Article: Across the Meadow: The Buxton Saga

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

230 would not be so bad. The league has learned how to pitch him and he is going to have a tough time getting above the Mendoza line if he does not figure it out. There would be little or at least much less made of this if there was no a year of control hanging in the balance. The team has given him a great deal of time at the ML league level (service time) while he has been completely inept at the plate. I can appreciate the extra year could cost Byron several million dollars, assuming he gets it together. However, he was also promoted rapidly and kept at the ML level while batting exceptionally poorly so he should consider that service time was increased to his benefit.

exactly...

 

Buxton should be glad, as he's gotten far more service time over the last 4 years than what he should have due to (in my opinion at least) poor management decisions. 

 

Buxton has been nothing short of terrible, and if he doesn't learn how to hit, this will be moot anyways. I really hope they plan on keeping him in the minors in 2019 as well. He should get called up at some point, but not until he shows that he has a good approach at the plate that can be sustained in the majors. 

[bb_referee]

 

Have you ever checked Fields results?

He's on the 40-man, so it's the try him out and see time of the season. I doubt he makes it very far...

[Mr. Brooks]

I'm as disappointed in the lack of offensive progress as anyone. But reading these Buxton threads, it's like defense doesn't matter at all.

Preventing a run is theoretically as good as producing one. Buxton has 7 bWAR in 302 career games.

[bb_referee]

 

Is anyone else concerned that Falvey is a flat out phony that most likely doesn’t know a damn thing about baseball?

 

Falvey spent his entire career with Cleveland. In case you forgot, Cleveland was in the World Series in 2016. That knowledge of scouting and building a winning team is what we wanted in a new Front Office.

 

As for the Buxton thing, I don't care about service time manipulation. If I was a young player, I'd be screaming at the MLBPA to do something about years of team control. But the MLBPA has consistently shown it's doesn't care about the younger players as long as the free agents get big paychecks.

 

Also, no player has ever won a grievance over service time.

[ewen21]

 

In my extremely disappointed opinion, I have always thought they would find a way to get rid of Sano and Buxton before they were owed their big payday. 

THey have not earned a big payday

[jokin]

 

I also don't fault Buxton for feeling misled this season. Every decision the FO made with him was systematically calculated to keep his service time below 3 years.

It will take a sign of good faith (maybe raising his salary for 2019?) To get the relationship back on track. I doubt we'll see Buxton at any Twins related events over the offseason.

 

Good faith? Are you kidding?

 

"Systematically calculated to keep his service time below 3 years"?

Did you forget when the FO rushed him back to the roster before he was fully healed physically, or fixed his hitting problems, earlier this year?

 

Did you forget that the Twins built the bulk of their 2018 marketing plan around Buxton leading them on to even better things this season?

He, along with Sano, were obviously wildly unprepared to compete- the disaster that is 2018 has to be to a large degree on them both.

 

As an FYI to how bad Buxton was:

66 CFers with 94+ PAs listed in Fangraphs. Buxton is # 66 in BA @ .156 and #65 in OPS- @ a stunning .383. With his top-flite athleticism, he should have been able to bunt and hack enough 3-hop infield singles to, at the least, to have reached a .500 OPS. This was "accomplished" mostly when he was injury-free.

 

Try to find another legit MLB player who finished 1/3 of a season or better with an OPS+ of "4". Yes, 4.

 

When he supposedly was healthy enough to play rehab games, the medical staff was so concerned with the fragility around his wrist and foot, he was only permitted in playing every other day.

 

Two weeks of good AAA hitting didn't merit playing in September.

 

Get healthy, Buck. In the offseason, focus on heavy prehab training, and hire 5 legit breaking ball hurlers to throw you 500 junk balls per day. And watch streaming video of CF guys like Torii on how to avoid catastrophic collisions with OF walls.

Edited September 6, 2018 by jokin

[jokin]

 

I'm as disappointed in the lack of offensive progress as anyone. But reading these Buxton threads, it's like defense doesn't matter at all.
Preventing a run is theoretically as good as producing one. Buxton has 7 bWAR in 302 career games.

 

All true, but see my post immediately above.

 

Some of his injuries and overall physical day-to-day health are directly related to haphazard disregard for his own personal safety.

Edited September 6, 2018 by jokin

[jokin]

 

 

 

 

Buxton should be glad, as he's gotten far more service time over the last 4 years than what he should have due to (in my opinion at least) poor management decisions. 

 

Buxton has been nothing short of terrible, and if he doesn't learn how to hit, this will be moot anyways. I really hope they plan on keeping him in the minors in 2019 as well. He should get called up at some point, but not until he shows that he has a good approach at the plate that can be sustained in the majors. 

 

The Twins rushed him back, clearly before he had remedied his hitting woes. But part of his hitting woes should have been properly addressed in the offseason- isn't that on both parties?

[mlhouse]

I also agree with the FO on this decision.  Let Buxton shut down and heal.   WHy risk an injury that could permanently derail his career?  

 

If Buxton is smart he understand what is at stake for this off season.  He needs to do everything he can to improve.  Based upon his career to date, this is questionable.

