Thread: Plouffe... for real?

Will the real Plouffe please stand up? Is it possible his thumb is still impacting his play so much that he can be posting a .591 OPS in September? I can't believe this is the same guy that was destroying every fastball thrown to him in June. Maybe he is just lost right now and Gardy is letting him work through his struggles, but man I just keep waiting for him to turn the corner again and it just wont happen. I guess this season is about over so there isn't much pain left to endure. Everything about his season had been positive until he got hurt though, for what its worth. I just hope he can come in next season healthy and put together a solid season.

Originally Posted by Badsmerf

Will the real Plouffe please stand up? Is it possible his thumb is still impacting his play so much that he can be posting a .591 OPS in September? I can't believe this is the same guy that was destroying every fastball thrown to him in June. Maybe he is just lost right now and Gardy is letting him work through his struggles, but man I just keep waiting for him to turn the corner again and it just wont happen. I guess this season is about over so there isn't much pain left to endure. Everything about his season had been positive until he got hurt though, for what its worth. I just hope he can come in next season healthy and put together a solid season.

From what I remember, they said it would affect him all season until he was able to rest it.

I would suggest that his last 5-6 years of baseball are probably more indicative than one ridiculous three week stretch. Defensively he's played better than expected though, no reason not to let him try next year.

I bet the thumb area where Plouffe bruised the bone hurts a lot, but it's manageable with anti-inflammatory drugs. It's one thing to have a slow-healing bone bruise, it's another to keep using that area to swing a baseball bat, including those wonderful inside pitches that make the bat transfer all the ball's energy to the injured spot.

I can't tell you that Trevor Plouffe will re-emerge as a star hitter next spring, but at least he'll be able to swing the bat normally. If his hand is fully healed, he's got a good chance to start knocking the ball around again.

I look at Plouffe as a guy who will hit for around a 100-105 ops+ with 20-25 HR and play a solid but not great 3B for the twins moving fwd. that isn't all star or MVP type production but it's damn solid out of your number 7 hitter and certainly the best 3rd base option we have seen in many years. Also there is always the chance he greatly exceeds those numbers and proved the injury is what is causing his current struggles.

Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

Also there is always the chance he greatly exceeds those numbers and proved the injury is what is causing his current struggles.

There is also a far better chance he is a .700 OPS player with 10-15 homeruns. It's encouraging the way he hit homeruns, but Plouffe's 2012 is a brilliantly obvious example of SSS to be making future projections.

Penciling Plouffe and Florimon as the left side of our infield is a big mistake in my opinion. One can't hit right handed pitching and one can't hit at all.

Plouffe is plenty good enough to hold down the fort until the "Chosen One" can make his way up. This is still 3-4 years away so give Plouffe a shot, we aren't going to win any games in the next two seasons anyway

I just saying the Twins should probably get some kind of back-up for him going into next year. If he has a 600 OPS come June, he might not have what it takes. I love watching him this summer, but the past few months have been painful. The biggest part of it for me is he hasn't even been able to draw walks. Next year will obviously be a better tell, I just had to raise the question.

Sign a veteran or former prospect to a minor league deal to push plouffe in ST but give plouffe 2 months to show he belongs. He's the best option we have right now that has any upside.

Hey, he is one of the PP boys with Parmalee

I think a winter of rest and getting healthy will bring back the beast-mode Plouffe. Two years in a row he has had major power, and one at the major league level.

Who are we to say how the thumb injury is affecting him? If he was sitting out nursing the wound people would be calling him a wuss.

Originally Posted by TheLeviathan

I would suggest that his last 5-6 years of baseball are probably more indicative than one ridiculous three week stretch.

Sounds good.

Plouffe over the last five seasons:

2008: 9 HR
2009: 10 HR
2010: 17 HR
2011: 23 HR
2012: 23 HR

I believe that's what they call "development." Your supposition that he's more likely to be a 10-15 HR guy isn't really supported by the above numbers. I think there's definitely room to question his ability to hit for average and get on base, but his power is legit, and to me his defense at third base is perfectly adequate.

