What We Should Have Done

[ScottyB]

The night that Escobar played Left Field and botched the ball to lose the game, it just occurred to me what we should have done.

 

Plouffe actually played a pretty good corner outfield. Gardy should have played Plouffe in the OF and Escobar at 3B. Being short of outfielders, Plouffe should have been moved out there since we had an abundance of infielders.

 

Just a thought. It would have been nice if Plouffe volunteered.

[Linus]

I actually really like this idea. He's hopefully going to end up there anyway when Sano comes along. Plouffe in left and Esco at third would have been a far superior defensive alignment. We could do this on occasion going forward

[Brock Beauchamp]

Huh. That hadn't even occurred to me. You're right, Plouffe should have been in left two days ago.

 

Or the Twins could have called up an outfielder (or even Nunez). That would have worked as well.

[Craig Arko]

I thought this was going to be about contraction.

[Mike Sixel]

Interesting.....wish I they would have thought of that. Given that Sano WILL BE UP HERE next year, I'd like to see Plouffe get another shot in the OF this year.....darn good idea sir.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Not a bad idea. Although I don't recall Plouffe's OF experience, it was 30 games total in 2011-2012, of which he only started and completed 16, and the metrics graded his small sample of OF play as roughly equivalent to his SS/2B defense (read: not good).

 

But yeah, probably better as an "emergency outfielder" than someone who has played the position even less. Then again, the Twins this year apparently think zero experience emergency outfielders are completely acceptable as regular backup outfielders...

[Reider]

The thought did cross my mind, but it seems like Plouffe is a mainstay at 3rd base for now. Looking back, it would be nice to switch Plouffe and Escobar and see how that game ends.

[iTwins]

I thought about that prior to the game. I wonder if Gardy didn't want to mess with Plouffe, especially given his better than expected defense at 3B this year? Like moving him would desturb his 3B...mojo? (Not that I think that would've mattered, but Gardy has some unique ways of thinking some times...)

[twinsnorth49]

The thought did cross my mind, but it seems like Plouffe is a mainstay at 3rd base for now. Looking back, it would be nice to switch Plouffe and Escobar and see how that game ends.

 

Plouffe has been playing well but the only two mainstays at any position on this team right now should be Dozier and Mauer.

[DaveW]

Phew...for a minute I thought this post was by my folks in reference to the day they found out they were pregnant with me.

[Craig Arko]

Phew...for a minute I thought this post was by my folks in reference to the day they found out they were pregnant with me.

 

Fortunately there was a nearby military base...

 

 

 

[Reider]

Plouffe has been playing well but the only two mainstays at any position on this team right now should be Dozier and Mauer.

I don't disagree. And I"m not saying that Plouffe is or should be considered a mainstay. I'm just saying that it "seems" like he is one because he's playing better this year and Gardy keeps putting him on 3rd base. In other words, it seems like Gardy wants him on 3rd base, which is possibly why Plouffe wasn't swapped with Escobar for that game.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I don't disagree. And I"m not saying that Plouffe is or should be considered a mainstay. I'm just saying that it "seems" like he is one because he's playing better this year and Gardy keeps putting him on 3rd base. In other words, it seems like Gardy wants him on 3rd base, which is possibly why Plouffe wasn't swapped with Escobar for that game.

 

I wonder what would happen if the Twins needed an emergency SS? Who would Gardy go to first, Dozier or Plouffe?

 

And is this why he keeps 3-4 shortstops on the roster, so he never has to make this decision?

[DuluthFan]

It is kind of a given that you do not move the starter out of his original position and play him in another position just so the backup can play at that position. (Why play 2 players out of position, when you only need to play one player out of position).

[Reider]

I wonder what would happen if the Twins needed an emergency SS? Who would Gardy go to first, Dozier or Plouffe?

Call someone up from the minors like they do with pitchers. However, if you are talking about there being a bunch of mid game injuries or game ejections or something along those lines, it's probably easier to just move Plouffe over a few feet than to move Dozier to the other side of the field. If it's an emergency situation, it probably wouldn't matter a whole lot to me.

 

And is this why he keeps 3-4 shortstops on the roster, so he never has to make this decision?

Gardy seems to like players who can play multiple positions. It's nice to have some flexibility, but it's also nice to have a MLB caliber team on the field every game instead of plugging in AAAA guys all over the place.