Scott Sandelin Signs Five Year Extension

(Photo from College Hockey News, and one of my Frozen Four favorites)

I'm sure a large segment of the UMD fan population would rather have seen this done a couple weeks ago, but UMD men's hockey coach Scott Sandelin is finally locked up for a long time.

More than a month after delivering UMD a national championship in men's hockey for the first time, Sandelin inked a five-year contract extension with the school.

The deal will raise Sandelin's salary to make it more competitive with the rest of Division I, though it doesn't make him the highest-paid coach out there.

Here is the official release from UMD on the deal, announced Tuesday afternoon.

Scott Sandelin, who shepherded the University of Minnesota Duluth to its first NCAA national men's hockey championship last month, has signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him behind the Bulldog bench through the 2016-17 season, it was announced today by UMD Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Bob Nielson.

The agreement calls for the 46-year old Sandelin to receive an annual base salary of $235,000.

“We are very pleased with the leadership Scott has provided to our men’s hockey program and are encouraged about what lies ahead for the Bulldogs, ” said Nielson. “He’s continually demonstrated the ability to bring in top quality student-athletes -- young men who excel both on the ice and in the classroom. This extension represents a commitment to both him and to UMD hockey.

Since assuming UMD's head coaching role in 1999-2000, Sandelin has compiled a 192-200-52 record, including a 70-40-15 mark (for a .620 winning percentage) during the last three seasons. In addition, his Bulldogs have made three NCAA playoff appearances -- 2004 (when they advanced to the Frozen Four semifinals), 2009 (quarterfinals) and 2011 (when they beat the University of Michigan 3-2 in overtime in the title game) while qualifying for six of the past nine Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five tournaments. Sandelin, the 2003-04 Spencer Penrose Award recipient (American Hockey Coaches Association NCAA I Coach of the Year) and runner-up for that honor this past winter, has strung together three consecutive seasons of 22 victories or more -- a first for the Bulldogs since the mid-1980s. In all, the Hibbing, Minn., native has helped produce one Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner (Junior Lessard in 2003-04), five NCAA I All-Americans, and 14 All-WCHA selections and has seen 11 of his players go on to do time in the National Hockey League.

The 2011-12 Bulldogs will return some 16 lettermen -- including three of the top five scorers and their entire goaltending cast -- from last year’s club, which went 26-10-6 overall and 15-8-5 in the WCHA.

“I’m excited about the future of this hockey program and building on what we've done. It's a great time to be here,” said Sandelin, who will serve as an assistant coach for the U.S. at next winter's International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. "I am extremely appreciative to the UMD administration for continuing to have faith in me and offering me this extension."

The biggest factors in this easy decision by UMD to lock Sandelin up: That 70-40-15 mark over the last three years, two NCAA trips in three years, and that little matter of a national championship.

Having 11 players move on to the NHL doesn't hurt, and UMD's academic success in recent years should be noted here, too.

The Bulldogs open defense of their national championship -- a phrase I look forward to using a few dozen more times this summer -- Oct. 7 at Amsoil Arena against Frozen Four semifinal opponent Notre Dame.

Rickie Weeks Strikes it Rich

Prince Fielder might not be long for the Brew City, but the Milwaukee Brewers have locked up another key piece to their lineup for a number of years.

Corey Hart and Ryan Braun are already signed long term, as is pitcher Yovani Gallardo. Now, second baseman Rickie Weeks is in the fold for the foreseeable future.

Weeks has agreed to a five-year extension (including a one-year option) with the Brewers. Ken Rosenthal of FOX says the deal is worth $50 million when you count the option year.

When the Brewers acquired Zack Greinke from Kansas City the weekend before Christmas, it was the official announcement by general manager Doug Melvin that the team wasn't going to sit around in 2011 and let Fielder's contract expire without trying to push the baseball season into October.

The Brewers are spending a lot of money, but the expectation of owner Mark Attanasio is that this team will give him plenty of return on his investment. One of the cheapest franchises in baseball under previous ownership, Attanasio -- as Tom Haudricourt explained in early February -- is willing to take a different approach to payroll.

