Nick Punto Retires

[Thrylos]

Here is a guy I don't mind if the Twins bring back as a special instructor (other than baserunning)

 

[biggentleben]

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.

Y'know, the Braves currently have a former Twin who's done the same in AJ...though I think his detractors may have other comments.

[Thrylos]

 

Y'know, the Braves currently have a former Twin who's done the same in AJ...though I think his detractors may have other comments.

 

Well... 

I'd say that one of the two was not as class act as the other.  Matter of fact "not a class act" is too good to describe that one.  Plus, that one was a White Sox player for a while.

 

Guess who.

[spinowner]

 

Well... 

I'd say that one of the two was not as class act as the other.  Matter of fact "not a class act" is too good to describe that one.  Plus, that one was a White Sox player for a while.

 

Guess who.

I love what Ozzie Guillen said about him:

If he's not on your team you hate him. If he's on your team you hate him less.

[notoriousgod71]

 

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.

 

Nothing wrong with that stat at all.

[jimmer]

 

Nothing wrong with that stat at all.

Fangraphs has Howard a bit higher.  A hair over 20.  

 

But yeah, nothing wrong thinking Punto was almost as valuable as Howard because defense matters. The thing that's really awesome is Howard has played way more and still barely has more WAR.

 

 

 

[biggentleben]

 

I love what Ozzie Guillen said about him:

If he's not on your team you hate him. If he's on your team you hate him less.

 

But he maximizes every ounce of what he's been given. In a middle infielder, we revere that. In a catcher or pitcher, we see it as hot dogging or show boating or "lack of class". I cannot tell you how many times I saw Punto celebrate a big defensive play, but God forbid if a pitcher pumps his fist after getting a big strikeout, or a catcher chest bumps his pitcher after getting a big out to end the inning.

[DocBauer]

Loved his defense, his hustle, his gamesmanship and his effort. Hated his propensity for sliding in to 1B.

 

I also never understood any of the negativism directed his way. To me he was only guilty of two things; 1} Gardy and the Twins relying on him too much (he was a utility player!) 2} he was too good at times and teased people in to wondering why he couldn't be that guy all the time.

[GCTF]

 

Indeed. Punto was the punching bag of BYTO 

What? McSuckin was a term of endearment.

[alhweiner]

RIP LNP.

[dgwills]

 

I love what Ozzie Guillen said about him:

If he's not on your team you hate him. If he's on your team you hate him less.

I love it too. It's honestly my favorite sports quote of all time.I have nothing else to add, but I felt giving you a like was not enough.

[dbminn]

Punto was the definition of a utility player. Uneven hitting, extreme baserunning (for better or worse) and an elite glove. Fangraphs ranks him as the fourth best fielder in baseball from 2005 to 2013. Not an easy job, but he was good at it.

 

 

[GM64]

What I always liked about Punto is that he was the kind of guy to say things like the quote in this story from back when Radke was pitching hurt (and effectively) for the Twins at a time they needed him.

 

In the seventh, manager Ron Gardenhire went to the mound to take him out. “Rad said, ‘No way am I coming out of this game,’ ” pitching coach Rick Anderson said. “After that, Nicky Punto came into the dugout and said, ‘I have a new all-time favorite player.’ That summed it up for a lot of us.”

 

Radke got out of the inning and the Twins won 4-2.

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2006/aug/13/radke-puts-aside-pain-to-help-twins-playoff/

[DaveW]

What? McSuckin was a term of endearment.

I want to ravage him sexually

[Paul Pleiss]

We all know that when Punto goes into the hall of fame he'll be wearing a Twins cap, but should it actually be a Twins batting helmet connected to first base? WHO SLIDES INTO FIRST BASE?!?

 

LITTLE NICK PUNTO!

 

Get money. Get paid.

 

Thanks for the memories, my sweet shredder.

[Tovar12]

He would have definitely won a Gold Glove (had he played a position permanently) 

[Platoon]

The word permanently is important. Lol. I think he played some of the finest third base I have ever seen one year. (The years tend to blur) He had an exceptional defensive year there. He just didn't quite hit as a 3B man!