Buxton Promoted to AA

[Seth Stohs]

Doogie Wolfson first tweeted it and a few minutes later Twins PR man Dustin Morse confirmed it... Byron Buxton has been promoted to AA New Britain.

[TheLeviathan]

Wow, that's pretty exciting news.  Making the hopes for next year just a bit brighter.

[Tibs]

[Shane Wahl]

That's very good news.

[DaveW]

If he tears it up these first couple of weeks I really think the Twins need to bring him up for a Sept call up to get him a few at bats, get the fans pumped and actually put a better team on the field. The OF is going to be pretty brutal in the mean time.

[lightfoot789]

Congrats to Buxton.  It will be a great lead into the Fall League and next year. 

 

With Haar (3B) supposedly coming to Ft. Myers wth Burdi - Where does the other spot come from?  I would imagine an infielder with Haar coming.  Although with back to back doubleheaders coming up tomorrow and Wednesday - they could use some more pitching in this short span of time.  28 innings in 2 days uses up alot of arms.

[twinsfan34]

If he tears it up these first couple of weeks I really think the Twins need to bring him up for a Sept call up to get him a few at bats, get the fans pumped and actually put a better team on the field. The OF is going to be pretty brutal in the mean time.

 

Davo,

 

any idea the 40 man roster situation with the recent trades of Correia and Willingham?

 

As Buxton is not currently on the 40-man roster...would need to be to be called up I believe. If the slots are open, this is plausible, even if unprobable.

[DaveW]

Davo,

 

any idea the 40 man roster situation with the recent trades of Correia and Willingham?

 

As Buxton is not currently on the 40-man roster...would need to be to be called up I believe. If the slots are open, this is plausible, even if unprobable.

I think they should have a spot open, if not they could easily enough make a space avail. Once Sept happens you don't have to worry about losing a guy from the major league roster through waivers (though I think guys like Parmelee and even DeDuno don't have any business being on this teams 40 man roster for 2015 anyways)

[Puckett34]

Excellent news!

[stringer bell]

With the two trades, the Twins have two open spots on the 40-man.

[kab21]

With the two trades, the Twins have two open spots on the 40-man.

And they added Milone to the 40 man so due to trades it should be 1 open spot. 

 

There are guys that can be DFA'd though.

[John Kelsey]

And they added Milone to the 40 man so due to trades it should be 1 open spot. 

 

There are guys that can be DFA'd though.

Milone came over for Fuld and was immediately on the 40 man.

 

Correia and Willingham were traded with no one added to the 40 man, so they have two spots. 

[kab21]

Milone came over for Fuld and was immediately on the 40 man.

 

Correia and Willingham were traded with no one added to the 40 man, so they have two spots. 

my bad

[Thegrin]

They added Mauer to take Willingham's place.

 

Buxton has hit .240 at Ft Meyers.  Do we need to challenge his confidence by bringing him to the Twins ?

 

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=t509&player_id=621439#/career/R/hitting/2014/ALL

[Ncgo4]

What's the reason? He hasn't hit a lick so far this year. Just seems like a big risk here, but, like everyone else, I believe in this kid so good luck Buck!

[Paul Pleiss]

Ain't to party like a AA party, because a AA party don't stop.

 

 

Wait, what?

 

Congrats, Bux. Looking forward to seeing you roaming Target Field this time next season. Huzzah!

[diehardtwinsfan]

Bit surprised, Buxton wasn't exactly raking... Hopefully he was working on something and now he's going to be allowed to do what he does best.

[twinssouth]

Saw last night he was hit again by a pitch. Get him to AA where he at least doesn't have to worry about getting hammered by High A pitchers

[TRex]

Saw last night he was hit again by a pitch. Get him to AA where he at least doesn't have to worry about getting hammered by High A pitchers

Not only was he hit by a pitch (in the hip), it was in the at bat directly after his first inning home run by a 23-year old Venezuelan who was then ejected in the 5th inning with Buxton at the plate.

 

That is not good for baseball.

[Mike Sixel]

Lots of teams promote prospects based on talent, and not just on dominating a level. If this becomes the Twins' new MO, I'm not sure what I'd be allowed to complain about anymore......

[drjim]

Some speculation from John Manuel that he may have been promoted for Arizona Fall League purposes. There is a limit to the amount of guys that can play from levels lower than AA.

 

That, and probably giving Buxton something to really build upon going into next year.

[drjim]

Lots of teams promote prospects based on talent, and not just on dominating a level. If this becomes the Twins' new MO, I'm not sure what I'd be allowed to complain about anymore......

 

I'm sure there will be plenty.

[Mike Sixel]

I don't know, things are trending up. I remain hopeful for next year.

[tobi0040]

I am not really buying into Buxtons "struggles".  He has played 30 games.  He was out 6-8 weeks, then came back rusty.  Got hot, then got drilled on the wrist.  Then was out again.

 

.240 average, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 6 SB.  .718 OPS.   If given 150 games he would end with 20 2B, 10 3B, 20 HR, 30 SB and most of that work was working through rust.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I am not really buying into Buxtons "struggles".  He has played 30 games.  He was out 6-8 weeks, then came back rusty.  Got hot, then got drilled on the wrist.  Then was out again.

 

.240 average, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 6 SB.  .718 OPS.   If given 150 games he would end with 20 2B, 10 3B, 20 HR, 30 SB and most of that work was working through rust.

 

Yep. As I said to a co-worker last week, "High A, Double A, I don't think it matters with Buxton. The kid will adjust."

 

I'm not the least bit worried about his "lack of production".

[Mike Sixel]

tobi and mike, the optimists on this thread......

[gil4]

Lots of teams promote prospects based on talent, and not just on dominating a level. If this becomes the Twins' new MO, I'm not sure what I'd be allowed to complain about anymore......

Quoting Joe Walsh for the 2nd day in a row:  "I can't complain but sometimes I still do"

 

We will find something.  Hopefully it's something like the World Series patch clashes with the Twins uniforms or we don't like the design on the new post-season homer hankies.

[jokin]

I am not really buying into Buxtons "struggles".  He has played 30 games.  He was out 6-8 weeks, then came back rusty.  Got hot, then got drilled on the wrist.  Then was out again.

 

.240 average, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 6 SB.  .718 OPS.   If given 150 games he would end with 20 2B, 10 3B, 20 HR, 30 SB and most of that work was working through rust.

 

Exactly right.  In the 5 games before Buck's most recent wrist injury on July 18, he was seemingly back to his 2013 form, with 2 HR and a triple among 11 hits in 22 ABs.  

 

Yeah, he isn't all the way back to his 2013 #1 prospect-status-level, but with this promotion, the Twins are rightly positioning him for the next step to 2015 major-league-readiness.  New Britain has 23 games remaining in 21 days, giving Buxton a good chance to get 100+ AA-level PAs.  He can follow up these at bats with playoff games in either AAA or A+, or better yet, if he really starts to click, he can add a September call-up followed by maybe another 90-100 PAs in the AFL.  That could mean close to 300 PAs at much more advanced levels, potentially really salvaging a lost season and paving the way for a quicker call-up to the Twins in 2015.    

[jokin]

tobi and mike, the optimists on this thread......

 

Hey, I want a piece of that action...!

[jokin]

I don't know, things are trending up. I remain hopeful for next year.

 

 

Yeah Mike, it feels kind of weird being on this side of the ball.  But really, with everything that went down on Monday, August 11, 2014, to me it felt like such a watershed moment for the Twins near-future fortunes.