Buxton....

[Twins Fan From Afar]

Boy. The Internet and social media have made following sports better, certainly, but reading a thread like this makes me wish it was 1991 again.

 

Buxton barely played baseball last year. What was it, 31 games? And then he sustained a concussion in his first AA game.

 

Let's wait till, I don't know, May, June, before we express concern.

[tobi0040]

 

Obviously a SSS, but Buxton (and Sano) are not striking out against big K/9 pitchers either. I looked and most of the starters they have faced are 5.5 to 6.5 K/9 guys.

 

They both basically missed all of last year and we are 4 games in.  Sano's OPS is .774 for crying out loud.  He has a HR and 4 BB's.  Buxton is at .697 with a HR and SB.

 

Milone would also be receiving Cy Young votes right now.

 

Really?

[Steve Lein]

Not concerned really. He'll be fine once he's back in the grind after a full year off basically.

 

He is going to strike out a lot more in AA until he sees more and figures out breaking balls, though. Like a few others here, my own observations in Fort Myers this Spring were that he has no idea how to hit them yet. Could just be the rust though too, but I don't have any doubts about his future.

[John Kelsey]

Throw in a triple to make it a 4-6 day at the plate, just a homer away from the cycle. 

 

He's giving a big middle finger to this thread today. 

[tobi0040]

 

Throw in a triple to make it a 4-6 day at the plate, just a homer away from the cycle. 

 

He's giving a big middle finger to this thread today. 

 

The guy is dominating AA.  An OPS of .828.  On pace for a 30-30 season on a 162 game schedule.

 

I hear the Twins have him on a plane to arive by about the 5th inning at Target field.  Whew.  That was a close one.

[adorduan]

 

They both basically missed all of last year and we are 4 games in.  Sano's OPS is .774 for crying out loud.  He has a HR and 4 BB's.  Buxton is at .697 with a HR and SB.

 

Milone would also be receiving Cy Young votes right now.

 

Really?

 

you obviously ignored the first 3 words of my post.

[tobi0040]

 

you obviously ignored the first 3 words of my post.

 

You acknowledged the sample size, but then tried analyzing what has happened in said sample size.

[Hrbowski]

The way people are acting you would think that he had struck out 220 times in the past year, we can just be thankful he his on our team. The kid has tons of talent.

[Tibs]

After his performance today, my only concern is that he is too good and the MLB won't let him play in the league because he is so much better than everyone else.

[adorduan]

 

You acknowledged the sample size, but then tried analyzing what has happened in said sample size.

well yes, that is what a caveat is...........  here ya go :Definition: a modifying or cautionary detail to be considered when evaluating, interpreting, or doing something.  I get it, you think he's the next superstar, I'm a little more cautious. I think he will be a very good player, but maybe not great, something like a Torii Hunter clone. no biggie.

[tobi0040]

 

well yes, that is what a caveat is...........  here ya go :Definition: a modifying or cautionary detail to be considered when evaluating, interpreting, or doing something.  I get it, you think he's the next superstar, I'm a little more cautious. I think he will be a very good player, but maybe not great, something like a Torii Hunter clone. no biggie.

 

I think his ceiling offensively is Carl Crawford circa 2003 to 2007.  15-20 HR, 50-60 stolen bases. OPS .780-.820. Defensively, one of the best CF in the game.

 

 

[gunnarthor]

 

I think his ceiling offensively is Carl Crawford circa 2003 to 2007.  15-20 HR, 50-60 stolen bases. OPS .780-.820. Defensively, one of the best CF in the game.

I think he'll be a better on-base guy than Crawford was.  

[jimmer]

 

I think his ceiling offensively is Carl Crawford circa 2003 to 2007.  15-20 HR, 50-60 stolen bases. OPS .780-.820. Defensively, one of the best CF in the game.

I'm hoping for a healthy Eric Davis.  

[Whammy]

 

I'm hoping for a healthy Eric Davis.  

 

I'm hoping for Willy Mays, with a better smile

[jimmer]

 

I'm hoping for Willy Mays, with a better smile

Sorry, I meant realistically.  But yeah, if we think he can be one of the 5 best players of all time, let's go for that :-)

[nytwinsfan]

 

I think his ceiling offensively is Carl Crawford circa 2003 to 2007.  15-20 HR, 50-60 stolen bases. OPS .780-.820. Defensively, one of the best CF in the game.

