Article: The Twins Coaching Staff's Batting Stance Adjustments for Byron Buxton, 2015-Present

[RandBalls Stu]

The Minnesota Twins have tinkered with Byron Buxton's swing for his entire tenure with the team. We've compiled all of them for reference.2015

 

Eliminate Leg Kick

 

Modify Leg Kick, Move Back in Batter Box

 

Full Leg Kick, Choke Up On Bat

 

Eliminate Leg Kick, Become Switch Hitter

 

Kick Both Legs, First Left Then Right

 

Kick Both Legs, First Right Then Left

 

2016

 

A Big Rockette-style Kick While Yelling “WOOOOOOO” like Ric “Nature Boy” Flair

 

Eliminate Leg Kick, Hold Bat by the Barrel

 

Copy What Mike Hargrove Used to Do in the Seventies and Eighties and Straight-Up Bore Pitchers Into Walking You

 

Modify Leg Kick, Wear Rollerblades, Rulebook Unclear on Legality/Exploit Potential Market Inefficiency

 

Full Leg Kick, Do One Marine-style Push Up Between Pitches

 

2017

 

Eliminate Leg Kick, Get So Far Back in the Box That You’re Technically Behind the Umpire

 

Modify Leg Kick, Take First Pitch No Matter What, Call Time, Do Cannonball Into Child’s Wading Pool That Has Been Placed in On-Deck Circle by Former Twins Great Junior Ortiz, Return Soaking Wet to Batter’s Box

 

Forgot to Write Down What Worked in Summer/Fall 2017 and All the Game Tapes Are in a Storage Unit in Mahnomen But No One Has the Keycode to Open It and the Owner Disappeared in a Boating Accident That Authorities Describe As “Unsettling with Possible Occult Links”

 

2018

 

Full Leg Kick, Keep Hands Back, Tickle Catcher

 

Modify Leg Kick, Throw Bat At Pitcher, Run to First While Benches Clear

 

Eliminate Leg Kick, Bring Glove Instead of Bat Into Box, Catch First Pitch, Declare “I Am The Baseball King and You Will Recognize Me As Such,” Award Yourself First Base While Eating a Comically Large Leg of Lamb and Wearing Gilt-Edged Royal Finery

 

Modify Leg Kick, Start a Small Business, Incorporate in Delaware to Dodge Corporate Income Taxes, Become Independently Wealthy, Start Competing Winter Baseball League in Sun Belt States, Take a Bath When It Flames Out, Lose Rest of Fortune in Series of Bad Investments, Declare Bankruptcy, Appear on VH1 Reality Show Called Dormitory Island Or Something Dumb Like That, Fight for Starting Centerfield Job Next Spring

 

2019

 

Just Do Whatever Until It Stops Working.

 

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[BJames]

The issue I've seen with Buxton is, he likes to hit the ball way out in front of the plate.  This leaves him open to the off speed pitches and the outside corner.  He's a dead pull hitter and he's was talented enough to get away with it till he hit the Majors.  I'd like to see him let the ball get a little deeper in his swing.  This would be hard to do and at this point I don't know if its worth trying.  Just let him go! Just like a golfer trying to work on his swing, during a match, it doesn't work.  Time to sink or swim.

[ToddlerHarmon]

Maybe Kepler can teach him how to integrate the seven basic ballet moves into his swing.

[saviking]

I've always thought Buxton's swing was too long. With his speed it's more important making contact and getting on base than trying to hit for power. I'd love to see him use a heavier, thicker bat and make a shorter, more compact swing. The heavier bat would help keep  him from swinging in front of the plate. The goal should be better contact and more line drives as well a fewer strikeouts. 

[woolywoolhouse]

I mean, I'd tell the Twins' batting coaches to leave me alone, too, after getting tinkered with for years but also watching my predecessor in Aaron Hicks struggle with the Twins, go to NY, flourish under them, and just sign a 7 year/$70 million contract.  

[Natron]

Snowshoes. The correct fix is snowshoes.

[Dantes929]

More cowbell.

[Dantes929]

 

The issue I've seen with Buxton is, he likes to hit the ball way out in front of the plate.  This leaves him open to the off speed pitches and the outside corner.  He's a dead pull hitter and he's was talented enough to get away with it till he hit the Majors.  I'd like to see him let the ball get a little deeper in his swing.  This would be hard to do and at this point I don't know if its worth trying.  Just let him go! Just like a golfer trying to work on his swing, during a match, it doesn't work.  Time to sink or swim.

 

I've always thought Buxton's swing was too long. With his speed it's more important making contact and getting on base than trying to hit for power. I'd love to see him use a heavier, thicker bat and make a shorter, more compact swing. The heavier bat would help keep  him from swinging in front of the plate. The goal should be better contact and more line drives as well a fewer strikeouts. 