[Vanimal46]

Good faith? Are you kidding?

 

"Systematically calculated to keep his service time below 3 years"?

Did you forget when the FO rushed him back to the roster before he was fully healed physically, or fixed his hitting problems, earlier this year?

 

Did you forget that the Twins built the bulk of their 2018 marketing plan around Buxton leading them on to even better things this season?

He, along with Sano, were obviously wildly unprepared to compete- the disaster that is 2018 has to be to a large degree on them both.

 

As an FYI to how bad Buxton was:

66 CFers with 94+ PAs listed in Fangraphs. Buxton is # 66 in BA @ .156 and #65 in OPS- @ a stunning .383. With his top-flite athleticism, he should have been able to bunt and hack enough 3-hop infield singles to, at the least, to have reached a .500 OPS. This was "accomplished" mostly when he was injury-free.

 

Try to find another legit MLB player who finished 1/3 of a season or better with an OPS+ of "4". Yes, 4.

 

When he supposedly was healthy enough to play rehab games, the medical staff was so concerned with the fragility around his wrist and foot, he was only permitted in playing every other day.

 

Two weeks of good AAA hitting didn't merit playing in September.

 

Get healthy, Buck. In the offseason, focus on heavy prehab training, and hire 5 legit breaking ball hurlers to throw you 500 junk balls per day. And watch streaming video of CF guys like Torii on how to avoid catastrophic collisions with OF walls.

They activated him from his rehab assignment 6 days early and optioned him to Rochester. It would have been 7 days of service time remaining before hitting 3 years instead of 13 today.

 

They chose not to bring him up in September and Levine admitted service time was a factor in the decision.

 

They called up every living, breathing human position player that played for the Twins this season except Buxton.

 

I stand by my opinion. If you think Levine and Falvey just looked at his service time numbers on August 31, you're fooling yourself. They've thought about this all season. And their decisions reflect that.

Edited September 6, 2018 by Vanimal46

[Otto von Ballpark]

They called up every living, breathing human position player that played for the Twins this season except Buxton.

 

Taylor Motter:

 

[Vanimal46]

Taylor Motter:

1130758.jpg

Sorry Taylor! Too forgettable, even with his flowing locks of beach hair.

[jokin]

 

I stand by my opinion. If you think Levine and Falvey just looked at his service time numbers on August 31, you're fooling yourself. They've thought about this all season. And their decisions reflect that.

 

Falvey as much acknowledged their decision in this regard. It doesn't change the rest of the facts as laid out here previously. I'm even inclined to agree with a previous poster that he needs to spend time in AAA to start 2019 until he demonstrates that he's addressed the enormous deficiencies in his game.

 

There's too much talent there continue this annual carousel. I would hope that the tough love actions taken by management will light a fire under Buxton- because if it does- I really think we will witness HOF level play by him (and Buck can thank them much later).

[ashbury]

They called up every living, breathing human position player that played for the Twins this season except Buxton.

 

Taylor Motter:

The difference being that Motter was not even eligible to be called up on Sept 1, since he had already been released by the organization on August 22.

[Mr. Brooks]

All true, but see my post immediately above.

 

Some of his injuries and overall physical day-to-day health are directly related to haphazard disregard for his own personal safety.

That's all fair, those types of posts aren't what I'm pointing to.

I've read his mlb performance described as awful, terrible, pathetic, etc.

Those are bizarre descriptions, unless one completely disregards half the game.

[Otto von Ballpark]

The difference being that Motter was not even eligible to be called up on Sept 1, since he had already been released by the organization on August 22.

I know that! But Motter otherwise met Vanimal's criteria. And we even brought back Gregorio Petit after outrighting him off the 40-man earlier. This is grievance material!

[ewen21]

 

All true, but see my post immediately above.

 

Some of his injuries and overall physical day-to-day health are directly related to haphazard disregard for his own personal safety.

Hello?

 

Mike Bearadino ran an article this March about how Buxton was proud of his ability to play through pain and how he had no fear of walls

https://www.twincities.com/2018/03/28/twins-star-byron-buxton-takes-pride-in-his-ability-to-play-through-pain/

Read the article now and tell me if there aren't red flags,  He was very brash about his reckless play in the article above.  Not sure how a GM wants to offer a guy like him years and money.

[ewen21]

 

That's all fair, those types of posts aren't what I'm pointing to.
I've read his mlb performance described as awful, terrible, pathetic, etc.
Those are bizarre descriptions, unless one completely disregards half the game.

I am sorry. but defemse is not "half of the game"

Not by any stretch of the imagination

[Squirrel]

I am sorry. but defemse is not "half of the game"

 

Not by any stretch of the imagination

Well, technically, it is, unless you are a DH sitting on the bench the whole game except to bat. A team spends half an inning trying to produce runs, and the other half inning is spent trying to prevent runs. You can argue which is the more important half, and give it a higher percentage of importance to the outcome of the game, but that’s a different discussion. I don’t think Buxton needs to produce as much offensively because of his defense, however, his defense doesn’t make up for where his offense currently sits. He needs to figure that out and there needs to be a positive balance before he provides what this team needs.

