Twins demote Buxton

[Mike Sixel]

 

More than 3 games?

 

so tomorrow, I guess.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Mike, for me I see people doing a lot of slicing and dicing to show how good a hitter is.  You know, over the past couple weeks he did this, blah, blah.

 

Show me a season like Hicks had at AAA:  .333 BA, .403 OBP, .523 SLG and a .927 OPS then Buxton is ready to go! 

Uh, apples and oranges.

 

Aaron Hicks was promoted to AA as a 22 year old.

 

Byron Buxton doesn't turn 22 until December.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Buxton aint Hicks.

Meaning?

[Vanimal46]

You've seen how guys often play after a wrist injury, right? It's ugly. Their timing is screwed up, they don't have full strength in their wrist, and they're just a mess at the plate.

 

I want to see Buxton in Minnesota as much as anyone but giving him two weeks in the minors to get back up to speed isn't going to further sink this already-sunk season, nor is calling him up today going to restore the season.

 

With that said, if Byron isn't in Minnesota and playing every day in September, I'm going to be pissed.

I can only speak for myself and not the other posters, but I'm beyond the point of restoring this already-sunk season. I want to see him get as many at bats as possible the rest of the way and build some momentum going into 2016. My fear is he'll only get a couple of weeks playing part time, and claim going into next season he's not ready and stay in AAA for April-May 2016.

[JB_Iowa]

He needs to play every day.  So do Rosario and Hicks.  They aren't going to bench Hunter at this point.

 

Rochester is the best place for Buxton to be.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I can only speak for myself and not the other posters, but I'm beyond the point of restoring this already-sunk season. I want to see him get as many at bats as possible the rest of the way and build some momentum going into 2016. My fear is he'll only get a couple of weeks playing part time, and claim going into next season he's not ready and stay in AAA for April-May 2016.

And I'll be right next to you, pitchfork in hand, if that happens.

 

But I'll wait until that actually happens before I get mad about it.

[jokin]

 

 

With that said, if Byron isn't in Minnesota and playing every day in September, I'm going to be pissed.

 

If I had a nickel for every time Terry failed to follow through on one of these condiitoinal warnings we give him...

 

He's 5-12, plus 2 walks, and with a 1.000 OPS in his 3 games, thus far. his timing and pitch recognition seem to be just fine. This smacks of a lot of something else besides protecting his injured wrist. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

He needs to play every day.  So do Rosario and Hicks.  They aren't going to bench Hunter at this point.

 

Rochester is the best place for Buxton to be.

 

What? There isn't room for the number 2 prospect in all of baseball (coming into the year) on this roster? That's the argument?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Interesting.  Arcia was optioned to AAA from the DL each of the last two seasons.

 

In May 2014, he was recalled ~11 days after the option, so he didn't burn an option year (which requires 20 or more days on "optional assigment" in the minor leagues).

 

After his May 2015 option, obviously Arcia hasn't been recalled yet.

 

So by optioning Buxton now, we have to recall him before August 30th to avoid burning an option year on him in 2015.  Seems like we could have left him on his MLB rehab stint longer, which wouldn't have counted towards days on optional assignment.  (Hopefully option years don't matter for him, but he is young and who knows what the future may hold.)

[jokin]

 

Meaning?

 

Buxton aint Hicks.

[JB_Iowa]

 

What? There isn't room for the number 2 prospect in all of baseball (coming into the year) on this roster? That's the argument?

 

He wasn't ready earlier.

 

He isn't ready now.

 

And I'm not so sure he's even in the Top 10 anymore.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

If I had a nickel for every time Terry failed to follow through on one of these condiitoinal warnings. we give him

 

He's 5-12, plus 2 walks, and with a 1.000 OPS in his 3 games, thus far.  His timing and pitch recognition seem to be just fine. This smacks of a lot of something elsea besides protecting his injured wrist. 

And that's possible. If the Twins are basing this on "Torii needs playing time", that's absurd. If they're being cautious with Buxton and his wrist, that's understandable.

