1) The Twins would have to pay him a ridiculous sum of money; and
2) They’d have to demostrate a commitment to winning the World Series.

I don’t think at this point the former point is the problem. The new stadium makes the relationship symbiotic — keeping Mauer will make the Twins more money than they pay him. Rather, I think that if Mauer is as savvy as I think he is asking for the Twins’ plans for the future. What is payroll going to look like? Which pieces are we going to add? How do we plan on competing for the World Series every year?

With this information, Mauer can make an informed decision. It’s not about the money. He’s going to make a fortune, either with the Twins or another team. The money, therefore, is a given. What isn’t a given is whether Mauer, who at the end of his career could be the greatest catcher to ever play the game, will have one or more rings. The Yankees and Red Sox can provide him that opportunity (and maybe more money). Mauer likely will take less than what the Yanks or Sox would offer, but only if he knows that the Twins are going to spend to compete.