What the Hell Are the Twins Doing with Byron Buxton?

Would be another fantastic article, Nick, if the subject/situation wasn’t so damned depressing.

If the Twins truly are not willing to pay Buxton $14M a year REGARDLESS of performance (miss 140 games, put up 1 WAR?  Fourteen Million.  Play 150 games, put up 8 WAR, win MVP?  Fourteen Million)...then I just don't know what to say.

This Buxton situation has completely stymied the Twins front office apparently. 

"I'm having a really hard time connecting the dots here." - This is almost everyone, both Twins fans and those who follow baseball around the country. Something is amiss and it is frustrating to wait for the other shoe to fall.

As to the possibilities .... it seems what numbers were shared/published are likely real or quite close. The other three possibilities seem much more to the heart of the problem in signing Buxton: the Twins don't believe in Byron, he is ready to move, and the Twins do not intend to pay for a Buxton contract. 

Whew, this is too much to get our head around. I mean the Twins could put a team on the field that does better than last year's record for $100 million. That team would need to include Buxton, even if the bill for BB was $25 million (a quarter of the payroll). Without Buxton, the Twins need to go into a full rebuild like Baltimore or boost the payroll to $150 million. So many posts and  the article in The Athletic puts a new twist in our expectations/hopes for Twins baseball. 

How is it possible that Falvey is still analyzing their own roster and wondering what to do? The quote from The Athletic was somewhat disturbing. “Now, we’re working through understanding all sides of this ultimately. We’ll proceed accordingly. At this stage of the offseason, we’re still just navigating our strategy and planning and trying to understand what’s available to us and what the market looks like on all periods. As is always the case, this isn’t unique to Byron or otherwise, there are people on our team that are interesting to other clubs and we just always need to work through what does that look like, what does our team look like as we navigate it.” 

This entire past year has been confusing. My default is to accept what Falvey sees as best for making the Twins competitive, even when I disagree. The unfolding of this drama with Buxton causes me to question. Yah, what the hell is going on?

Nick, I agree 100 % with your article.  Thanks for writing it and for expressing what a lot of us Twins fans are thinking: "What the Hell?" Maybe the FO and/or owners don't care what we rabid Twins fans are saying here, but they should pay attention.  I contend this website is frequented  by incredibly bright, thoughtful, loyal Twins fans. I really do not remember a subject matter that has been as strongly  agreed upon on this site as the absolute necessity to sign Buck to a long term deal. Ans so I say in no damn uncertain terms: FO, do not mess this up by negotiating too much. I have seen this happen in negotiations involving my law practice many times. Feelings get hurt and lines get drawn in the sand and next thing you know, the whole thing unravels. This impasse is not just about money. Find a way to address the pride puffing up on both sides. Think outside the box and see what Buck really wants, and find a way to give it to him. 

Thoughtful analysis ... of a tragedy in the making.

Man, this has been an ugly day in Twins Territory. Wasn't this offseason supposed to help us forget the agony of 2021?

Look, I don't like this FO, and I don't trust this FO. But this explanation is plausible: "Buxton has no interest in signing an extension in Minnesota." If it is, then the least this FO can do is really dig in about why. Is it personal preference, or is it that Buxton felt disrespected or slighted here? If so, the organizational norms or practices that led to his discontent have to change. Immediately. Period.

And if he is traded, then they have to drop the ridiculous notion that they're "retooling." Admit the folly, ask the fans' forgiveness for a lost window of opportunity, lay out an organizational plan and a timeline and ask the fans to join in on a rebuilding journey. They can even talk big and claim that, with a retooled development staff, it'll be the shortest rebuild in team history. 

But come clean. Be honest. Treat fans like intelligent adults. Most of us are ... myself excluded.

I think its fairly evident that this comes down to the front office based on the comments made today. 

With that said, you've traded away one young piece in Berrios and now are likely to trade the other in Buxton. 

You better be damn sure that you can identify the right talent in these trades to build a contender while also signing the right pieces in the meantime to entice fans to buy tickets or else your in some serious trouble.

I guess I am in the minority here. I don't see a trade of Buck as all that bad. He should bring one helluva return and when you consider the guy will be 28 years old, has played in the majors 7 years and has never played a full season once, why would you break the bank to keep someone like that? I realize looking back isn't the best way to evalaute a player but in Bucks case you can't ignore it either. Maybe the best way to spend that money is to give it to someone who can play 150+ games a year, year after year, even if he is slightly less spectacular defensively and almost as good offensively. With some really good shortstops available this year maybe the money would be better spent there. Give CF to a 1 or 2 year guy and if you've got SS covered for 4, 5 or 6 years let Royce Lewis or Austin Martin go to CF since they are questionable at SS anyway. 