Rather than let his budget dictate the talent level of his club, Attanasio decided to let the talent level dictate his budget. In baseball circles, where owners often throw bucketfuls of money at the nearest warm body, it was a different way of doing business.

"I wasn't this year going to spend money for the sake of spending money," Attanasio said last Sunday while attending the "Brewers On Deck" fan event downtown.

"I think we've done that a little bit the last couple of years, and it didn't really work."

... "One of the things I've learned is setting a rigid number is not optimum," said Attanasio. "You talk in sports about letting the game come to you. I let things come to us.

"We didn't set a number, but we weren't going to spend money just to spend money. It would have been whatever it was. We were looking at a lot of things.

"What's important is we were looking at it qualitatively rather than quantitatively. We didn't say, 'We've got to spend this.' We said, 'How are we going to compete?'"

... "Once again, I've managed to put ourselves in a position where we could lose money this year even with 3 million fans, which we project coming out," said Attanasio, who indicated the Brewers finished in the red in 2010 after drawing more than 2.7 million.

"There's nothing better than winning. What I wasn't going to do was spend the money and not get the players we wanted. When you get a chance to get a Zack Greinke, all bets are off. There's one Cy Young Award winner each year in each league. We've managed, in 2008 (with midseason acquisition CC Sabathia) and now, to have two Cy Young winners on our staff."

(Long chunk here, but it's a really good story and worth a read. As is most of what Tom writes for the Journal Sentinel ... one of the better beat guys in baseball.)

The Brewers are going to be a contender this year, provided the bullpen is solid and the bats as lively as they were last year, when Casey McGehee joined Braun and Hart at over 100 RBIs, and Fielder, McGehee, Weeks, Braun, and Hart all had at least 23 home runs.

Greinke doesn't need to carry the pitching staff like he did in Kansas City, and he (hopefully) will be more relaxed with a better team behind him. Gallardo is still an ace-quality pitcher, and while Marcum and Randy Wolf don't exactly give the Brewers a 1-4 in the rotation near Philadelphia's caliber, the four are a potent bunch that will win Milwaukee some games.

If Gallardo, Wolf, Dave Bush, and Chris Narveson can combine for 47 wins, imagine what Gallardo, Greinke, Marcum, and Wolf, with Narveson as a fifth starter, can do. Take out Bush's propensity for getting shelled in the sixth after five great innings, replace it with a former Cy Young winner like Greinke, and then add a young guy like Marcum who had a very good season in Toronto, and it's a pretty formidable rotation.

******

Weeks' contract is a bit of a risk, no doubt, because the Brewers have seen multiple Weeks seasons blown up by injuries. He was healthy for all of 2010, however, and look what he did.

He stabilized the top of the Brewers' order with a solid .269/.366/.464 season. He hit a career-high 29 home runs and scored 112 runs while being plunked 25 times and shaking every one of them off.

Just think what the speedy Weeks can do now that he has a manager (Ron Roenicke) who actually knows what a stolen base is. Here comes the 30/30 talk!

Reading Haudricourt's tweets, it sounds like the Brewers are more than happy to reward Weeks for his hard work and constant improvement. Hopefully, Weeks rewards the Brewers by continuing to get better. He will also have to become a leader along the infield, as McGehee is joined by new shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt on the left side, and Fielder will be gone from first base after this season.

Given the recent accomplishments of the Packers, the Brewers could set us up for quite the exciting summer in Wisconsin, continuing what's been a banner sports year thus far.

Dylan Olsen Signs With Chicago

On one hand, it's nice to know that you have players on your team that are talented enough to turn pro in the middle of a season.

On the other, this really sucks.

Take it away, Mr. Pates.

Former NHL first-round draft pick Dylan Olsen, a Minnesota Duluth sophomore defenseman from Calgary, Alberta, signed a three-year, two-way contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and will join the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Rockford, Ill., following the World Junior Championships.

Olsen, 19, leaves UMD with two goals and 22 assists for 24 points in 53 career games. This season, he had a goal and 12 assists for 13 points in 17 games before leaving to join Canada for the World Junior Championships in Buffalo, N.Y.  The tournament runs through Jan. 5.

