Trevor Plouffe, Trade Candidate?

[Parker Hageman]

At CBSSports.com, Dayn Perry took a look at potential trade candidates in the American League Central and concluded that Minnesota Twins' third baseman Trevor Plouffe would be a target of teams in need of hot corner help:

 

The 28-year-old third baseman has some pop (for his career, he's averaged 21 homers and 33 doubles per 162 games played), and despite being of prime age he's just now in his first year of arbitration-eligibility. As for the Twins, they may look to top prospect Miguel Sano to hold down third base, at least until his large-ish build forces him to a less premium position. They'll also need to be confident that Sano's throwing arm has recovered fully from Tommy John surgery. Plouffe could be of interest to teams who need an upgrade at the hot corner but are unable to afford, say, the going rates for Pablo Sandoval.

 

 

What do you think? Would you trade Plouffe? Why or why not?

[Mike Sixel]

Well, they'd have no 3rd basemen for 2 months, so no.*

 

*unless you got something worth way more than him.....like overwhelming

[SydneyTwinsFan]

If the return was worth it, you could have Escobar hold down 3rd for a couple of months until Sano shows he is ready.  Plouffe has ongoing value to the team as a 3B/LF option though, so no need to give him away unless someone out there clearly over values him.

[nytwinsfan]

If Sano appears able to handle 3rd base defensively, and Plouffe is putting up similar numbers to last year, then yes, absolutely trade him for a pitching prospect. His value is unlikely to get much higher, and Escobar can handle backup at 3rd. I'd try to wait until this summer, but obviously if a good enough offer comes sooner, then take it.

[USNMCPO]

Like my Grandfather used to say: "Everything is for sale. It just depends on the price". Other than Joe and his contract and a few of the up and coming kids, who isn't available for a trade? How many games have the Twins lost in the last four years?

[Kwak]

Amen--to that.  I can't answer whether to trade Plouffe until I see the offer.

[Winston Smith]

Plouffe will give you a little more, but not much more, with the bat and  Escobar gives  you a little more range in the field so about a wash, imo.  If you can get a decent outfielder or starting pitcher do it.

[Lonestar]

Sano hasn't faced live pitching in a year.  He doesn't figure to be up until September.

Plouffe figures to be a better defender at 3B than Sano.  In fact, Sano may not be acceptable at 3B.

The Twins have another vacancy for Sano to fill -- either LF or RF, depending on Arcia.

The Twins don't really have another 3B in the pipeline.

I would have to be swept of my feet to trade Plouffe now.

[twinsfanstreif]

What do we see his trade value realistically at? He wouldn't net a Meyer type prospect so what are we really looking at here? Probably a guy a little better than Malone if he's ML ready or a Thorpe type of guy in the minors? Is that worth it?

[diehardtwinsfan]

I honestly don't see his value this season in a trade.  Sure, if Seattle offered Walker, I wouldn't hesitate, but to me he has a few too many question marks to really net a nice prospect.  I doubt you get a Meyeresque type prospect for him or a stud LF in the high minors, and that would be what I'd want to execute it.

[markos]

Two trades from last year that may offer some comparison:

 

1) Angels traded 3 years of Mark Trumbo to the Diamondbacks. It was a complicated 3-team trade, so it is a little difficult to work out the exact comparison, but generally speaking the trade was Trumbo for two youngish pitchers: Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs. 

 

2) The Cardinals traded 2 years of David Freese to the Angels for Peter Bourjos and Randal Grichuk. 

 

I think they should be able to get at least 1 league-average player for Plouffe.

[Badsmerf]

This topic again? Twins are not going to trade Plouffe. There is no dumb GM that is going to throw a prospect good enough that Ryan pulls the trigger. Plouffe just doesn't have enough equity yet. By mid summer he might, or even next offseason. He was a 4 WAR player in 2014, which is pretty good. Ryan would be foolish to give him away for a marginal prospect. In contrast, Escobar was only a 1.1 WAR SS this season, despite a decent offensive season. He will be a downgrade from Plouffe, probably in every single way. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

1) Angels traded 3 years of Mark Trumbo to the Diamondbacks. It was a complicated 3-team trade, so it is a little difficult to work out the exact comparison, but generally speaking the trade was Trumbo for two youngish pitchers: Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs. 