[jokin]

 

What? There isn't room for the number 2 prospect in all of baseball (coming into the year) on this roster? That's the argument?

 

Who said there were any good arguments?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

He wasn't ready earlier.

 

He isn't ready now.

 

And I'm not so sure he's even in the Top 10 anymore.

You can't say a guy is or is not ready based on 50 plate appearances.

 

We really don't know that.

 

He's absolutely a top ten prospect. He's a top five prospect.

[jokin]

 

He wasn't ready earlier.

 

He isn't ready now.

 

And I'm not so sure he's even in the Top 10 anymore.

 

Holy buckets.  That's a  whole lot of assumptions in one post, and for just one Monday in August.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

He needs to play every day.  So do Rosario and Hicks.  They aren't going to bench Hunter at this point.

They could easily and justifiably bench one of Hunter or Mauer every day.  Roughly speaking. Sano could get 50% of starts at DH, 50% at 1B, Mauer the other 50% at 1B, and Hunter the other 50% at DH.  Outfield spot open!

 

Not that I mind Buxton getting some AAA reps especially as he works his way back from injury, although I would have kept him on rehab longer rather than optioning him, and long ago called up another OF who could be part of the future (Arcia) to see some action in that open outfield spot.

[HitInAPinch]

 

 

Uh, apples and oranges.

 

Aaron Hicks was promoted to AA as a 22 year old.

 

Byron Buxton doesn't turn 22 until December.

 

It's not "apples and oranges" if Buxton WAS promoted to the Twins.  Many here thought he was ready.  Just like they did with Hicks.  Hicks finally proved it after 2 tries with the Twins and, to no lessor extent, his body finally developing. 

 

One year down.  My belief is Buxton is still a year away.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Buxton aint Hicks.

Well, then there's that....

[JB_Iowa]

He hasn't shown me much of anything but speed.

 

First of all, he needs to prove that he can stay on the field.

 

Second, he needs to show that his wrist is healthy.

 

Third, he needs to show he can hit.

 

Fourth, he needs to show he has learned something about sliding.

 

Rosario and Hicks have earned their spots --- or at least the right to show they will continue in those spots.

 

Regardless of Hunter's performance, the Twins see him as a ticket draw.  They aren't going to bench him at this point.  Plus, the last win was almost solely due to his determination.  If the Twins are going to win ANY more games, they need their cheerleader in the line-up.

 

I just don't get the angst over sending Buxton to AAA when he has been absent for a month.  He was undoubtedly going down for a rehab assignment.  Nobody knows how long this option will last.  He might be back in a week.

[Kwak]

 

What? There isn't room for the number 2 prospect in all of baseball (coming into the year) on this roster? That's the argument?

Can he pitch??

[Mike Sixel]

No, cheerleaders do not win ball games. Good baseball players do.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

And I'm not so sure he's even in the Top 10 anymore.

John Manuel of Baseball America said he would have ranked Buxton #2 at midseason if he was still eligible for the list.  That was after his debut struggles and injury.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/midseason-top-50-prospects-chat/

 

He's probably slipped a tiny bit (BA's midseason #1 was Corey Seager, who jumped from #5 preseason), but no way would he be out of anyone's top 10 at this point.  39 PA's just can't have that much of an effect.

 

(Now, if the injury proves more severe, or he continues struggling at AAA/MLB, that could shift him down further.  But at the moment, I think it's still safe to consider him the #2 prospect.) 

[SF Twins Fan]

Why are people overracting to this news???  He looked lost for the 8 games he played in earlier this year.  He hasn't played in a month and a half.  Give him a couple of weeks to get some at bats, get his confidence going and he's going to be back up by September. It's unbelievable people on this site look for any reason to bash the Twins front office.  This was the right move to make.  He hasn't played in a month and a half he needs to get his confidence back.  The Twins weren't supposed to be in the position they are this season and were never going to win the World Series.  They have far out played where I thought they would be this season.  Bring him back up in September get him some more experience, fill a few holes (catcher and bullpen) this offseason and go after it next season. That was the plan all along.

