With the end of July getting closer and closer each day it brings forth the question; are the Twins buyers or sellers? Well from a fan’s perspective you always want your team to be buyers rather than sellers. (C’mon who wants to see their favorite player get traded). But there is a very good chance that the Twins will be sellers this year. And for that their are many possibilities for the Twins. So many that I will not be covering them all, and someone else will most likely do so on this website.

Now as for who the Twins could trade by the end of July or during the offseason. These, I believe are most realistic options and it is a personal opinion. So I think that the Twins could trade Willingham (maybe not now but in the offseason), Morneau, Perkins, and Plouffe. Now all of those player seem like legitimate candidates to get traded, with the surprising name of Plouffe in that list. With him being an average 3rd baseman with the potential to be a 25 Home Run guy. Along with having the ability to play virtually anywhere on the diamond (with the exception of pitcher/catcher of course). When he came up he played Short stop (although not very well), later he moved to Right field which also gives him the ability to play left as well. Not to mention he played a few games at 2ed base last year early in the season. So why would any team want a slightly above above average 3rd baseman who has the capabilities of playing elsewhere on the diamond and has the potential to hit 25 Home Runs a year? In other words I'm asking.... is Plouffe worth keeping?

To answer that question involves many variables, that are quite challenging to focus on one at a time, and therefore I am only going to go through the ones that seem most obvious and clear at this point in time. First off, we all know what he can do offensively after last year's prolific rain of terror, in about a months span. But as of lately he has been productive in a sense of a losing team. As of today he has 8 Home runs, a average just under .300 and doing what a 3rd baseman is supposed to do, which is driving in runs. What he can do with the glove is another story. Although improving his defense at 3rd base this past year, he still has some work to do over there if he wants to keep his job at 3rd.

Speaking of third baseman, a monster of a player is making his way through the minor leagues and may be with the Twins as of soon as next year. His name is, of course, Miguel Sano, who ranks in the top ten of every baseball prospect list in America and has been living up to those heavy expectations. By hitting 20 Home Runs in High-A ball and currently hitting 8 Home Runs in Double A. It is no question that this guy can hit and be a major run producer in any lineup. With all of that he has done in the past, present and later in the future, it should hopefully be quite obvious, to the Twins that he belongs in the Major Leagues and is deserving of a starting job once he arrives. But if he gets a starting job that means someone will with have to move to a new position or be sent packing their bags. And that player is Trevor Plouffe.

To trade Plouffe now would be the easiest way to let him go. Avoiding the hatred and sadden emotions from both the fans and the player. But to trade him means we must get someone worthy in return. Which would be the challenging part. He is in some what of a hot streak right now but not enough to say "We need to trade him now if want to get anyone good in return for him". I just think that will never be the case with Plouffe, so it is either trade him now or later for the same return.

Another, more fan and player friendly, option would be to keep him on the team by switching his main position, yet again, and taking the risk that his bat might suffer with the change. A possible position for him to switch to would be first base. This would not only be an easy transition from 3rd to 1st but would be a finically sound one as well. This is because of the, soon to be, ex-Twin Justin Morneau. I can only assume this because the Twins would not want to pay him millions of dollars for a slow, aging player when they a just as good, younger and cheaper player playing first base, in Trevor Plouffe.

Overall this all depends on the development of Miguel Sano in the Minor leagues, whether it impacts Morneau's career as a Twins is to soon to be told, but if Sano gets a major injury, for some unfortunate reason, and it ends up delaying his Major league debut then so be it. Plouffe gets the lucky opportunity to keep his job longer. And if Plouffe gets traded by seasons end then I wish him the best of luck elsewhere. I, myself cannot control what the Twins do, therefore I can only speculate, and anticipate what they might do.

Right now, Plouffe is a keeper. He is a keeper as he goes thru arbitration. He can play a multitude of positions, DH....his bat, if consistent, is worthwhile to have. There is no immediate replacement that can do what he does (Janey carroll, Escobar...think not).