Wheres Byron Buxton ?

[Dave The Dastardly]

 

Everything that I've read still suggests he's on track and following the rehab schedule the Twins put him on.  I don't see the need for pessimism until he's still not appearing in games two weeks from now.

Pessimism - Minnesota sports fans perpetual state of mind. Synonym - is it cold enough for ya?

[Craig Arko]

I recall hearing the same ‘always hurt, will not work out’ refrain about Robert Smith during his early years with the Vikings. I put little value on those, too.

[Number3]

Why is Sano even being brought up?

 

What do you want from the guy? You mention 307 homers, well... it's pretty damned hard to drive in a runner if everyone on the team is putting the ball over the fence. And Sano was still on pace for well over 100 RBI in a full season.

 

(from prior posts)

 

I may have brought Sano up in the first plave and the reason I did is that Buxton and Sano have been touted in the same breath as key cogs in the Twins' future and both have had streaks of brilliance mixed with injuries and less than great performances. Hard to mention one without the other.

 

What I want from the guy, and probably could have used other term than "breakout" is simply to be available for a season and show that he is a reliable major league ball player, not just a physical specimen who hits the ball a long way when he hits it. If that is a poor distinction then so be it.

[ewen21]

 

 

 

What I want from the guy, and probably could have used other term than "breakout" is simply to be available for a season and show that he is a reliable major league ball player, not just a physical specimen who hits the ball a long way when he hits it. If that is a poor distinction then so be it.

I think what you say here is an entirely fair comment.  Both Buxton and Sano have had problems staying on the field and in the case of Buxton even more extreme.  These two have basically been handed the starting job the last four seasons.  Buxton has played in over 100 games a grand total of once.  How is that even close to being satisfactory?

 

You may have been a little harsh, but then I think the reaction to what you said was maybe a little over the top as well.  Nothing you said was unfair or controversial in my estimation.

[ewen21]

 

Why is Sano even being brought up?

Buxton has had one solid year off the injury list and that was 2017. He is a liability and since the Twins have depth in the outfield, it is time to trade him.

There is no reason to believe he is going to turn the corner on his injuries since he is constantly getting injured.

 

He really needs to get his act together.  He has been praised effusively here for a very long time already.  He is fast.  We get it.

 

The trouble with a guy whose game is predicated on speed is that speed is the first thing to go, and where he isn't a particularly good baserunner, nor does he get on base very often.

 

I would say whatever chance we had to trade him for something significant has passed.  When the Mets asked for him in the Syndergaard trade we should have pulled the trigger.  Apparently we view him as if he is a franchise player.  This is a guy who in five seasons in the big leagues has had over 300 at bats once.  He's had over a .730 OPS once.  He has a career OBP of .292 and he has a history of concussions and migraines.  

 

Not sure how anyone can term what I said as uninformed and unfair.  

[jkcarew]

I think it's reasonable that some would be cautious or even pessimistic regarding the likelihood that Buxton is on the verge of being both a very good and a consistently available overall player.

 

But, it doesn't seem that this spring so far should have moved anyone further in that direction...if that's what the undercurrent is here? Sounds like his progress is exactly according to what the plan was to this point.

 

One thing that seems clear...at least for 2020, is that he doesn't need to be great for the Twins to be good. But, if he could play 130 - 140 games, bat 9th and get the OBP to, say, .325....he could be the rug that really brings the room together.

 

 

[howieramone2]

I view him as a franchise player until he's not. No way I trade him for overrated Thor or Stroman. And yes, we could trade him for something significant on the first call.

[Riverbrian]

 

he could be the rug that really brings the room together.

 

Kudos. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Why is Sano even being brought up?

Buxton has had one solid year off the injury list and that was 2017. He is a liability and since the Twins have depth in the outfield, it is time to trade him.

There is no reason to believe he is going to turn the corner on his injuries since he is constantly getting injured.

Baseball history is littered with workhorses who suddenly became injury-prone... and also the inverse.

 

Buxton's injury history is certainly troublesome but it doesn't mean he will continue to injure himself every season.

 

Or it might mean he continues to injure himself every season. There isn't a great predictive model for this kind of thing.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I view him as a franchise player until he's not. No way I trade him for overrated Thor or Stroman. And yes, we could trade him for something significant on the first call.

Good Lord, I would trade Buxton for Syndergaard in a heartbeat and I freakin' love Buxton.

 

I salivate at what Johnson and the Twins development team could do with Syndergaard. Mets pitchers, while good, are generally regarded as being underdeveloped and underutilized.

 

Which is a big reason why teams were basically in a fistfight to throw money at Wheeler this offseason.

 

Syndergaard pushes this team into a World Series contender, on par with the Yankees or Dodgers or Astros.

[Rosterman]

I would love to be a fly in the wall in any discussion about a longer term contract.

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I would love to be a fly in the wall in any discussion about a longer term contract.

I don't think there are any discussions at this point because the two sides would be so wildly far apart. Buxton needs a good season for contract leverage, the team is willing to pay for what he has done (plus some, but almost certainly not enough).

[Greglw3]

 

Don't rush it and nurse him along until fully healthy. I'd rather see Buxton in October than Buxton in March.

Could open an early door for Kirilloff or Larnach.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I only skimmed some of the longer responses, but it seems to mostly be discussion Buxyon's role with the team goin' forward.

