Article: Twins Transactions: Buxton Activated, Optioned to AAA

[DaveW]

Not saying they haven't earned it, but people are really in a bad place with the front office when they are killing them for no brainer obvious moves like playing Buxton in AAA for a couple of weeks before bringing him back up.

why exactly is it a no brainer?

[Seth Stohs]

 

To suggest that Hunter should be benched for Buxton is ... more than a little crazy. This team deserves every chance to either sink or swim for the rest of this year based on their results, I completely understand the frustration people are feeling after a 3-12 run. But that reaction seems to be people letting their frustration get the better of them. 

 

I completely agree... Hunter needs some days off, but he needs to play. He's been alright.

[USAFChief]

Not saying they haven't earned it, but people are really in a bad place with the front office when they are killing them for no brainer obvious moves like playing Buxton in AAA for a couple of weeks before bringing him back up.

Why activate him?

 

Why not just let the rehab play out?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Per Cot's:

 

If a player’s optional assignment(s) to the minors total less than 20 days in one season, an option is not used.

 

I Think we'll see Buxton again in 19 days or so, after he's done paying for Perkins and Dozier's all-star bonuses.

 

This would be my guess as well.

[drjim]

why exactly is it a no brainer?

Because he's been out for 7ish weeks and needs to prove he can stay healthy and regain his timing. He's done nothing at the mlb level to be given the benefit of the doubt on either of these.

 

The idea he's blocked is preposterous but the fact that he should be put in a position to be successful isn't. Let him have some success and then bring him up. If he stays healthy he'll be back soon.

[drjim]

Why activate him?

 

Why not just let the rehab play out?

Why does it matter?

[DaveW]

I completely agree... Hunter needs some days off, but he needs to play. He's been alright.

seems like a perfect time to trade Hunter actually. Buxton needs to get the at bats eventually, whether it's today, 10 days from now or Sept. Gotta take those at bats from Hunter at some point this year. Might as well trade him while you can, get something in return, and get Hunter a chance at a ring. Edited August 11, 2015 by DaveW

[jimmer]

So, the reason we have to play Hunter is to try and win games this year, And the very poor defense and .303 OBP is going to help us significantly more than very good defensive OF with probably less offense. As if that difference is significant enough to make the difference in overall win totals.

 

Ryan gave up on the team, he threw in the towel this year when he did what he did at the deadline. Now we want to say decisions should be made on this season now? How does THAT work? Ryan just told his team and the fans what he thought of the teams chances. Pelfrey should be gone with May or Berrios taking his spot.  Buxton should be up and hunter relegated to bench.  It should be about next year, period.

 

This is probably about not benching a fan favorite in the face of season that is likely to end in major disappointment once again. 

Edited August 11, 2015 by jimmer

[DaveW]

Why does it matter?

Because now dont they have to wait 10 days before they call him up to the MLB club?

[jimmer]

 

seems like a perfect time to trade Hunter actually. Buxton needs to get the at bats eventually, whether it's today, 10 days from now or Sept. Gotta take those at bats from Hunter at some point this year. Might as well trade him while you can, get something in return, and get Hunter a chance at a ring.

Hunter has a no trade close.  Where else is he going to be loved as much as he will be here, by fans and media?

[USAFChief]

As for Hunter, he has been a welcome addition to this team, IMO, and the Twins have gotten more from him than they had any right to expect.

 

But that has nothing to do with Buxton. Nothing.

 

If they don't think Buxton is ready for the big leagues, fine. Just say so. But a couple weeks in AAA will do zero to remedy that, so that can't be it. And if he is ready, Torii Hunter shouldn't be an obstacle.

 

Lastly, TR quit on this team a month ago, so please don't tell us this is about competing in 2015. That's laughable. This is a team still running Shane Robinson out, ferpetesake.

[raindog]

Christ.

 

Bonnes, I'm almost offended that you think it's so crazy to complain about this move.

 

I would bet a lot of money that Buxton would provide more value than Hunter over the rest of the season, based on defense alone. Buxton in CF and pushing Hicks to RF would make an elite defensive outfield. 

 

That's looking at the short term impact, which I don't even think is the point. Competing at this point is a pipe dream. The Twins should be trying to figure out if Buxton is ready to run with the job on Opening Day 2016. 

 

If Hunter can't accept a very limited role at this point. he's not the leader everyone says he is. (And I have a huge feeling he would balk. Which would be hilarious.)

[drjim]

Because now dont they have to wait 10 days before they call him up to the MLB club?

Good. He shouldn't come up that quick.

 

My take for why they optioned him was to motivate him to earn his way back. He's a great prospect but certainly hasn't proven anything at the big league level.

 

People complain about how the Twins coddle players and on the other hand they want Buxton to get called up right away or at the very least get paid like a big leaguer while in the minors.