“Dylan made huge strides in the last year and was really helping us in a good start through the first half of the season,” said UMD assistant coach Brett Larson. “We are disappointed that he’s not finishing the season with us.”

In the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Olsen was selected in the first round and 28th overall by Chicago after playing two seasons with Camrose in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. His contract calls for an NHL salary of $525,000 the first year, $700,000 the second and $810,000 the third, with a signing bonus of $90,000 each year. He would make $67,500 playing in the minor leagues.

I'll be with UMD Saturday, as we make our way to Canton, N.Y., which will be our homebase for a two-game series against Clarkson Monday and Tuesday. I'll try to get you more on this story, and will perhaps blog a few thoughts then.

For now, it's just the facts, sirs and ma'ams. Have a good New Year's holiday.

Face it, Brewers Fans: Boras is Right About Prince Fielder

The baseball All-Star break has started. You know what that means.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Baseball's All-Star Game isn't what it used to be. There is way too much showmanship before the start of the game, and it often runs past midnight in the Eastern time zone. I'm not one to use the tired "Kids can't watch the game!" line on the All-Star Game because I don't think there's any way to make kids care about such a spectacle.

The game itself is rarely newsworthy, unless something bad -- a tie, for example -- were to happen.

Instead, the news is often made off the field, as we usually get a lot of trade deadline banter, to go along with agents talking about how great their clients are.

One agent notorious for the latter is Scott Boras. The superagent is a master of manipulating teams in negotiations, and maximizing the return for his clients. There's a reason the top young prospects and established veterans all seemingly flock to Boras for representation.

He's good. That's why.

Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder is a Boras client. He's not an All-Star, but Boras is in Anaheim for the game Tuesday, and he spoke to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer Tom Haudricourt Monday about the Brewers' efforts to re-sign Fielder.

Let's just say those efforts aren't going well.

Boras said he views Fielder as a “rare, rare commodity” for what the Brewers’ slugger accomplished by age 25. Fielder, who turned 26 in May, already has accumulated 181 home runs in 764 major-league games.

Every other player that has that by his age is a Hall of Famer,” said Boras, in attendance at the all-star interview sessions for players from both leagues.

The Brewers opened talks with Boras earlier this year on an extension for Fielder, who can be a free agent after the 2011 season. Word among agents attending the All-Star Game is that the Brewers made an initial offer of five years at just over $100 million.

Boras must have let the Brewers know that wouldn’t be nearly enough because talks broke off and nothing has happened for weeks. Boras declined to categorize the nature of those talks but made it clear that he considers Fielder a top-dollar player.

“We sat down and talked about exploratory elements of the process of free agency,” said Boras. “To suggest anyone is putting deadlines or timelines on it is wrong.

“With any slugger, three things are always certain. One is they are coveted. Two is they are either signed or subject to being traded. The third one is that regardless of where he’s at or will be, the rarity of their performance make them dramatically impactful to the system.

“Those number of players are less than 10 in baseball, from the offensive side, and Prince is one of them.”

Boras noted that Fielder is a more accomplished power hitter and younger than another of his clients, first baseman Mark Teixeira, who signed an eight-year, $180-million free-agent deal with the New York Yankees prior to the 2009 season.

“When you have a player that performs like Mark Teixeira, you have to look at Prince Fielder’s performance in comparison,” said Boras. “You want to know the value of a player? Take a look at it.

“Prince is a home-run hitter. He’s 70 home runs ahead of Teixeira at that point (of his career). Prince has much more power. This is how you (gauge) performance and age and production. You have to ask in the market place how many players can do this?”

This isn't a case involving a player who could be on the verge of a serious decline. People rag on Fielder for his weight, but the slugger continues to hit, he has plenty of power, he's still young, and there is no sign of his weight dragging him down. Despite the lines people try to feed you, he's not a butcher defensively, and he's not a cancer in the clubhouse.

Reality is that Fielder will deserve the payday he's going to get. He'll make sure he puts up the numbers to warrant it, and Boras will make damn sure he gets it.

That's what he does best.

And in this case, he should. Fielder is young enough that this might not be his only big payday, but you can't plan that way. The Brewers might be able to make a competitive offer, but it seems unlikely that they'll be able to keep Fielder if there is any interest in him on the open market.

