Twins Place Byron Buxton On DL

[John Kelsey]

Here's Wessel's interview with Molitor where he talks about the injury. 

 

http://go963mn.com/music/gocasts/dana-wessel-interviews-twins-manager-paul-molitor-6

[nicksaviking]

 

Those head-first slides are risky--I'm not surprised if that was the reason.

 

They seem less risky when the slide doesn't appear to be an attempt to either belly-flop second or pick up a pretty rock you see while traversing on your stomach.

 

For the athlete that he is, he looks extremely uncoordinated when he tries to slide.

[Parker Hageman]

http://i.imgur.com/r0CTF5L.gif

[D. Hocking]

 

Those head-first slides are risky--I'm not surprised if that was the reason.

 

True - not everyone has Punto's ability to pull it off safely.   He probably watched Nick growing up and was imitating his style and without Punto's skills, and not realizing it should be a first base head slide, ended up hurting his thumb.

 

Hopefully it will not be something that will linger through the season and he will have learned something.  This has to be frustrating for him after spending so much time on the DL last year.

 

 

[Nick Nelson]

Is it fair to wonder if Buxton is ever going to be able to stay healthy? He plays the game at an insanely high speed and has such a wiry build (though I expect he'll fill out more within the next few years). 

[Steve Penz]

 

Those head-first slides are risky--I'm not surprised if that was the reason.

Right here.  Exactly.  I hope he cuts down on the head-first slides and right now.  On his double against the CWS he hit second base like a free safety.  These injuries are going to keep happening unless something changes.    

[Kwak]

 

I think almost half a season in CF last year helped open the door to the possibility he could go there as well. :-)

My conclusion is:  CF is not a possible position for Santana except for the situation of completing only one game.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Just awful...... does anyone really believe this is an actual injury?

Absolutely. Why would the Twins fake an injury to Buxton? The guy is one of the most lauded prospects in all of baseball. If they felt he needed to work on aspects of his game, they'd send him to Rochester, not fake an injury so he doesn't get to play at all.

 

And then there's the service time argument... Why would the Twins let Buxton accrue service time for no reason?

[Loosey]

 

It must be tempting to bring up Max Kepler. I am not sure about Rosario's defense in CF or Kepler's in LF but definitely intrigued.

Is Thompson's contribution in the bullpen more valuable than an OF bat?

If they weren't in interleague play right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Kepler Call up.  Plus he is in the Futures game.  Maybe a mid-July callup for Keppy?

[twinsnorth49]

Whhyyy!!!....for the love of God, wwwhhhhyyyyy!!!!

 

Just kidding, the only thing that concerns me is that it's his thumb. Hope it's not too bad because they can be a bugger to fully heal, Plouffe had a heck of a time coming back from his a couple of years ago and we all know how much Colabello struggled with his for so long. Resting it early hopefully does the trick

 

Never thought I'd be so eager for Hicks to return.

[DaveW]

I would play Rosario in CF until Hicks comes back.

[Craig Arko]

 

Is it fair to wonder if Buxton is ever going to be able to stay healthy? He plays the game at an insanely high speed and has such a wiry build (though I expect he'll fill out more within the next few years). 

He should be able to be coached in technique to protect himself just a bit more. It may slow his game down a touch but not nearly as much as this kind of injury does.

[Craig Arko]

 

I would play Rosario in CF until Hicks comes back.

Agreed.

[Mike Sixel]

As I've posted here before, I would ban the head first slide except at home plate (ban as in, if I was a team, I would not allow my players at any level to perform it).

 

Yes, you CAN get hurt sliding feet first......but this is too common with HF slides.

[twinsnorth49]

I'm coming down for the Mariners series at the beginning of August. That's about a month....right?

 

Get well soon.......please.

[Loosey]

Depending on what happens with the team during his time on the DL, I think it might be fair to say he could use a little seasoning in AAA.  The 2 step jump after missing most of last year and playing 40% of a AA season may have been a little ambitious.  I would bet he eventually figures it out, but let him feel what its like to be successful again before bringing him back up to most likely struggle in the Bigs for a bit.

[Parker Hageman]

As I've posted here before, I would ban the head first slide except at home plate (ban as in, if I was a team, I would not allow my players at any level to perform it).

 

 

I disagree. The issue has been simple being able to execute the headfirst slide properly. One of the biggest issues has been little practice in improving that. Here's a 2003 article from Don Zimmer discussing how teams have de-emphasized sliding in general:

 

When Zimmer was on the Dodgers in the 1950's, the players slid feet first and headfirst into sawdust pits for 30 minutes a day in the spring. As Zimmer recalled the feeling of sawdust sticking to his arms and neck 50 years later, he wiped his arms. But Zimmer, a proponent of headfirst slides, said practice would make perfect. Or at least it would make sliding more respectable.

 

''It's taught in spring training, but not much,'' Zimmer said. ''We'd do it in 90-degree heat every day, and you'd have the sawdust down your back. It was part of your day. Not anymore.''

 

 

 

I look at guys like Brian Dozier who use the headfirst slide to his advantage. The headfirst slider allows for a little more finesse than the feetfirst model. Look at his execution here and compare it to guys like Adam Eaton (on the lower part of the post) or Buxton's slide here:

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/614465561523785728

 

Obviously fingers still have exposure but Dozier now wears a hand guard to protect those. 

 

In that same NY Times article with Zimmer, they mentioned that the Mets fined their minor leaguers $100 each time they performed the headfirst slide. I guess that is one way to eliminate it but, to me, there are advantages to teaching the proper techniques. I certainly don't want guys like Kent Hrbek sliding headfirst but otherwise, it's fine, IMO.

