Justin Morneau can go back to concentrating on numbers produced on the baseball field.

Talks on a long-term contract extension with the Minnesota Twins first baseman and team management ended Wednesday without a resolution on a multi-year deal.

Justin Morneau hit .321 last season with 34 homers and 130 runs batted in, propelling the Twins to the American League Central title.
(Joseph Oliver/Associated Press)

"Oh, well," the New Westminster, B.C., native told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "I'll just have a good year and we'll try to get something done next year."

It is Twins policy not to discuss contracts during the season, which opens for Minnesota on April 2 at home against the Baltimore Orioles.

In February, Morneau agreed to a one-year contract worth $4.5 million US but he was seeking a long-term deal.

The 25-year-old hit .321 last season with 34 homers and 130 runs batted in, propelling the Twins to the American League Central title.

Those numbers were also good enough for Morneau to win the AL Most Valuable Player Award by 14 points over New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

It's believed Minnesota offered Morneau between $30 million and $33 million US over four years with an option for a fifth season, sources told the Star-Tribune.

'Frustrated' by talks

In the past few weeks, the six-foot-four, 225-pound Morneau said his emotions had changed from "optimistic to frustrated."

Morneau, who can't be a free agent until after the 2009 season, will be eligible for salary arbitration before the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons, the Star-Tribune reported.

In other Twins news, catcher Joe Mauer has a stress reaction — a precursor to a stress fracture — in his left leg.

Mauer, who will be re-evaluated on Sunday, will be treated with a bone stimulator and physical therapy.

"Basically all that we know right now is they caught it early, obviously before it turned into a stress fracture," Twins spokesman Mike Herman said. "They're shutting him down until Sunday."

Mauer, a native of St. Paul, Minn., hit an AL-leading .347 in 2006, his second full season in the majors.

With files from the Associated Press