Remember, it only takes one deep-pocketed team to break the bank on Fielder, and the Brewers are left with extra draft picks and a huge hole at first base.

What should they do?

Does general manager Doug Melvin just throw in the towel on this season, deal Fielder before July 31, and hope that the "under contract for next season" carrot is enough to inspire some serious offers?

Should he wait until the winter to deal him? There is a theory in baseball that position players get you more in return if you deal them during the offseason.

The other option is to wait until next summer. Of course, if the Brewers somehow become a contender, you can't go off trading your best player for -- at best -- sixty cents on the dollar. Then you're stuck getting nothing for him in free agency. That would go over like a lead balloon in Milwaukee.

The best option is probably to trade him this year, when you can sell teams on the idea of having him for the stretch run this year, and then the entire 2011 season. It's going to suck for the people of Milwaukee, and it might drive some fans to the newsstand to grab a football preview and read up on the Packers.

But it's best for the franchise. Look at other examples around sports. You can't just let prominent players walk as free agents with no compensation. If you do, it makes your franchise look worse than trading them ahead of time does.

Jason Garrison Signs New Deal

While we await the final decision of the San Jose Sharks in goal, there is more good news about former UMD Bulldogs toiling in the NHL.

(For those who don't know, the Sharks have former UMD star Alex Stalock coming off a record-setting rookie year in the AHL, and there's a good chance he'll make their NHL roster at some point during the 2010-11 season, if not from the outset.)

The ever-classy Jason Garrison played three years at UMD, and was unlucky as a junior to see a solid-looking season derailed by a broken leg suffered from a dirty hit by a Wisconsin player (not that I'm bitter or something).

Garrison left after his junior season to sign a free-agent deal with the Florida Panthers, and he made his NHL debut in the 2009-2010 season, getting a shot for a single game at St. Louis before being sent back to the AHL's Rochester Americans.

Last year, Garrison's callup lasted longer. He played in 39 games for the Panthers, leading them in plus-minus, recording eight points (including his first two NHL goals), and he was involved in his first NHL fight. He played quite well and took advantage of his opportunities, and now he's earned a new contract with the Panthers.

Oh, and it's a one-way, NHL contract.

Garrison's salary will be $650,000 for 2010-11 and $700,000 for 2011-12.

"It's nice knowing you have something walking into camp," Garrison said. "At the same time, I'm definitely not going to sit here and be complacent with it. … I want to go in, work hard and show the coaching staff and management they made a good decision."

Couldn't happen to a better guy. Hopefully he's able to take advantage of this latest opportunity with the rebuilding Panthers.

You can hear a conference call with Garrison on the Panthers website.

(Bear-hug: Rink and Run)

Suppan Stunk, But Showed Classy Side

No one can possibly deny that giving pitcher Jeff Suppan a $42 million contract in late 2006 was a total disaster for the Milwaukee Brewers.

The veteran was touted as a playoff performer and innings eater. For the Brewers, he was nothing close to either. Instead of eating innings, he threw gopher balls like they were going out of style, and he was never a big-game pitcher. His only playoff start was an elimination game against Philadelphia in the 2008 Division Series that turned into the Brewers' elimination from the playoffs because Suppan was terrible on that day.

He never could consistently keep his pitches down, leading him to give up a ton of hard hits and making him susceptible to big innings.

While Yovani Gallardo blossomed into a star and guys like Dave Bush at least ate some innings once in a while, Suppan was an awful addition.

That said, it's not like he didn't try. He was active with the Brewers in their charitable efforts, and he was always visible in the community, even if he wasn't terribly popular among the majority of fans.

When the time had come where releasing Suppan was obvious, the Brewers struggled to pull the trigger. It was understandable in a way, as it's hard to admit big-money mistakes, and it's even harder when you make so few moves like this. Eating $10 million isn't an easy thing to do, either.

Suppan was released last Monday. It was telling how both sides handled the matter, starting with general manager Doug Melvin.