 

[jokin]

 

It's not "apples and oranges" if Buxton WAS promoted to the Twins.  Many here thought he was ready.  Just like they did with Hicks.  Hicks finally proved it after 2 tries with the Twins and, to no lessor extent, his body finally developing. 

 

One year down.  My belief is Buxton is still a year away.

 

Terry Ryan might prove your point, as he apparently attempts to save service time on Buck...  but you're negelcting the fact that on every performance dynamic, except at the plate, he's already MLB elite, or close to elite.  His fastest route to being fully MLB "ready" is for him to be hitting every day against MLB pitching. It's his only remaining hurdle, and AAA pitching isn't a substitute for that.  

 

He's got all of the other parts down pat at this point, nothing gained at AAA- and assuming he knows how to slide now  ... he would still be a 2-3 WAR player over a full season, even if he only OPS'd around .600 (Billy Hamilton is OPSing at .548 and he has a 1.6 fWAR currently).  Buck's history shows he has a steep learning curve and will quickly eclipse Hamilton, let's get that curve fired up sooner rather than later.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

He was undoubtedly going down for a rehab assignment.  Nobody knows how long this option will last.  He might be back in a week.

Technically, since he was optioned today, Buxton can't be recalled for 10 days unless someone in MLB gets injured.  So we can't, for example, cut bait on a reliever a week from today and bring up Buxton.

 

It would interesting to hear from someone why they chose to end the rehab assignment quickly and option him, rather than just keep him on rehab longer.  Seems like it's not in anybody's best interest -- Buxton loses service time now, and the Twins risk losing an option year on Buxton if he stays down there 20 more days in 2015.

 

I guess if he gets injured again now, he would go on the AAA disabled list and not accrue service time for the remainder of 2015.  But 2015 MLB service time is mostly irrelevant for Buxton now anyway, since he was recalled after the supposed "super 2" arbitration eligibility date.

[Blackjack]

 

He hasn't shown me much of anything but speed.

 

First of all, he needs to prove that he can stay on the field.

 

Second, he needs to show that his wrist is healthy.

 

Third, he needs to show he can hit.

 

Fourth, he needs to show he has learned something about sliding.

 

Rosario and Hicks have earned their spots --- or at least the right to show they will continue in those spots.

 

 

I just don't get the angst over sending Buxton to AAA when he has been absent for a month.  He was undoubtedly going down for a rehab assignment.  Nobody knows how long this option will last.  He might be back in a week.

Its not going to hurt Buxton one bit to spend three weeks at AAA and hopefully as JB points out, he'll learn a few things.

 

I think what has been hurt the most it the Twins fans psyche. 

 

[jokin]

 

Can he pitch??

 

Darn right he can, and his velocity is 15 MPH faster than ShugahShane.

[tobi0040]

I think this is effectively a rehab assignment and option saving move

[jokin]

 

He hasn't shown me much of anything but speed.

 

First of all, he needs to prove that he can stay on the field.

 

Second, he needs to show that his wrist is healthy.

 

Third, he needs to show he can hit.

 

Fourth, he needs to show he has learned something about sliding.

 

Rosario and Hicks have earned their spots --- or at least the right to show they will continue in those spots.

 

Regardless of Hunter's performance, the Twins see him as a ticket draw.  They aren't going to bench him at this point.  Plus, the last win was almost solely due to his determination.  If the Twins are going to win ANY more games, they need their cheerleader in the line-up.

 

I just don't get the angst over sending Buxton to AAA when he has been absent for a month.  He was undoubtedly going down for a rehab assignment.  Nobody knows how long this option will last.  He might be back in a week.

 

After you just went off on him with an alleged laundry list of reasons why he should have been demoted... So in one week, he's going to solve your entire litany?

 

And I think you are way overvaluing a cheerleader's role and his "grit" as the key to winning ANY more games.

[jokin]

 

I think this is effectively a rehab assignment and option saving move

 

Yep. but it's pretty headscratching that saving options for Buxton is an option worth consideration.  If he has to use all 3 options, then something else has gone spectacularly wrong.