Buxton debut- corresponding move

[curt1965]

According to MLB At Bat, Byron Buxton will hit 9th today. Aaron Hicks, because of elbow soreness, will go to the DL.

[Obie]

In related news, Yankee first baseman Wally Pipp reports a headache today, and he will be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Lou Gehrig.

[jokin]

According to MLB At Bat, Byron Buxton will hit 9th today. Aaron Hicks, because of elbow soreness, will go to the DL.

And the saga of Aaron Hicks takes one more strange turn. How many non-pitchers discover they have crippling elbow soreness that requires an immediate trip to the DL, just one half hour before game time? What with Hunter just previously to that, announcing that he was taking his suspension immediately, I would think that the Twins braintrust was more than a bit flummoxed. Wally Pipp indeed.

[Winston Smith]

And Duensing with his 9.7 era and 2.3 whip is still on the team. What am I missing? Even if Hicks is really hurt Duesning needs to be gone, imo. 

[70charger]

 

And the saga of Aaron Hicks takes one more strange turn. How many non-pitchers discover they have crippling elbow soreness that requires an immediate trip to the DL, just one half hour before game time? What with Hunter just previously to that, announcing that he was taking his suspension immediately, I would think that the Twins braintrust was more than a bit flummoxed. Wally Pipp indeed.

 

Or.... maybe he hurt his elbow?

 

Sometimes Occam's razor is your friend.

[jokin]

 

Or.... maybe he hurt his elbow?

 

Sometimes Occam's razor is your friend.

 

Yeah, because non-pitchers come up with a lame elbow 30 minutes before game time ALL the time... after no obvious on-field incident...  and in the Twins case,   ALL of those guys with sore elbows immediately go on the DL....  Not saying he doesn't have a little pain, or even a lot, but it's just one more piece of evidence, in a series of strange or questionable incidents in Hicks short MLB career.  I've never met Occam, so neither he or his Razor can be my friend, but I would think that they would both consider all the evidence.  Lots of convictions take place based on convincing/overwhelming circumstantial evidence,, Counselor.

 

 

[Craig Arko]

I suppose it would be considered bad form here to point out Ockham is actually a place, and that William of Ockham is a friar who had some ideas about logic of evidence.

 

I like bad form sometimes.

[SheboyganBrats]

The Twins' use of the DL this year has been fascinating.  It seems to have become an integral part of their strategy for managing their roster.  While I don't doubt that players have had legitimate injuries, it has been very convenient to put certain guys on the DL when a roster change was needed, rather than removing someone from the 40-man.  Schafer has been on the 15-day DL seemingly forever, and I can't even recall what the injury was, much less how serious it was and how long he was expected to be out.  Nolasco turned his ankle, and at the time it didn't seem serious, but I'm wondering if he's fallen into the same black hole Schafer disappeared into.  In both cases, the players in question were either redundant or ineffective or both.  Arcia made it back from the DL, but not to the major league roster.  And, now we have Hicks.  I still have some hope for Hicks in the long term and I would enjoy seeing the defense of an outfield manned by Rosario-Buxton-Hicks.  But, if he's fallen out of favor with Twins management, the elbow injury could take a long time to heal.

[Blackjack]

I like the way they're using the injured list!! In the past they'd wait 3-4 days before putting someone on the injured list and in the meantime Gardy would be complaining about be shorthanded.  Too bad so sad. Now they get someone up right away, like they should!!!

[spinowner]

 

I like the way they're using the injured list!! In the past they'd wait 3-4 days before putting someone on the injured list and in the meantime Gardy would be complaining about be shorthanded.  Too bad so sad. Now they get someone up right away, like they should!!!

I agree, and I think the main reason for the change is that now they have minor leaguers who can step in without totally embarrassing themselves. During the past few seasons the cupboard was so bare that they would have been worse off using the DL for 15 days instead of playing short for 5 or 6.

[Craig Arko]

Nolasco had a setback throwing his last side session. It's possible (but undecided) if surgery will be needed on the damaged ankle, but it looks like the cortisone treatment was not effective.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The Twins' use of the DL this year has been fascinating.  It seems to have become an integral part of their strategy for managing their roster.  While I don't doubt that players have had legitimate injuries, it has been very convenient to put certain guys on the DL when a roster change was needed, rather than removing someone from the 40-man.  Schafer has been on the 15-day DL seemingly forever, and I can't even recall what the injury was, much less how serious it was and how long he was expected to be out.  Nolasco turned his ankle, and at the time it didn't seem serious, but I'm wondering if he's fallen into the same black hole Schafer disappeared into.  In both cases, the players in question were either redundant or ineffective or both.  Arcia made it back from the DL, but not to the major league roster.  And, now we have Hicks.  I still have some hope for Hicks in the long term and I would enjoy seeing the defense of an outfield manned by Rosario-Buxton-Hicks.  But, if he's fallen out of favor with Twins management, the elbow injury could take a long time to heal.