“Jeff has always been a true professional. He gave his best effort to the organization, whether it was on the field or in the community. I am confident that he can return to a starting rotation with another organization. We wish Jeff and his family nothing but the best.”

Suppan also issued a statement.

"I want to thank Mark Attanasio and Doug Melvin for all they have done for my family and me, especially how they handled this situation. I"ve played with a number of organizations and the Brewers are one of the classiest.

"When I signed in 2007, I was committed to winning and to this day I still am. Nobody is more disappointed with how things have turned out. I enjoyed my time here in Milwaukee, as both a player and a member of the community. As such, I will continue my involvement with the Brewers Charities for the remainder of the 2010 season. My commitment to this cause and the people it serves is unwavering.

"I wish the current organization, its fans and especially my teammates all the best."

Class all the way. How can you hate on a guy like that?

It doesn't change the reality. Melvin made a huge mistake in signing Suppan, especially when the money spent was largely based on the small sample size of the 2006 playoffs. That year, virtually everything -- including Suppan -- was overwhelmingly going the way of a Cardinals team that probably wasn't better than any team it faced in the postseason.

The Brewers can't recoup that money in any way, nor should they be allowed to. It was offered up because the team felt Suppan could stabilize the pitching staff. It wasn't given to "Soup" with any promise that he would become a 20-game winner.

Since these developments last week, Suppan has decided to join the NL Central rival St. Louis Cardinals, where pitching coach Dave Duncan will try to work his latest masterpiece by finding a way to make Suppan good again.

Naturally, this opens the door for Suppan to face his old team, and you all know he'll probably no-hit them or something.

But it's still hard to wish ill will upon Suppan. He didn't complain when the Brewers skipped him in the rotation, had him on a short leash, put him on the DL with dubious injuries, and eventually kicked him to the bullpen before kicking him to the curb. He tried his best. It didn't work out.

These things happen. But Suppan deserves another chance in baseball, simply by how well he has handled adversity. As long as it's not against the Brewers, it's hard not to want to see him do well.

Brewers Say Talks Ongoing With Prince

Outside of the season starting and all the hoopla that comes along with it, the big story in Milwaukee is something that doesn't happen until after the 2011 season.

First baseman Prince Fielder has two years left on his current contract, but the fact that he can walk after next season already has Brewer fans nervous.

If they had their way, the big man would have been signed to an extension sometime last month. Instead, the Brewers and Fielder are still talking about the potential for a new contract. Given that Fielder is represented by super-agent Scott Boras, it just doesn't seem too terribly likely that Milwaukee will have a lot of success buying Prince out of free agency, unless they can make him a bank-breaking offer.

Any low likelihood of Prince signing won't stop the Brewers from trying. After all, the worst he can say is "No."

Well, the worst thing he could say "(Bleep) you," but that doesn't seem too likely, even from the ultra-intense Prince.

Anyway, the Brewers say talks have kicked off, and they won't be updating us regularly.

Fielder can be a free agent after the 2011 season but the Brewers are trying to tie him up with a long-term extension before he gets to that stage. Melvin and Attanasio met in Los Angeles during spring training with Fielder's agent, Scott Boras, to get the ball rolling.

"One of the things we've said is we're not going to give a moment-to-moment handicap of where things are at, so that it looks like a stock chart," Attanasio said.

"Discussions are ongoing. Most importantly, I think Prince is relaxed. I saw him in the clubhouse this morning. What we don't want is for this to be a distraction to him. One of the reasons we're not going to give day-to-day or weekly reports on this is we don't want it to distract Prince. We don't think it's a distraction now.

"We'll continue the conversations and we'll see where it goes."

Attanasio said he perfectly understood why fans are nervous about Fielder leaving via free agency.

"He's a great player," said Attanasio. "He and Ryan (Braun) have pretty much become the face of our team. He hit 46 home runs and drove in 141 runs last year. I can see why everybody is interested. Doug and I are interested, too. But it's very complex.

"When you talk about $100 million type contracts, it's nine figures. Those are complex transactions. They don't get done with a quick conversation and a handshake. Everything has to line up to make it work. Having said that, there's a mutual intent on both sides to try to make it work. We'll see if we can make it work."

Nothing too huge here, but it's news.

