Nick Punto Retires

[Seth Stohs]

According to Ken Rosenthal, 38-year-old Nick Punto has decided to retire from baseball. He sat out last year despite having a contract, so this is not any surprise.

 

Punto was the brunt of some jokes by Twins fans, to be sure... at the end of the day, he had a very solid, long career. He posted a WAR of over 15 and had a couple of very strong seasons. Mostly, he was a terrific defensive utility man. Even with the bat, he worked pitch counts, took a lot of pitches and drew walks. 

 

Formerly a polarizing figure among Twins fans, I hope we can all agree that he had a nice career!

[dgwills]

I think most people liked Punto. The problem was Gardenhire liked him a bit too much. We had a lot of fun with that.  He was a good player to root for and I wish him well in retirement.  

[Dantes929]

Just my opinion but there will be those that will say he was just a decent utility player and not an everyday player.    He had two seasons of regular play where he hit .284 or better.   What I saw develop in his down seasons was Arcia disease where he tried pulling the ball in order to hit home runs.   It seemed to me that he was embarrassed about not hitting more home runs and swung way too hard as a result.     I always thought Gardy should have sat him down and told him if he ever steps foot in the bucket or falls off balance as a result of a hard swing he would be benched.   When Punto battled at the plate and just tried to put the ball in play he was very useful whether as a utility guy or every day player.   His biggest flaw was in trying to do things he was incapable of.    Just my opinion.    Overall, I think the WAR does not lie.  He was a good player.

[h2oface]

Prince must be sooooo bummed.

[DaveW]

Im gonna get working on my tribute video shortly, buying my 2021 Cooperstown tickets as well!

 

Joking aside, I was a big Punto fan (other than when they had him start at 3B, which wasn't his fault) solid util player all said and done and seemed like a great guy to boot! Glad he had a nice career!

[kydoty]

Nick Punto’s career WAR is 15.3

Ryan Howard’s career WAR is 16.4

By this time next year, Nick Punto might literally have a better career WAR than Ryan Howard.

[darin617]

Will he be signing a 1 day contract and retire a Twin?

[Mike Sixel]

Harballtalk has a nice little post on him, and KLAW is worried about batgirl.....

[drjim]

My favorite all time memory of Punto is him sliding headfirst into first base on a foul bunt.

[Rosterman]

He did good. He could hold his own as a utility guy, but never let him block a budding prospect, please. Like Hocking, I hope he stays in baseball at some point as a coach.

[Vanimal46]

Let's always remember that Punto had 123 bunt attempts, and 48 bunt hits during his Twins career. GOAT? As a bunter, potentially. Let's find a spot for Punto to join the team as Bunt Specialist.... 

[drjim]

 

He did good. He could hold his own as a utility guy, but never let him block a budding prospect, please. Like Hocking, I hope he stays in baseball at some point as a coach.

 

Let's make a list of all the actual prospects that Punto blocked. It's a very short list.

[Dantes929]

 

Let's make a list of all the actual prospects that Punto blocked. It's a very short list.

Well I do believe Gardy got his MOY award because of Punto getting hurt.   Gardy got his award because he won despite guys getting hurt when actually he won because of guys getting hurt.   I doubt Valencia would have been promoted and have his great year if Punto didn't get hurt.  I personally thought Gardy deserved MOY once or twice but the year he won it was his worst year managing.

[ThejacKmp]

 

He did good. He could hold his own as a utility guy, but never let him block a budding prospect, please. Like Hocking, I hope he stays in baseball at some point as a coach.

 

I imagine he'll be hired as a First Base Sliding Coach.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Im gonna get working on my tribute video shortly, buying my 2021 Cooperstown tickets as well!

 

Joking aside, I was a big Punto fan (other than when they had him start at 3B, which wasn't his fault) solid util player all said and done and seemed like a great guy to boot! Glad he had a nice career!

 

I believe the year they had him start at 3B was 2006, his best year. 