This is an excellent point that I've been meaning to bring up in a post.

 

For as much guff as the Twins have caught for their DL management in years past, they're aggressively using it this season to shore up roster weaknesses and personally, I struggle to believe all those DL stints are legitimate. Schafer has been on the DL for an eternity. Nolasco is ping-ponging on and off it like mad. Hicks gets a boo-boo and is seemingly put on the DL before the game is over.

 

I find it all terribly... convenient.

[DaveW]

I'm not sure why everyone is going all "Bush did 9/11" on the Hicks DL thing. A lot of times swelling/soreness don't set in until 24 hours later, for all we know Hicks was hurt a bit and was going to try to see if the soreness or issue subsided by gametime the next day, something obviously didn't heal so the Twins decided rather then going with an even more small and embarrassing bench it was best to put him on the DL.

 

If these DL stints weren't legitimate I imagine the players agents and more importantly the players union would be up in arms about it. Especially when it comes to a veteran like Nolasco who has a lot of guaranteed dollars and a guy like Hicks who believe it or not still has a ton of upside which plenty of clubs would be more than happy to be playing everyday (in AAA or the majors)

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'm not sure why everyone is going all "Bush did 9/11" on the Hicks DL thing. A lot of times swelling/soreness don't set in until 24 hours later, for all we know Hicks was hurt a bit and was going to try to see if the soreness or issue subsided by gametime the next day, something obviously didn't heal so the Twins decided rather then going with an even more small and embarrassing bench it was best to put him on the DL.

 

If these DL stints weren't legitimate I imagine the players agents and more importantly the players union would be up in arms about it. Especially when it comes to a veteran like Nolasco who has a lot of guaranteed dollars and a guy like Hicks who believe it or not still has a ton of upside which plenty of clubs would be more than happy to be playing everyday (in AAA or the majors)

To be clear, I'm sure the player is injured in some capacity.

 

Injured enough to warrant a DL stint? Of that I'm not so sure.

 

Personally, I appreciate how the Twins have managed the DL this season. They have a lot of young players and not a lot of roster space for them. Rotate players through the DL the moment they get a hangnail, for all I care.

[DaveW]

 

Injured enough to warrant a DL stint? Of that I'm not so sure.

Doctor Beauchamp?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Not to mention that Nolasco was (FINALLY) starting to earn his paycheck, I really doubt that the Twins would want to pay him to be on the DL.

 

I thought the official word was that Hicks told the coaches he was hurt during morning batting practice.

 

It was a surprise to Molitor, at least that's how he described the situation Sunday morning. He was still holding a lineup card that had both Hicks and Buxton in it. He said more than once during the radio show that he was waiting to hear Hicks' status before posting his lineup.  

 

I think if Hicks was really day to day or just sore, I think Duensing would have been the guy to go (or possibly Shane Robinson).

[SheboyganBrats]

To be sure, I don't want to go all "Bush did 9/11" here.  Dave, I think you make excellent points.  What I was trying to get at are some important differences in how I see the DL being used this year.  Players seem to be getting put on the DL quicker.  This may be due to the availability of better quality minor leaguers, as Spinowner notes, but I also think Molitor has had an influence here.  And, I think the decisions about when players return to the active roster have been different, as well.  I don't think the Twins are leaving anyone on the DL that is in perfect health and ready to play.  But I do think that these decisions can be "slow-walked" sometimes, particularly with someone like Schafer who no longer seems to be part of the picture. I acknowledge this is pure speculation on my part.

[SheboyganBrats]

The Hicks situation does seem different to me.  I just think how his stint on the DL is handled may give us a reading of the tea leaves when it comes to how Twins management is viewing Hicks.

[DaveW]

 

To be sure, I don't want to go all "Bush did 9/11" here.  Dave, I think you make excellent points.  What I was trying to get at are some important differences in how I see the DL being used this year.  Players seem to be getting put on the DL quicker.  This may be due to the availability of better quality minor leaguers, as Spinowner notes, but I also think Molitor has had an influence here.  And, I think the decisions about when players return to the active roster have been different, as well.  I don't think the Twins are leaving anyone on the DL that is in perfect health and ready to play.  But I do think that these decisions can be "slow-walked" sometimes, particularly with someone like Schafer who no longer seems to be part of the picture. I acknowledge this is pure speculation on my part.

