2B and RF are the big ?.....Can Parmalee learn to play well enough in RF to earn a full time spot and thus hold down a everyday spot in the lineup?? If Span is traded and Revere takes over CF he may get a shot especially if they keep Justin going into next season.

No Trevor Plouffe hasn't even been close to the level of Mauer's performance. Below average defense at 3rd base and a 330 OBP with a 259 Average doesn't translate into a better season than a player who leads the league in OBP and is in the top 5 in average with a war 3+ as opposed to Plouffe who has one around 2. Plouffe has struck out 57 times. That is 2 less than Mauer while having a 100 less at bats. It's not even close.

No Trevor Plouffe hasn't even been close to the level of Mauer's performance. Below average defense at 3rd base and a 330 OBP with a 259 Average doesn't translate into a better season than a player who leads the league in OBP and is in the top 5 in average with a war 3+ as opposed to Plouffe who has one around 2. Plouffe has struck out 57 times. That is 2 less than Mauer while having a 100 less at bats. It's not even close.

Speaking of close-

 

Qualifers in AL/OBP

 

1) Ortiz .414

2) Mauer: .413

No Trevor Plouffe hasn't even been close to the level of Mauer's performance. Below average defense at 3rd base and a 330 OBP with a 259 Average doesn't translate into a better season than a player who leads the league in OBP and is in the top 5 in average with a war 3+ as opposed to Plouffe who has one around 2. Plouffe has struck out 57 times. That is 2 less than Mauer while having a 100 less at bats. It's not even close.

Mauer's WAR is goosed as a part-time C.

Mauer's WAR is goosed as a part-time C.

And part time DH and part time 1B. Those would seem to average out to be perhaps only slightly above a 3B in the "value added by position" category.

No Trevor Plouffe hasn't even been close to the level of Mauer's performance. Below average defense at 3rd base and a 330 OBP with a 259 Average doesn't translate into a better season than a player who leads the league in OBP and is in the top 5 in average with a war 3+ as opposed to Plouffe who has one around 2. Plouffe has struck out 57 times. That is 2 less than Mauer while having a 100 less at bats. It's not even close.

WAR with respect to defensive position aside, I agree with this perspective. I don't think it's accurate to say that Plouffe has had a better season. From mid-May until his injury? Yup. (Again, not because Mauer is doing badly; because Plouffe beginning about May 15 was otherworldly.) But that's only about a month, and Mauer has been back to his old rock-solid, consistent self.

 

Perhaps we're splitting hairs.