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Triunfel can play SS. He still has a focus problem in the field - he mentally takes plays off, and does stupid stuff like screwing up transfers or letting a ball get between the wickets. But he's an adequate fielder and his bat works.
He's not dogging it to first anymore, which was nice to see. He rolls over for grounders but sprints to first instead of jogging halfway down the line, stopping, and heading back to the dugout. His attitude seems improved.
But Triunfel doesn't walk much, and doesn't hit doubles like he should. He almost never "hammers" the ball anywhere (unlike Franklin). Like you said, Doc, might be pitch recognition, but I worry about a guy who has 2500 plate appearances and still can't tell what's coming his way. He can hit 30 slow rollers in the gap but he still has yet to attack the zone. Maybe he's got some Carlos Guillen in him. It took that Carlos quite a few years to put the package together, and we traded him the year he was finally putting together hard at-bats (he was one of our only good hitters down the stretch that year) and getting over TB. Guillen had a hundred-ish more OPS points, though, and half the ABs in the minors that Triunfel has.
I still think Triunfel is a few years away, and I don't see us having the time. I get the feeling Triunfel is gonna be one that gets away, because we won't have the time for him, but at this point it looks like we won't have time because of Brad Miller, not because of Nick Franklin.
Unless Jack was showcasing-for-a-trade with Triunfel, then Franklin has been semi-demoted, playing a lot of games at 2nd base - not something you normally do to your future SS. Meanwhile, Miller didn't play a game in the field that wasn't at SS.
Franklin looks GREAT at 2B, btw, and is a field general in the infield, always talking with the other guys and chatting up the pitcher on the mound, going in for conferences, etc. If Ackley wasn't at 2nd, Franklin would be a future hero here. And we could really use his supremely cocky, Brett Boone attitude.
But Triunfel AND Franklin might both get the boot. We have too much talent for some positions, and all of it can't play for us. I could live without Triunfel - he's got dicey mental makeup and a lack of impact skills. I'd prefer not to ditch Franklin, but where does the man play?
I'd still platoon him with Ryan, personally. Let Franklin hit as a lefty to Ryan's righty-ness, have Ryan around for late-game closeness if you don't trust Franklin's glove. They'd complement each other well, and we'd finally have a (combo) SS that can field AND hit.
I'm not sure what Triunfel gives you, but I'm sure in a few years we'll find out - when he's playing short or second for someone else.
~G