When should the Twins consider sending Buxton to the Minors?

[KirbyHawk75]

I am guessing when Santana comes back, Buxton is going down if he does not improved.  Then maybe, send Kepler down and sign Darin Mastrioianni to the 40 man and call him up.  I do not want to see DM playing but we may be better off with Buxton and Kepler (especially) in the minors.

[USAFChief]

Under no circumstances do I want to see Mastroinanni in a Twins uniform.

 

There is not only no future in that, there is no present, either.

 

Buxton probably needs 1000-1500 MLB ABs to settle in, if he's going to settle in. Bite the bullet and give them to him.

[theBOMisthebomb]

We might as well keep Buxton here and let him get some seasoning and learn the tough lessons sooner than later while it isn't harming anything. He needs the experience and to get through the growing pains eventually, why not now?

[d-mac]

It was pretty obvious Buxton should never have been in the majors to begin with. If they had rushed him last year, which they had admitted, did they really expect giving him 60 spring training PA's were going make up for that? Did they really learn nothing from the Aaron Hicks experience?

[d-mac]

We might as well keep Buxton here and let him get some seasoning and learn the tough lessons sooner than later while it isn't harming anything. He needs the experience and to get through the growing pains eventually, why not now?

I can't imagine striking out every other plate appearance is harming anything.

[d-mac]

Under no circumstances do I want to see Mastroinanni in a Twins uniform.

There is not only no future in that, there is no present, either.

Buxton probably needs 1000-1500 MLB ABs to settle in, if he's going to settle in. Bite the bullet and give them to him.

Mastro gives us a better chance to win now. Buxton getting 300-400 plate appearances in AAA is best for his career and the future of this team. Buxton is a well below replacement level player right now. He is 2015 Danny Santana bad. I can't find a single reason why keeping him up is in anybodies best interest.

[SwainZag]

 

Mastro gives us a better chance to win now. Buxton getting 300-400 plate appearances in AAA is best for his career and the future of this team. Buxton is a well below replacement level player right now. He is 2015 Danny Santana bad. I can't find a single reason why keeping him up is in anybodies best interest.

 

Mastroinanni's career slash line is .212/.274/.289.  Yes, it's better than Buxton's, but that really doesn't give anyone a much better chance to win now.

[Danchat]

 

Under no circumstances do I want to see Mastroinanni in a Twins uniform.

There is not only no future in that, there is no present, either.

Buxton probably needs 1000-1500 MLB ABs to settle in, if he's going to settle in. Bite the bullet and give them to him.

It's bizarre. In the past two years, I've called for the Twins to stop settling for mediocre veterans instead of young players. And so did many people on TD.

 

But now... there's actually people calling for the likes of Mastroianni. That kinda scares me. The Twins need to stick to their guns - Sano, Rosario, Buxton, and Park will come around. They need time. At some point, Buxton and/or Park might need some time in AAA, but that remains to be seen.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Buxton should go back to AAA but either Kepler or Rosario can supposedly play CF.

[d-mac]

Mastroinanni's career slash line is .212/.274/.289. Yes, it's better than Buxton's, but that really doesn't give anyone a much better chance to win now.

Yes, a replacement level player gives us a better chance to win than a below replacement level player. I can't possibly see how leaving Buxton up here to strike out in half of his plate appearances is in the best interest of himself and this team. Please explain why you think otherwise.

[Halsey Hall]

And Mastroinanni is healthy this year.  Runs like a deer and steals bases. I'd like to see him up here, nothing to lose IMO.

[h2oface]

How is Buxton any worse than Dozier, Plouffe, Sano, Rosario, Park, Suzuki, Murphy, Arcia, Santana, and Kepler right now?The only three hitting are Escobar, Mauer, and Nunez! I think he is just as able to start hitting as any of the other suspects. This is comically sad and bad now. And wasting the starting pitching? ..... and Mauer's hitting? Soon the hitting will take off and the starting pitching will regress to it's expected level or worse. I think it was the red uniforms, today. 

 

This is the hope and dreams time. May as well live with it and let it become. I am tired of a replacement level mentality. Time to sink or swim with youth.

[Kwak]

Panic?  No.  The only way Buxton becomes a bona fide major league player--is to play at the major league level. AAA ball has not shown to develop Twins hitters.  It is simply a dumping ground to park marginal prospects while cycling other marginal prospects through the system--this isn't the case.  

Considering Santana as a possible CF??--what?  Weren't you watching Santana this season?  He has no future as an OF at the ML level--which is why he is "DL".  Rosario is retained at the ML level for the same reason as Buxton--he must play through slumps and develop character as he gains experience.  This team wasn't all that good (why Twins generally picked as 5th out of 5) so be patient and let players develop.

[jsteve96]

at the beginning of the year i was bashed for my opinion on buxton being in AAA to start the year. I wanted Santana starting, Mastro as 4th OF'er.. now 2 weeks into the season some people are swinging my direction. 

[KirbyDome89]

 

Yes, a replacement level player gives us a better chance to win than a below replacement level player. I can't possibly see how leaving Buxton up here to strike out in half of his plate appearances is in the best interest of himself and this team. Please explain why you think otherwise.

I'm pretty sure he means one guy is a 30 year old journyman 4th OFer who owns a career slash below replacement level, while the other is considered the #1-2 prospect in baseball and has all of 8 games played so far this season. If we're choosing which below replacement player to take, my vote is for the high upside prospect....

