Trevor Plouffe: Third Base or Utility Role

I really hope the Twins hang onto Babe Plouffe. No need to send him packing this winter in a trade or other means. Miguel Sano missed the season and hasn't played above AA. The Twins need a 3rd basemen, that 3rd basemen is Trevor Plouffe. If you wanted to argue that Santana will be the everyday SS and Escobar slides over to 3rb duties, maybe I could entertain that argument, but I don't think we've seen enough for Santana at SS to give him that job over Escobar.

Escobar hasn't been great defensively, but he makes the plays he needs to make, he's young, cost controlled and seems to be getting better. Plouffe has done nothing this season to lose his job. Make Sano steal it from him.

The only reason to trade Plouffe would be that you had an offer you couldn't refuse. You know the trade poposal that make you think the other GM is a little like Santa. If Sano is deemed near ready and a GM sees a player he needs for his team, Plouffe could fetch a high return. Ryan is not above fleecing a team in a trade.

What's the upside of trading Plouffe? What do you think the Twins could get for him in return? A third basemen who can hit could be a useful addition for a contending team heading down the stretch to replace an injured starter, but I'm not sure there's much of a trade market for that in the off-season.

I think any GM makes any trade if he thinks he's getting lopsided value, but I don't think anyone is going to give that up for Babe Plouffe.

Getting prospects back for MLB regulars doesn't seem like a recipie for success. This team needs to start winning, continuing to throw away current value for future hope needs to take a back seat to winning in 2015, winning sooner than later.

A 22 year old future Ace type  for any Twins regular. LikeI said, Santa GM S what the A's gave to Chicago and Boston.

 Scouts have all indicated he can play the position.

That is not true at all. While he has improved (pretty hard not to when he committed 42 errors in 2012), he is still an uncertainty at the position. He is big, and will only get bigger. That doesn't mean he can't play a passable 3b, just that science is against him. There is a big difference between noting an improvement, and being confident he remains at 3b. 

I can see the Twins keeping him in AAA for an entire year with the excuse that his defense needs to improve. 

Plouffe will only "remain" at 3B for 3 more seasons, then he'll be gone. Sano doesn't have to stick past age 30, just fill the gap in the near term.

By "blown away" I'm assuming you would agree that if Terry Ryan can find another starting pitching prospect with the pedigree of Alex Meyer that it would be a sufficient return for Plouffe.