 

As for his reckless play in the outfield, I guess I wouldn’t describe it as that, or as haphazard. By definition that implies a lack of care or thought for what he’s doing, that he’s just running randomly into walls. I’d say he cares very much for what he’s doing, maybe too much, that it’s not random at all. You can say his goal to try and catch everything out there is detrimental to his well being and thus to his team, and I might agree, or at least accept, but I’m not so sure it’s either reckless or haphazard. But his injuries this year ... the migraine, the broken toe and the wrist strain ... were not caused by his outfield play.

 

That said ... he does need to work on his hitting. That is undeniable and no question. But how much of a hitter does he ‘need’ to become and does sending him home now help accomplish that? If sending him home accomplishes that, then sending him home was the right thing to do.

[jimmer]

In regular 9 inning games, a player has 4-5 PAs per game on offense (and remember even the best players fail roughly 6-7 out of 10 PAs over the course of the season). That player also plays 8 or 9 half innings on defense. A guy like Buxton, who makes plays most can't, can have a serious effect in the outcome of the game. Stealing a HR, turning doubles and triples into outs with his blazing speed. Catching a ball no one else would catch for out #3 making it so the guys on 2B and 3B don't score.

 

The truly special defenders in this game are real game changers with their D. Their defense counts for a larger portion of their game than most defenders.

Edited September 7, 2018 by jimmer

[USAFChief]

 

In regular 9 inning games, a player has 4-5 PAs per game on offense while playing 8 or 9 half innings on defense.

And may touch the ball on defense once or twice, or even not at all. Every play he makes may be routine in nature and every MLB player would have been capable of it.

 

On offense, he has the chance to change the score every PA.

 

 

[Yossarian]

Seems to me Bux needs more time to develop before being turned loose at the ML level.  Why is the FO overreaching by not bringing him up to play in September thus providing the club more time for him to do precisely that?  One of my favorite TK quotes was that April and September stats are poor indicators of a player's development level.  Bux had a terrific September a while back, but it didn't translate to this season's post-April.  And for every wondrous play he makes as a CF, there's a cringe-worthy episode where he just doesn't take care of his body, and then its DL-time.  Bux' WAR is terrific and it could be world-beating if we could both afford and plan on him starting 150 games a year.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

The Twins rushed him back, clearly before he had remedied his hitting woes. But part of his hitting woes should have been properly addressed in the offseason- isn't that on both parties?

 

To an extent. I was referencing Buxton's 4 year career, not just this year. He should have spent more time in the minors, that part was obvious, but the Twins got rid of all their CFs and didn't have a backup plan. Not sure this current FO helped much either. They handed him the job in 2017 as well. I could see that in 2018 given how he finished, but it was the same old Buxton to start in 2018. I think they need personally to plan on him not starting in 2019. His approach is bad, and for what it's worth, he has not developed good habits at the plate. 

[yarnivek1972]

I am sorry. but defemse is not "half of the game"

Not by any stretch of the imagination

Depends on the position. Buxton has averaged 4 chances per game and about 3 PA. So, for him his defense is actually more than half of his game. Of course, for some of the positions, the break down isn’t quite that simple. I would argue it is for cf, ss and maybe 2b and 3b though. A typical first baseman makes 8 or 9 plays per game. But the overwhelming majority are routine, capable of being made by literally any competent fielder.

[rv78]

The way I see it, if Buxton would have been in AAA most of the season where he belonged, based on his performance at the major league level, this whole service time issue wouldn't be an issue.

[Vanimal46]

I'm listening to Dan Barreiro interviewing Lavelle E Neal III right now... Lavelle says multiple Twins coaches, including Torii Hunter, have reached out to Buxton after the news and he's not returning messages.

 

But hey, we have him for another year. So worth it /s.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

"Hey Byron, you've had a bad year. You've been hurt. How can we help you be successful from this point forward?"

 

"What do you need from us?"

 

 

That's all they had to say.

[ewen21]

All anyone needs to do is read Chief's comment about defense. Sums it all up.

[ashbury]

Depends on the position. Buxton has averaged 4 chances per game and about 3 PA. So, for him his defense is actually more than half of his game. Of course, for some of the positions, the break down isn’t quite that simple. I would argue it is for cf, ss and maybe 2b and 3b though. A typical first baseman makes 8 or 9 plays per game. But the overwhelming majority are routine, capable of being made by literally any competent fielder.

Even at 4 chances per game, the majority of those plays in CF are routine too. The analogy on offense would be something closer to pitches faced, not PA - a substantial percentage of pitches are also routine - either let them go because they aren't close to strikes or else take a swing - in any case the batter has a huge number more of chances to contribute than the fielder.

[yarnivek1972]

Even at 4 chances per game, the majority of those plays in CF are routine too. The analogy on offense would be something closer to pitches faced, not PA - a substantial percentage of pitches are also routine - either let them go because they aren't close to strikes or else take a swing - in any case the batter has a huge number more of chances to contribute than the fielder.

But the batter is only going to have one outcome in a plate appearance. Walk, strike out or contact.