The Arizona GM also got fired before the end of the season.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

So... unless it's an offer that's gonna get somebody fired, I'd rather the Twins keep Plouffe for 2015. 

[nicksaviking]

I seem to value Plouffe less than others, so now that the Twins have CBSsports helping to promote their product for them, I'm game!

[iTwins]

Nobody should be untouchable. The Twins should be willing to move anyone for the right price - Plouffe included. However, I wouldn't actively shop him until I know for certain there's a replacement in the wings. The team finally has a capable 3rd baseman after years of plugging in multiple misfits. Trading Plouffe only to find that Sano can't stick at the hot corner would be a mistake.

 

I also think that teams will likely want to see Plouffe put in another season similar to 2014 before they truly decide to make a solid offer. Right now, Plouffe is a guy coming off a career year - any potential buyer is going to want to be sure they're not paying for output he'll never match again.

[tobi0040]

I seem to value Plouffe less than others, so now that the Twins have CBSsports helping to promote their product for them, I'm game!

 

I actually view Plouffe's value as higher than most. But I think it is risky to move him until you know Sano is a 3B.  It is kind of a catch 22, you may fetch something nice for him given the lack of talent at 3B.  But in doing so you might be looking for a 3B, which is very hard to find.

[jorgenswest]

With the recent signings of Seager and Sandoval, it might be the time to trade Plouffe. Thirdbaseman must be in demand.

 

He may have his best year behind him in 2014. Target Field was the number 2 in offense park factor. His splits were much better at home last year. He is at an age when many players have a career year.

 

I think it is the right time to sell high on Plouffe.

[Bark's Lounge]

With the recent signings of Seager and Sandoval, it might be the time to trade Plouffe. Thirdbaseman must be in demand.

 

He may have his best year behind him in 2014. Target Field was the number 2 in offense park factor. His splits were much better at home last year. He is at an age when many players have a career year.

 

I think it is the right time to sell high on Plouffe.

...or Plouffe is a guy we can count on for manning the 3B position. Everyone wants to play arm chair GM and get rid of players they do not deem fit. Plouffe is fit and there is no reason he cannot improve on last season's output. I believe Plouffe will probably have a somewhat better offensive season than last and be status quo defensively, and maybe better. His defensive output was more than acceptable last season

 

Why trade a guy who can be offensively viable and the same defense wise, when your next option is a guy who at the AA level batted .235, hit a **** load of HR's and played a mediocre 3B.. and that was 2013. Now don't get me wrong, Sano is a great prospect, and I believe he will hit like a MoFo, at least HR's, but I do not believe he will ever man 3B for the Twins. With his lost 2014 season he is a ways off.

 

Plouffe is probably the long term answer, but so many of the posters hate on this guy. I just don't get it. Plouffe is not the second coming of Mike Schmidt and neither is Sano.

 

The Red Sox just paid almost 100M for an overweight 3B Who hit 16HR's last season with a middling Batting Average and above average defense - which has fluctuated some.

 

Plouffe might be the answer, he is 28, but these days it takes some folks time to develop, give him a chance this next season. I bet Plouffe will be better and he is a solution to the problem, rather than a question mark.

[IowaTwin346]

I don't want to see Plouffe traded unless you can get an arm for him and I really don't see him bringing a middle of the rotation guy.  

 

I think he has continued to improve both offensively and defensively each year.  Whether you keep him until Sano proves himself and then trade him or move him to the outfield I think he has value.  I dont understand the crowd that is all about trading him just because the Twins waited on a few other players and they declined after not being traded.  

[Major League Ready]

There are two pretty obvious variables here.  One, how confident is the FO is that Sano will be adequate at 3rd.  I heard a couple different interviews prior to his injury that sounded like they were quite confident he would stick at 3rd. 

 

If they are not so confident, why trade Plouffe until that question is answered?  However, if they are confident, we get to the second variable of the return.  They have a window to win more WS and 8 of the Giants top 10 prospects are pitchers.  If they are desperate enough to give up Beede, I think you trade Plouffe and fill in as needed until Sano's arrival.

