Byron Buxton is the best center fielder on the planet

[Schmoeman5]

6 hours ago, ashbury said:

I just learned something. Outfielders try to hit the base, not the cutoff.

 

2 hours ago, RpR said:

?

OK Mr no it all. 1st off Polanco is in RC with his back to the play. Mass confusion.  Buxton doesn't miss the cutoff.. He throws the ball to 2nd base where Correa should be but instead is fielded by urshela between 2nd and 3rd. He tags the trail runner for out number 2, then runs to and steps on 2nd base for the 3rd out. Even after that Polanco and Correa are pointing to 1st base for Urshela to throw to, even tho he doesn't need to. Buxtons throw was slightly off line but if he WAS throwing it to 3rd as you say, the question is why. Why would he attempt the longer throw. He surely couldn't see where 1 or both runners were. And even after all that, watch Buxtons reaction. He still isn't sure of what just happened 

 

[Squirrel]

7 hours ago, Schmoeman5 said:

He still isn't sure of what just happened 

I'm not sure that many on either team really knew what was going on. I think maybe only Urshela had a sense of anything because he was in a position to watch/see all the runners. Both Correa and Polanco had their backs turned to the runners and didn't see what they were doing. And I think Buxton was just getting the ball in so whether or not the throw was intended to go where it did, or should have been thrown where it was, it was still, imo, a perfect throw for Urshela to field and then to tag a runner and get to 2nd for the 3rd out. The fact that Polanco and Correa were pointing to first kind of indicated that they didn't really know, either ... or maybe they just wanted to be sure it was all covered. Baldelli even said he wasn't sure what was happening because most everyone was tracking the ball and weren't watching the runners.

[USAFChief]

Buxton just turned and got the ball into the IF as quickly as possible, in the general direction of 2nd base. He didn't have time to aim to a specific teammate. 

What's kind of funny is in each snippet of replay, none of the announcers quite knows what's going on (except possibly Perkins).

Like me in real time, they thought Urshela needed to throw to 1st to complete the triple play. Even the last one, where Dick is back after the commercial break, he calls it a "9-5 triple play.

That's 8-5, Dick.

[RpR]

9 hours ago, Schmoeman5 said:

 

OK Mr no it all. 1st off Polanco is in RC with his back to the play. Mass confusion.  Buxton doesn't miss the cutoff.. He throws the ball to 2nd base where Correa should be but instead is fielded by urshela between 2nd and 3rd. He tags the trail runner for out number 2, then runs to and steps on 2nd base for the 3rd out. Even after that Polanco and Correa are pointing to 1st base for Urshela to throw to, even tho he doesn't need to. Buxtons throw was slightly off line but if he WAS throwing it to 3rd as you say, the question is why. Why would he attempt the longer throw. He surely couldn't see where 1 or both runners were. And even after all that, watch Buxtons reaction. He still isn't sure of what just happened 

 

The game is over, time to move on.

[Number3]

22 hours ago, IndianaTwin said:

I think he was mainly just trying to get it back to the infield as quickly as possible.

But yes, Urshela made a good play in going to the ball rather than letting it come to him. 

 

I agree that the discussion about this should be over but I would bet you are exactly right; Byron was just trying to unload the ball and get it back to the infield as fast as possible. No way could he have any idea where the runners were or try to make a perfect throw to anywhere after that catch. Urshela could not have played it better. If the runners had waited they would have both moved up a base anyway and could never have been thrown out.

[srlarson]

he needs to hit better than .218.......if he can get it to .275 then you can have that discussion........but good d, some pop in his bat.....but struggles to get on base....

[Murph]

We are huge BUXTON fans, but he needs to stop trying to lift the ball at the plate. He needs to hit the ball where it's pitched.  Some singles and doubles would help.  

Defensively - right!  There is none better.

[bean5302]

Just because I love to stir the pot on the Byron Buxton is the best player in the universe comments, he's 2nd or 3rd best at the position in MLB this year. That does make him top 10% though

[big dog]

Arraez now has an OPS higher than Buxton. It would be nice to see Byron hit a single instead of flail at strike 3 in the dirt a little more often.

[Craig Arko]

On 7/6/2022 at 10:29 AM, USAFChief said:

Like me in real time, they thought Urshela needed to throw to 1st to complete the triple play. Even the last one, where Dick is back after the commercial break, he calls it a "9-5 triple play.“

 

And Dabney Coleman was all three outs.

[ToriiRules!!]

Why because he plays good defense and occasionally hits a home run??? Batting .200 and getting on base .290 is no where near the greatest CF in todays game let alone all time lol!!!!