Article: Game Thread: Twins @ Tigers, 4/11 @ 12:10pm CT

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

At this point in the game, that's hard, isn't it? Buxton was the supposed reward for the first in our string of really bad seasons. He was compared early on to Mike Trout and Willy Mays after his first, spectacular season in Class A. And when he finally gets to the majors? Poof. The Buxton we expected hasn't shown up but for one glorious month last year.

 

I personally think he should work out his kinks in the majors and not get sent down - he has nothing to prove in AAA.

 

But we as Twins fans have been told to just be patient, wait for the young guys to arrive, and then all will be well. Kind of hard to lower your expectations after that.

Well, yeah. Not my point, though. 

 

His defense is better than almost any other CF in baseball. He's at least that valuable. If you thought he was going to be Mike Trout, maybe that was your mistake, since Mike Trout is on his way to being one of the very greatest baseball players of all time. 

[Jerr]

ByoungHo Park on disabled list with hammy injury, per radio report.

[bighat]

To understand the problem with "being patient" with Buxton, you just have to look at the game right now.  Twins down 2-0, but are putting together a 1-out rally late in the game.  They've got 2 men on and could string a couple hits together and win this thing.  Problem is, Buxton's coming up soon.  Do his teammates feel extra pressure when you're batting in front of an 8th grader?  Probably.  Do the Tigers know the 8th grader is a guaranteed K right now?  Probably.  This is a big problem, one that MLB teams don't have to face at this level of the game.  

[Blake]

 

To understand the problem with "being patient" with Buxton, you just have to look at the game right now.  Twins down 2-0, but are putting together a 1-out rally late in the game.  They've got 2 men on and could string a couple hits together and win this thing.  Problem is, Buxton's coming up soon.  Do his teammates feel extra pressure when you're batting in front of an 8th grader?  Probably.  Do the Tigers know the 8th grader is a guaranteed K right now?  Probably.  This is a big problem, one that MLB teams don't have to face at this level of the game.  

And I don't see how, especially in this park, you pinch hit for Buxton. 

[bighat]

 

Well, yeah. Not my point, though. 

 

His defense is better than almost any other CF in baseball. He's at least that valuable.

 

If you strike out 75% of the time you come to the plate, it doesn't matter how well you're fielding.  You're out of a job and out of the league.  I think all of our expectations are very, very low right now.  What we're afraid of is that Buxton isn't worthy of wearing a uniform at this point. 

[KirbyDome89]

 

I remind everyone of Dozier's season start last year.  He was officially done as a viable ML hitter if i remember right.  

 

it's a wee bit early to call Buxton's season over.

I haven't heard anybody write off his season. Its ok to be concerned that a guy who at one time was the top prospect in baseball and tore up every level of the minors leagues has struggled so much at the major league level. It isn't just the start of this season, it was almost all of last season and some of 2015 too. I'm still on that "be patient bandwagon," but I can't fault people for thinking about hopping off. 

[MNTSchmitt]

So our bats didn't make the trip to detroit it seems.

[Jerr]

 

So our bats didn't make the trip to detroit it seems.

Hope they all weren't packed next to Buxton's.

[gocgo]

Regarding Buxton, about the time I start writing him off, he hits a single to left center that he and only he turns into a double.  I think eventually, he will be fine.  I don't want him sent down as he is a game changer on the field.  I would like to see him bunt more...especially during a slump.

[kusko_andy]

It's just really nice having Bux in center field.  Like super nice.

[kusko_andy]

But our whole outfield can't hit, it seems.

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

 What we're afraid of is that Buxton isn't worthy of wearing a uniform at this point. 

We're going to have to go ahead and agree to disagree. 

[MNTSchmitt]

Sad that Hectors pitched pretty much a flawless game hasn't got the run support to accompany it.

[Loosey]

 

The league has a book on him, which they don't use during spring training when they're simply working on pitches and don't care about winning. He's got to figure it out at the big league level.

I don't agree with that sentiment.  Pitchers are still trying to get guys out and mix pitches up in spring training.  I know pitchers work on stuff in the spring which is why the spring stats can be taken with a grain of salt. 

