Buxton Replacement? Don't bother, he's already here....

[HitInAPinch]

Don't get me wrong, I like Buxton.  But potential is just that, until it isn't.  At the end of last season, he looked much better:  relaxed, taking nice AB's and still had that stellar defense.  So, what's happening this year?  Overall poor hitting [changes in his approach and technique], horrendous in the clutch.  Defense:  That 3 hopper to the plate a couple games ago still rings in my head.  What to do?  That showed up in the lineup last night....

 

Max Kepler - CF

 

Max  seems like the calm, cool type guy who can handle the pressure.  Indeed, I'd say he's already done that: good start on defense, very good start at the plate.  Sadly, I didn't get a chance to see him play there yesterday.

 

So, what's the hold up?  To coin another lyric from a song written by Stephen Sondheim:  Send in the clowns.

Grossman and D. Santana are the only other OF's on the team.  Gotta do much better than that.

 

I have no clue on what it'll take to get Buxton straightened out.  He's still only 23, but has had 515 PA's.  I'm a patient guy.  But then reality kicks in.  

 

New Manager??

 

 

[goulik]

How many games have we played this year? Oh, week three? Ok, deep breaths...

[Vanimal46]

Such a weird dynamic on threads so far... It's almost like people want Buxton to be an epic failure.

[Bill Brown69]

Ortiz retired so we don't have a perennial All-Star playing for another team to complain about so we have to run somebody out until we get that back!

[Craig Arko]

 

Such a weird dynamic on threads so far... It's almost like people want Buxton to be an epic failure.

You just noticed this?

[drjim]

Such a weird dynamic on threads so far... It's almost like people want Buxton to be an epic failure.

I don't think it's limited to just Buxton.

[Mike Sixel]

Such a weird dynamic on threads so far... It's almost like people want Buxton to be an epic failure.

People want him to be great. He is the exact opposite. Even guys like KLAW, who preach patience are saying it is time to worry.

[Vanimal46]

 

People want him to be great. He is the exact opposite. Even guys like KLAW, who preach patience are saying it is time to worry.

 

I just can't get behind starting to worry about Buxton 3 weeks into a season. The first 50 PA's have been very bad. Let's see if the next 50 are better. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

KLAW is a national writer. It's impossible for him to devote enough attention to Buxton to know whether or not to be worried.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I just can't get behind starting to worry about Buxton 3 weeks into a season. The first 50 PA's have been very bad. Let's see if the next 50 are better.

 

I'll see your 50 and raise you 250.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I just can't get behind starting to worry about Buxton 3 weeks into a season. The first 50 PA's have been very bad. Let's see if the next 50 are better. 

It's over 500 ABs...

[drjim]

I would be pretty surprised if they send him back down in the next 3 months. I do think he'll get more days off sprinkled in than they planned, especially against RHs that are high K guys (like Salazar).

[Vanimal46]

 

It's over 500 ABs...

 

500 yo-yo'd, jerked around, called up prematurely, inconsistent ABs... Still not worried. 

Or if it makes people feel better, let's just cut him. Dude will never figure it out. Couldn't even get D Santana for him in a trade. 

[Doomtints]

 

I just can't get behind starting to worry about Buxton 3 weeks into a season. The first 50 PA's have been very bad. Let's see if the next 50 are better. 

 

It's not week three. It's game 151 and just over a year of official service time.

 

I agree that it's far too early to worry about a 23 year old kid, but let's not pretend the sample size on him is 3 weeks. It's biased statements like this that create disagreements.

[Doomtints]

 

I would be pretty surprised if they send him back down in the next 3 months. I do think he'll get more days off sprinkled in than they planned, especially against RHs that are high K guys (like Salazar).

 

At this point they gotta just let him play. Expectations are low on the season anyway.

[drjim]

 

At this point they gotta just let him play. Expectations are low on the season anyway.

 

I think they are going to let him play most the time.

[Loosey]

Buxton is more than likely not going to become Mike Trout like some people envisioned 3-4 years ago.  However, he will not continue to strike out 60% of the time either.  We know he has the ability to hit, we have seen it in small stretches.

 

What I am worried about is the mental side of the game for him.  Not mental from a standpoint of he he doesn't understand the game or situations or anything like that.  I am talking about when things go poorly he seems to become a mess at the plate.  He doesn't do things consistently, his swing changes, he chases and he tries to do too much.  

 

So he might hit .350 in May for all we know, but he could have a 3 strikeout game on May 31 and then get into another funk when his swing gets messed up after that and hits .050 for June.  That is what I am worried about. 

[Vanimal46]

 

It's not week three. It's game 151 and just over a year of official service time.

 

I agree that it's far too early to worry about a 23 year old kid, but let's not pretend the sample size on him is 3 weeks. It's biased statements like this that create disagreements.