Yeah, I don't think that's Buxton's ceiling, I think that's his "we're very happy with how he turned out." His ceiling is Andrew McCutchen with even better defense and a few more SBs.

[tobi0040]

 

I think he'll be a better on-base guy than Crawford was.  

 

Probably. Everyone says 30-30 but I see the HR's and SB's to mirror Crawford's 15-20 and 55-60.  Nothing wrong with that.

[tobi0040]

 

Yeah, I don't think that's Buxton's ceiling, I think that's his "we're very happy with how he turned out." His ceiling is Andrew McCutchen with even better defense and a few more SBs.

 

I see him winning 3-4 games with his defense.  Which means that is probably a 5 game improvement over what we have put out in CF on the defensive side of the ball the last 3-4 years. 

 

Mccutchen had an Owar of 5 when he had seasons with an OPS in the .800-.820 range.

 

So I have a potential 7-9 WAR player in his peak.

[jimmer]

 

I see him winning 3-4 games with his defense.  Which means that is probably a 5 game improvement over what we have put out in CF on the defensive side of the ball the last 3-4 years. 

 

Mccutchen had an Owar of 5 when he had seasons with an OPS in the .800-.820 range.

 

So I have a potential 7-9 WAR player in his peak.

WOW!  No pressure though.

[Loosey]

I'm just excited he is healthy this year and is showing that he can hit AA pitching at least in this somewhat small sample size.  I think once he learns the mental aspects of the game such as how to work a count and be a step ahead of the picture he will be a force.

[Mike Sixel]

Healthy and learning to be up to his potential. That's great news.

[bulldozier14]

Looking back at this thread after 4-6 with a 2B and 3B today is pretty funny. You can't overreact after a couple of games when the guy is adjusting to a new level. He didn't even play one full game at AA last year. 

[gunnarthor]

 

I'm hoping for a healthy Eric Davis.  

That comp has been made a lot, including by Keith Law. 

[jimmer]

 

That comp has been made a lot, including by Keith Law. 

I hadn't heard Law mention that, but makes sense.

[howieramone2]

I hadn't heard Law mention that, but makes sense.

I'm just hoping he can be all that he can be, so to speak.

[jokin]

 

I too don't swallow all the hype on Buxton.  Watching him 2 springs in a row, he hasn't shown me anything out of the ordinary.  Time will tell, but at this point I don't see him being what's projected. 

 

Setting the bar kinda low, Halsey?  

 

Yeah, he's exactly like all the other "ordinary" CF prospects and suspects that have paraded through Spring Training over the last 3 seasons.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

Looking back at this thread after 4-6 with a 2B and 3B today is pretty funny. You can't overreact after a couple of games when the guy is adjusting to a new level. He didn't even play one full game at AA last year.

I love Buxton, though I am very concerned he might not be what we all thought he might be. Very much rooting for him and also seems like a good kid.

 

Keep in mind his hits came off of Mikey O'Brien and Jhan Marinez. Those two don't have much recent success. This game is also a small sample size, just like the games before this. His first season, was also just one season of succes. Recent history isn't great. However, I agree with you and feel that he will adjust and be pretty good...just don't know HOW good. Let's hope.

[jokin]

 

 Recent history isn't great.

 

Recent history?  What recent history are you referring to?

 

Last season is a complete throw-away.  He injured both wrists, probably the toughest injury to come back from concerning the hitting tool,  all while attempting to make the hardest jump in the minor leagues- to AA.  He compounded those lingering wrist issues, with a concussion in August, and then a finger injury that required corrective surgery.

 

If your reference to recent history was to this season, he has all of 25 ABs, with a year's worth of rust and rehab to overcome.  Let's revisit how he's doing some time in June.

 

Before 2014, what he was doing was virtually unprecedented.   Let's see what he can do again, assuming he fully regains 100% health and timing at the plate.  

[Pius Jefferson]

As long as Buxton isn't another Melvin Upton, Jr than he should help the Twins win ball games. 

[blairpaul715]

 

As long as Buxton isn't another Melvin Upton, Jr than he should help the Twins win ball games. 

I also hope not, but they are built the same, and if his hit tool doesnt come as we all hope and project, he could be a BJ...........but also hoping for a Eric Davis to Willie Mays to Barry Bonds career, hope we sign him early and for a long time after his first full season at the MLB level.