Plouffe looking to make impact in outfield

The Twins are hoping a move to the outfield will do for Trevor Plouffe what it did for Michael Cuddyer.

Like Plouffe, Cuddyer was a former first-round pick struggling to play consistent infield defense until the Twins moved him to right field, where he found a defensive home and started hitting consistently. With that in mind, general manager Terry Ryan called Plouffe this winter and told the middle infielder to get a bigger glove.

Plouffe made the switch late last season, essentially because his bat showed more promise than his glove. On his last trip to Class AAA Rochester, Plouffe played games in right and left, then started 11 games in the outfield for the Twins when he was recalled in September. He didn't look like Rickey Henderson, but he caught everything he got close to.

"I did feel comfortable fairly soon after I made the transition," Plouffe said.

Plouffe is in the mix as the team's fourth outfielder, but his ability to play in the infield will no doubt help. As the Twins proved last season, a major league team can never have too much flexibility. In 81 games last season, Plouffe hit .238 with eight homers and 38 RBI. At Rochester, he hit 15 homers and drove in 33 runs.

Many of his home runs with the Twins were impressive drives deep into the left field bleachers, and through 40 games with the Twins he had a slugging percentage of .438. He also drove in the winning run in the season finale with a sharp single, helping the Twins stave off 100 losses.

"I put on some weight this offseason; I put on 10 pounds," he said. "It was something I wanted to do, and I feel more comfortable now doing it because I will be in the outfield, and it can maybe play into my role a little -- maybe add a little power."

But he also has been working on defense, practicing with the baseball team at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.

"I've been working, taking fly balls and reading balls off the bat," he said. "I guess that's the only way you can get ready is take live balls off the bat."

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