Article: Twins Need Plouffe's Strength

[Nick Nelson]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/2768-Twins-Need-Plouffe-s-Strength

[tobi0040]

It seems needs to be a power hitter if he is going to be in the league in 3-4 years. But I agree, a little more patience and maybe not trying to pull a ball over the LF wall in an 0-2 count are good strategies. More patience at the plate usually means better pitches to hit.

[Winston Smith]

You take out that 39 game stretch in a now 351 game career and his numbers are really bad!

 

Who's the real Plouffe that 39 game guy or the other 312 game guy? I won't mention that 351 games of sub par defense oops just did.

 

On the other hand we don't really have an option do we?

[Dantes929]

I've never really cared for Plouffe as a player. Defensively, its not just the range, its the lack of intensity or ferocity. I have seen hard smashes at him where he turns to the side and tries to field it like a goalie. I have seen in between hoppers where he hops back with two feet as if he is afraid the ball will hurt him somehow. I just believe to play great defense at third you have to be a little accepting of the ball hitting you in the chest. Offensively, he just appears to be able to hit waist high and middle in. However, if we can take his public comments at face value I really like his attitude and am pulling for him to be successful. Down the road if Sano is the real deal that won't necessarily mean there will be no place for Plouffe. DH, 1st base and outfield should all be options.

[twinsnorth49]

You take out that 39 game stretch in a now 351 game career and his numbers are really bad!

 

Who's the real Plouffe that 39 game guy or the other 312 game guy? I won't mention that 351 games of sub par defense oops just did.

 

On the other hand we don't really have an option do we?

 

Agreed, Plouffe just doesn't have the track record or pedigree for us to believe this is any more than blind hope.

[Steve_h]

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up on Plouffe. Sure there's areas of his game I'm not crazy about. Defensive lapses are concerning and so is his inability to drive in runs. In 2012, his 24 HRs had to drive in the fewest runs had to be as inconsequential as anyone with 24 HRs could have. However, I like that his OPS has climbed in each year, except for 2013. Maybe that has to do with decreasing walks as much as anything. With no Sano this year, I'm ok with another heavy dose of him at 3B in 2014, but we need to see the OPS climb again.

[Willihammer]

I wonder if Plouffe should take a page out of the Dozier playbook and do something about the leg kick. Seems kinda big and kinda late.

[drock2190]

Its a shame he got hurt when he was on that hot streak.

 

He was beasting for the Twins and my fantasy team. Ever since he came back, hes been mediocre at best.

[tobi0040]

Its a shame he got hurt when he was on that hot streak.

 

He was beasting for the Twins and my fantasy team. Ever since he came back, hes been mediocre at best.

 

I wonder if he would not have some trade value. His career .711 OPS would have been 16th among 3B last year.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/position/3b/sort/OPS/order/true

[ashbury]

I wonder if he would not have some trade value. His career .711 OPS would have been 16th among 3B last year.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/position/3b/sort/OPS/order/true

 

Without going through the work of looking at the teams lacking a player higher on the list, I would guess that most have part-timers or near-ready prospects they like as well as or better than acquiring our guy. I wouldn't see anyone offering much for Plouffe, a fringe prospect at most.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

I still think long-term Plouffe is the RF (like Cuddyer). When Sano is ready, move Trevor to RF unless Parmalee or somebody else has grabbed it. I would try it a few times this year.

[diehardtwinsfan]

While I consider it faint, I do think Plouffe should get one more chance... I hope something clicks and he can break the .800 OPS mark for the season and earn the DH/spare OF job for the next few years... I have the same hope for Parmelee... One of those guys figuring it out would go a long way towards being competitive in the latter part of this decade.

[TheLeviathan]

This guy was a one month fluke. I'm going to be thrilled when he's in the role he belongs in- valuable reserve - and not everyday starter.

[Halsey Hall]

I call him the luckiest man in the world. 39 games worth of hitting a pitch in a 5" circle made him 2.3 million. LMITW. Nobody throws it there anymore, so he is just filler. I wanted him to be the first move this off season, but he's here on the Hope Ticket still. But there is zero hope from me for him.

[lee_the_twins_fan]

Trade Plouffe for whatever you can get. Move Mauer to 3B; They said on one of the Twins games that Mauer was taking grounders at 3B at one of the back fields. If he can throw runners out from home to 2B, he can throw runners out from 3B to 1B. Then put Colabello at 1B. Problem solved.

[Bark's Lounge]

Plouffe will be the starting 3B this season... at least for the first month or so. This is his make or break year. No one knows what kind of player he is.

 

He is certainly a substandard defensive player, but does he have a HR juggernaut season in him? We have seen his hot streak and glimpses of something worthwhile, but everything else has been a snore.

