Game 52 - Twins vs. Indians

[stringer bell]

As of now, for the most part, he pretty much is. For the season I really do believe he will hit over .230 even though some might find that hard to imagine. He has power and has been okay at 3B (except for a couple "In your face" mistakes). I have pimped Plouffe way to much, but I still believe he can be an answer, rather than a player who creates a question because of his performance. Keep throwing him out at the hot corner - let's make our final judgement in October.

I pretty much agree. Plouffe hasn't been glaringly bad at third--in particular he has thrown much better from third than short--and he has hit several long balls. If he gets his BA considerably north of the Mendoza line, he could be a real contributor. Plouffe fills a glaring need in Twins position player--RH power.

[glunn]

37 GiDP's will be tough to reach, but he might be stubborn enough to do it. The defense plays him right up the middle because that is obviously his preference. The 2B is giving plenty of room on his 1B side if Mauer would only try to pull the ball. Of course he could avoid the infielders all together if he would stop thinking that a 58% groundball, 18% flyball rate is the key to winning a batting title. A 25-29% flyball rate won him batting titles in the past, I don't know what has changed the last two years. His three seasons where his groundball rate was +50% were the only seasons he did not hit over .300.

Great analysis, Nick. It explains a lot.

[glunn]

I'm in Malibu across the street from Geoffrey's. 4 2/3 scoreless relief, not bad.

We should start a Los Angeles county Twins fan group.

[Bark's Lounge]

I think he can do it. I don't see high average but I do see pop potential and I think he will find that stroke. At least I hope he finds that stroke. MLB pitchers are tough and he has to even up those battles he had been losing.

Repetition is the key. Without playing him almost everyday we will never know. Let him bat against tough RHP's, throw him into the fire, let us figure out who Plouffe really is.

[jm3319]

I would like some physicist to explain to all of us how that Mauer HR made it out of the park. I don't know if I've ever seen a ball with that low of a trajectory make it over the fence. That line drive shows that Mauer still has plenty of power, normally his swing just does not naturally take advantage of it.

I'm not physicist, but I'll give it a try: He hit the ball and it had a certain height, which happened to be higher than the outfield wall, at the precise moment that the ball crossed the plane of the outfield fence during the ball's trajectory. This is remarkably similar to roughly 100% of other homeruns ever hit anywhere.

I also live in LA, near USC. Glad to see I'm not the only poor Twins fan stuck out here, although we're not missing much this season.

[ashburyjohn]

As of now, for the most part, he pretty much is. For the season I really do believe he will hit over .230 even though some might find that hard to imagine.

A week or so ago I had thought about posting something to the effect that Plouffe could well end up with a better BA than Dozier by the end of the season.

[nicksaviking]

I'm not physicist, but I'll give it a try: He hit the ball and it had a certain height, which happened to be higher than the outfield wall, at the precise moment that the ball crossed the plane of the outfield fence during the ball's trajectory. This is remarkably similar to roughly 100% of other homeruns ever hit anywhere.

I also live in LA, near USC. Glad to see I'm not the only poor Twins fan stuck out here, although we're not missing much this season.

Clearly you did not watch the game as the ball at no point appeared higher than the outfield fence. At this time a higher power is the only explanation. Still waiting on the physicist. Californian arm-chair scientists can continue to speculate without a thesis and theoretical proof.

[Bark's Lounge]

A week or so ago I had thought about posting something to the effect that Plouffe could well end up with a better BA than Dozier by the end of the season.

You should have! I would have been a first responder defending your article. I don't know how it has happened, but I have become a Plouffetivist. I guess there are worse things. My guess is that they will indeed end up with a similar BA - hopefully closer to .250 than .200.

[glunn]

Nice one, Bark -- "Plouffetivist" -- we should start a baseball academy that teaches Plouffetism.

[Bark's Lounge]

Nice one, Bark -- "Plouffetivist" -- we should start a baseball academy that teaches Plouffetism.

I hope I get to be a professor at this academy.

[glunn]

I hope I get to be a professor at this academy.

You can, but only if I can teach Sanology.

[Bark's Lounge]

You can, but only if I can teach Sanology.

I can do that!

[Bark's Lounge]

I can do that!

Oops... I read your response too quickly: Of course you can! I hope I have some students in my classes!

[glunn]

Now we just need someone to teach Doumitism.

[Bark's Lounge]

Maybe Mike Piazza is up to the challenge. I have the feeling that a Mauernomics class might need to be included.

[ashburyjohn]

A week or so ago I had thought about posting something to the effect that Plouffe could well end up with a better BA than Dozier by the end of the season.

You should have! I would have been a first responder defending your article. I don't know how it has happened, but I have become a Plouffetivist. I guess there are worse things. My guess is that they will indeed end up with a similar BA - hopefully closer to .250 than .200.

I didn't think it would happen so soon, and things could still fluctuate for a while or even reverse, but as of this morning, we had Plouffe=.231 and Dozier=.227.

[Bark's Lounge]

I didn't think it would happen so soon, and things could still fluctuate for a while or even reverse, but as of this morning, we had Plouffe=.231 and Dozier=.227.

I agree. Plouffe has had a meteoric rise the last few weeks. As you pretty much said - I am sure there will be some ups and downs throughout this season for both, but I still think/hope they will both be around .250 at the end of this race. Plouffe has been something else offensively and he has done well at third also. It will be interesting at the end of the season to see what his stats are. I'd definitely have to say 20HRs are in play big time... hopefully more.