Yeah I am a big fan of how they are using it this year too, I think they realize that having a guy sit for 4-5 games, then play another 10 games even at 90% is less than ideal, I like how they are putting guys on the DL and letting them heal fully.

 

In re: toe Schafer, I have to imagine that if he was healthy enough to play he would be raising a stink, the Twins owe him that money either way, no? So wouldn't he be best off just taking a DFA and trying to catch on somewhere else even in AAA? (Whether for the Twins or another team)?

[DaveW]

 

 

The Hicks situation does seem different to me.  I just think how his stint on the DL is handled may give us a reading of the tea leaves when it comes to how Twins management is viewing Hicks.

I think Hicks is just one of "many" who they won't try to sit for a couple days or play at less than 100%, the only guys I feel they would "sit and wait" fora  DL stint would be the top players of this team like Dozier, Plouffe, Mauer, Hunter, Gibson, Hughes, May, Pelfrey, Perkins. Everyone else is more of a role player and thus are DLed quicker.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I like the way they're using the injured list!! In the past they'd wait 3-4 days before putting someone on the injured list and in the meantime Gardy would be complaining about be shorthanded.  Too bad so sad. Now they get someone up right away, like they should!!!

Schafer was banged up with his injuries for several weeks before he went on the DL.  Actually he didn't play at all his final week on the roster before hitting the DL.

[stringer bell]

I mentioned earlier that the situation is better for Buxton to not have the most recent center fielder looking over his shoulder starting today. Buxton will have two weeks to stake a claim in CF. It may have influenced the move they made. I really wish they would get down to 12 pitchers, but every time the move seems imminent something seems to happen.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

so... what IS the deal with Schafer? Is he traveling with the team? Have any of the beat reporters tweeted anything or posted anything about Schafer's progress?

 

Would the Twins rather have Schafer, Robinson, or Hicks- assuming only one is going to be able to stay?

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

The Twins' use of the DL this year has been fascinating.  It seems to have become an integral part of their strategy for managing their roster.  While I don't doubt that players have had legitimate injuries, it has been very convenient to put certain guys on the DL when a roster change was needed, rather than removing someone from the 40-man.  Schafer has been on the 15-day DL seemingly forever, and I can't even recall what the injury was, much less how serious it was and how long he was expected to be out.  Nolasco turned his ankle, and at the time it didn't seem serious, but I'm wondering if he's fallen into the same black hole Schafer disappeared into.  In both cases, the players in question were either redundant or ineffective or both.  Arcia made it back from the DL, but not to the major league roster.  And, now we have Hicks.  I still have some hope for Hicks in the long term and I would enjoy seeing the defense of an outfield manned by Rosario-Buxton-Hicks.  But, if he's fallen out of favor with Twins management, the elbow injury could take a long time to heal.

Schaefer was banged up for weeks before he finally went on the DL.  Nolasco was sent to DL for performance reasons last July too, so I'm guessing they just had a shorter leash for him this April.  (Nolasco's current DL appearance certainly doesn't seem to be a product of roster manipulation.)  Arcia was optioned to AAA from the DL in May 2014 too.

 

The Hicks situation was quick/sudden, but I suspect they were getting ready to call up Buxton anyway.  And they've kept 13 pitchers on the roster, usually with Tonkin at the back (5 trips between Minneapolis and Rochester already this season), so that's gave them the flexibility to add a position player regardless of Hicks' status.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

so... what IS the deal with Schafer? Is he traveling with the team? Have any of the beat reporters tweeted anything or posted anything about Schafer's progress?

I've spotted Schafer in the dugout recently.  The Strib reported he started shagging flies a week ago:

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/mlb/5052/jordan-schafer

 

 

[SheboyganBrats]

I think if the choice is one of Hicks, Robinson or Schafer we keep Hicks.  If the choice is two of the three, we keep Hicks and Robinson.  Just my best guess.

[jokin]

Nolasco had a setback throwing his last side session. It's possible (but undecided) if surgery will be needed on the damaged ankle, but it looks like the cortisone treatment was not effective.

And much of Twins nation begins thinking as one: "60 day DL!"

[jokin]

I find it all terribly... convenient.

And applause-worthy

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

 

I think if the choice is one of Hicks, Robinson or Schafer we keep Hicks.  If the choice is two of the three, we keep Hicks and Robinson.  Just my best guess.

That would be my guess as well, but I'd add that the only CFer whose 40-Man spot is secure is the newest addition.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

And applause-worthy

Absolutely. In no way am I criticizing the moves. At 80% Ricky Nolasco is not a good baseball player.

 

Hell, at 100% it's questionable whether Schafer is an acceptable baseball player.

 

As I said earlier, the moment one of those guys gets a hangnail, DL him and move on.