Whats up with Buxton ?????

[Craig Arko]

Clearly Buxton is in a full body cast on life-support in a back closet in Falvey’s office. What people are seeing taking batting and fielding practice are stunt doubles.

You can’t put one over on us, Derek.

[MABB1959]

2 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

Clearly Buxton is in a full body cast on life-support in a back closet in Falvey’s office. What people are seeing taking batting and fielding practice are stunt doubles.

You can’t put one over on us, Derek.

I don’t recall seeing him talking batting and fielding practice.   

[Squirrel]

23 minutes ago, MABB1959 said:

I don’t recall seeing him talking batting and fielding practice.   

Reports have said he’s been out on the back fields 

[stringer bell]

54 minutes ago, MABB1959 said:

He is a key player on the team and fans need just a little assurance he is healthy.

That doesn't have to occur on March 10th or even March 20th. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

I honestly don’t care about veterans in spring. The action I want to see is all the young guys in their first or second camp and how prepared they look to don a Minnesota uniform in the near future. 

[wsnydes]

6 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I honestly don’t care about veterans in spring. The action I want to see is all the young guys in their first or second camp and how prepared they look to don a Minnesota uniform in the near future. 

Agreed.  The veterans know what they need to get ready for the season.  It's the young guys that need the reps and work with the big league staff for as long as they can.  

[wsnydes]

16 hours ago, MABB1959 said:

He is a key player on the team and fans need just a little assurance he is healthy.

Just because he's not seeing game action doesn't mean that he's not healthy.  Expecting to see any single player in Spring Training is an unrealistic expectation.  Especially at this point in camp.  

[USAFChief]

13 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

Just because he's not seeing game action doesn't mean that he's not healthy.  Expecting to see any single player in Spring Training is an unrealistic expectation.  Especially at this point in camp.  

What?

There are no healthy MLB regulars who don't see any game action in spring training. None. For any team.

Nobody is playing every day, or even playing 9 innings. 

But no healthy players aren't seeing ANY game time. 

[wsnydes]

46 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

What?

There are no healthy MLB regulars who don't see any game action in spring training. None. For any team.

Nobody is playing every day, or even playing 9 innings. 

But no healthy players aren't seeing ANY game time. 

There's still 3 weeks of spring training left.  I'd be far more concerned if it were April 1st.  He's reportedly facing live pitching, taking BP and doing fielding work.  It's not like he's just sitting around doing nothing.

[chaderic20]

17 hours ago, MABB1959 said:

Ticket sales are important.   The Twins really need to let fans know or see this years team.  Mostly because there has been little stability the last few seasons. 

I'm gonna guess you could count on one hand the number of fans using ST appearances/performance as a deciding factor in whether or not to buy tickets to a regular season game.

[chpettit19]

 

This make people happier? From last week. He's doing things. He can get way more work in in live BP than in a game.

[Craig Arko]

4 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

 

This make people happier?

Stunt double. Probably just missed getting an Oscar nomination. 

[Beast]

Does it really matter that much if he’s ready day 1 of the season?

They’re going to give Pagan and Lopez absurdly long leashes in high leverage roles again, effectively forfeiting about a dozen games and causing Buxton to slam into the wall chasing 115 mph rockets all over the field in 20 degree weather.

Just play Taylor until they get that out of their system.

[chpettit19]

11 minutes ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

Hitting off Aaron Sanchez?  Boy that sure instills confidence that he'd be ready.  Hopefully he is also hitting off of some of our more accomplished pitchers.

10 ABs vs Sanchez is significantly more useful than 1 or 2 ABs against a "more accomplished pitcher" and 1 against some random minor leaguer in a ST game.

[MABB1959]

3 hours ago, wsnydes said:

Just because he's not seeing game action doesn't mean that he's not healthy.  Expecting to see any single player in Spring Training is an unrealistic expectation.  Especially at this point in camp.  

I agree with most of what you are saying but these kinds of headlines would be nice to be seeing by now when it comes to Buxton:

"Bo Bichette launches his second homer of the game, scoring Whit Merrifield to give the Blue Jays an 8-3 lead in the bottom of the 4th"

"Isiah Kiner-Falefa lifts a two-run home run to right-center field in the top of the 4th inning to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead"

"Jose Altuve cranks two home runs for Team Venezuela on the first pitches of each of his first two at-bats against the Mets"

 

 

 

 

[wsnydes]

3 minutes ago, MABB1959 said:

I agree with most of what you are saying but these kinds of headlines would be nice to be seeing by now when it comes to Buxton:

"Bo Bichette launches his second homer of the game, scoring Whit Merrifield to give the Blue Jays an 8-3 lead in the bottom of the 4th"

"Isiah Kiner-Falefa lifts a two-run home run to right-center field in the top of the 4th inning to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead"

"Jose Altuve cranks two home runs for Team Venezuela on the first pitches of each of his first two at-bats against the Mets"

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I get what you're saying.  I'd rather be seeing them than not, but I'm not going care about not seeing them too much in March.  I'll care more come April.

He's getting work in, that's what I'm concerned with.  Whether it's in a game or not is really immaterial to me.

[USAFChief]

6 hours ago, wsnydes said:

There's still 3 weeks of spring training left.  I'd be far more concerned if it were April 1st.  He's reportedly facing live pitching, taking BP and doing fielding work.  It's not like he's just sitting around doing nothing.

