Plouffe on the bubble

[Badsmerf]

In the midst of a 3-30 slide an ugly July, Plouffe is not making a very good case right now. He is a funny player to me. When I look at his advanced stats, I can't believe that it doesn't show up in his results. His LD% is amazingly high (25%!!) which has led to a higher BABIP this year (.284) compared to last year (.244). To put it in perspective, Joe Mauer has a career average 23% LD%. So, Plouffe has been making some pretty good contact that isn't being reflected right now. Also, progress has been made by less IFFB (infield fly ball), which is the worst type of contact a player can make.

 

What is making the difference? Looking deeper Plouffe is also showing better plate discipline by swinging at less pitches outside the zone. However, he is also swinging at a significantly less amount of balls inside the zone. So, if he's swinging at less inside the zone and outside the zone, he's just simply swinging less. So plate discipline really isn't to blame.

 

If I was a stock broker, I'd be buying on Plouffe right now. I think he will have a better month of August and really turn some things around.

[Marta Shearing]

Too hot and cold for me. He's prone to some brutal slumps.

SANO SANO SANO SANO!

[Joe A. Preusser]

Too hot and cold for me. He's prone to some brutal slumps.

SANO SANO SANO SANO!

 

Obviously Sano is the endgame we all want, but Plouffe can be a nice piece of our strong teams to come. No reason to dump him to make room for The Beast, just move him to 1st/DH/RF combo with Parm, Colaballo, and Herm.

[launchingthrees]

Too hot and cold for me. He's prone to some brutal slumps.

SANO SANO SANO SANO!

 

if the twins bring up sano this year I will never spend a cent on them again.

[NC-Twins]

Sano would get crushed by big league pitching right now. Mid 2014 at the earliest. I think 2015.

[drjim]

if the twins bring up sano this year I will never spend a cent on them again.

 

I would go the other way. Calling up Sano would probably lead to me spending more cents than I planned in September.

[Guest USAFChief]

Too hot and cold for me. He's prone to some brutal slumps.

SANO SANO SANO SANO!

We'll need Plouffe to fill in for Sano when Gardy benches Sano for not hitting behind the runner.

[Winston Smith]

We'll need Plouffe to fill in for Sano when Gardy benches Sano for not hitting behind the runner.

 

We all know that productive outs are what make a great team. Twins way!

[nicksaviking]

if the twins bring up sano this year I will never spend a cent on them again.

 

Because you're a Detroit fan? This is a pretty bizare statement.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Obviously Sano is the endgame we all want, but Plouffe can be a nice piece of our strong teams to come. No reason to dump him to make room for The Beast, just move him to 1st/DH/RF combo with Parm, Colaballo, and Herm.

 

It's insanity to not want Plouffe to absolutely light it up on offense. If he turns into an above-average third baseman, we're looking at a Denard Span-type trade chip in 2014 or 2015.

 

And Denard Span fetched the team Alex Meyer. I sure would like more Alex Meyers in this farm system.

[Badsmerf]

It's insanity to not want Plouffe to absolutely light it up on offense. If he turns into an above-average third baseman, we're looking at a Denard Span-type trade chip in 2014 or 2015.

 

And Denard Span fetched the team Alex Meyer. I sure would like more Alex Meyers in this farm system.

There has to be some sort of adjustment he needs to make.... or a "distraction."

[Oldgoat_MN]

Plouffe is swinging the bat less?

 

It will be very difficult for him to hit better without swinging the bat.

 

This taking two strikes before moving the bat off your shoulder isn't even working for Mauer this year.

Swing at a strike, for crying out loud.

[Bill]

I have only seen a few games this month on TV but it has looked to me that Plouffe is trying to go the other way more. His spray chart for July compared with previous months suggests he is not hitting fly balls to the left side now.

 

[Badsmerf]

I hope to Joe Baby Jesus Mauer that hitting the other way isn't his problem.

[Bill]

Not a problem for Joe!

[Mr. Brooks]

Not a problem for Joe!

 

Yeah but that is how Joe hits.

I sure hope this is some fluky small sample size, and that the Twins are not seriously going down this road again.

Plouffe is a pull hitter, period.

The coaching staff should be encouraging him to sit dead red and pull mistakes into the left field seats.

Trying to change him into someone he's not by telling him to go the other way would be as stupid as trying to force Mauer to start pulling everything.

I'm not saying teach people to pull, or teach people to go the other way. I'm saying that every player has his own unique skill set. Whatever that is, teach to that!

Stop trying to force square pegs into round holes, Twins !!

[70charger]

I have only seen a few games this month on TV but it has looked to me that Plouffe is trying to go the other way more. His spray chart for July compared with previous months suggests he is not hitting fly balls to the left side now.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5045[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]5046[/ATTACH]

 

Good information.

 

I think that it probably has a lot to do with how pitchers are throwing to him these days. They read the scouting report; if it's inside, he can hammer it over the left field fence. Pitch him away and see if he can hit it to other side. Honestly, it hasn't been his strong suit thus far in his career, but it's good to see him adapting.

[launchingthrees]

I would go the other way. Calling up Sano would probably lead to me spending more cents than I planned in September.

 

Yeah let's get him some pointless at bats on a horrible team. It's really bizarre that the front office is quite cheap and yet find a way to piss away service time.

[drjim]

Yeah let's get him some pointless at bats on a horrible team. It's really bizarre that the front office is quite cheap and yet find a way to piss away service time.

 

Probably not pointless if he is good enough to start the season next year.

 

And outside of one example, how exactly have they blundered service time.

[launchingthrees]

Probably not pointless if he is good enough to start the season next year.

 

And outside of one example, how exactly have they blundered service time.

 

He won't start the season in the bigs next year, at least i hope there's a reasonable mind somewhere in the front office.