Today is Nick Punto day, where many Twins bloggers focus their attentions on Twins utility man Nick Punto. Andrew Kneeland is collecting all the other articles here. Below is my contribution:
I have an instantaneous visceral dsypeptic reaction to the mere mention of Nick Punto. The man is more flash than fire, the baseball equivalent of a quick handed, smooth-talking Three-card Monte dealer. His acrobatic ability, the dance of twists and turns he does to make dramatic defensive plays, hides his true defensive value. Over the course of his career he has been average to slightly above average defensively. Valuable yes, but not incredibly so, and now his defense is on the decline. When history finally makes its judgement on Nick Punto, it will be shocked he played as much, as often, as long, as he did.
Punto defenders might mention how Punto plays the game “the way it is supposed to be played” and does “the little things right.” These people would pass over his many mental errors on the basepaths. They would suggest there is something beyond raw talent. That Punto is for baseball connesiuers. He’s “scrappy.” Excuse me while I vomit. Punto does try to force things to happen on the field, and with disastrous results. Punto’s baserunning mistake in game three of the 2009 AL Division Series effectively ended the season for the Twins. It was one in a long line of big mistakes at the worst possible times Punto has made.
Even these mistakes could be forgiven were Punto merely a player confined to the bench. As a utility guy Punto is acceptable. But this is not how he is used. For several years now, since 2005, Nick Punto has been an everyday player accumulating over 2300 plate appearances with an OPS of .651. The Nick Punto fans, mainly found among the Twins management, must love the man. There’s no other explanation for how much playing time he gets. Unless, of course, a Faustian contract is somehow involved.
It’s hard to express how little I appreciate Nick Punto, the baseball player. But, to put it into words, here is what I think: Nick Punto has been worth about 1.1 wins above replacement, on average, over the course of his career. This is entirely due to his defense, which barely makes up for his woeful offense. The same value could have been found in the farm system or from waivers for far less money. Punto’s style hides the deep voids in his game. Unashamedly, I will be very happy when his days as a Twin come to an end.
Another great column on Nick Punto was written by long retired blogger “The Wiffler.” It articulately illustrates the absurdity of Nick Punto’s career, and his relationship with the unwashed masses known as “Twins Fans.”
Filed under: Baseball, Twins | Tagged: Nick Punto, Nick Punto Day |
Marty Andrade 
I remember the good old days when I was part of a group blog that masqueraded as a Twins blog, but in reality was a Post-traumatic Punto Support Group.
Oh come off it Bill and quit giving management a free pass. Nick Punto is a perfectly serviceable utility player. Despite his catastrophic baserunning blunder in the ALDS, he is an above-average baserunner with a steady, above-average glove. That Bill Smith gave him a 2 year deal and Gardy plays him too often is hardly the fault of LNP.
So true, Mr. Gilles. Punto was and still is the bane of our existence as Twins fans. He represents everything that is wrong with “small ball.” There are plenty of positives of playing “small ball,” but he is not one of them.