MLB Rumors: A lot of interest in Plouffe

[Kwak]

Trading Plouffe midseason (2016 or 2017) is likely to fetch a better return.

[TheLeviathan]

I highly doubt a midseason trade is going to be more lucrative.  Offseason deals tend to be the better way to deal guys like Plouffe. 

 

As someone who thinks the Twins should be moving him, I'm not moving him for a RP-centric package.  We should buy relief help.  Plouffe should be moved for something more interesting.

[nicksaviking]

 

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...

 

I don't think a "bidding war" and "significant interest" are necessarily symbiotic.  

 

Plouffe's contract is still very team friendly and while he's a perfectly fine ball player, his numbers aren't eye-popping.  He sounds like the kind of guy most GMs would look at and think, he's worth talking about since there's a good chance he won't cost the farm.  Anyone with a 3B need but doesn't want to pay top dollar and/or give up top prospects would probably at least call and check in.

[REPETE]

 

I highly doubt a midseason trade is going to be more lucrative.  Offseason deals tend to be the better way to deal guys like Plouffe. 

 

As someone who thinks the Twins should be moving him, I'm not moving him for a RP-centric package.  We should buy relief help.  Plouffe should be moved for something more interesting.

From everything I've read on TD so far, isn't the general feeling the Twins will not pony up the $$$ for high end relief help, due to the length of the contracts required?  If so, wouldn't they be better off trading from surplus (either real or perceived)? 

[Mike Sixel]

 

From everything I've read on TD so far, isn't the general feeling the Twins will not pony up the $$$ for high end relief help, due to the length of the contracts required?  If so, wouldn't they be better off trading from surplus (either real or perceived)? 

 

I don't think I'd base what the Twins are likely to do based on anything I read here....

[Vanimal46]

Plouffe's value seems to be all over the map.... The Twins could probably get some thing more exciting if more players other than him are included in a trade. I really don't believe that a middle of the road 3B is causing GM's to line up outside of 1 Twins Way offering top 10 org. prospects to acquire him. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Plouffe's contract is still very team friendly

I don't know if it's THAT team-friendly anymore.  It's two seasons of control, MLBTR projects the first to cost $7.7 mil in arbitration, and the second could clock in around $10 mil.

 

Not bad, but not really a bargain if you have to surrender talent/prospects to get it while David Freese is still on the market.

[drjim]

Trading Plouffe midseason (2016 or 2017) is likely to fetch a better return.

Doubtful. And especially not if you want a mlb player back.

[Shane Wahl]

 

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

 

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

 

I wouldn't expect all that much more. Not for him alone, anyway. Plouffe is a declining player.

[drjim]

 

I wouldn't expect all that much more. Not for him alone, anyway. Plouffe is a declining player.

 

I'll take the way, way over. We'll probably find out soon enough.

[gunnarthor]

If nothing else, it's nice to hear the Twins connected to rumors.

[dbminn]

 

I don't know if it's THAT team-friendly anymore.  It's two seasons of control, MLBTR projects the first to cost $7.7 mil in arbitration, and the second could clock in around $10 mil.

 

Not bad, but not really a bargain if you have to surrender talent/prospects to get it while David Freese is still on the market.

 

Here's a little math for the conversation. Data from FanGraphs.

 

Plouffe:

• Has been estimated by MLBTR to cost 2yr/$18M. Freese estimated at 3yr/$33M.
• Has outperformed Freese the last two years (6.1 to 4.3 fWAR).
• Is 3 years younger than Freese.

With 3 years of Freese and 2 years of Plouffe, assume total WAR will be similar. That means the difference is $15M. If you believe aging curves, Plouffe's relative value increases. (If you don't believe in WAR or WAR dollar value, I'm sympathetic.)

 

Plouffe should be worth about $15M of baseball player value compared to Freese. That would be a good reliever under team control for a few years. At a minimum. I would want an additional prospect as well.

[HitInAPinch]

It IS nice to hear the Twins connected to rumors, isn't it.   If this happens, I think it'll go down something like this:

 

You give me a list of the MiLB players your willing to trade and I'll give you a list of your MiLB players I want.   I get 3:  One I can hang my hat on and 2 somewhere in the middle.

[gunnarthor]

Cafardo's report also seems to suggest teams are contacting the Twins for Plouffe and the Twins think Plouffe would be a "huge chip."  So I don't think they'd trade him for a Jim Hoey type return.

[jimmer]

Another middle reliever, perhaps?

[gunnarthor]

The team I've read to have the most interest in Plouffe is the Angels but they have a pretty barren farm system.  They do have three youngish relief pitchers (Tropeano, Minor and Bedrosian) whom I know nothing about but all have k-rates over 9.  One of their fans suggested Bedrosian and Hector Santiago (a LH back of the rotation starter with one year of control left).  Other fans said that was too light for the Twins.  But the Angels also have a former good prospect named Kaleb Cowart who had two horrible seasons in a row (he went unclaimed in the rule 5 draft) but had a real nice season last year at AAA (albeit the PCL) and is still only 23.  He plays third and his defense gets strong marks.

