MLB Rumors: A lot of interest in Plouffe

[HitInAPinch]

Buried deep in the MLB Rumors, Twins section:  November 21, 2015 at 6:39pm CST

Here’s the latest from The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo…

 

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"The Twins are another team looking for relief help and they’ve also received a lot of interest about third baseman Trevor Plouffe.  There has been speculation that Plouffe could be moved to make way for Miguel Sano at third base, especially if the Twins come to an agreement with Byung-Ho Park."

 

Oh to be a be a fly on Terry Ryan's wall.......

[Monkeypaws]

If they do trade him, it better be for someone good. No more Capps, Hoey hooey.

[Shane Wahl]

Yeah, extremely interested in this, because this trade needs to happen. Given the fact that the Twins have, uh, solved their catcher situation (haha), I would just hope for some of those 15-20 prospects in an organization as lottery picks. The Twins got one 20-30 lottery pick for Herrmann. They could get a few 15-20ish guys for Plouffe. Jeremy Rhoades and Kyle McGowin from the Angels?

[sane]

There is NO way that can be bad news.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I suppose if all Trevor is worth is relief help, then that team is taking Nolasco off our hands too or at least that's what Id' want... 

 

I'd think we can get more than bullpen arm, unless of course it's a lights out 8th inning guy.  Now bullpen guy plus a decent prospect and I'd be pretty interested there too.   

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

I'm all for trading Plouffe, but for just relief help? I hope the Twins look at what their prospects did in AZ this fall and avoid trading an asset like Plouffe for a stop-gap reliever.

 

I would much rather see Plouffe traded for a position prospect or even SP prospect that may not see time with the Twins next season, but adds depth for the future.

[Vanimal46]

High aspirations, low expectations folks. Would I like a position player or SP for Plouffe? Absolutely. Do I expect that to happen? Not really.

 

I think it's fair to expect that the return for Plouffe is a solid bullpen arm. I will be excited to see who it is when the deal is made.

[kab21]

Why not just sign a solid RP in FA?  There are several available and this doesn't really make sense.  Is he really only worth a guy like Jepsen who was acquired for a guy well outside of the top 100 (and likely top 200)?

 

I can understand trading Plouffe for a top 50-75 prospect and another top 30 (org) guy.  I cannot understand trading Plouffe for any number of #15-20 (org) guys.

 

At that point just keep him.

[sane]

 

I'm all for trading Plouffe, but for just relief help?  

If relief help = Wade Davis, Aroldis Chapman or Andrew Miller, I can live with that!

 

[dbminn]

The Twins should be able to get a mid-level prospect with a solid RP if multiple teams are interested. It all depends on the RP acquired. Years of control, current value and upside will affect the final trade.

 

 

 

 

[tobi0040]

I wonder if Boston would be a fit.  Napoli is a free agent.  Slide Pablo to 1B next year and DH after Ortiz retires.

 

Pablo had a dWAR of -.9 last year at 3B.  Negative three of the last four.  Not going to age well.

[Old Twins Cap]

I for one am glad that Ryan is not rushing into this.  It's November still.  The thing I did not like about Ryan the last few years, after he got burned by not signing a pitcher in 2013(?), he has rushed to the table with cash in his hand and FAs and GMs have taken advantage.

 

Take your time. Get all the offers on the table.  Take the best one.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I wonder if Boston would be a fit.  Napoli is a free agent.  Slide Pablo to 1B next year and DH after Ortiz retires.

 

Pablo had a dWAR of -.9 last year at 3B.  Negative three of the last four.  Not going to age well.

Napoli was actually traded in August too.

 

Boston intends to start Hanley Ramirez at 1B next season.  So I don't think Plouffe is a fit for them unless they can move Ramirez or Sandoval this winter.

[drjim]

 

Yeah, extremely interested in this, because this trade needs to happen. Given the fact that the Twins have, uh, solved their catcher situation (haha), I would just hope for some of those 15-20 prospects in an organization as lottery picks. The Twins got one 20-30 lottery pick for Herrmann. They could get a few 15-20ish guys for Plouffe. Jeremy Rhoades and Kyle McGowin from the Angels?

 

That's all you want for two years of Plouffe?

 

That's a bad return for a half year rental of a setup guy.

[Andrew]

Is Cam Bedrosian, Joe Gatto, and Jett Bandy (throw in) from the Angels a realistic return?

[drjim]

 

I for one am glad that Ryan is not rushing into this.  It's November still.  The thing I did not like about Ryan the last few years, after he got burned by not signing a pitcher in 2013(?), he has rushed to the table with cash in his hand and FAs and GMs have taken advantage.

 

Take your time. Get all the offers on the table.  Take the best one.

 

He also can't trade him until Park signs.

[tobi0040]

 

Napoli was actually traded in August too.

 

Boston intends to start Hanley Ramirez at 1B next season.  So I don't think Plouffe is a fit for them unless they can move Ramirez or Sandoval this winter.

 

Minor details!

 

Sandoval is owed $72M over four years.  negative dWAR at 3B and a .658 OPS last year.  I think they are stuck with him.