I always thought his swing was too quick because when he make contact he often pulls the ball way left of the foul line.   Much more so than most players.   He rarely hits it to the right of 2nd base fair or foul.    I guess hitting out in front of the plate is a different description of the same problem.   I don't know if his swing is too long but a heavier bat might help.  And as always, I would like to see him bunt way more often and a thicker bat could help with that as well.   I think he should attempt it once a game.   If he gets it in play half the time he tries I bet he bats .500 when he does and when he doesn't its just a strike.   

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I got to “The Nature Boy” before I realized who wrote this! Classic!

[Doomtints]

Sheesh. Funny, but there's some truth here.

 

Buxton has the right approach to do this himself going forward.

 

I'm confident with his own adjustments he will be bunting home runs over the center field wall in no time.

[Joe A. Preusser]

He needs hats.

 

Hats for bats.

[USAFChief]

...Wearing Gilt-Edged Royal Finery...

 

 

The Kasota Gold rears its ugly head yet again.

[Joe A. Preusser]

That's weird, my last girlfriend suggest I use a heavier, thicker bat with a shorter, more compact swing.  I didn't and now I have lesser contact, and strike out more. Uncanny.

 

Word gets around. Opponents figure out your game and know how to pitch around you. Better off going overseas to ply your trade. I hear even scrubs can smash over there.

[MABB1959]

 

I mean, I'd tell the Twins' batting coaches to leave me alone, too, after getting tinkered with for years but also watching my predecessor in Aaron Hicks struggle with the Twins, go to NY, flourish under them, and just sign a 7 year/$70 million contract.  

I would not feel safe with the Twins.   Some could play horrible for days in a row and still make the line-up.   Some have a couple of good games and get pulled or sent down if they struggle for a bit.   Basically some get benched and others don't when they are struggling.   I don't blame them for having attitudes.   I was happy when Santana spoke out last year and Buxton this year.   They toyed with Vargas and I think it is more the Twins coaches/management that ruined him.   Same with Hicks and may be a reach but Arcia seemed to have potential that just went away.   Gomez had an attitude and one other of the top prospects.   Seems to be the key to being let go or traded and if I was on that team I would look at other teams and wish to be there.   ILast year Morrison and Dozier had really bad streaks but kept going out.   When Mauer was in a slump he still played.   Kepler was on the edge but never called out for it.   I also suspect that is why some of the better players don't want to come here.

 

[MABB1959]

 

I mean, I'd tell the Twins' batting coaches to leave me alone, too, after getting tinkered with for years but also watching my predecessor in Aaron Hicks struggle with the Twins, go to NY, flourish under them, and just sign a 7 year/$70 million contract.  

I would not feel safe with the Twins.   Some could play horrible for days in a row and still make the line-up.   Some have a streak or a few good days in a row and still get benched or sent down if they struggle for a bit.   Basically some get benched and others don't when they are struggling.   I don't blame them for having attitudes.   I was happy when Santana spoke out last year and Buxton this year.   They toyed with Vargas and I think it is more the Twins coaches/management that ruined him.   Same with Hicks and may be a reach but Arcia seemed to have potential that just went away.   Gomez had an attitude and one other of the top prospects.   Seems to be the key to being let go or traded and if I was on that team I would look at other teams and wish to be there.   Last year Morrison and Dozier had really bad streaks but kept going out.   When Mauer was in a slump he still played.   Kepler was on the edge but never called out for it.   I also suspect that is why some of the better players don't want to come here.  We now get to watch Escobar, Nunez, Santana and Hicks from a far.

 

[LimestoneBaggy]

Stu, I hope you read the comments, giggle like a school girl, and then come back five minutes later to giggle some more. 

 

This is gold, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for your masterpiece:

 

https://www.twinkietown.com/2013/1/4/3833034/an-oral-history-of-nick-punto-sliding-headfirst-into-first-base 

 

 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Stu, I hope you read the comments, giggle like a school girl, and then come back five minutes later to giggle some more.

 

This is gold, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for your masterpiece:

 

https://www.twinkietown.com/2013/1/4/3833034/an-oral-history-of-nick-punto-sliding-headfirst-into-first-base

GET MONEY!

[AlwaysinModeration]

Thank you researching this topic. It’s important to have this all documented, and I think you correctly chronicled the chain of events without sugarcoating any of it.

[mikelink45]

Pitching coaches and hitting coaches are paid to tinker, but athletes have a natural feel and need to relax and find their own way. 

[djvang]

And all along, the answer was: see ball, hit ball.

[Battle ur tail off]

Buxton's approach has always been his problem, more than his mechanics. He generally has swung at bad pitches. Guessed alot of the time and gotten himself into bad counts and situations. If he can control the strike zone a little better, that is the key.