Orlando, Fla., in 1994. He became their starting catcher in 2001 and had three good seasons for them. The Twins won division titles in 2002-03, Pierzynski was an All-Star in 2002 and he hit a career-high .312 with 11 home runs and 74 RBIs in 2003.

But the Twins had selected Mauer with the first overall pick in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft, and he was a local star from St. Paul who was getting closer to the big leagues. He split time between Class A and Double-A in 2003, hitting .341 in 73 games at the higher level.

"I knew something was coming, I just didn't know when," Pierzynski said. "I didn't know if they were going to give him one more year or do what they did. Wehad been in the playoffs back-to-back years, so I didn't know if they would do something or stick with what was working."

The Twins decided to do something. Pierzynski was not only coming off three good seasons, but he was also eligible for arbitration for the first time and headed for a big boost in salary.

"We thought Mauer was about ready to play," Krivsky said. "It was time for Mauer to get a chance, so we made it known that we were willing to discuss A.J. for a fair package.

Santiago had been the Giants' catcher for three years, including in 2002 when they went to the World Series. But he was 38 and was also a free agent.

"We really needed a catcher, and he was one of the best