Will Buxton ever “stay healthy”?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

In a not so revealing interview with MLB.com, Buxton tells the interviewer “I’m going to be me” 146 times including the excerpt below.

 

“MLB.com: Speaking of laying off the wall: I’ve seen you get hurt because you hit the wall so many times. Have you thought about laying off the wall?

 

Buxton: There is no point in it. If you are going to come out here and you want to win, you do what you have to do to help your team win. You have but one life. I’m going to make the most of it while I can.”

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/byron-buxton-more-confident-comfortable-in-2019

 

While we’ve seen a more effective hitter by this new approach, the health is status quo.

 

Will Buxton ever “stay healthy” with this approach? When he’s on the field, he’s game changing, but he’s such a part time player.

 

I really wanted Bill Larson to point blank ask (never gonna happen) him if he’s willing to do what it takes to stay on the field. He hurts himself and the team by getting injured. He needs to stay healthy.

 

Is this the defining season for Buxton? Will he figure it out, despite what he says?

[Mr. Brooks]

I have no idea, but I'm interested to see.

There are countless examples of young players in all sports who just seem to get hurt all the time, then they figure out how to stay healthy.

Of course, there are countless who don't figure it out, and are never the same.

[rv78]

His answer says it all. He thinks he is helping the team to win if he goes all out and crashes into the wall regardless if he can make the catch or not. That is not how you help your team win when they are better with you on the field than on the IL. He's like most atheletes who only think of themselves. They want to see themselves on highlight reels making spectacular plays and winning awards. Buck plays for Buck, not for the team.

 

Did crashing into the wall trying to catch the Royals Mondesi's inside the park home run really help the team win or would have holding him to a double been better?

[bighat]

My take on this interview (and most of Buxton's interviews over the winter/spring):

 

He's done worrying about what other people think. To be honest, I think that's good for him. He's always been at his best when he's doing his own thing. We've seen what happens when he overthinks and gets overcoached. Not good.

 

I'm all in with the "new Buxton". It doesn't bother me that he's playing reckless out there, as long as he's hitting .280 and putting the ball in play. He was (and possibly still is) in danger of completely flaming out of the league and becoming one of the biggest busts in history. Let the man do his own thing, it can't hurt.

[USAFChief]

Buxton not using his speed and athleticism to get to balls other outfielders can’t get to, isn’t anything special. He becomes everyone else’s centerfielder.

 

Keep on playing at the edge of your ability, Byron. Once in a while that means taking on a wall, or diving on the warning track. That’s baseball at the highest level.

[USAFChief]

His answer says it all. He thinks he is helping the team to win if he goes all out and crashes into the wall regardless if he can make the catch or not. That is not how you help your team win when they are better with you on the field than on the IL. He's like most atheletes who only think of themselves. They want to see themselves on highlight reels making spectacular plays and winning awards. Buck plays for Buck, not for the team.

 

Did crashing into the wall trying to catch the Royals Mondesi's inside the park home run really help the team win or would have holding him to a double been better?

Catching it would have been better. You want him to pull up on every ball that’s anywhere close to the edge of his range?

 

BTW, what he tried was the opposite of playing for himself.

[howeda7]

I don't think he will ever play more than 140 games in a season. He will inevitably hurt himself on defense once or twice per season.  

[Vanimal46]

This is the defining season for his Twins tenure, yes. He needs to hit at league average. Preferably above average. Otherwise his career could go the route Billy Hamilton's is taking.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I don't think he will ever play more than 140 games in a season. He will inevitably hurt himself on defense once or twice per season.

only a few players per season play more than 140. I’d be thrilled if we got 140 games of Buxton playing his best.

[Riverbrian]

Buxton should avoid running into busy traffic during rush hour. He should avoid running with scissors. He should avoid running any time he sees one of those yellow "Wet Floor" signs. 

 

But On the Field... Try to avoid running into a teammate. Everything else on the field... Flipping Go for It. I buy tickets to watch players go for it... I don't come to watch them lay up.

 

Try to win the game... always. 

[twinssporto]

I've never really seen anyone accomplish anything great in life by playing it safe and not taking chances.  Run Byron, RUN!!!

[TheLeviathan]

Seems to be a bit of a false dilemma here.  There is a difference between aggressive and reckless.  

 

Byron finding the difference (not just in the field, but at the plate) is the biggest question of this season.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I hope Buxton can stay healthy and I wish he would pull up on the occasional ball but I think he'll get there in time. As his body ages, he'll be less excited to run into walls at 20mph. 