A lot of this hinges on how willing Prince is to commit long-term to the Brewers. Yes, Boras has a reputation for being, well, an ass, but the reality is that he works for Prince, and his job is to do what Prince wants him to do.

If Prince wants to stay with the Brewers, and their offer is in the range he's looking for, he'll sign. If he wants more than the club offers him, there's no question that he will at least test the market after the 2011 season.

If he's still a Brewer by then.

Jeff Suppan Could Be Out

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Brewers beat writer Tom Haudricourt has been around the block a few times. This isn't to say the veteran scribe is old or anything, but instead meant to point out that things don't often get by him.

He has a pretty good idea when something is amiss, and he seems to smell a rat at Brewers spring training.

The Brewers signed free-agent pitcher Jeff Suppan in December 2006 after a strong playoff performance with the National League Central rival St. Louis Cardinals. He'd never been a hard thrower or a staff ace, but general manager Doug Melvin paid him like one, giving him $42 million over four years.

What's happened since is nothing short of disastrous for the smallest-market franchise in the sport. Suppan is 29-34 with the Brewers in three years, carrying an ERA of 4.93. He has one complete game in 95 starts. In 546 innings, he has allowed 650 hits, 329 runs, 73 home runs, and has just 284 strikeouts to 209 walks, a terrible K/BB ratio. Opponents are OPSing a hideous .839 against him ... over a three-year aggregate.

For Suppan, it isn't just one rough year hurting his overall digits. He's just a bad pitcher, and the Brewers probably can't wait to get rid of him.

In fact, the Brewers could be so anxious to cut the cord that they're willing to pay $12.5 million to make it happen. That's the amount owed Suppan in the final year of his contract, plus an additional buyout of $2 million on the team option for next year, one that probably wouldn't be picked up at this point unless Suppan wins 20 games this year.

It's a huge expense for a small-market team, but one Haudricourt senses could be on the verge of reality. Here is his latest update on the Brewers' rotation, as manager Ken Macha announced Yovani Gallardo will start Opening Day at the Keg April 5 against Colorado.

Macha said he probably wouldn't name a fifth starter before the end of camp, because he doesn't need one right away. Right-hander Jeff Suppan and lefties Manny Parra and Chris Narveson have been battling for the final spot in the rotation.

Macha said Parra and Narveson will split the Brewers' exhibition game Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels. But, when asked what Suppan would be doing that day, Macha said, "Hopefully, I'll be able to answer that tomorrow. That's my best answer."

That cryptic response made reporters wonder if something is going on with Suppan, if perhaps the Brewers are thinking about not keeping him despite his $12.5 million salary in 2010. An official from another club said he had not seen Suppan's name on the release waiver wire, so that process apparently had not begun.

Maybe it's nothing more than having to wait until Tuesday to hear that Suppan is pitching in a minor league game to get his work in. But usually a pitcher, especially a veteran pitcher, knows what his assignment is the day before he's scheduled to pitch.

Let's just say some red flags went up with Macha's response to that question.

Great pickup by Haudricourt. Keep in mind, this might not mean anything. It might just be Macha playing coy with the media. But it's a strange thing to do with something as largely meaningless as "fifth starter," even on a team like Milwaukee that's expected to at least contend for a spot in the playoffs.

If the Brewers are indeed at least considering dumping Suppan and eating his remaining contract, it could be cause for celebration. No one should celebrate someone losing his job, but Suppan will be handsomely paid to go away, and given how much torture he's caused baseball fans in Wisconsin, they have every right to do a little fist pump if the team cuts the cord.

Those Insane Mauer-Fielder Comparisons Likely to Continue

Joe Mauer was set to be a free agent after the 2010 season. The 27-year-old opted to instead sign an eight-year deal with the Minnesota Twins for $184 million.

He's a great hitter, having already won three American League batting titles. Last year, the power people promised we would see finally showed up, as Mauer socked 28 home runs in just over 600 at-bats.

More significantly, Mauer is a great hitter, who will only get better as he continues to harness his power, but he's also a great defensive player who has drawn raves for his ability to handle a pitching staff.

