Mauer appears to be favorite for AL MVP

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Mauer named AL MVP

Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer has been named the American League's Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Mauer placed first on 27 of the 28 ballots cast by two writers from each AL city and garnered 387 points to outdistance New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira by 162 points. Mauer also received a second-place vote, as he became just the fifth Twin to capture the award, joining Zoilo Versalles (1965), Harmon Killebrew (1969), Rod Carew (1977) and Justin Morneau (2006).

"To think that I'm an MVP, I don't know," Mauer said. "I can't really describe it...It is an individual award, but my teammates had a lot to do with it. They pushed me every day. To be here sitting today and being the MVP is more than I ever could have imagined."

Report: Twins, Mauer agree to 10-year extension

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.

Twins' Mauer is American League MVP

Joe Mauer became only the second catcher in 33 years to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award, finishing first in a near-unanimous vote Monday.

The Minnesota Twins star received 27 of 28 first-place votes and 387 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Yankees teammates Mark Teixeira (225 points) and Derek Jeter (193) followed. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera drew the other first-place vote and was fourth with 171 points, one point ahead of the Angels' Kendry Morales.

Ichiro, Hunter win ninth straight Gold Glove Award

Outfielders Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Torii Hunter of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim each won their ninth consecutive Gold Glove Award on Tuesday, when the American League winners were announced.

Each won their first Gold Glove in 2001 and have been honored every year since. Joining Suzuki and Hunter in the outfield was the Orioles' Adam Jones, who won his first such award.

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco, Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, and New York shortstop Derek Jeter filled out the AL infield honors.

MLB's offseason off and running

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."- Rogers Hornsby.

Mr. Hornsby would not have that problem these days, because there is no offseason anymore in baseball. The champagne is barely dry from the New York Yankees 27th World Series celebration, and the general managers' meetings are already nearing their conclusion in Chicago.

MLB does not have much on the NFL, but when it comes to the offseason, there is not another sport that even comes close to generating the kind of excitement that baseball does.