Twins

The soft-spoken kid from Georgia's ascent to the major leagues was as blisteringly fast as his foot speed. His adaptation to the highest level, however, has been anything but.

Byron Buxton still hasn't figured things out. He doesn't appear close to doing so. And it's becoming worrisome.

Last week, I considered what a potential long-term extension might look like for All Star Brian Dozier. Today, I want to do a little digging on what a potential long-term deal might be for Byron Buxton.

Buxton will not be arbitration-eligible until after the 2018 season. He will have three years of arbitration before becoming a free agent (both sentences assuming that he is done with the minor leagues). While the Twins certainly should not feel like they have to sign him now, this might be the best time to get him at a reasonable cost.

It wasn't all bad.

Yes, the Twins' 2018 season was a huge letdown, with alarming developments on multiple fronts, but amidst the wreckage there were some genuinely uplifting stories playing out.

Today we highlight six important ones that brighten the franchise's future outlook.

The Twins bounced back from a crushing sweep in Kansas City with surprising vigor, taking all three contests in Toronto and then the first at Fenway.

Unfortunately, it all proved to be too little, too late. The front office was already in talks with trade partners for deadline 'sell' moves, and pulled the trigger on deals to send out Eduardo Escobar and Ryan Pressly in exchange for prospects.

The Twins haven't won a game since Escobar's exit was announced on Friday afternoon.

When it rains, it pours. That seems to be a theme for the Twins this season. The Twins have been good in one-run games, but when one gets out of hand, the Twins typically haven't found a way to stop the bleeding. Well, until Chris Gimenez comes in. At least on Tuesday night in Boston, that didn't need to happen.

The Twins fell to 39-36 and remain a half game behind Cleveland in the AL Central.

After losing the first two games of this four-game series in Boston, the Twins really needed to play well on Wednesday night if only to get the taste from an ugly Tuesday night loss out of their mouth. As always, it starts with pitching. Maybe he was helped by being given a first-inning lead, but Adalberto Mejia got the job done. He threw 5.2 scoreless innings. The bullpen came through in a big way too, and Max Kepler added a blast as the Twins found a way to come back from a rough one to get the win.

In this week’s AL Central Division update we see the consistency of play across the division that may go unmatched the rest of the way. Four of five teams are 5-5 over their last 10 with the Guardians being just 4-6. Minnesota still leads the division as we look to close out the second month of the season.

Marco Raya might be the most exciting pitching prospect to come through the Twins organization since Jose Berrios. His stock is significantly rising after a tremendous professional debut.

Heading into Friday, Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels infielder Edouard Julien has a .505 on-base percentage, which ranks fifth among all minor leaguers (any level) with more than 35 plate appearances. His first 21 games have been great. Get to know more about the 2019 Twins draft pick from Canada, via Auburn.

Recently, left-handed reliever Matt Thornton signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres. He was one of many left-handed relievers mentioned on this site this offseason.

Meanwhile, the Twins have more than a half-dozen relief pitchers in the upper levels of the minor leagues who could be ready to contribute at some point during the 2016 season.

Therein lies the struggle. Is it better to have aging veterans whose careers are clearly on the downward trajectory or youth with loads of talent but minimal (if any) big league experience?

The best answer? It’s best to have players who are still in their prime with a ton of talent. However, we all know that teams are comprised of solely all-star caliber players aged 24 to 31.

The real answer is that each team is going to be comprised of some veterans and some rookies. But the Twins had some tough decisions this offseason, and there will be more next offseason, and every subsequent offseason. This offseason, the bullpen was the focal point, and this very topic is at the crux of what happened, or what didn’t happen, if you prefer.

Minnesota's bullpen received an influx of talent at the trade deadline. How will Rocco Baldelli organize the Twins' new bullpen hierarchy?

Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr, Chipper Jones, Bryce Harper, Joe Mauer, Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis. What do all of these players have in common? They were all first overall picks in the MLB Draft. Of this group, there is one Twins legend, one current Twin superstar, and one Twin of the future.