Fine, maybe he'll be healthy enough to play soon. Hope so. Probably will be.

But your original statement was "just because he's not seeing game action doesn't mean he's not healthy. "

I don't believe that's the case for any player. If he was healthy, he'd be playing in ST games. He's not disabled, obviously, and there's still 2.5 weeks of ST left, but he's not "healthy."

[MABB1959]

4 hours ago, wsnydes said:

Yeah, I get what you're saying.  I'd rather be seeing them than not, but I'm not going care about not seeing them too much in March.  I'll care more come April.

He's getting work in, that's what I'm concerned with.  Whether it's in a game or not is really immaterial to me.

I wish I still had your optimism!

[Squirrel]

4 hours ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

Hitting off Aaron Sanchez?  Boy that sure instills confidence that he'd be ready.  Hopefully he is also hitting off of some of our more accomplished pitchers.

Hitting off Maeda. Is that better?

 

[stringer bell]

I’m most encouraged that Kirilloff is hitting against live MLB pitching. 

[Shaitan]

On 3/12/2023 at 1:12 PM, gman said:

I suspect another year or 2 of extreme injury totals and they will re-think not playing into game shape.

What's your source that he has been out of shape previously?

[Whitey333]

ST is getting as boring as NFL preseason games.  No, I mean as boring as the last two Twins seasons.  Yes spring training games doubt count.  But if the veterans aren't going to play because they are so perfect, why bother with ST?  Because it's money.  It's similar when the team loses winnable games each April and say it's early and it doesn't matter.  This team had better be productive this year.  It's becoming a very boring team and franchise.  We want and need them to stay injury free, produce and get to the playoffs.  I'm sure if they flounder and are injury free they will find something else to lame it on.  

[cheeseheadgophfan]

Count me as being in the camp that didn't care that he (or Polanco) weren't playing in early ST games. But we are coming up on 2 weeks from opening day.  Live BP is great, but don't they have to start ramping up their pregame routine for getting ready to play 9 innings?  Starting to get concerned.  Have I missed it or has anyone directly asked Rocco about their health?  Inquiring minds want to know.....LOL

[JD-TWINS]

On 3/11/2023 at 4:25 PM, MABB1959 said:

The fans are excited to see him play.   He should be playing in all games for a couple of innings. If they are afraid he isn’t up to it or might get injured the Twins are already in trouble 

TWINS will be afraid of him getting injured for the remaining 5 years on his deal. Needs to be sharp…..doesn’t mean he needs to hit off every AA - AAA pitcher the Twins face in games. He’s better off hitting against Maeda in live BP.

[tony&rodney]

We will all have a definitive answer in two weeks.

[Twinsrtheworst]

I love spring traing as well.  My 9th year staying for 2 week stint.  He's been getting plenty of work in on the back fields for over a week.  Most of the veterans can be found there. For anyone that wants to see him...just head back there.  He looks and sounds good to go.  

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, cheeseheadgophfan said:

Count me as being in the camp that didn't care that he (or Polanco) weren't playing in early ST games. But we are coming up on 2 weeks from opening day.  Live BP is great, but don't they have to start ramping up their pregame routine for getting ready to play 9 innings?  Starting to get concerned.  Have I missed it or has anyone directly asked Rocco about their health?  Inquiring minds want to know.....LOL

The reporters ask Rocco/the Twins/Buxton and Polanco themselves basically everyday how they're doing. They get the same answer every time. Basically "they're good, they'll play in games soon enough, there's no reason to think they won't be in the opening day lineup." Some fans just don't believe that answer and think they're hiding injuries.

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, Whitey333 said:

ST is getting as boring as NFL preseason games.  No, I mean as boring as the last two Twins seasons.  Yes spring training games doubt count.  But if the veterans aren't going to play because they are so perfect, why bother with ST?  Because it's money.  It's similar when the team loses winnable games each April and say it's early and it doesn't matter.  This team had better be productive this year.  It's becoming a very boring team and franchise.  We want and need them to stay injury free, produce and get to the playoffs.  I'm sure if they flounder and are injury free they will find something else to lame it on.  

As has been discussed many times, it's not just about veterans getting their time in, it's about evaluating those on the cusp, and filling out those last roster spots. Some veterans like the long ramp up and participating in games, others prefer to get their work in elsewhere. And pitchers and fielders and hitters all do things a bit differently and need different experiences. It's not about them being 'perfect' at the start, it's about needing different types of work to get them to opening day. I've been going to ST for a couple of decades now and I have to say, in that time, while the technology is different, and maybe focused a bit differently, games are still pretty much the same thing. A few starters in the beginning, not everyone, lots of minor leaguers and non-roster invitees playing in games. In the last week is when you see the roster coming together and the starters in more games for longer. What's largely different is fan expectation. Whether it's better or worse, it's definitely greater and more impatient. Given the seasons we've had, it's understandable, but ST is still what it always has been.

[Twinsrtheworst]

He is actually batting second in the lineup today vs Braves AAA team on field 3 as I type this.

[Twodogs]

Buxton is playing in a minor league game today.  DHing only.  Probably not what everyone wants to hear, but progress nonetheless.