[jorgenswest]

If they weren't in interleague play right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Kepler Call up.  Plus he is in the Futures game.  Maybe a mid-July callup for Keppy?

With Hicks and Buxton out this is the opportunity for an OF to step in. Kepler appears to be the most ready by showing solid understanding of the strike zone in AA. The Future's Game should not be a consideration. If he comes up, it is to start in LF with Rosario in CF.

[Mike Sixel]

Disagree if you want.....guys worth millions of dollars get hurt more sliding head first......I don't want that.

[drjim]

 

I disagree. The issue has been simple being able to execute the headfirst slide properly. One of the biggest issues has been little practice in improving that. Here's a 2003 article from Don Zimmer discussing how teams have de-emphasized sliding in general:

 

 

I look at guys like Brian Dozier who use the headfirst slide to his advantage. The headfirst slider allows for a little more finesse than the feetfirst model. Look at his execution here and compare it to guys like Adam Eaton (on the lower part of the post) or Buxton's slide here:

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/614465561523785728

 

Obviously fingers still have exposure but Dozier now wears a hand guard to protect those. 

 

In that same NY Times article with Zimmer, they mentioned that the Mets fined their minor leaguers $100 each time they performed the headfirst slide. I guess that is one way to eliminate it but, to me, there are advantages to teaching the proper techniques. I certainly don't want guys like Kent Hrbek sliding headfirst but otherwise, it's fine, IMO.

 

The other issue is that feet first is much less effective than headfirst on close plays. That is a lot of outs and a lot of value you would be giving up.

 

Learn a proper technique.

[drjim]

 

Disagree if you want.....guys worth millions of dollars get hurt more sliding head first......I don't want that.

 

Take away his ability to execute plays and he is a lot less valuable.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I would play Rosario in CF until Hicks comes back.

Still leaves Robinson starting in a corner, right?  (Or Escobar, Nunez, Santana)

[USAFChief]

Take away his ability to execute plays and he is a lot less valuable.

SSS, but to me Buxton has looked largely unprepared for the show in multiple ways.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Take away his ability to execute plays and he is a lot less valuable.

 

You mean by being on the DL for 2 weeks? He provides no value that way.

 

How many slides will it matter on, 2-3 a year maybe? 5 even?....he's out for 15 days now....

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I disagree. The issue has been simple being able to execute the headfirst slide properly. One of the biggest issues has been little practice in improving that. Here's a 2003 article from Don Zimmer discussing how teams have de-emphasized sliding in general:

 

 

 

I look at guys like Brian Dozier who use the headfirst slide to his advantage. The headfirst slider allows for a little more finesse than the feetfirst model. Look at his execution here and compare it to guys like Adam Eaton (on the lower part of the post) or Buxton's slide here:

 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/614465561523785728

 

Obviously fingers still have exposure but Dozier now wears a hand guard to protect those. 

 

In that same NY Times article with Zimmer, they mentioned that the Mets fined their minor leaguers $100 each time they performed the headfirst slide. I guess that is one way to eliminate it but, to me, there are advantages to teaching the proper techniques. I certainly don't want guys like Kent Hrbek sliding headfirst but otherwise, it's fine, IMO.

That was Buxton's slide? Good lord.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

SSS, but to me Buxton has looked largely unprepared for the show in multiple ways.

The Twins called this a call up of necessity, not convenience. They weren't joking.

 

The good news is he has gotten this "honeymoon" out of the way. A month in AAA will do wonders and I bet we see him in September again.

[d-mac]

 

I disagree. The issue has been simple being able to execute the headfirst slide properly. One of the biggest issues has been little practice in improving that. Here's a 2003 article from Don Zimmer discussing how teams have de-emphasized sliding in general:

 

 

I look at guys like Brian Dozier who use the headfirst slide to his advantage. The headfirst slider allows for a little more finesse than the feetfirst model. Look at his execution here and compare it to guys like Adam Eaton (on the lower part of the post) or Buxton's slide here:

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/614465561523785728

 

Obviously fingers still have exposure but Dozier now wears a hand guard to protect those. 

 

In that same NY Times article with Zimmer, they mentioned that the Mets fined their minor leaguers $100 each time they performed the headfirst slide. I guess that is one way to eliminate it but, to me, there are advantages to teaching the proper techniques. I certainly don't want guys like Kent Hrbek sliding headfirst but otherwise, it's fine, IMO.

 

Properly executed head first slides are only marginally more dangerous than feet first slides. I was never the most athletic person, but when I played, I exclusively slide head first and never once got even remotely hurt. 

[drjim]

 

SSS, but to me Buxton has looked largely unprepared for the show in multiple ways.

 

Generally thought by experts that it was early, so I agree. But he also shows flashes of amazing talent.

 

If this is as minor as they say it is, looks like it could time out for a stint on the DL, followed by a decent rehab assignment and a recall following the all star break. Wonder if 10 games is enough to clean up some of the rougher edges.

[nater79a]

 

Hate to make too much of this, but Buxton seems to be a bit...fragile.

 

Get Hicks back up here stat.

 

Yeah, just looking at him in his shorts and shirt he does seem a little bony and brittle. Seems like the joints take the brunt of his aggressiveness.

 

 

 

[d-mac]

 

That was Buxton's slide? Good lord.

 

Yeah, he's awful at sliding. Didn't take me long to see that.