To quote the baseball analysts from Hobbiton.

Pippin: What's he doing?

Merry: He's leaving!

Thank you Nick, I'm very confused also especially now with the Berrios extension.  It was presented that Berrios was unreasonable and that he wanted to become a free agent and get the big bucks, so I wasn't surprised when he got traded. But when the Twins played Toronto, I had the impression that Berrios wanted to be back together with his old team mates and that he really didn't want to leave MN.

What surprised me was that Berrios took Toronto's 1st offer and didn't really want to hold out for FA. My take on this is that this FO is low balling in their negotiating player's extensions. When Berrios finally got a reasonable offer he took it. I feel that they're doing the same thing with Buxton. The fans want Buxton and I believe, like Berrios, Buxton and even more so wants to stay with his teammates. I feel (and I hope I'm wrong) that this FO is lying to us and have been jerking around and low balling their players. This is degrading and makes me angry. Suggestions of base salary with incentives has been around for awhile why haven't they come up with a reasonable offer? They seem like intelligent people. What is the alternative to signing him, we won't get anything in trade, other teams will out low ball them. FO quit playing around before it's too late, finally show confidence in Buxton and finally give him a reasonable offer. Forgive me that I'm coming across harsh but I'm very frustrated right now.

I have seen many things that this FO have done wrong and spoken about it this last year and many fans have countered me. I believe that many will finally wake up and there'll be a revolt but it could be too late.

Lots of stuff to digest here. One thing is clear: do not rely on anything the front office or Jim pohlad says. They are not forthright in the simplest of transactions much less the critical ones. 

26 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

This really just seems like posturing to me. 

Buxton - no way. Falvey - why? Buxton could retire today and never look back. The Twins absolutely need Buxton. You only need to look at the W-L records of the Twins with and without Buxton. Tickets, ad sales, viewership - there is a ton on the line here. The Twins did not average as many fans last season as the Timberwolves drew to last night's game. The T-Wolves are terrible. Is that acceptable? We are all human and Falvey has misspoken. I will hope that things will take a turn for the positive. 

Posturing...if that's what our illustrious FO is doing then damn them to hell.  This is a FO that has COMPLETLY messed up an off-season 50% of the time. (2018 & 2021).   My patience with them is running out.  Honestly, I don't think an AVERAGE FO could mess up a season as frequently as these guys have.  They got us Cruz and Maeda, and epically failed in 2021 and again in 2018.  So now we have a couple scenarios, nicely laid out by Nick, and NONE of them are something a Twins fan would be happy with.  The sad truth is, if the Twins end up trading Buxton they will get nothing close to what his value could/should be.  I'm losing any confidence that Falvey/Levine actually have a plan and are working their plan.  At this point, they should be beyond "navigating" their strategy" and actually EXECUTING their strategy.  Honestly,  Jim Pohlad  should be shocked and dismayed they aren't EXECUTING their strategy.  How is it, that the Tigers FO identified a Gold Glove catcher and young LH starting pitcher (Barnhardt & Rodriguez) and have already "executed" signing them.  How is it the Dodgers already identified a LH pitcher with great stuff (Heaney) and signed him to a bargain $8.5 million dollar contract. 

Front offices are presently EXECUTING their strategies.  Ours, they're  still "navigating"  theirs.  Signing Buxton SHOULD be this FO's #1 priority this off season, followed closely by signing/trading for FOUR SP's to fill out the starting rotation (because that's where our tremendous FO has left us at this point).   Prom is coming up, and at this rate they will be without a date and sitting home lonely.

I really good article to stir us all up on a gray November day. I don't understand this front office. Nor do I understand how they responded to Berrios and I can't comprehend how they're handling Buxton. 

I'm reading baseball news and I'm surprised at the speed by which teams are taking action despite the lack of CBA. But then I contrast the twins and the lack of action. I don't understand it. 

As if winter wasn’t depressing enough in the frozen tundra….I saw somewhere the Twins are a 100 win team with Buxton and an 81 win team without him over the past 3 or 4 years. I also saw that he’s got one of the top 10 or so best WAR per 162 game season in the entire MLB - right there with the top names in the game.  So many great recommendations on TD about a fair base salary and massive incentives for games played.  If Byron plays 140 games a year he’s worth $25M for the next 6-7 years.  Pay the man!  Can we sell Fake Twins stock like the Packers did or start a GoFundMe??