Do not know if Plouffe is the answer to the third base problem, but he has more potential than the last few tried there. Give him next year to see where he is at, and then reevaluate. Twins will probably not be contenders next year anyway.

Originally Posted by Nick Nelson

Originally Posted by TheLeviathan

I would suggest that his last 5-6 years of baseball are probably more indicative than one ridiculous three week stretch.

Sounds good.

Plouffe over the last five seasons:

2008: 9 HR
2009: 10 HR
2010: 17 HR
2011: 23 HR
2012: 23 HR

I believe that's what they call "development." Your supposition that he's more likely to be a 10-15 HR guy isn't really supported by the above numbers. I think there's definitely room to question his ability to hit for average and get on base, but his power is legit, and to me his defense at third base is perfectly adequate.

I'm still not convinced he's a 20+ homer guy but I think he'll be a serviceable 3B with solid power upside... Not unlike a Joe Crede type (I think Plouffe's defense will continue to improve). He might turn into that 20+ guy but I wouldn't bank on it, as I think he still needs to prove that he can consistently lay off the breaking ball when it's good and pound it when it's bad.

He hit 20 hr's in half a season. I think he can be a 25-30 type guy when healthy. His defense is above average (better than MVP Cabrera) and may swipe some bases. He is plenty solid enough to hold the fort down until Sano's name is called. Then he will be an even better bench player/trade bait.

AND he is not a huge raging D-bag like Valencia was.

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

Originally Posted by Nick Nelson

Originally Posted by TheLeviathan

I would suggest that his last 5-6 years of baseball are probably more indicative than one ridiculous three week stretch.

Sounds good.

Plouffe over the last five seasons:

2008: 9 HR
2009: 10 HR
2010: 17 HR
2011: 23 HR
2012: 23 HR

I believe that's what they call "development." Your supposition that he's more likely to be a 10-15 HR guy isn't really supported by the above numbers. I think there's definitely room to question his ability to hit for average and get on base, but his power is legit, and to me his defense at third base is perfectly adequate.

I'm still not convinced he's a 20+ homer guy but I think he'll be a serviceable 3B with solid power upside... Not unlike a Joe Crede type (I think Plouffe's defense will continue to improve). He might turn into that 20+ guy but I wouldn't bank on it, as I think he still needs to prove that he can consistently lay off the breaking ball when it's good and pound it when it's bad.

Technically Plouffe already is a 20+ homer guy.

Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

Originally Posted by Nick Nelson

Originally Posted by TheLeviathan

I would suggest that his last 5-6 years of baseball are probably more indicative than one ridiculous three week stretch.

Sounds good.

Plouffe over the last five seasons:

2008: 9 HR
2009: 10 HR
2010: 17 HR
2011: 23 HR
2012: 23 HR

I believe that's what they call "development." Your supposition that he's more likely to be a 10-15 HR guy isn't really supported by the above numbers. I think there's definitely room to question his ability to hit for average and get on base, but his power is legit, and to me his defense at third base is perfectly adequate.

I'm still not convinced he's a 20+ homer guy but I think he'll be a serviceable 3B with solid power upside... Not unlike a Joe Crede type (I think Plouffe's defense will continue to improve). He might turn into that 20+ guy but I wouldn't bank on it, as I think he still needs to prove that he can consistently lay off the breaking ball when it's good and pound it when it's bad.

Technically Plouffe already is a 20+ homer guy.

Obviously he's a 20 homer guy this season. My point is that I'm not convinced he's a perennial 20 homer guy.

Real enough that I would not bring in some 3b to challenge him. They need ss and 2b and starting pitching. Bringing in a scrub just in case is how a team loses more games than it wins. You gotta roll the dice on a guy like plouffe. If sano is legit, it should not take four more years for him to be up.

What happened to Sean Burroughs? I thought he was the veteran/backup 3B option. Did the Twins give up on him completely?