 

Plouffe needs to "rock it" this year, there are no replacements. Romero is not the answer.

[Bark's Lounge]

Also, Plouffe has no trade value.

[ashbury]

but does he have a HR juggernaut season in him?

 

He can hit homers if the pitch is in a certain place, but when the pitchers stopped pitching there a while back he has been unable to adjust in a way to punish their adjustment. If he did find such an adjustment, it probably wouldn't lead directly to home runs, but (say) beaucoup singles hit the opposite way plus a ton of walks. Only at that point would the pitchers come in again to give him what he actually wants. That would be an equilibrium that I don't think would approach the power numbers we saw in that one magical time period; but it would be highly valuable, either to this team or in trade to another. The question is whether or when he will find the adjustment, but it's been the question for a season and a half now.

[jokin]

Trade Plouffe for whatever you can get. Move Mauer to 3B; They said on one of the Twins games that Mauer was taking grounders at 3B at one of the back fields. If he can throw runners out from home to 2B, he can throw runners out from 3B to 1B. Then put Colabello at 1B. Problem solved.

 

And new problems created?

 

Also' date=' Plouffe has no trade value.[/quote']

 

One thing for certain, Plouffe's split against LHP has always been stellar, major and minor league, and he can play all of the corners. Maybe the Orioles?

[ashbury]

One thing for certain, Plouffe's split against LHP has always been stellar

 

Good point, and my kindergarten batting analysis above would probably pertain only against righties.

 

I went and looked up his splits, and in 2013 his BABIP against lefties was just shy of astronomical, .373. Is that at all worrisome? Against lefties it's always SSS, and his 2012 split went the other way for BABIP, so I guess it's not much of an issue - still, I am not sure if his L/R split can be trusted implicitly.

[Bark's Lounge]

Lets ride this horse one more time and see what we have!

[TheLeviathan]

Good point, and my kindergarten batting analysis above would probably pertain only against righties.

 

I went and looked up his splits, and in 2013 his BABIP against lefties was just shy of astronomical, .373. Is that at all worrisome? Against lefties it's always SSS, and his 2012 split went the other way for BABIP, so I guess it's not much of an issue - still, I am not sure if his L/R split can be trusted implicitly.

 

His minor league splits were even dominant against lefties. The bulk of his power production has always come from facing lefties. It's why the man, in a utility and platoon role, could be highly valuable.

 

Delaying that another year is another blow from the Sano injury.

[stringer bell]

Plouffe's 39 day explosion was the product of adjustments that he made, as well as a torrid stretch where he centered a inordinant of pitches. The pitchers adjusted and Plouffe hasn't proven he can make a satisfactory adjustment to those adjustments. I actually thought he hit the ball very well the last couple weeks of last season, but he wasn't getting many (any) over the fence. He needs to be patient enough to get his pitch and also become a better two-strike hitter, thereby reducing his K rate to an acceptable level. If he becomes a tougher out and works the count better, I believe he will get more pitches to drive and dramatically increase his long ball total.

[tobi0040]

Agreed, Plouffe just doesn't have the track record or pedigree for us to believe this is any more than blind hope.

 

I think the missing piece here is how bad the bottom 15 3B are in this league. Sure some prospects are knocking down the door, but Plouffe's .716 OPS last year was 16th in MLB, and that did not include the 39 game stretch from 2012.

 

Would we get a top prospect for him? No, but we would get more than a ham sandwich. But I do agree with the notion that Plouffe could provide value to us on the bench. He can play 3B, 1B, and probably LF and RF. Career .828 OPS against lefties. Certainly would be an upgrade over Arcia against LHP. Baseball reference says he is not a free agent until 2018, but I am not sure that is accurate. Either way, he is under control for I believe two more years.

[jokin]

I think the missing piece here is how bad the bottom 15 3B are in this league. Sure some prospects are knocking down the door, but Plouffe's .716 OPS last year was 16th in MLB, and that did not include the 39 game stretch from 2012.

 

Would we get a top prospect for him? No, but we would get more than a ham sandwich. But I do agree with the notion that Plouffe could provide value to us on the bench. He can play 3B, 1B, and probably LF and RF. Career .828 OPS against lefties. Certainly would be an upgrade over Arcia against LHP. Baseball reference says he is not a free agent until 2018, but I am not sure that is accurate. Either way, he is under control for I believe two more years.

 

This is Trevor's Super 2 year, as he has just a little over 2 years of service time. BR is correct, he has 3 more years past 2014 of team control.

[tobi0040]

This is Trevor's Super 2 year, as he has just a little over 2 years of service time. BR is correct, he has 3 more years past 2014 of team control.

 

Interesting. A 27 year old, .842 career OPS against lefties, under team control another three years, and can play 1B, 3B, LF, and RF is worth keeping around.