 

You want up and the big league money/lifestyle? Stay healthy and dominate AAA for a couple weeks.

 

One other thought on the option. If Buxton hurts himself again in Rochester while on rehab he would stay on the mlb roster and get paid/collect service time, possibly into next year if really serious. By optioning him the Twins do protect from another injury.

 

Plus Buxton needs to get some live reps.

 

So yes, no brainer and obvious.

[DaveW]

Hunter has a no trade close. Where else is he going to be loved as much as he will be here, by fans and media?

One more prime example of Ryan doing a stupid move as a GM. Nobody else was going to give Hunter 10.5 million this year, why the hell do you just give him a no trade clause as well? Those are typically reserved for guys signing long term contracts in their prime, not for 39 year old one year contracts.

[drjim]

As for Hunter, he has been a welcome addition to this team, IMO, and the Twins have gotten more from him than they had any right to expect.

 

But that has nothing to do with Buxton. Nothing.

 

If they don't think Buxton is ready for the big leagues, fine. Just say so. But a couple weeks in AAA will do zero to remedy that, so that can't be it. And if he is ready, Torii Hunter shouldn't be an obstacle.

 

Lastly, TR quit on this team a month ago, so please don't tell us this is about competing in 2015. That's laughable. This is a team still running Shane Robinson out, ferpetesake.

I know you are responding to posts, but Hunter has nothing to do with Buxton not coming up yet.

[glunn]

 

The Twins outfield has something like a combined OPS+ between 100-103.

I'm not sure that warrants "if that doesn't pleas you nothing can please you!"

Also, the minute Terry Ryan refused to make any relevant move at the deadline and continues to not make moves to improve the team he made it clear the Twins have no real plans of contending this year. Hunter hasn't played poorly this year, but he also hasn't played great. He is at best an average hitter for his position (and that's being very kind) and at best an average Fielder for his position (super kind) who isn't going to be getting better and isn't going to be around after this year with the club. There is literally zero, and I mean zero reason why Buxton shouldn't be at the very least taking the at bats in the 2-3games a week that Hunter doesn't play anyways.

What it all comes down to is Terry being uber conservative because he is able to, there is absolutely zero accountability for a guy who was named "general manager until he doesn't want to any more" despite 1 playoff series win in 17 years, by an ownership group who's 1st,2nd, 3rd, and 4th priorities are profit profit profit.

 

Dave, with all due respect, you don't know for a fact that Ryan "refused to make any relevant move at the deadline" or that he has given up on 2015.  For all we know, Ryan spent major time and effort trying to get Tulo or a catcher, and maybe he even came close.  You may be correct and maybe TR was eating bon-bons and binge watching "Orange is the New Black", but neither you nor I will ever know with any meaningful level of certainty.

 

Also, other posters have given lots of reasons why the current move might make sense.  You may not agree with those reasons, but it's not productive to merely say "zero reason why Buxton shouldn't be at the very least taking the at bats in the 2-3 games a week..."  You are free to debate the reasons that have been given, because TD is about debate.  However, TD is not about ranting or shouting down others who disagree.

 

Dave is far from the only poster who is testing the limits of TD policy in this thread and the prior thread.  He just happened to do this in the wrong place at the wrong time.  We can all do better.

 

Important takeaway -- we want vigorous debate and intelligent analysis.  We don't want unsupported pontification, trolling, bickering or disrespect for other posters.  I was very disappointed by some of the posts in the prior thread and will be fairly quick to start issuing infraction points if people don't make more of a effort to be civil and respectful. 

 

 

 

 

[jimmer]

 

People complain about how the Twins coddle players and on the other hand they want Buxton to get called up right away or at the very least get paid like a big leaguer while in the minors.

 

Those two look like they are on the same hand, not one on one hand and one on the other.

[raindog]

 

My take for why they optioned him was to motivate him to earn his way back. He's a great prospect but certainly hasn't proven anything at the big league level.

....
You want up and the big league money/lifestyle? Stay healthy and dominate AAA for a couple weeks.

 

Why do you think Buxton needs motivation? Do you really think it's his fault he's been hurt so much?

[DaveW]

FYI:

There are 56 qualified OF in baseball. Hunter ranks 44th in WAR and in the bottom half of OF in OPS+ with qualified and anyone with 200+ at bats.

[USAFChief]

So it does matter...it's about a couple weeks big league pay, potentially service time.

 

I hope Buxton files a grievance.

[USAFChief]

I know you are responding to posts, but Hunter has nothing to do with Buxton not coming up yet.

The article specifically lists Hunter as a reason, no?

[jimmer]

 

I know you are responding to posts, but Hunter has nothing to do with Buxton not coming up yet.

