Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer is expected to sign a lucrative deal when he becomes a free agent after the 2010 season. "I have never really thought of playing somewhere else," Mauer said this past week. "This winter, there has been a lot of talk about me playing other places. I haven't really thought too hard or too long about it." There is a possibilty that the Twins won't be able to afford a player of Mauer's stature. "I look at guys who have moved around the league, and sometimes they don't look right in a certain uniform. I'm happy playing here. Hopefully, I'll play here for a long time." Teammate Justin Morneau, obviously, wants him to stay. "I've said that if he leaves me, I'll never talk to him again," Morneau said. "I think he wants to stay as much as they're going to want him to stay. Hopefully, they'll find a way to get it done."