[jimbo92107]

Try to imagine telling a pro hockey player, "You just be careful out there, don't get hurt." You'd either get laughed at, or slapped. They know, and Buxton knows, that sports at its highest level has to be played all out, no holding back. That is not to say that Buxton should charge head-first into walls. Pro athletes survive by learning how to turn direct hits into oblique ones, how to shoulder roll and slide out of falls, etc. We misinterpret Buxton when he says "I gotta be me." That just means he knows he's got to go all-out to play his best. After that, it's technique that will protect him, the professional jujitsu that redirects kinetic energy into a harmless roll or slide. In that regard, I think Buxton has gotten better out there. His reads in CF seem quicker and more accurate, which means better jumps and more precise footwork. Professional outfield coaches are working all these guys all the time on refining their fielding.

 

To me it looks like Buxton has turned a corner this season. He looks physically stronger and emotionally a lot more confident. He looks like he knows he belongs in the pros, and that he has a chance to be really, really good. I am no longer seeing the Buxton that was tying his stomach in knots worrying that he could be sent down to the minors again. It's quite possible that Baldelli told him to stop worrying and just play ball. I hope that was part of it. Byron Buxton looks like a man now. Go for it, dude.

[rv78]

 

Catching it would have been better. You want him to pull up on every ball that’s anywhere close to the edge of his range?

BTW, what he tried was the opposite of playing for himself.

 

Evidently you didn't see the play. He didn't even have has his head turned around to see the ball. He had no chance at catching it. To be a good player you have to also play with your brain. Using it, would help determine if the ball is at the edge of his range or just outside his range. 

 

I'd like to see Buck succeed! He isn't going to do that if he's injured. He already lost last season to injury. I'd rather see him making great catches on balls that he can get to than see him get hurt trying to catch balls that he can't.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Evidently you didn't see the play. He didn't even has his head turned around to see the ball. He had no chance at catching it. To be a good player you have to also play with your brain.

He had no chance of catching it because he took a poor angle and poor technique at the wall.

That ball was definitely in his range though if he plays it better.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Try to imagine telling a pro hockey player, "You just be careful out there, don't get hurt." You'd either get laughed at, or slapped. 

 

You don't want a player playing to not get hurt, that's true.  But you also teach players, even in violent sports like football and hockey, to take the reckless out of their game.  Getting hurt because you play hard is one thing, getting hurt (or suspended in the case of hockey or football) because you're reckless IS something you'd want to coach out of a player.

 

Take a look at hockey last night with Kadri.  Dude plays an aggressive game and is one helluva player.  But then he got reckless and probably lost himself 10 playoff games for it.  That hurts him AND his team.

 

Plenty of great baseball players played all out without putting themselves recklessly in positions to be hurt.  Jeter and Trout come immediately to mind.  Buxton needs someone to work with him on taking out the reckless and keeping the aggression.  It doesn't help him, or the team, to run himself into injuries all the time because he can't make that distinction.

[Mr. Brooks]

You don't want a player playing to not get hurt, that's true. But you also teach players, even in violent sports like football and hockey, to take the reckless out of their game. Getting hurt because you play hard is one thing, getting hurt (or suspended in the case of hockey or football) because you're reckless IS something you'd want to coach out of a player.

 

Take a look at hockey last night with Kadri. Dude plays an aggressive game and is one helluva player. But then he got reckless and probably lost himself 10 playoff games for it. That hurts him AND his team.

 

Plenty of great baseball players played all out without putting themselves recklessly in positions to be hurt. Jeter and Trout come immediately to mind. Buxton needs someone to work with him on taking out the reckless and keeping the aggression. It doesn't help him, or the team, to run himself into injuries all the time because he can't make that distinction.

Correct. Ryan Suter is the best example I know of a hockey player who has an instinct for avoiding violent collisions.

[jimbo92107]

 

You don't want a player playing to not get hurt, that's true.  But you also teach players, even in violent sports like football and hockey, to take the reckless out of their game.  Getting hurt because you play hard is one thing, getting hurt (or suspended in the case of hockey or football) because you're reckless IS something you'd want to coach out of a player.

 

Take a look at hockey last night with Kadri.  Dude plays an aggressive game and is one helluva player.  But then he got reckless and probably lost himself 10 playoff games for it.  That hurts him AND his team.

 

Plenty of great baseball players played all out without putting themselves recklessly in positions to be hurt.  Jeter and Trout come immediately to mind.  Buxton needs someone to work with him on taking out the reckless and keeping the aggression.  It doesn't help him, or the team, to run himself into injuries all the time because he can't make that distinction.