As most baseball fans know, Mauer is a highly valuable player because of his two-way -- so to speak -- ability. There simply aren't a lot of perennial .320 hitters who can hit for power and also play superb defense at that position.

While Twins fans celebrate Mauer's long-term contract, fans across the border are left to wonder how this will impact their soon-to-be free-agent star.

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder will be a free agent after the 2011 season. He turns 27 that season, and since he has Scott Boras as an agent, it makes sense that the Brewers face an uphill battle if they want to buy Fielder's free agent years.

Fielder's power has never been in question. What's nice to see is that his defense has improved since he became a big-leaguer, and he finally has found a way to get on base when people aren't pitching to him.

His power? Well, yeah. Youngest to 50 home runs in a season. 141 RBI last year to go along with 46 home runs. He would have been the highest-profile player in the NL if not for that damn Pujols guy.

.299/.412/.602 is probably the peak of his offensive abilitites, and that's just fine. He's a Hall of Famer if he can find a way to keep doing that.

Their VORP numbers are almost identical (77.5 for Mauer, 75.6 for Fielder). Their star power in these cities is enormous.

So why is it so idiotic to think that they're worth similar contracts? It's something that you're going to read a lot about, and it's already kind of started.

The Brewers would like to keep Fielder off the free-agent market as well, and have an extra year to do so. Mauer, who was eligible for free agency after the 2010 season, signed an eight-year, $184 million deal Sunday to remain with the Twins.

That deal was very close to the eight-year, $180 million deal Mark Teixeira got from the New York Yankees as a free agent prior to the 2009 season. Teixeira’s agent is Scott Boras, who also represents Fielder.

Asked about Mauer’s deal, Fielder said, “It's great. It's beautiful. I'm very happy for him.

“Any time you see another player (get a big deal), you feel good for him. I just want the best for any player in the game.”

... Whether the Brewers would offer Fielder that kind of money remains to be seen. Melvin said talks were ongoing but declined to categorize them as both sides adhere to the agreement to keep details confidential.

For starters, the Twins signed Mauer out of desperation. Yes, he's good and deserving. But the Twins were desperate to buy his free agent years and pay him through his prime, because they knew they couldn't be taken seriously as a franchise if they didn't get his guy re-signed.

Meanwhile, the Brewers already outsmarted the system, buying star outfielder Ryan Braun out of his arbitration years and the start of his free agent clock. They would really like to re-sign Fielder, but they know they already have a fanbase and they don't have to worry about being the laughingstock of the sport if they let Fielder go.

Much less pressure, and that's great, because the Brewers don't have the backing of the 15th-largest media market in the country like the Twins do.

(Yes, 15th. But keep calling the Twins small market. That's accurate. You know what other baseball franchise is small market? The Dodgers. Just write it a few times, and morons will start believing it.)

Not only that, but what's harder to find? A great defensive catcher who can hit, or a fat first baseman who socks home runs, takes walks, and is around average defensively?

Mauer might not be a better overall player than Fielder, but suggesting Fielder is worth $23 million per year because Mauer got it is laughable. Fielder is worth more than the $120 million over seven years that Matt Holliday got from St. Louis, and he's worth less than what Mauer got.

Of course, what reality dictates and what Boras thinks are often two totally different things. Boras is well-known for getting everything he can possibly get for his clients, and it's unlikely he'll let Fielder settle for what he thinks is a deal even $1 below market value.

Bordson Off to NHL

With UMD's season officially ending Sunday as NCAA brackets were announced that didn't include the Bulldogs, the silly season started.

College hockey is different now. While drafted players are always a risk to leave, the unpredictability of free agency has had a great impact on the sport. Undrafted players are free to go wherever they want, though they are limited in the dollars they can receive on their entry-level deals.

In the case of UMD junior Rob Bordson, that max offer came, and it was time to strike while the proverbial iron was hot.

Bordson signed a two-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks Sunday, and he will join the team later this week. While it's uncertain whether he will play with the big club, he will apparently remain with the Ducks for the rest of the season. That will at least give him a chance to practice with NHL players and get a feel for the intensity of an NHL playoff race (the Ducks are hanging by a thread in the Western Conference).