 

* That being said he could hit the ball well in Florida.  Now even fastballs down the heart of the plate are swings and misses.  Which tells me it's a mental block or something right now that he has to work his way out of up here.

 

* Even though he has 2 strikeouts today he has the leg kick going full again on every swing.  So maybe a start to consistent swing pattern.  

 

(* I really have no idea what I am talking about)

[mazeville]

 

Well, yeah. Not my point, though. 

 

His defense is better than almost any other CF in baseball. He's at least that valuable. If you thought he was going to be Mike Trout, maybe that was your mistake, since Mike Trout is on his way to being one of the very greatest baseball players of all time. 

 

Yeah, um, as a reminder, he was absolutely compared to Mike Trout in 2013. 

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/deja-vu-byron-buxton-stirs-echoes-of-mike-trout-in-cedar-rapids/#5kRVC6MWag7YCFGp.97

 

Not "my mistake." People who scout and rank and watch these players have been hyping Byron Buxton since the moment he stepped into the batter's box in Cedar Rapids. He was the consensus top prospect two years in a row. 

 

[Danchat]

Buxton... ugh.

[Deduno Abides]

I had higher hopes for Chief's post, old age has gotten the best of him  

Yeah, it's tou h for Chief. He's etting older and isn't as quick upstairs as he was when he was youn er.

[Blake]

Wow, Buxton may have struck out but he can't even get a close call.

[gocgo]

When you're in a slump, every pitch seems like a pitchers pitch and catches the corner.

[operation mindcrime]

Watching Buxton hit is like watching that guy get dragged off the airplane! It's cringeworthy.

[Jerr]

 

Buxton... ugh.

ugh, ugh and ugh, as it takes 3 for a strikeout.

I know one can run out of likes, but I wonder if there is a limit on the ughs' one can post ......

[Pardon My Dinger]

Yeah, um, as a reminder, he was absolutely compared to Mike Trout in 2013.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/deja-vu-byron-buxton-stirs-echoes-of-mike-trout-in-cedar-rapids/#5kRVC6MWag7YCFGp.97

 

Not "my mistake." People who scout and rank and watch these players have been hyping Byron Buxton since the moment he stepped into the batter's box in Cedar Rapids. He was the consensus top prospect two years in a row.

Ok, man.

[Blake]

Crud.

[GP830]

 

We're going to have to go ahead and agree to disagree. 

I had a job at point where I really excelled at one part of it. I was on a team at the time that rotated aspects of the job every week. So I only ended up doing the thing I was really good at for one week a month. While I absolutely tore it up on that one week, I was a totally lost mess the other three weeks a month.

When I eventually took this to my supervisor, she told me that the team wasn't designed to accommodate people who were really good at just one aspect of the role. We subsequently mutually parted ways, as I just couldn't perform the other tasks with any kind of proficiency. Despite the fact that I was really well-liked in the office and that I worked really hard-- it just wasn't working. I was too one-dimensional in that role. Baseball teams just aren't designed to accommodate players who are one dimensional anymore. Hence why the market for Dozier wasn't what we'd hoped. 

I love Buxton, and want him to do well but from a sheer job performance standpoint he's been absolutely atrocious so far. 

[Deduno Abides]

So, quit being 'patient.' Lower your expectations, allow him to continue delivering world class defense and hope someday his bat comes around. Kind of works out either way.

I always expected him to hit like a Hall of Famer. I just didn't expect it to be Sandy Koufax.

[bighat]

mazeville's right - Twins fans were absolutely promised much, much more than what we are seeing.  I don't think we're being unreasonable to expect more. It would be one thing if Buxton was 2-for-30 at this point in the year.  But he's 2-for-30 with 17 strikeouts.  There's a difference between an 0-4 day and an 0-4 day with 4 K's. 

Edited April 11, 2017 by bighat

[Jerr]

The snow has all melted here, provided more excitement than the Twins have so far!

[gocgo]

If Cabrera doesn't win this, he's in slump.  That's right...I'm being over dramatic.

[gocgo]

Don't put it on a T for V-mart.  Rather walk him.

[Jerr]

 

Don't put it on a T for V-mart.  Rather walk him.

Breathe lol