Article: Buxton Meets The Minnesota Media

[John Bonnes]

It is one of the paradoxes of sports media. We think because we have heard of a player it is because the organization has been pushing him to us. The opposite is true. The players with real promise are the most protected, and we are fascinated by them because the access to them is scarce, not because it is freely available.

 

Byron Buxton had his debutante ball yesterday; he was presented to the outside world by the Minnesota Twins. Perhaps, because you have heard of Buxton since he was drafted second overall by the Twins in 2012, you think the Twins have been promoting him. The opposite is true.Buxton has mostly been kept out of the media's way. He was young. He was famous. He represented a tremendous amount of past investment and future hope.

 

Many in the media were meeting him for the first time, at a pivotal moment of his career. And what strikes you at that moment isn't the big stuff - his speed, his potential, his quest for greatness. What strikes you at that moment is the small stuff, as you start to get a glimpse of the person behind the hype.

 

"Shock went through me," said Buxton, talking about the moment he heard the news. It was not a moment he expected. He had been focusing on Double-A Chattanooga's playoff race. Suddenly, he found himself on his way to Texas for his first game, where he was joined by his parents, fiancé and son. That son provides a special incentive.

 

"He don't have a clue what's going on right now," quipped Buxton. "But one day I'll be able to tell him what happened. And I gave him my first hit, so I'll be able to tell him what I did for him then. Hopefully he understands what's going on."

 

You are struck by the people he finds close to him. That starts with family. "My parents just flew in, like, 30 minutes ago," said Buxton. "So they'll be here. My fiancé flew in last night. So they'll be here to my home debut."

 

But you also get a sense of the people he trusts professionally. "[Chattanooga Manager Doug Mientkiewicz] just told me 'Don't change anything. Keep being the person I am. Stay humble. And come out here and play hard every day and give it all.'"

 

You get a sense of someone who, despite all the distractions and excitement, needs to keep his attention focused on competing. Amid the clichés about relaxing and playing his game, Buxton wasn't afraid to talk about the level of pitching he's seen.

 

"Quite a difference, especially off-speed breaking pitches. I'm not used to seeing such short breaking pitches as much as you did in Chattanooga. So I just got to get used to it and adjust to how they pitch me here."

 

And you are struck by the small jolts that are maybe a little more personal. When asked about his jersey #25, Buxton says "Oh, yeah. I'm going to stick with that number. Me and [Twins Public Relations and Media Director] Dustin [Morse] actually picked that out. So I'm going to stick with it as long as I can."

 

But less than five hours before his debut Buxton still hadn't faced his most important decision. "I actually haven't picked a walk up song yet," he admitted sheepishly. "I'm probably going to go around the clubhouse to see what other guys got before I decide to pick what I want." (The announcement came less than an hour later: Flashlight by Parliament, a funky #1 R&B hit from 1978.)

 

In all, Buxton seemed to be the guy we had heard about confidentially - humble, confident, relaxed and focused. And most of all, ready. "I look at this as a start," he says. "I mean, I'm not really trying to come up here to get sent back down. I'm trying to come up here to stay in and try to help us win."

 

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[tobi0040]

You have to wonder if they should let the kid settle in up here before all the media work.

 

The promotion was a bit of a surprise. He is being followed into the locker room by a camera crew. Being interviewed at his locker before his first game. Sounds like the made a big deal his home debut and had a pre game press conference.

 

Now grab your bat and run up there against wacha or Martinez