 

I wonder if a deal for one of the relievers, the backend starter and Cowart would be fair. 

[h2oface]

Big rumor. Such a scoop. Plouffe might be traded? Other teams inquiring? First time I had ever heard about that. Those crazy GM's.

[sane]

If nothing else, it's nice to hear the Twins connected to rumors.

..started by the Twins

[PseudoSABR]

I just don't see how Plouffe has much trade value.  If he's traded, I don't expect much in return.

[jimmer]

 

If he's traded, I don't expect much in return.

Neither do I.

[Thrylos]

 

Trading Plouffe midseason (2016 or 2017) is likely to fetch a better return.

 

Sure.  Like trading D. Santana midseason 2015 vs off-season 2014...

[kab21]

So far people are suggesting that a Plouffe trade package is going to get Tropeano or Bedrosian as a main piece?

 

This is very shrugworthy.  If Plouffe can't fetch more at midseason then they shouldn't even consider trading him.

[TheLeviathan]

We get a good taste of this weird dynamic again: Plouffe is too valuable for us to deal but he's worthless on the market.

 

Regardless, he shouldn't be moved for a poor return, but I do hope these rumors indicate an active conversation(s) is happening.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm guessing that Ryan would listen on offers to anyone if they came in.  That said, this is where I tend to value Ryan as a GM.  He will get value for Plouffe or he won't trade him.  Not sure if it will be a MLB reliever with a prospect, an MLB reliever and the ability to unload Nolasco, or just prospects, but I suspect if he trades Plouffe, he'll get something he wants. 

 

The real question is what type of offers are coming in.

[kab21]

 

We get a good taste of this weird dynamic again: Plouffe is too valuable for us to deal but he's worthless on the market.

 

Regardless, he shouldn't be moved for a poor return, but I do hope these rumors indicate an active conversation(s) is happening.

He is a good player (not a great one) and the types of trades mentioned in this thread are completely uninspiring.  Somebody mentioned trading Plouffe for a couple 15-20 org prospects.  Other trades are going after non-dominant RP'ing almost prospects.  Yawn.

 

Basically it is playing out exactly like I thought it would.  Why is a team going to trade for Plouffe when Freese (and Daniel Murphy) is out there?  Why would they give up a good package of prospects when Frazier is likely available?  I don't really buy the substance of these rumors (demand).  It all sounds manufactured or even speculated by writers instead of real demand.

[Brock Beauchamp]

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.

A 3 WAR position player is worth a hell of a lot more than a "solid" bullpen arm. It better be a great bullpen arm.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I just don't see how Plouffe has much trade value. If he's traded, I don't expect much in return.

Does he have a lot of value? No.

 

But look at that FA third base market. It's worse than barren. It's pathetic.

 

Plouffe should be able to pull back a very good reliever with 2-3 years of control or an upside prospect without much difficulty.

 

If that deal doesn't happen, don't trade the guy. We're talking about a player worth 6-ish WAR over the past two seasons. That's above average, if only by a tick.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Does he have a lot of value? No.

But look at that FA third base market. It's worse than barren. It's pathetic.

Plouffe should be able to pull back a very good reliever with 2-3 years of control or an upside prospect without much difficulty.

If that deal doesn't happen, don't trade the guy. We're talking about a player worth 6-ish WAR over the past two seasons. That's above average, if only by a tick.

I don't disagree, at all really. I just temper my expectations, and because of that, I won't be surprised if we keep him. 

 

That said, as the season approaches, and the 3b market becomes entrenched, his value should increase.   Though I have a hard time imaging the Twins dealing Plouffe during Spring Training, much less in the season.

[DocBauer]

Poor 3B market. Proven enough defensively and offensively to be a fixture at the hot corner for the next few years and give a team 50+ XB hits while solidifying the bottom half of an order. Plouffe HAS value.

 

If this was 2 years from Now and Mauer was retiring, or close to it, we probably don't even entertain a trade for Plouffe.

 

I don't think when people mention RP we are talking about some long or middle reliever. We are talking about a serious, proven arm to work with Perkins and Jepson to control the 8th and 9th innings. Could we sign such a FA arm? Possibly. But who? Who do you bid against? How big and long do the terms get? What if Plouffe could bring a big arm (or two) that can not only do the job, but we don't have to get in a bidding war, and yet, can still have control for 3 or 4 years?

 

Not saying I absolutely want him traded or that he absolutely must be traded, but, there is a difference between a "relief pitcher" and a top shelf, proven reliever.

[h2oface]

I think folks are drastically underestimating Plouffe's value. Come trade deadline in 2016, especially. Prospects, schmaspects. Some team is going to desperately need an above average proven third sacker, and Plouffe's value will surprise you. He will probably get to finally play in some meaningful playoff games. Prospects are the ones that are over-rated. 

 

I also think that relying on Perkins moving forward is a big mistake. He so obviously isn't taking his aging seriously and has no workout ethic to compensate for it. Hopefully the relief can come from the power arms in the farm sooner than later. Much sooner, like this year.