 

Frankly I don't care about his 2015, or really his 2016 seasons. They admitted to calling him up too early, and last season he was up for a month, sent down for 1.5 months, called up for 3 weeks, sent down for 1 month, etc. 

I care about this season... The season where he's supposed to be an everyday player getting 500 consistent PAs. 

[Loosey]

Adding to the original post.  If Buxton doesn't ever figure it out, (he will) it is nice to have a Kepler on the Roster.  How many other teams have the luxury of having the #1 overall prospect in baseball potentially fail, but have another same aged guy who can fill in and become close to many thought the #1 prospect could have been?  

 

It will be better when they both play but it is nice to have that backup plan in a year or two if things don't change with Buxton.

[Doomtints]

 

Frankly I don't care about his 2015, or really his 2016 seasons. They admitted to calling him up too early, and last season he was up for a month, sent down for 1.5 months, called up for 3 weeks, sent down for 1 month, etc. 

I care about this season... The season where he's supposed to be an everyday player getting 500 consistent PAs. 

 

Yes, I can see that. And what I'm telling you is that's a mistake.

 

In any case, he is a young player and there is no need to panic. And, by the way, I don't see anyone panicking.  

[bluechipper]

Here's a fun Buxton stat: He has struck out 49 times since the last time Mookie Betts struck out. Betts hasn't struck out in 28 games. That's pretty incredible, and it says more about Betts than Buxton, but I thought I'd just mention it here.

[KirbyDome89]

 

Ortiz retired so we don't have a perennial All-Star playing for another team to complain about so we have to run somebody out until we get that back!

Sano is playing too well at the moment but give it time. He'll have a 3 K game with an error and the pitchforks and torches will be out in full force. 

[Taildragger8791]

 

Sano is playing too well at the moment but give it time. He'll have a 3 K game with an error and the pitchforks and torches will be out in full force. 

 

Sano wore the golden sombrero a couple days ago and I didn't see any mobs forming outside the gates. You get leeway for a bad game or even a week when you otherwise perform well. That's how baseball goes.

[TheLeviathan]

I'm not panicking....but I am worried.  And if you're not, then you probably are trying too hard to keep the rose-colored glasses on.

 

It's time to be worried and it's time for the organization to make it their top priority.  (Something I hope is already happening.)

[KirbyDome89]

 

Sano wore the golden sombrero a couple days ago and I didn't see any mobs forming outside the gates. You get leeway for a bad game or even a week when you otherwise perform well. That's how baseball goes.

It was tongue in cheek...

 

No doubt though that he has been the recipient of a disproportionate amount of criticism now that some have moved on from Mauer. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

It was tongue in cheek...

 

No doubt though that he has been the recipient of a disproportionate amount of criticism now that some have moved on from Mauer. 

 

Buxton is getting too much criticism? They are talking about him on every chat on FG, KLAW, and MLBTR. They are doing entire segments on him on ESPN and MLB. And we think we are being too critical here? 

[mazeville]

Buxton has done everything he could at AAA. There is nothing he can prove there. 

 

I think he needs to get his straightening out done here. If he sits a couple of times a week, so be it. But he, along with Kepler and Rosario, have helped the Twins' pitching staff IMMENSELY. You really don't want to break that up.

 

He'll figure it out. Give the team some time. They are unlikely to win big this year, anyway. 

[laloesch]

 

500 yo-yo'd, jerked around, called up prematurely, inconsistent ABs... Still not worried. 

Or if it makes people feel better, let's just cut him. Dude will never figure it out. Couldn't even get D Santana for him in a trade. 

 

Your words NOBODY ELSE...nothing new.  Such a shame that legitimate discussion is reduced to snotty retorts when someone voices concerns about certain players (ie Mauer, Sano, Buxton, whomever).

[KirbyDome89]

 

Buxton is getting too much criticism? They are talking about him on every chat on FG, KLAW, and MLBTR. They are doing entire segments on him on ESPN and MLB. And we think we are being too critical here? 

No no no......

 

Check that convo again. I made a comment about the beating Sano takes. 

[TheLeviathan]

 

Buxton has done everything he could at AAA. There is nothing he can prove there. 

 

I think he needs to get his straightening out done here. If he sits a couple of times a week, so be it. But he, along with Kepler and Rosario, have helped the Twins' pitching staff IMMENSELY. You really don't want to break that up.

 

He'll figure it out. Give the team some time. They are unlikely to win big this year, anyway. 

 

I would prefer to give him a few more months in the big leagues.  However, a lot of the issues with Buxton aren't ability, but that there is something broken with his basic swing mechanics/approach.

 

I wouldn't rule out the benefit of sending him down to a place with less pressure, with ONE designated guy to work through the issues with him, and let him get those mechanics fixed.  

 

I'm not ready to do that yet, I'd like to see him try to do that here for the very reasons you mention, but it should be something still on the table for this year.