Why so much love for Plouffe?

[HitInAPinch]

 

Nick Punto anyone? Having Punto playing and starting at third base every day should be a good reminder to everyone that taking a good third basemen and just trading him should not be taken lightly or for granted. Punto exceptional defensive third basemen, Drew Butera like hitter.

 

Twins have interest from other teams, the Padres mainly in both Trevour Plouffe and Aaron Hicks, and both have some value. It is not an automatic to want to trade Plouffe, I think since the Twins control his rights until 2017 I'm not so ready to say there is a logjam just move the guy to get something better. I'm not saying Plouffe is un-tradeable but when you have options you don't just show or play your hand without getting best value.

 

Twins lack power hitters and there is is a dearth of catching available in all of Major league baseball so finding an adequate back stop by saying your going to move Plouffe may not get you there. I think you can find a better balance of DH splits between Plouffe, Sano and Mauer all rotating between the three spots.

 

Perhaps giving Mauer and Plouffe 1 additional day off a week at the DH spot keeps there body's healthy and they are more productive at the plate over the long haul and you get to work both Plouffe and Sano in the field at third and first base in 2016 and at least until the trade deadline you should look at it that way. 

Apologies if someone has already asked:  Do you have some documentation on what the Padres were offering for Plouffe and Hicks,  and the other teams interested? It would be fun to know who's talking out there.

[jimmer]

Plouffe was 2nd on the team in WAR.  My question would be why we wonder why so many fans think Plouffe is such a problem for us and/or what is wrong with saying he's a good player and we need good players?

[HitInAPinch]

 

Sano played shortstop as a kid. He can play third.

Even if Sano is a little sloppy at first, he will figure it out before long. Plouffe was a hack at third base when he first moved there.

Sano was a kid, about a 100 lbs. ago

Sano is one of those instances were his hitting should offset his defensive issues, wherever.  I like the Twins attitude of pushing Sano out of the DH position.

[TheLeviathan]

Plouffe isn't a problem, but his age and team control will be soon. If he isn't dealt this offseason, we will have two years of him and then let him go for nothing. I think he is an asset to use now if we believe the future is bright.

[HitInAPinch]

 

 

Plouffe was 2nd on the team in WAR.  My question would be why we wonder why so many fans think Plouffe is such a problem for us and/or what is wrong with saying he's a good player and we need good players?

It's the concept that Plouffe is "blocking" Sano.  I can understand why thinks were status quo this year.  I don't believe in just handing a player a job, just because.

 

Let them fight for the position in Spring Training.

[sane]

Why so much love for Plouffe? Here are twelve reasons that I would feel queasy about trading him. These are the Twins third basemen between Cory Koskie and Trevor Plouffe. Most have already been nominated to the Twins Hall of Blame.

Tony Batista 3B 2006

Jeff Cirillo 3B 2006-2007

Howie Clark 3B 2007-2008

Joe Crede* 3B 2009

Brendan Harris* 3B 2007-2010

Mike Lamb* 3B 2007-2008

Matt Macri 3B 2007-2010

Nick Punto* 3B 2004-2010

Luis Antonio Rodriguez* 3B 2005-2007

Terry Tiffee 3B 2004-2006

Danny Valencia* 3B 2008-2012

Glenn Williams 3B 2005-2007

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Why so much love for Plouffe? Here are twelve reasons that I would feel queasy about trading him. These are the Twins third basemen between Cory Koskie and Trevor Plouffe. Most have already been nominated to the Twins Hall of Blame.

Tony Batista 3B 2006

Jeff Cirillo 3B 2006-2007

Howie Clark 3B 2007-2008

Joe Crede* 3B 2009

Brendan Harris* 3B 2007-2010

Mike Lamb* 3B 2007-2008

Matt Macri 3B 2007-2010

Nick Punto* 3B 2004-2010

Luis Antonio Rodriguez* 3B 2005-2007

Terry Tiffee 3B 2004-2006

Danny Valencia* 3B 2008-2012

Glenn Williams 3B 2005-2007

!

 

I think you are implying the Miguel Sano could easily find himself on that list? If so, where would you insert him? Between Mike Lamb and Matt Macri? 

 

[sane]

 

 

I think you are implying the Miguel Sano could easily find himself on that list? If so, where would you insert him? Between Mike Lamb and Matt Macri? 

No, I am implying that Trevor Plouffe terminated that horrible list, and should be awarded "honorary "somethin'-somethin'" . Maybe first-baseman or DH. It could take another twelve disasters to replace Plouffe in the batting order. Unless Matt Moses is still available.