I think we're talking about the same thing, but saying it different ways. Pro coaches do teach players how to take the "reckless" out of their game. Part of it is positioning and anticipation. Another part is footwork. Another part is understanding how to roll out of a direct hit. None of these techniques takes away from the player's dedication and determination. They just allow him to survive "going for it."

[TheLeviathan]

I think we're talking about the same thing, but saying it different ways. Pro coaches do teach players how to take the "reckless" out of their game. Part of it is positioning and anticipation. Another part is footwork. Another part is understanding how to roll out of a direct hit. None of these techniques takes away from the player's dedication and determination. They just allow him to survive "going for it."

I took that from your post also, but I do think there is a prevailing misunderstanding in this thread about Buxton's problem. It isn't aggression, it's recklessness. And it IS a problem.

[jimbo92107]

 

I took that from your post also, but I do think there is a prevailing misunderstanding in this thread about Buxton's problem. It isn't aggression, it's recklessness. And it IS a problem.

True, there is the nagging problem of Buxton's level of athletic expertise. I remember when he first came up, I was shocked at how "raw" he still seemed. It showed up everywhere: In the field, he was crashing into walls a lot; at the plate, he was flailing at outside curves in the dirt; on base, his stealing technique was so poor that even Buxton's amazing speed wasn't saving him. 

 

It became clear that Buxton had been cruising through the minors on his massive athletic talent, yet he lacked the refined techniques to become a star at the mlb level. You may recall that Molitor dedicated a lot of mentoring time showing Buxton how to bunt, and Molitor schooled him in great detail on the art of stealing second base. 

 

Ironically, the results of Molitor's tutoring are now paying off, after Molitor got fired. Buxton's speed, plus Molitor's stealing technique, equals an unstoppable stealing threat. But notice that Buxton never even tries to steal third base or home. Why? Because Molitor hadn't worked with him on that...yet. 

 

It appears that Buxton requires careful tutoring and tons of reps on each aspect of the game. When that happens, he becomes great at that particular aspect. Over time, it does appear that he is getting better at various aspects of his game. This bodes well for his career, including his freedom from needless injury. 

[ewen21]

Just saw the promotion on Buxton and his own teammates had to say "if he's healthy" he is something to see.

 

To say minimize the injrury concern and dismiss it as speaking out of court (vis a vis his style of play) is pretty irresponisble.  I want him making great plays, but he doesn't have to be so darn reckless.  There are a number of times thus far in his career where he unecessarily crashed into the wall on plays he had literally no chance of making.  I cannot praise the effort in those situations.

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

How about that last one. Does that one meet with the critics’ approval?

[Riverbrian]

 

How about that last one. Does that one meet with the critics’ approval?

 

It meets Mine... Nice play.

 

Baseball the way it is supposed to be played. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm confused how this thread is here given that Buxton is (knocks on wood) healthy.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I'm confused how this thread is here given that Buxton is (knocks on wood) healthy.

but you knocked on wood? If his health wasn’t always a concern would you knock?

[gil4]

 

How about that last one. Does that one meet with the critics’ approval?

I'm glad he caught it, but it still looked like he slowed down and then sped up to hit harder. Nice catch, but I was cringing and holding my breath as he hit the wall. He did hit at an angle that seemed less likely to cause injury than he has done in previous crashes.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm glad he caught it, but it still looked like he slowed down and then sped up to hit harder. Nice catch, but I was cringing and holding my breath as he hit the wall. He did hit at an angle that seemed less likely to cause injury than he has done in previous crashes.

Are you saying he slowed down to make the catch look better? I’m not sure what you’re saying here.

[TheLeviathan]

It looked to me like he took another bad angle or the wind altered it, hard to tell obviously.  But it did look like a ball that did not require a wall collision.

[Brock Beauchamp]

It looked to me like he took another bad angle or the wind altered it, hard to tell obviously. But it did look like a ball that did not require a wall collision.

Watch it again. That ball knuckled hard. It was well to the first base side of second base and then twisted back to almost dead center.

 

Look at Buxton’s angle of approach. The reason he slowed is because the ball was heading to right center off the bat and Byron had to drastically change angles to get it.

 

I don’t know if there’s another centerfielder in baseball who gets that ball.

 

And I say this as a person who doesn’t like Buxton’s approach in the field because 95% of Byron Buxton is better than 0% of Byron Buxton.