Joe Mauer gets eight-year contract extension

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Joe Mauer is staying home.

The AL MVP agreed to an eight-year, $184 million contract extension with Minnesota on Sunday that includes a full no-trade clause, a massive deal that shows the Twins are no longer spending like a small-market club.

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FOR THE RECORD:
High school basketball: In Monday’s Sports section, a Day in Sports item named five local girl basketball players who were selected as All-Americans by Parade magazine. The item left out Ariya Crook-Williams of Long Beach Poly, who made third-team All-America. —

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The deal covers the 2011-2018 seasons and is the fourth largest — both in total value and average salary — in major league history. Starting next season, the All-Star catcher will make $23 million a year.

The team said on Sunday evening that neither Mauer nor team officials would comment until a news conference scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT on Monday at the team’s spring training facility in Fort Myers, Fla.

With the announcement, the entire state of Minnesota can take a deep breath and relax.

“184 million for Mauer! Wow,” Twins center fielder Denard Span tweeted on Sunday night. “I’m glad it got done so we can all concentrate on winning now.”

The 26-year-old Mauer, who has won three AL batting titles and is considered one of the best defensive catchers in the game, was entering the final year of his current contract.

Even though both he and the Twins insisted all along that he would be staying in Minnesota, Twins fans were growing more nervous by the day as negotiations dragged on.

Manager Ron Gardenhire joked this winter that the Twins were simply deciding whether to “give him Minneapolis or St. Paul.”

By the looks of it, the Twins gave him both.

Agent Ron Shapiro and Twins brass eventually worked out the deal, ensuring that the hometown favorite wouldn’t be lured away by one of the many big spenders that were salivating at the thought of adding the sweet-swinging lefty to their battery after this season.

Then the Twins, who have become much more fiscally aggressive as they prepare to open Target Field in 2010, came through with a staggering package.

The $184 million total worth is fourth behind two deals signed by Alex Rodriguez — the $275 million deal with the Yankees signed in December 2007 and a $252 million contract signed with Texas in December 2000 — and Derek Jeter’s $189 million deal signed with the Yankees in 2001 that expires after this season.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan will miss the 2010 season because of a right elbow injury that will require surgery.

Nathan, who leads the major leagues with 246 saves since 2004, made the decision after playing catch with Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson for 10 minutes on Sunday.

“It didn’t go like we hoped,” Nathan said. “We knew it was a longshot, but I think this will clear my head. There definitely was no gray area. It was definitely on the dark side. We know now that we’re going to need to go in and have some surgery done and get this thing taken care of.”

Nathan hopes to have Tommy John surgery within two weeks to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He was injured on March 6 during a 20-pitch outing in a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — White Sox closer Bobby Jenks expects to be ready for the season opener after an MRI on his right calf revealed no structural damage.

Jenks, who has a 37.80 ERA in two spring outings, missed his turn to pitch on Saturday because of irritation.

Five players from Southern California, headed by Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis of Santa Ana Mater Dei, have been selected to the Parade magazine All-America high school girls’ basketball team.

Mosqueda-Lewis was named to the first team All-America squad. Teammate Jordan Adams was a second-team selection. Lindsay Sherbert from Temecula Great Oak and Cassie Harberts from San Clemente were third-team picks. Bonnie Samuelson of Huntington Beach Edison was on the fourth team. The complete team will appear the Sunday, March 28 Parade magazine.

WILMINGTON, N.Y. (AP) — Olympians Sarah Schleper and Tommy Ford won slalom titles at the U.S. Alpine Championships at Whiteface Mountain.

The win for the 31-year-old Schleper, a four-time Olympian, continued a comeback to the U.S. Ski Team that began two years ago after the birth of her son, Lasse.

Schleper’s aggregate time was 0.13 faster than Erin Mielzynski of Canada .

Hailey Duke, of Boise, Idaho, placed third in 2:04.85.

Ford came out of sixth place after the first run, blasted through the second course with the fastest time, and grabbed his first two national titles on the day after his 21st birthday.

Ford also captured the combined event which totals Saturday’s super G and the slalom.

LONDON (AP) — Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1 to move two points ahead at the top of the Premier League on Sunday, while Chelsea lost ground with a 1-1 tie at Blackburn.

Man United has 69 points and second-place Arsenal 67, each from 31 games. Chelsea has 65 from 30 and has the chance to cut United’s lead to one point Wednesday when it plays its game in hand at Portsmouth on Wednesday.