Should Plouffe Be Shopped?

[jokin]

Trading Plouffe makes no sense right now, or at all this season.

 

1. He hasn't established enough success to get any substantial talent back.

2. He is cheap and under team control without worry about FA or contracts.

3. He can play almost any position on the field and has done so when asked.

4. These types of players are the guys that compliment superstars like Mauer and Sano and help win championships. During the Twins good years, they didn't have anyone like this.

 

If Plouffe does post an 800 OPS this season and has an 800 OPS going into the trade deadline next season I think his name might come up a little more. At this point it is all about weighing what you're giving up (a real 3b) to what you'd be getting (at this point unknown).

 

FWIW, Rob St. Antony was on 1500 tonight after personally watching Sano's first games at New Britain. He wasn't concerned about his slow start at the plate at all. He did emphasize repeatedly that Sano has made extraordinary progress over at 3B. He mentioned how he went through a grueling session of defensive reps of hot smashes and slow hit dinks and never missed one ball or throw to first. He made it sound as if this was something he had never done before. The writing is on the wall. I hope both the Twins and Trevor are wide open to the concept of him becoming the super-utility guy. It seems like the best way to utilize him, given the facts you stated so well. His approach at the plate is still on the upswing, and he showed in that amazing month last year that there is something still untapped towards realizing his full potential.

[Shane Wahl]

Trading Plouffe now is not the deal. Trading him at the end of July is what's up. Pittsburgh . . .

 

Anyway, the Twins could finish out with Romero at third and even begin next season with him there.

 

Get what you can. Add depth to the system.

[Oldgoat_MN]

FWIW, Rob St. Antony was on 1500 tonight after personally watching Sano's first games at New Britain. He wasn't concerned about his slow start at the plate at all. He did emphasize repeatedly that Sano has made extraordinary progress over at 3B. He mentioned how he went through a grueling session of defensive reps of hot smashes and slow hit dinks and never missed one ball or throw to first. He made it sound as if this was something he had never done before. The writing is on the wall. I hope both the Twins and Trevor are wide open to the concept of him becoming the super-utility guy. It seems like the best way to utilize him, given the facts you stated so well. His approach at the plate is still on the upswing, and he showed in that amazing month last year that there is something still untapped towards realizing his full potential.

 

Not enough people say this: Plouffe could be an IF/OF (corner) utility guy.

 

We have gotten so used to poor hitting good fielding utility players that we think that's how it has to be. What if you had a passable-fielding strong hitting utility IF? They would also be useful off the bench as a PH.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Not enough people say this: Plouffe could be an IF/OF (corner) utility guy.

 

We have gotten so used to poor hitting good fielding utility players that we think that's how it has to be. What if you had a passable-fielding strong hitting utility IF? They would also be useful off the bench as a PH.

 

The reality of the situation is that you'd have to couple that poor fielder with a good fielder as well.

 

Which in the case of Plouffe, is not impossible because Trevor can also play corner OF so he fills in more of a super-utility/platoon role than anything else.

[snepp]

The reality of the situation is that you'd have to couple that poor fielder with a good fielder as well.

 

When you've got a team that enjoys filling the middle infield with no-hit, all-glove players, I don't think that's much of a concern.

[Guest USAFChief]

Trading Plouffe now is not the deal. Trading him at the end of July is what's up. Pittsburgh . . .

 

Anyway, the Twins could finish out with Romero at third and even begin next season with him there.

 

Get what you can. Add depth to the system.

I have an idea...trade Romero instead.

 

How's about the Twins start collecting actual major league players, instead of "depth."

[Brock Beauchamp]

When you've got a team that enjoys filling the middle infield with no-hit, all-glove players, I don't think that's much of a concern.

 

I still believe you need a capable fielder on the bench. There will be situations where the game is close and late and your no-hit guys are out of the game from pinch-hit replacements.

 

It's just a good idea to have a backup that won't embarrass himself.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I have an idea...trade Romero instead.

 

How's about the Twins start collecting actual major league players, instead of "depth."

 

Actually, I'm kinda with Chief on this. At some point, you stop trading young, cost-controlled players who can play at the MLB level.

 

Is Plouffe one of those guys? Possibly, maybe even likely at this point.

 

Which is why it's probably a good idea to hold on to him until Sano is ready to take his place. You only replace those guys when/if a player who is significantly better and cheaper comes along.

[Oldgoat_MN]

When you've got a team that enjoys filling the middle infield with no-hit, all-glove players, I don't think that's much of a concern.

 

Exactly!

[diehardtwinsfan]

1) Like others, I don't see him bringing back enough to make it worth it. If TR is blown away (like Pitt offering Tallison Cole or something silly like that), sure. But I dont' see anyone beating down the doors for Plouffe.

 

2) He's young enough, and cost controlled enough that he fits into the next wave. His bat is good enough now to play at most positions on the diamond and he has experience at LF, SS, 2B, and 3B. When Sano is ready, I'd consider moving him, not trading him. For that matter, if the Twins are convinced that Romero can be decent, I'd be fine moving Plouffe to SS or 2B (especially since his bat plays up a lot better there) and allowing Romero a 1 year shot at 3B to build up trade value.

