When It Rains, It Pours

Outfield motto: Nothing drops but rain. 

Expanded version: Nothing drops but rain, and Twins players.

So the question really wasn't whether he should be on a rehab stint but whether he should have been on the field at all.     Guys that get hurt a lot and sit out get their toughness questioned but I am way more annoyed by guys that think they need to play hurt to show how tough they are or because they think the team needs them playing hurt rather than not playing at all.    Over the years there have been boat loads of cases where players do not perform well and then it is discovered they have been playing hurt.    It cost Morneau an MVP and almost certainly the Twins a division crown in 2008.    It probably cost the Twins a game or two now with Buxton as well as put his recovery on the slow path.    

Sad to read of Buxton's continuing injury.  I was moved by your article to put together a blog on injuries.  Too often as fans we underestimate them - concussions, sprains, or any other injury creates a complex set on internal actions that we cannot judge.

But with that being said, I am concerned about Santana, his last year on the contract is beginning to look like a short one.  But more important, over the years the Twins have had way too many injuries where the staff gives us an optimistic prognostication only to slip into week to week to eventually prolonged absence.  

It made me look up Trevor May.  The last report from Roto World was May 22 - "Trevor May (elbow) allowed three earned runs over four innings Tuesday in a rehab start with Triple-A Rochester.

May was supposed to go five innings, but his pitch count rose quickly as he surrendered two walks and three hits -- including a homer to former teammate Trevor Plouffe. The 28-year-old right-hander has displayed diminished fastball velocity in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and will likely need a couple more minor league rehab outings before the Twins consider adding him to their active roster. May 22 - 8:20 PM"

But CBS reported this week - https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-trevor-may-struggling-at-triple-a/  "However, his struggles at Triple-A, especially with his control (eight walks in 10.2 innings), indicate he may need a few months in the minors before he's ready to return."

Anything more to add or are we having another rain storm?

Cody, as a staff writer, I wish you would stop posting that the Twins declined to send Buxton on a rehab assignment.

He only had 2 days remaining on his rehab eligibility (from the migraines).

Per MLB rules, a player must be activated after their 20 (30 for pitchers) day rehab eligibility has passed, even if they suffer a new injury, or recurrence of the original injury.

Once activated, they must miss 5 or more games (7 for pitchers), while ON the 25 man roster, AND get special approval from the commissioner's office before they can return to the disabled list.

I don’t believe you are interpreting the rule correctly. I think it means they can’t stay on a rehab assignment forever. “Recalled from rehab” isn’t the same as activated from the DL.

Common sense says that activating injured players would be ridiculous. Setbacks during rehab happen all the time. Those players aren’t activated. They are shut completely down for a minimum of 5 (7 for pitchers) days.

And now we also hear that Mauer is still suffering from concussion like symptoms.

More like severe thunderstorms for the Twins this season...

Buxton was in the lineup to try and salvage the season. The writing is now on the wall, so shut him down for a while. If the Twins were a game up on the Indians, he'd still be in the lineup.

As for Santana, he wouldn't make a difference anyway (unless he can hit). Our starters, with the exception of the last two nights, have been great. Odorizzi, Romero, Berrios, Gibson all sitting with ERAs in the mid 3s with big K numbers. Lynn has also been coming around a little. To be frank, it would've been ideal to dump Santana for prospects last year.

It's not quite that simple. If players only played when 100 percent healthy, it'd be rare to see 100 games played in a season. They're always dinged up to one degree or another, it's a long season.

 

Ideally, you'd want every player to want to play if physically able, but have a medical staff and manager capable of saying "no" when appropriate, and have a bench that makes it easier to sit people.

 

In this case, with a broken toe, I would agree they almost certainly rushed him.

 

In the specific case of Morneau...eh, I doubt it. This was a team already giving DH ABs to Jason Tyner. 

Tyner wasn't on the team in 2008.   Morneau was pretty much a shoe in for MVP until his .690 OPS after he had his stress fracture.    I blame Gardy more for playing him 163 games plus the all star game plus the home run derby.    That team did have Gomez, Cuddyer, Kubel, Young and Span so there were some options to give him some rest.  Of course people get dinged up but if it diminishes you below replacement level you shouldn't be out there