 

I ain't thinkin' that hard, and will content myself with an answer to 'where is Buxton now?"

 

He is cleared to hit off a t? May i assume he is in Fort Myers getting his work in on the complex side of things rather than the fields? Or is he getting said work in back in Georgia with his family?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I would love to be a fly in the wall in any discussion about a longer term contract.

Buxton sets a new MLB precident, asking that a fly swatter be included as part of the signing bonus.

[ewen21]

I remember Mauer saying "baby steps" before the 2011 season and not liking it.  We aren't there yet, but I am beginning to wonder what is up.  Back on February 15th we read this:

"Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the Twins hope to have Buxton ramped up to game action by mid-March, but Buxton himself didn't put any timeline on his return in Spring Training. The sole focus for both Buxton and the Twins remains getting him ready for Opening Day on March 26 in Oakland."

https://www.mlb.com/news/byron-buxton-spring-training-rehab-update

 

 Rocco assured us everything was going according to plan.  Well, how is that now when he still has not faced live pitching with the season starting in 19 days?  Would we not need to hear something real soon?  Maybe tomorrow?

[RaymondLuxuryYacht]

Have we decided yet if Rocco is honest or dishonest?

[mrtwinsfan]

 

Have we decided yet if Rocco is honest or dishonest?

Baseball managers are now Politicans, say what people want to hear, and down play everything

[ewen21]

 

Have we decided yet if Rocco is honest or dishonest?

He was not being dishonest.  He was just trying to "be positive"

[DocBauer]

It is not mid March yet. We have a good week until that time frame. I'm sure he will either be participating or we will hear something different.

 

I want a healthy Buxton, not a rushed Buxton.

 

IIRC, Hunter had a few injury issues early as well. Is Buxton

injury prone or early snakebit? We really don't know yet.

 

One thing I'm wondering is if he's not ready, does Wade make the club? He seems to be doing OK in ST and seems to be a better option in CF than Cave. Does he force his way on to the opening roster so Kepler can stay in RF?

[Squirrel]

I don't know who would make the club in his place ... I think that might depend on where he is in his recovery. If it's just a couple of weeks in extended ST (which I think it will be) ... then I think it's Cave. Kepler can man center for a short time period. But then ... I just don't know.

[akmanak]

The speculation on Buxton is laughable. Here is a player who has gone through one season unscathed. Every year it is something and he can't stay healthy.

 

If this guy had the last name Mauer people would be singing a much different tune.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Baseball managers are now Politicans, say what people want to hear, and down play everything

Ugh, not true. The media today will throw any downplaying a manager says in their face if the reality doesn't match the statement.

 

Unfortunately for all of us, baseball managers and front offices are held to a much higher standard than politicians.

[Platoon]

This has to be the year Buxton is finally defined as an asset or a liability for the Twins. As asset if he can play anywhere close to his enormous abilities, and stay on the field for a majority of the season. He becomes a liability if he is again hurt and the Twins are again betwixt and between what to do about CF and the roster spot. 

[JustinCB]

betwixt

 

Willing to bet that's the first use of "betwixt" on twinsdaily. Betwins.

[Number3]

I give Buxton 50-50 at best to seriously continue his Major League career. He is border line frail physically (not strength wise but structure wise) and on top of that he is prone to headaches and scary concussion symptoms. Its like a car which gets the transmission rebuilt and back on the road and then the engine throws a rod. I simply do not think he can stay on the field very long if and when he comes back. Way too many unrelated symptoms and injuries.

[howieramone2]

I give him an 80% chance of having a long and productive career with our favorite team. Kind of reminds me of board favorite Aaron Hicks. Expectations can be a bear.

[Taildragger8791]

 

I give him an 80% chance of having a long and productive career with our favorite team. Kind of reminds me of board favorite Aaron Hicks. Expectations can be a bear.

 

Hicks hasn't exactly been a bastion of health either, considering he has exactly one season with over 390 plate appearances.

 

It's criminally negligent that the Twins haven't found a solid backup CFer to fill in for Buxton. They knew he was iffy to be ready for the season, and he's left them in tough spots year after year with unavailability. You have to plan for someone to man CF competently without weakening the rest of the defense by relocating everyone.

 

I like the Buxton and the X-Factor he brings to this squad. His speed/athleticism/defense/baserunning pressure is the straw that stirs the drink on a team chock full of big swingers. That said, you don't turn down potential young front-line pitching for him. Buxton's elite skills/athleticism could start to erode before he ever learns to stay on the field, at which point he's no longer an X-Factor and he's just a decent player with OBP issues that will want to get paid.

[howieramone2]

To some degree, Cave, Kepler, and Rosario can all fill CF. To a lesser degree, if you ignore the Mendoza Line, so can Lewis and Celestino. Calculated risk until the deadline.

[Taildragger8791]

 

To some degree, Cave, Kepler, and Rosario can all fill CF. To a lesser degree, if you ignore the Mendoza Line, so can Lewis and Celestino. Calculated risk until the deadline.

 

That's what I'm talking about though. If Buxton misses extended time and your plan is to move someone else over and then backfill for that guy, you've now weakened 2 defensive positions. Then at some point one of those guys gets hurt or needs a few days off and you pretty quickly have a clown show in the outfield like we did at times last year. As far as I've seen, Cave is only a passable defender in short stints.