[Winston Smith]

The mention of Gardy made me wonder if any of his coaches are back coaching?

[Thrylos]

 

 I personally thought Gardy deserved MOY once or twice but the year he won it was his worst year managing.

 

30 Major League ball clubs (that refuse to employ him) disagree with you.

[old nurse]

 

30 Major League ball clubs (that refuse to employ him) disagree with you.

So, were the manager of the year awards for Wedge, Wiliams, Black, Gibson and Johnson also undeserving as 30 teams do not hire any of them as managers?  They have all won manager of the year awards

[spinowner]

You could not find a better defensive utility infielder. I never understood the hate.

[gunnarthor]

As Seth said, nice career.  Best of luck to him.

[jimbo92107]

One my favorite Nick Punto plays was an obvious bunt situation. First and third basemen both crept in, and what does Punto do? He bunts it hard, right at the shortstop! Ball gets past the pitcher for an easy single, advances the runner. Punto was always looking for ways to beat the opponent, and his cagey play would sometimes rub off on his teammates. 

 

I hope he goes right into coaching. For the Twins.

[mickeymental]

made postseason five times with four teams. won a ring. good teams wanted him. i think of the time he dove behind second to snag a grounder, then rolled the ball out of his glove to the bag for the force.

[DaveW]

I believe the year they had him start at 3B was 2006, his best year.

fair enough, but they never should have gone into a season with Punto as "plan A" for third base. He was a great util guy, but like a lot of great Util guys they get exposed pretty quickly when you put them at an offense heavy position.

[DaveW]

made postseason five times with four teams. won a ring. good teams wanted him. i think of the time he dove behind second to snag a grounder, then rolled the ball out of his glove to the bag for the force.

Yeah, by all accounts he was a great clubhouse guy as well. I still think the Twins should have tried to bring him back sometime in the past few years...

[Seth Stohs]

 

fair enough, but they never should have gone into a season with Punto as "plan A" for third base. He was a great util guy, but like a lot of great Util guys they get exposed pretty quickly when you put them at an offense heavy position.

 

They didn't... Tony Batista was the main 3B for the first two months. 

[Dantes929]

 

30 Major League ball clubs (that refuse to employ him) disagree with you.

Not even close to true.   I didn't say he was more deserving of the award any other year and certainly not in the last 4 years.   No one wants him now after 4 losing records in a row but he was 2nd in MOY 5 times in the 7 year stretch from 2003 to 2009.   That is pretty impressive even if I do think managers are pretty overrated.   I thought he was more deserving of the award in any of those years than in the year he actually won it.    If he was available in that decade I am reasonably sure he would have had many offers.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

They didn't... Tony Batista was the main 3B for the first two months. 

They didn't have him as Plan A in 2006, but they most certainly did in 2007.  And again in 2009 (shortstop) and 2010 (third base again).

[jimmer]

I think most of 'the hate' Punto received was misplaced. From practically everyone I talked to it had to do with how Gardenhire utilized Punto (and how he glorified Punto) than anything Punto did. what was Punto going to do? Was he supposed to say don't play me Gardy? Yeah no. Punto always gave his all and had a good attitude.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I think most of 'the hate' Punto received was misplaced. From practically everyone I talked to it had to do with how Gardenhire utilized Punto (and how he glorified Punto) than anything Punto did. what was Punto going to do? Was he supposed to say don't play me Gardy? Yeah no. Punto always gave his all and had a good attitude.

Indeed. Punto was the punching bag of BYTO but much of the animosity was indirectly aimed at Gardenhire, not really Punto. He was a very capable utility guy, the kind of player that steps in when needed to shore up a position mid-season and fill in when a starter needs a breather. He was valuable.

 

But he started. so. many. games.

[USAFChief]

A decent MLB player for a number of years, who got every ounce of production from his talent.

 

Not many people in this world can say either of those things.  Good for him.