Except that Seth said at the start of this thread, in the OP, one of the main reasons Buxton got optioned is because he has no place to play due to Hicks, Rosario AND Hunter and the team should get acclaim for having an OF that has no room for Buxton. So Hunter is one of the obstacles..  

Edited August 11, 2015 by jimmer

[drjim]

So it does matter...it's about a couple weeks big league pay, potentially service time.

 

I hope Buxton files a grievance.

That's funny

[drjim]

Except that Seth said at the start of this thread, in the OP, one of the main reasons Buxton got optioned is because he has no place to play due to Hicks, Rosario AND Hunter and the team should get acclaim for having an OF that has no room for Hunter. So Hunter is one of the obstacles..

I would disagree with Seth very strongly on this point.

 

He's certainly entitled like all of us to his own speculation.

[jimmer]

So, are we guessing right around 1 Sept is the out of the blue, no reason at all, pure coincidence of a time-frame where he will magically be healthy enough and have curve balls conquered to make the jump back to the majors?

[DaveW]

Dave, with all due respect, you don't know for a fact that Ryan "refused to make any relevant move at the deadline" or that he has given up on 2015. For all we know, Ryan spent major time and effort trying to get Tulo or a catcher, and maybe he even came close. You may be correct and maybe TR was eating bon-bons and binge watching "Orange is the New Black", but neither you nor I will ever know with any meaningful level of certainty.

 

Also, other posters have given lots of reasons why the current move might make sense. You may not agree with those reasons, but it's not productive to merely say "zero reason why Buxton shouldn't be at the very least taking the at bats in the 2-3 games a week..." You are free to debate the reasons that have been given, because TD is about debate. However, TD is not about ranting or shouting down others who disagree.

 

Dave is far from the only poster who is testing the limits of TD policy in this thread and the prior thread. He just happened to do this in the wrong place at the wrong time. We can all do better.

 

Important takeaway -- we want vigorous debate and intelligent analysis. We don't want unsupported pontification, trolling, bickering or disrespect for other posters. I was very disappointed by some of the posts in the prior thread and will be fairly quick to start issuing infraction points if people don't make more of a effort to be civil and respectful.

You are right, I can't say with a fact what Ryan did or did not do at the deadline.(btw implying that I was saying he was eating Bon bons or watching Netflix when I never implied any such thing is the exact thing as flame baiting and trolling)

 

TR has been a GM for 17 years, and for 17 out of 17 years he has not ONCE been what most outside observers and Twins fans ever call "aggressive" at the trade deadline. Not. once. So sure, maybe this year he was oh oh oh so close to pulling off a move for a Tulo or a catcher, but the last 17 years of results tell a very different story.

 

call it trolling or whatever you want, 17 for 17 years isn't jumping to wild conclusions, it's very much a trend. Ryan is most likely the most conservative GM in baseball, please feel free to refute with arguments back that don't include me dismissing him as some Neflix and Bon Bons binger.

[Platoon]

The fact that there is no easy place for Buxton to play isn't an indictment against the Twins - it's deserves acclaim. So many positions are crowded with young talent (and with a 40-year-old free agent who is defying his age) that they can't find playing time for the top prospect that tore up AA for half the year so they're putting him in AAA for a few weeks. Terry Ryan should be putting on the top of his resume.

 

I'm not denying that Twins have problems; I'll be happy to dive into how they've handled catcher, shortstop, DH (previously) and the bullpen. But criticism of this area makes me question the credibility of the criticizer. If you're not happy with the outfield situation, I don't know you can be happy with any baseball situation, ever.

 

We are so loaded with talent, we have won exactly how many series since the AS break? We can't find playing time for the top prospect? The only part of that paragraph I agreed with is the part about Terry Ryan composing his resume. So if they are putting him in AAA for a couple weeks, what changes in a couple weeks? Sept call ups won't make anymore room for him. Torii Hunter should not be blocking a player of Buxtons pedigree. And Robinson should not be taking innings away either. Not on this team, in this situation. All I can say, is that if Buxton cannot move a declining 40 yr old out of the way, either he is not as good as advertised, or the people making the decisions aren't.

[drjim]

Why do you think Buxton needs motivation? Do you really think it's his fault he's been hurt so much?

I think he has been a little reckless in his play and it cost him.

 

I think all players should have to earn their spots, at least until they have established some track record.

[DaveW]

Why do you think Buxton needs motivation? Do you really think it's his fault he's been hurt so much?

Yeah, that's beyond silly. The Twins have kept up plenty of struggling players over the years. Gomez, Hicks, Santana, etc etc etc

[DaveW]

I think all players should have to earn their spots.

The twins clearly don't think so. Otherwise Robinson wouldn't be on this team and Suzuki wouldn't be the starting C, neither has done anything to "earn" their current roles. And this isn't even including the bullpen mess and SS mess.