Want to put your arm around Joe Mauer or Harmon Killebrew?

No problem. Life-size statues of Mauer, Killebrew and Kirby Puckett will pop up around downtown Minneapolis in April.

“Twins Around Town,” which is being unveiled today, is a twist on the placing of Peanuts characters in St. Paul and cows in Chicago, promotions that drew thousands of tourists. The Twins version could have as many as 50 resin statues cast in the likenesses of Killebrew, Puckett and Mauer and covered with the collages that depict a particular season along with headlines and images from that year, said Patrick Klinger, Minnesota Twins vice president of marketing. Killebrew’s “Homerun” statues will cover the Twins’ early years from 1961 to 1977; Puckett’s “Gold Glove” statues will take fans from 1978 to 1994, and Mauer’s “MVP” statues will depict the most recent years from 1995 to 2010.

The partnership between the Twins and the Minneapolis Downtown Council is an effort to celebrate the team’s 50 seasons as well as the opening of the new outdoor ballpark. “We thought it would be a unique way to expand that celebration beyond the confines of the ballpark,” Klinger said.

The statues, produced by the TivoliToo, the makers of the Peanuts statues, will also raise money for charities. Businesses as well as individuals can sponsor a statue for $14,000 and later buy it for $3,000 at the end of the 2010 baseball season. The remaining statues will be auctioned. Money from the sponsorships will go to the Minnesota Twins Community Fund, which helps support youth baseball and softball. Proceeds from the end-of-season sale will go to charities designated by Killebrew, Puckett’s family and Mauer.