[drjim]

 

 

Is Cam Bedrosian, Joe Gatto, and Jett Bandy (throw in) from the Angels a realistic return?

 

Strikes me as in the ballpark.

 

An established reliever with upside, a decent prospect and perhaps another throw in seems about right.

[Loosey]

I'm all for trading Plouffe for the right assets in return.  I also believe that if the Twins want to improve their team in 2016 with a Plouffe trade, they will have to include additional players/prospects.  An outside the box trade for a catcher could be Plouffe + John Ryan Murphy for an upgrade at Catcher.  Whomever the receiving team is gets their target in Plouffe + a catcher and in return gives up a better Catcher + Relief help.

 

Most likely a pipe dream but i don't think the Twins improve in 2016 with a straight Plouffe Trade, perhaps they get a longer term piece for him but nothing to help in 2016 IMO.

[beckmt]

Signing Park is the first order of business.  Then if you get a decent offer for Plouffe, go for it.  I feel many clubs are looking at him as a buy low candidate as they feel the Twins want to play Sano at third.  Hopefully the Twins will not give in to this.  Then I would rather wait until the end of spring training when clubs might have holes and sell high.

[dxpavelka]

I'm not sure that a team that:  A:  Hasn't signed Park yet, B:  Doesn't know if Park can hit big league pitching; C:  Hit .247 with 156 home runs and D:  just traded away 11 home runs and had its 2nd leading home run & RBI guy retire, Can really afford to trade away its leading RBI producer.  Just sayin.

[scottz]

 

He also can't trade him until Park signs.

 

It's a delicate balance.

     If they announce a Park signing, Plouffe's value on the market possibly goes down somewhat as everyone knows they REALLY need to trade Plouffe then.

     If they trade Plouffe, Park's agent would have more bargaining power in his asking terms. Maybe this isn't such a big deal, but it's something to consider.

 

My guess is that the Twins have already negotiated to a point where they generally agree to a set of discussed terms with Park, though without any agreement in place as they listen to offers for Plouffe and figure out that market. Too bad they only have 30 days total to negotiate with Park - it would be nice to have Park and Plouffe options for more of the offseason.

 

I think it is possible though that they could both NOT come to terms with Park AND trade Plouffe. If that's the case, you just have Sano at 3B, Mauer at 1B, and Arcia/Vargas/other FA as a DH.

[Kwak]

Plouffe for a relief pitcher would be foolish.  A 3B is worth much more.  Plus, the Twins have an abundance of RP candidates.

[Mike Sixel]

The don't have to trade him if they sign Park. Plouffe's value is based on what a team will give up, not how desperate they think the Twins are or are not.

[drjim]

 

The don't have to trade him if they sign Park. Plouffe's value is based on what a team will give up, not how desperate they think the Twins are or are not.

 

I agree with this. Signing Park doesn't come close to forcing a Plouffe trade. But trading Plouffe before signing Park does cause a potential problem.

[twinsfansd]

Not sure if the trading for relief help is anything coming from any Twins insiders, or if it is just idle chatter. I don't think trading Plouffe at the time is in the team's best interest. Take some time to see how Park works out, if Sano can play the outfield, how Buxton comes around, if Arcia get's his act together, what Kepler becomes, and what the abundance of big arms in the minors turn into. Sign a few affordable relief pitchers and make a trade at the deadline if necessary. Plouffe  will stil have 1 1/2 seasons at that point and be pretty valuable.

 

And I would like to see a lineup with Buxton, Mauer, Dozier, Sano, Park, Plouffe, Rosario (or Arcia, Kepler), Murphy, Escobar. That will score a lot of runs, and the defense would be OK.

 

 

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

I wonder if Boston would be a fit.  Napoli is a free agent.  Slide Pablo to 1B next year and DH after Ortiz retires.

 

Pablo had a dWAR of -.9 last year at 3B.  Negative three of the last four.  Not going to age well.

I thought they were putting HanRam at 1b.

[blindeke]

Prediction: young high-upside pitcher in the Meyer/May mold + an older average relief pitcher or 4th OF

[DaveW]

I have a feeling the "Twins" leaked this info to generate interest in Plouffe, if there was already "significant interest" I have to believe they would have already pulled the trigger. Average players like Plouffe don't set off bidding wars...

[scottz]

 

The don't have to trade him if they sign Park. Plouffe's value is based on what a team will give up, not how desperate they think the Twins are or are not.

Agreed. However, if they sign Park and don't trade Plouffe there is a larger surplus of position players to cover 1B/3B/RF/DH:
          Mauer - 1B/DH

          Park - 1B/DH

          Plouffe - 3B/1B/DH

          Sano - 3B/DH/RF (they say)

          Arcia - RF/DH (no option left)

          Vargas - 1B/DH (not necessarily part of the current surplus as he has an option left, I think...so they can ignore him if they want)

          Kepler - RF/1B (approaching the border of current surplus, assumed part of planned future)

 

If they don't trade Plouffe out of that group (of 5-7 players for 4 positions), then it just changes the options for how they make up their team. So, yes, no team should make a trade out of desperation if they don't get fair value back, but depending on how much they like the alternative situation(s), what they consider to be fair value may change slightly.