You'd be hard-pressed to find a Minnesota sports fan who doesn't want the Twins to sign Joe Mauer to a long-term contract extension. But the points raised in Joe Christensen's insider today do lead to these questions: is there such a thing as "too long," when it comes to the extension, and, along the same lines, what is the optimal contract length from your vantage point?

As Joe C. notes, catchers seldom get overly long contracts. They tend to wear down faster with age because of the physical demands of the position, and Mauer has already had a few brushes with injuries in his early career. The Twins are also about to pay Mauer at the peak of his worth.

All that said: the deal needs to get done in some fashion. So this morning, we ask you -- dear readers -- to craft your ideal realistic Joe Mauer contract. Does the idea of locking him up for 10 years and never worrying about losing him to free agency outweigh some of the potential negatives of such a long contract? Would you rather see him get 5 or 6 years to minimize some of the risk -- a deal that would also potentially put him back on the market while he presumably has top production years remaining? Do you really care as long as he signs on the dotted line? Should the graying of his sideburns immediately trigger an out-clause for the Twins?

These are things to ponder on a Tuesday.