"The boos are getting louder at Target Field, and Joe Mauer knows it.

It's been a brutal season for the Twins, caused by a perfect storm of injuries and roster-wide failure, but it's been particularly disappointing for Mauer, the hometown icon, in the first year of his eight-year, $184 million contract.

The team is 59-87, and Mauer has played only 80 games, batting .290 with three homers and 30 RBI.

"I understand that I'm probably going to get more of [the criticism] than anybody in this clubhouse," Mauer said. "Just given the fact that I'm from [Minnesota], I have a big contract -- all that stuff. So I'm going to take a lot of heat."

Mauer, who has started only 46 games at catcher, has heard the commentary calling him soft and questioning his desire to play.

"Obviously, I haven't had the numbers I wanted to," Mauer said. "Our team's won-loss record is not where we want to be. You can criticize me for that, but don't criticize someone's work ethic or character. That's where I have a problem.""