[Mike Sixel]

I agree with MLR.....if the Giants will deal a legit SP/SP prospect that has that number 2 level ability.....and given that TR has said they are confident Sano will be at 3B for the foreseeable future.....I'd do that deal. I don't think the Giants would......so, that's overwhelming to me, and I'd do it.

[jorgenswest]

I am not looking to give him away. I just think he may be at peak value this winter for the reasons stated above. I will add that any team can take on his contract this year. As he continues into years 2 and 3 of arbitration that may not be the case.

 

The downside of selling high is that a productive player gets traded and as argued above Plouffe may be the answer for several years.

 

It is really on the Twins staff to accurately project what they have in Plouffe.

 

Will he be an above average 3B over the next 4 years? If so, extend him this winter and buy out his arbitration years and his first year of free agency.

 

Was last year a peak and is his long term value in a platoon role as it looked going into 2014? If so, try to get a return worthy of an above average regular 3B.

 

The Twins need to get this right this winter.

[Mike Sixel]

I agree with MLR.....if the Giants will deal a legit SP/SP prospect that has that number 2 level ability.....and given that TR has said they are confident Sano will be at 3B for the foreseeable future.....I'd do that deal. I don't think the Giants would......so, that's overwhelming to me, and I'd do it.

 

In thinking about this more....I'd just sign Headley and then use my assets to acquire another player, if I was the Giants.....

[markos]

If they are not so confident, why trade Plouffe until that question is answered?  However, if they are confident, we get to the second variable of the return.  They have a window to win more WS and 8 of the Giants top 10 prospects are pitchers.  If they are desperate enough to give up Beede, I think you trade Plouffe and fill in as needed until Sano's arrival.

I've actually wasted way too much time musing about potential Plouffe trades to SF. SF has two centerfielders (Angel Pagan and Gregor Blanco) and a slew of B-level pitching prospects. My framework for a deal would be Plouffe for Blanco and Kyle Crick. I'm pretty sure SF says no to this deal, but that is my starting point from the Twins perspective. Basically it is a replay of the Revere trade, as the Twins would receive a (hopefully) league-average regular at a position of need and a flawed pitching prospect with some upside. However, in some ways I think this may be underselling Plouffe, particularly if 2014 wasn't his peak. 

[Major League Ready]

Have to agree that Headley make sense for the Giants.  However, I was listening to the MLB network yesterday and they were talking about the Giants going after Scherzer if they lost out on Sandoval.  Can they afford Scherzer and Headley?  I believe in holding on to SP prospects but the Giants are definitely in win now mode.  They might see Scherzer and Plouffe as via and a plan to get them back to the WS.

 

Obviously, this is very pie in the sky but it is also the type of scenario where we could realistically sell very high for once.  How good would are future look with Meyer, Berrios, and Beede on the near horizon and Steward not far behind?  I would offer Plouffe, Milone, and Hicks for Beede and an A-ball player.  That is a bunch of cheap talent that would allow them to make the necessary roster moves to go after Scherzer.

[ashbury]

The Twins waited until Mauer was ready and they intended to have him on the 25-man roster, before they traded AJ.  It didn't seem to hurt AJ's trade value - the return looked good at the time as well as in hindsight. 

 

And if you think Plouffe's inherent value is shakier than AJ's was, so you should trade him now, well, 29 other GMs probably will think the same way too.

[jorgenswest]

AJ is a good comparison.

 

He was traded during the winter of his first arbitration bump. The Giants nontendered him before arb2. Plouffe is at the same spot this winter. He will have less value heading into arb 2 which will be a significant bump up. If there is a time to trade him, now is he time. The Twins sold high on Pierzynski. They can sell high on Plouffe. They can extend him. Doing nothing is probably a mistake.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

With the departure of Pablo Sandoval to Boston, the SF Giants suddenly need a 3rd basemen. It doesn't look like there are a ton of options available for the Giants outside of trade. What might Plouffe bring in return? Would you roll the dice with Santana at SS and Escobar at 3b?

[JB_Iowa]

There s already a thread called Treor Plouffe - Trade Candidate, do we really need one specific to a trade to SF?

 

The redundancy around here lately is really starting to make me grumpy.