
Pohlad declined to discuss specifics about negotiations with Mauer on a newdeal, citing a pledge to the catcher and his agent to keep the details private.He said he’s “absolutely not active at all” in the process, but reiterated theteam’s desire to keep the homegrown star around for good.
Pohlad said the Twins aren’t interested in the possibility of deferredcompensation as a way to make a rich long-term contract like Mauer’s work.
“They make you feel real good at the time, and then later on you wish youhadn’t done that,” Pohlad said.
He also indicated an openness to signing Mauer for nine or 10 years, ifthat’s what it would take. First baseman Justin Morneau’s(notes) six-year contractsigned two years ago is the current Twins record.
“I don’t think six is a magic number,” Pohlad said, adding: “Total valueis what drives it. We do not have a term policy.”
Since last August, the Twins have added multimillion-dollar players inOrlando Hudson(notes), Jim Thome(notes), J.J. Hardy(notes), Carl Pavano(notes) and Jon Rauch(notes). Fans, though,should not expect a spree like that every year.
“We’re not going to spend the money just to spend the money,” Pohlad said,adding: “We’re going to try to put the best team on the field in the mostprudent financial way, and I think we accomplished that this year.”
Asked about general manager Bill Smith’s praise last year for theownership’s approval of the late-season acquisitions, Pohlad quipped: “I thinkit was time for his review.”
Pohlad also reiterated the family’s philosophy of trusting the front officeto take care of the roster and not meddling or micromanaging in the day-to-dayoperations of the organization. The family has a small empire of businessinterests, and the Twins take up between 20 percent and 30 percent of Pohlad’stime.
They’re fired up about this year’s team, though, as they always are.
“We may be characterized as a relatively disengaged ownership group, but wedo care about winning and losing,” Pohlad said. “There may be one or two downyears, but even during those years we’re going to care and we’re going to wantto do better. I’ve said this a million times and my brothers are the same. We’refans.”
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