A WCHA Scholar Athlete this season, Bordson is giving up his last year of college eligibility to turn pro.

"I had a pretty busy day and some tough decisions, but at the end of the day I've always wanted to play professional hockey. It was a tough decision leaving my hometown and college, but it was too good of an offer to pass up," Bordson said Sunday night. "Nothing would have been guaranteed for next year. I think it was time to move on and take that next step in my career.

... "It was definitely very difficult. I love everyone at UMD. They were very professional about it, very supportive. They were very helpful. It was tough leaving them," he said. "Everyone wants to be a professional hockey player. I think it was the time to do it."

People will undoubtedly look at this as some sign of a broken system in the sport. While I've heard rumblings of discontent from college coaches about the way free agents are scouted, it's very difficult to begrudge either Bordson or the Ducks.

For Bordson, this was the best entry-level offer he was ever going to get. Since he'd be 23 next year when he could again sign a contract, his maximum money would actually drop, meaning he'd be getting less money over the course of a two-year deal. Not only that, but this team is willing to pay him a pro-rated salary for the rest of the season with no real guarantee of how much he'll play.

Bordson gets a head-start on his training for next season, and if he gets a chance to get on the ice for a game, he'll only be better from it.

From Anaheim's perspective, it's a pretty cheap way of bringing new young talent into the organization. They can take a look at him as much as they want over the final two weeks of the regular season, and then they have the rights to him next year for training camp for an even longer look.

Even if Bordson ends up in the minors, he has taken a good first step toward what we hope is a successful pro career.

This part of the system certainly sucks, but there isn't a sport where kids are bound to a college for four years, and there shouldn't be one. Scholarships are not a four-year contract to a college, nor are they a four-year contract for the kid. They can be revoked, and they sometimes are.

While I have previously been a firm advocate of a two-year minimum on a college commitment for any player who signs a letter of intent, it would only hurt the sport to go that route. Players like Jordan Schroeder, Nick Leddy, Dylan Olsen, or (in the past) Phil Kessel, Blake Wheeler, or Erik Johnson could be less inclined to go to college, because there was no lock any of these kids were going to stay in school two years.

I get the idea that having kids who want to be in college hockey is best for the sport, but the sport would suffer if the high-end players were more likely to go major junior or directly to the pros. You need those kids to help bring some notoriety to the game, even if they only stay a year.

In Bordson's case, he stayed three years, had an awesome junior season, and while there were still some flaws in his game, it's hard to tell a kid that he should just turn down a max offer that may never be there for him again in his life.

Twins Sign Joe Mauer Through 2018

The news Sunday about Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan sure wasn't very good. While Nathan has to undergo season-killing elbow surgery, the day of Twins news was not done, and it wasn't all bad.

A big priority for the front office this spring has been to get catcher Joe Mauer locked up on a long-term deal. He was scheduled to become a free agent after the 2010 season, and the possibility of Mauer leaving Minnesota was akin to armageddon for team officials.

After some rumors earlier in the spring proved to be unfounded, the deal was made official Sunday afternoon.

The great Joe Christensen has more.

Mauer, 26, will make $23 million each year from 2011 to 2018. The deal includes a full no-trade clause.

He is under contract for $12.5 million this year in the final year of a four-year, $33 million deal. Mauer, a three-time batting champion and reigning American League Most Valuable Player, could have become a free agent after the season.

The team plans to make the signing official on Monday at a press conference in Fort Myers, starting at 6 p.m.

Obviously, this is wonderful news for the Twins and their fans. Mauer is a cornerstone player, highly popular because 1) he's from the Twin Cities, and 2) he's really freaking good.

I've seen so many guys flame out from crouching too much in their careers, and I'm worried that Mauer won't last behind the plate for the full eight years of this deal. However, even if the team has to eventually move him to first base, third base, the outfield, or designated hitter, he will be worth nearly every penny because he will not stop being a very popular part of the Twins franchise.

On a day that started with awful -- though not totally unexpected -- news on Nathan, it ends with reason for the team's supporters to celebrate. With a new ballpark almost ready to open, Twins fans should be in full celebration mode until Opening Day.