If the offer isn't $125 Million, Buxton's not staying here.  Gonna be a sad day when we look up and see  that we could have kept both Buxton & Berrios for less than Carlos Correa will sign for.

The mantra remains until it isn't true, and not by what they say, but what they do. The Twins are just cheap. That contract should be able to go over 200 million with incentives!

“Now, we’re working through understanding all sides of this ultimately. We’ll proceed accordingly. At this stage of the offseason, we’re still just navigating our strategy and planning and trying to understand what’s available to us and what the market looks like on all periods. As is always the case, this isn’t unique to Byron or otherwise, there are people on our team that are interesting to other clubs and we just always need to work through what does that look like, what does our team look like as we navigate it.” 

That is one souless and lost comment by Falvey. Still trying to understand? Seriously? Looks like the same old plan.... wait and see what is left, underpay them and make them happy like Lynn, and hope for the best. 

It sure was fun watching the Braves this year. They had some soul.

A team should always look at having at least one player who is outside your entire team's financial structure....The Franchose Guy! The fellow you pay above and beyond because he is the current name of the Franchise. 

And then don't complain when they age or whatever and don't live up to the expectations. Think of it as paying for services past rendered, too.

Keep your own players if throwing away money. Would you rather have 7 years of Jose Berrios for $131 or a $100-108 million five year contract with, say, Josh Donaldson. The Twins can gamble, but they jsut keep looking for the hometown discount, it seems (or any discount). Hometown Players CAN get rewarded for their underpaid years, especially by the team that ahs already exploited them!

I will say if the Twins trade Buxton and he signs an 8 year 120 million contract with 30 million in incentives, There will be very few people bothering to go to Twins games until we have a trustworthy new front office. and the fact that the current offer is 1 year and 50 million less than that even.......Lets wait and see but wow this is bad from where we sit.

I am old school.  I have followed the Twins since I listened to Halsey Hall with my dad.  I have been a loyal Twins fan through the good and the bad (and the really ugly).  I know that there might be a logical, financial reason to trade him but if they don't resign Byron Buxton I am done! 

My guess is that Falvey has a number in mind that he isn’t willing to cross, even by a little. Doogie tweeted that they came nowhere close to what Toronto offered for Berrios, so the same thing could be playing out here. Perhaps this is why his name keeps popping up in the rumor mill whenever a team has a front office vacancy…I’ve been a supporter of this front office, but the Buxton situation is very quickly unraveling my trust. It’s just such a no brainer. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If the numbers we’ve seen are at all accurate, then clearly there’s a way. There just seems to be no will. 

12 hours ago, Sirhamless said:

Fantastic read even though it was a sad  one. With just so much regression this past year, maybe the FO just don’t have much confidence in competing in the next or so and they’re just looking to acquire as much future assets as they can instead of taking a risky big contract on Buxton. Still very early in the off-season though but it’s gonna be a telling one 

I understand your point, but the problem is that the numbers we’ve seen don’t at all constitute a big contract. Jon Gray will sign a higher AAV deal this winter. 

15 minutes ago, prouster said:

My guess is that Falvey has a number in mind that he isn’t willing to cross, even by a little. Doogie tweeted that they came nowhere close to what Toronto offered for Berrios, so the same thing could be playing out here. Perhaps this is why his name keeps popping up in the rumor mill whenever a team has a front office vacancy…I’ve been a supporter of this front office, but the Buxton situation is very quickly unraveling my trust. It’s just such a no brainer. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If the numbers we’ve seen are at all accurate, then clearly there’s a way. There just seems to be no will. 

Doggie isn't as connected as he wants people to believe. The FO might not have went 7 years, but I have a hard time believing they wouldn't go $18m for a solid #2 on a back loaded contract. 

Terrific piece! I gotta say, that given the one-two punch combination here (Berrios, then Buxton), I have to suspect that the logjam here lies on the side of ownership/front office. As a lifelong Twins' fan, this really feels like a make-or-break moment for me.

Buxton needs to be signed, he is the face of the organization. I respect that the Twins have to protect themselves because of Buxton's injury history, but it sounds like Bux understands that as well. Get creative and if Buxton stays healthy and hits like he did down the stretch, he deserves $30m per year. If he pulls up lame again, cap the damages at $15m.