 

3) The bottom line is that there's still a good chance that some of these high ceiling prospects don't pan out. Plouffe has panned out and appears to be getting better. I think it makes more sense to shop him when there's no obvious position for him, not to do it now. Not that I think it will happen, but if Rosario for example were to fail, then there'd be no one to man second, and Plouffe is capable. If he's traded, we are right back where we are today.

[StormJH1]

Trading Plouffe makes no sense right now, or at all this season.

 

1. He hasn't established enough success to get any substantial talent back.

2. He is cheap and under team control without worry about FA or contracts.

3. He can play almost any position on the field and has done so when asked.

4. These types of players are the guys that compliment superstars like Mauer and Sano and help win championships. During the Twins good years, they didn't have anyone like this.

 

If Plouffe does post an 800 OPS this season and has an 800 OPS going into the trade deadline next season I think his name might come up a little more. At this point it is all about weighing what you're giving up (a real 3b) to what you'd be getting (at this point unknown).

 

Yeah, I'm totally with this post. Has Plouffe even really had a good 2-month stretch as a starter yet where he was encumbered by injuries? Even so, the results haven't been that bad. But he would have virtually no trade value - his best asset in the eyes of other teams is that he's not old enough to be considered a confirmed "bust". Which, coincidentally, is exactly one of the main reasons we should keep him.

[chopper0080]

Like many on this thread, I see Plouffe as part of the solution, not the problem. No one is untradeable for the right price, but I can't see a team trading a top SP or SS prospect for him. Keep him on the roster and when Sano does come up, be creative in ways to find him at bats.

[Kwak]

Complete the circle of your logic: "Plouffe isn't good enough to fetch anybody" [worthwhile], turn him into a bench player [super utility?], keeping him because the Twins historically have kept bench players worse than Plouffe. At this rate Plouffe enters arbitration as a starting 3B who gets to yelp about his HRs--on a team that is paying $14MM for one guy to hit 3 and $23MM to hit 7 in by late June--total year projection for both is about 25 total! Plouffe becomes very expensive--for a "super-utility" player. Plouffe needs to be moved--either packaged in a trade with others to get a quality major league player, or as the SS of the Twins and live with his defense. IMO Plouffe's defense not much worse than Florimon's, but he will hit much better than Florimon. In short, keeping Plouffe means paying him. The salary Plouffe would command is way beyond that of a "super-utility", Plouffe would have to start [somewhere].

[Seth Stohs]

I don't think they should be shopping him, but I think they should listen because some teams might call them about him. I don't think they could get a lot for him. He will go to arbitration after the season.

[kab21]

Complete the circle of your logic: "Plouffe isn't good enough to fetch anybody" [worthwhile], turn him into a bench player [super utility?], keeping him because the Twins historically have kept bench players worse than Plouffe. At this rate Plouffe enters arbitration as a starting 3B who gets to yelp about his HRs--on a team that is paying $14MM for one guy to hit 3 and $23MM to hit 7 in by late June--total year projection for both is about 25 total! Plouffe becomes very expensive--for a "super-utility" player. Plouffe needs to be moved--either packaged in a trade with others to get a quality major league player, or as the SS of the Twins and live with his defense. IMO Plouffe's defense not much worse than Florimon's, but he will hit much better than Florimon. In short, keeping Plouffe means paying him. The salary Plouffe would command is way beyond that of a "super-utility", Plouffe would have to start [somewhere].

 

Mauer and Morneau's contract are not relevant when determining Plouffe's arbitration values. Plouffe's inconsistent numbers that are merely okay will determine how much Plouffe gets in arb. If Plouffe has a strong finish to the season ending up with 25 HR's and a .775 OPS then he's still unlikely to get more than 3-4M in his first year of arbitration.

 

Those that think Plouffe should be in a utility role are in the minority. Plouffe is showing enough with the bat that he could slide into an OF spot once Willingham is traded and replace that RH power in the lineup. Aside from Sano Plouffe is really the only other source of RH power that is coming until Buxton is up.

[Brock Beauchamp]

IMO Plouffe's defense not much worse than Florimon's

 

Wait, what?

[twinsnorth49]

Plouffe's defense not much worse than Florimon's,

 

Wait, what?

 

Yep, I went back and checked, you heard him correctly, that's what he said.

[twinsnorth49]

I think it's simply too soon to shop Plouffe, he's not going to return what most advocates here seem to think he will. His potential appears to be high enough and he's shown enough that he's worth exploring until next year's trade deadline.

 

That being said if someone does want to offer high, I'd do it, I don't see Plouffe as a part of this team the next time this team is ready to contend around 2016 or so. If not, we could at least use the bit of power he is capable of providing until then.

[BHtwins]

I see no reason to trade him without a decent return He isnt even Arb eligible until next year.

 

Through similar career plate appearances he is basically Michael Cuddyer without the magic tricks.