[Brandon]

If Sano moves from DH then we have a whole at DH. While we have Arcia and Vargas, I think that is why the Twins want Hunter back. To DH 110 -115 games and play in RF 30-35.

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

The problem with plouffe is what contending teams actually need a third baseman? (Plouffe to a rebuilding team makes no sense)

Yankees
Orioles
blue Jays
Red Sox
Rays?

Nope.

Likely won't trade in the central.

Rangers
Astros
Angels
A's
Mariners

Nope

Dodgers maybe?

Yours is a good question. I would like to read more analysis about which teams need third basemen.

[sane]

 

Yours is a good question. I would like to read more analysis about which teams need third basemen.

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=min#playerType=ALL&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&game_type='R'&season=2015&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1444505418339&position='5'&team_id=

[sane]

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=min#playerType=ALL&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&game_type='R'&season=2015&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1444505581680&team_id=&position='5'

[sane]

Escobar, Y WSH 3B 139 535 75 168 25 1 9 56 45 70 2 2 .314 .375 .415 .790

2 Donaldson, J TOR 3B 158 620 122 184 41 2 41 123 73 133 6 0 .297 .371 .568 .939

3 Duffy, M SF 3B 149 573 77 169 28 6 12 77 30 96 12 0 .295 .334 .428 .762

4 Prado, M MIA 3B 129 500 52 144 22 2 9 63 37 68 1 0 .288 .338 .394 .732

5 Beltre, A TEX 3B 143 567 83 163 32 4 18 83 41 65 1 0 .287 .334 .453 .788

6 Arenado, N COL 3B 157 616 97 177 43 4 42 130 34 110 2 5 .287 .323 .575 .898

7 Machado, M BAL 3B 162 633 102 181 30 1 35 86 70 111 20 8 .286 .359 .502 .861

8 Moustakas, M KC 3B 147 549 73 156 34 1 22 82 43 76 1 2 .284 .348 .470 .817

9 Bryant, K CHC 3B 151 559 87 154 31 5 26 99 77 199 13 4 .275 .369 .488 .858

10 Carpenter, M STL 3B 154 574 101 156 44 3 28 84 81 151 4 3 .272 .365 .505 .871

11 Solarte, Y SD 3B 152 526 63 142 33 4 14 63 34 56 1 0 .270 .320 .428 .748

12 Longoria, E TB 3B 160 604 74 163 35 1 21 73 51 132 3 1 .270 .328 .435 .764

13 Seager, K SEA 3B 161 623 85 166 37 0 26 74 54 98 6 6 .266 .328 .451 .779

14 Lawrie, B OAK 3B 149 562 64 146 29 3 16 60 28 144 5 2 .260 .299 .407 .706

15 Headley, C NYY 3B 156 580 74 150 29 1 11 62 51 135 0 2 .259 .324 .369 .693

16 Frazier, T CIN 3B 157 619 82 158 43 1 35 89 44 137 13 8 .255 .309 .498 .806

17 Castellanos, N DET 3B 154 549 42 140 33 6 15 73 39 152 0 3 .255 .303 .419 .721

18 Ramirez, A PIT 3B 137 475 43 117 31 1 17 75 31 68 1 0 .246 .297 .423 .720

19 Sandoval, P BOS 3B 126 470 43 115 25 1 10 47 25 73 0 0 .245 .292 .366 .658

20 Plouffe, T MIN 3B 152 573 74 140 35 4 22 86 50 124 2 1 .244 .307 .435 .742

[sane]

Ranking MLB 3B.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp#elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&game_type='R'&season=2015&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1444505933187&timeframe=&position='5'

[sane]

Looks like Pablo Sandoval had the worst season for a MLB 3B.

[MileHighTwinsFan]

I was on the side of those who believed the Twins needed to find a place for Plouffe next year.  And then I saw Miguel Sano and saw what he was capable of at the plate compared to Plouffe and I did a 180.  

 

Trevor has made himself into a solid fielder and a solid offensive contributor - but Miguel Sano is a once in a generation talent.   

 

There simply is no place for Trevor on this team.  I think the Twins will move him.  I don't think he will bring tremendous value, but could be had for a prospect or two or maybe a relief arm. 

[darin617]

 

I wasn't so much thinking of Shields trade as much of trading Nolasco and getting a contract in return.

why take on a larger & longer contract? $25M left on Nolasco 2 years and the buyout.

Shields $63M for 3 years including a $2M buyout. Just makes no sense to me to take on so much money. Also the Twins luck Shields has an optout after next year. I would rather give Nolasco away and pay $10M of the contract for something. Pittsburgh would take him and fix him.