[Otto von Ballpark]

at the beginning of the year i was bashed for my opinion on buxton being in AAA to start the year. I wanted Santana starting, Mastro as 4th OF'er.. now 2 weeks into the season some people are swinging my direction.

You may lead in some polls, but you still trail after considering superdelegates.

[Platoon]

It's time to move on. You sink or swim with Buxton, Sano, Burdi, Chargois, Berrios, Kepler, etc. bottom line, if they can't produce eventually, and I mean over the next year and a half, and if the FO doesn't fix the SP, then the Mastros of the world will not make a difference. I like Mastros style, but he is not going to be on the cover of any Wheaties boxes, ever! I don't give a rats butt about 0-8, as long as they keep moving forward. For example, if Suzuki is still catching over 2/3 of the games in June, then we are not moving forward, and we gave away Hicks!

[TheLeviathan]

Even great players at some point got sent down to clean up their game. That should be on the table for Buxton, but it should be Rosario in CF in that case and not Mastro.

 

Either way, do what's right for Buxton....whatever that may be.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'd argue they should have thought about this a month ago, but that ship has sailed.  But back to the original premise, I think DanSan coming off the 15 day will likely be the tipping point.  Buxton has been flat out awful at the plate (granted so have several others), but right now, they cannot afford to give away outs.

[Old Twins Cap]

Man, Buxton getting hosed by every conceivable pitch and sequence.  He takes three consecutive balls against Petricka, then two fastballs down the middle.  Then swings through a fastball down the middle.  Six pitches, watches five and no contact.  Not even a decent swing.

 

Looks terribly lost out there.

 

Hate to say it, but you look at Correa for Houston, Lindor for Cleveland, Pederson for LA, Mookie Betts for Boston -- here is Buxton, supposedly the Number 1 prospect in baseball all those years.  Flopping miserably.

 

I just don't get why he is so ill-prepared for MLB pitching.

[HitInAPinch]

For a moment there last night, I thought Buxton had it figured out.  In his first AB [ I believe ] he worked the count, fouled off some pitches close to the plate and worked to a full count.  3 more foul balls on close pitches.  I'm yelling at the TV "my god, he's figured it out".  Then the old Buxton returned, swinging at a ball that almost hit the dirt. 

 

I don't know what the answer is for Buxton.  The progress is there, just not MLB quality yet.  His swing mechanics and overall plate presence are better.  And then they suddenly disappear.

I'd give to May Day and re-evaluate. 

 

 

[lukeduke1980]

 

 

I just don't get why he is so ill-prepared for MLB pitching.

They all do unfortunately.  They all seem ill-prepared for each at bat and each pitcher, as if every at bat is with a pitcher they've never seen before.

[alarp33]

8 games. 24 At bats.  And he's the best/ most important (since he plays next to Sano) defender by far. 

 

Has anyone suggesting sending him down and use Rosario in Center seen his at bats?  Has anyone suggesting Mastro ever seen him play?  

 

8 games in this already has the looks of a lost season.  Get Buxton the ML at bats he needs.  If major changes need to be made come May and June, I'm looking to trade Dozier to free up 2B for Polanco. Looking to trade Santana or Hughes, etc.  I'm not sending my future best players to AAA.  

[Mike Sixel]

There are plenty of national writers who had doubts about Buxton's bat ever being all that good........

 

I would think he should be up through the end of the month. If he's not hitting, I'd send him down.

[FunnyPenguin]

Just think of this season as lost, it really is a time to get the young uns adapted to the majors, then next year we'll fly!

[Old Twins Cap]

 

There are plenty of national writers who had doubts about Buxton's bat ever being all that good........

 

 

 

I really hate to make this coinage.  You have no idea how much I hope I am wrong:  Byron Buston

[Halsey Hall]

 

There are plenty of national writers who had doubts about Buxton's bat ever being all that good........

 

I would think he should be up through the end of the month. If he's not hitting, I'd send him down.

And at least one TD'er who had doubts, me, last year. My doubts remain but I can see giving him more time. Of the starting 8, 6 could be sent to the minors the way these guys are hitting. I think Park may be the next one to go down.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I really hate to make this coinage.  You have no idea how much I hope I am wrong:  Byron Buston

 

I too hope you are wrong, way wrong.

[tobi0040]

 

Even great players at some point got sent down to clean up their game. That should be on the table for Buxton, but it should be Rosario in CF in that case and not Mastro.

Either way, do what's right for Buxton....whatever that may be.

 

I agree the decision point is whatever is best for Buxton.  It seems like his at bats are improving.  Every game it seems like he has an at bat where he is seeing 7-9 pitches, fouling off a bunch of two strike pitches, etc.  If we feel like we are getting closer to MLB at bats, sooner or later it will translate to results.

 

From my non-professional eye, it seems like the biggest adjustment he needs to make is stop Mauering it (taking the fastball on the outside of the plate for strike one).  That seems to happen almost every at bat.  He should sit on that pitch and drive it somewhere.  If he does that he won't be behind in the count and eating a steady diet of sliders.   And it would force pitchers to adjust.

 

 

 

 

 

[tobi0040]

 

I just don't get why he is so ill-prepared for MLB pitching.

 

I don't think an adjustment to MLB breaking balls is surprising.  He is from a small town in GA where the competition was not very good.  Law, who was very high on Buxton did say pre-draft "Baseball in Appling was not the worst high school baseball I have ever seen, but it was not good at all". 

 

He has a total of 60 games in AA and 13 games in AAA.  He did also have a concussion less than two years ago. I am not sure why Span, Morneau, and Mauer get a two year pass but Buxton does not.