[Blackjack]

 

+1 for the nested parens. Few thoughts worth sharing can be adequately expressed (In My (Not So) Humble Opinion) without this valuable technique.

 

So -- if i use some other notation -- like dashes, or commas -- or something else, like another sentence doesn't that accomplish the same purpose -- improving readability??

 

I know its not proper grammar but spacing, dashes, commas also will make it readable too.

[Kwak]

 

So -- if i use some other notation -- like dashes, or commas -- or something else, like another sentence doesn't that accomplish the same purpose -- improving readability??

 

I know its not proper grammar but spacing, dashes, commas also will make it readable too.

Ellipses score extra points...

[Thrylos]

I agree with the title of this post and will raise you:

 

Why so much love for Dozier?

[jokin]

 

Ellipses score extra points...

 

I resemble that remark...

[RedBull34]

 

I agree with the title of this post and will raise you:

 

Why so much love for Dozier?

Have you seen his hair?  It's gorgeous.

[Thrylos]

 

Have you seen his hair?  It's gorgeous.

 

Alrighty

[David HK]

 

 

 

Sano can fit at third. If you're that scared of his defense, make Mauer play there and put Sano at first. (Mauer should have been the third baseman years ago). 

Absolutely positively yes.  Another long-term mistake, I think, on the Twinks part.  I never understood why they didn't at least try that, since at the time, Poof was nowhere near competent at 3B.  

 

I dig that Poof is a great guy, and a solid teamate.  But I agree with an earlier poster, that he's just not solid enough to block an uber-prospect like Sano.

[David HK]

 

I agree with the title of this post and will raise you:

 

Why so much love for Dozier?

In that alternate universe, where Spock wears the goatee, we could trade 2nd-half Dozier, and keep 1st-half Dozier.  That would be swell.  And logical.  

 

 

[David HK]

 

The problem with plouffe is what contending teams actually need a third baseman? (Plouffe to a rebuilding team makes no sense)

Yankees
Orioles
blue Jays
Red Sox
Rays?

Nope.

Likely won't trade in the central.

Rangers
Astros
Angels
A's
Mariners

Nope

Dodgers maybe?

He is a Cali boy-  might welcome a return home.

[David HK]

Geez.  3 posts in a row.  (Make it 4...)  Can you tell I miss baseball already?

 

[jokin]

DaveW, on 10 Oct 2015 - 09:48 AM, said:

The problem with plouffe is what contending teams actually need a third baseman? (Plouffe to a rebuilding team makes no sense)

Yankees

Orioles

blue Jays

Red Sox

Rays?

Nope.

Likely won't trade in the central.

Rangers

Astros

Angels

A's

Mariners

Nope

Dodgers maybe?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He is a Cali boy-  might welcome a return home.

 

The Padres would like to think that they will be contenders in 2016, just like they did in 2015.  Perfect fit for Plouffie-  I think he can beat out Solarte and Middlebrooks.

[DocBauer]

The reason there is love for Plouffe is because he's a quality ballplayer. The more of those you have, the better your team is, and the better your chance of winning. So what if he's not an all-star. Not everyone can be. He has developed in to a fine defensive player, he hits generally OK, he has XB and HR power and knocks guys in. He's the best 3B the Twins have had since Koskie. As mentioned previously, that's not only been a while, but there are speed bumps of buried failures at the hot corner for the Twins.

 

I, for one, have never said the Twins should block Sano with Plouffe. Sano SHOULD play 3B. And he'll be fine doing so, though he probably won't be as good as Plouffe initially. Gaetti learned...Koskie learned...Plouffe learned...and Sano will learn.

 

I'm 50-50 on trading Plouffe. Assuming, of course, you are getting quality and useful/needed value in return. But regardless of your feelings on Hunter, he did provide power and RBI this season, as did Plouffe. Hunter should be gone. If you trade Plouffe, and you could maybe use another power bat to begin with, now what? We have a great deal of young talent arrived and arriving. They are exciting and loaded with potential. But today, now, heading in to the off season in preperation for 2016, we are uncertain what we have in Vargas and Arcia, despite there being lot of things to like. Kepler will almost assuredly begin '16 at Rochester, and Buxton might join him initially. So I can see where keeping Plouffe to move between 3B/1B/DH with Mauer and Sano may be a good idea.

[Kwak]

Note:  I'm not a big fan of Plouffe, but he is not blocking Sano.  Sano is playing every day--just at DH.