Byron Buxton's Clock Is Ticking

[PatPfund]

We almost never agree on anything, but OMG, yes. Yes. Yes. The experiment to use Byron as just a hitter was worth doing, but should have ended long ago, and now is pure mismanagement. I suspect Rocco (another wildly gifted OF whose career was sunk by chronic injury) is going overboard to provide chances he wish he'd had. But enough is enough. (And enough was reached about a month ago.)

[Taildragger8791]

Buxton has turned into Sano with occasional speed. Sano isn’t even in the league anymore in his physical prime years. If Buck can’t play the field then he should just be on the 60 day IL until they figure it out. And if this is a permanent and degenerative issue then just buy him out. But they won’t,  and they’ll irresponsibly let this continue for a half decade. 

[mikelink45]

I wonder how long we will be posting the sit Buxton, get rid of Kepler and Gallo requests and how long the FO will ignore them?  We do not have the bats to handle three under performing key players.  Would we really be worse off if Larnach, Wallner, and Julien replaced the three of them?

[RpR]

6 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I wonder how long we will be posting the sit Buxton, get rid of Kepler and Gallo requests and how long the FO will ignore them?  We do not have the bats to handle three under performing key players.  Would we really be worse off if Larnach, Wallner, and Julien replaced the three of them?

YES!

[nmcowboy]

For pity's sake, PLEASE put him on the IL.  It is painful watching his at bats.

 

[Oldgoat_MN]

I don't pretend to know what is going on with Buxton. We all know he is capable of so much more than we are getting. 

Having him bat 3rd constantly makes me wonder, dies Rocco even WANT to win games?

Seriously. There is evidence that winning is not his primary concern.

[Fatbat]

5 hours ago, USNMCPO said:

Sunk cost

And let that cost ride pine while the rookie shines.

[joefish]

8 hours ago, Schmoeman5 said:

He's sitting tonight

And how about that offense without him?! Keep him on the bench. Or IL

[Kummel]

12 hours ago, shabbos1 said:

Anyone else remember the nasty collision vs the White Sox around mid-April where Buxton ran into the second baseman full speed and landed directly on his head/neck and was slow to get up?  I wonder if he doesn't have a post-concussion thing going on in addition to his other injuries.  It's just impossible for a guy as athletic as Buxton to look this pitiful at the plate without something really being wrong.

 

I remember it and have thought of it often as the season progresses.   I happened to be at that game and people in the stands around me collectively gasped.  Somehow he continued to play, and the vaulting incident was overshadowed in that day's news by the serious injury to Kyler Farmer, who was hit in the face by a pitch.  Buxton's willingness to sacrifice his body has had a devastating impact on his career.

[Kummel]

The Twins have have been slow to act because they assumed the team would continue to win more games with Buxton in the lineup.   That's patently not the case this year.  It has been painful to watch.   Recently it looks as if it might be making things worse for Buxton to keep sending him out there.  He is such an all-in player, this must be hellish for him.

[Trov]

No way do you send down Julien at this point, or take away at-bats.  The team loves to rotate around who sits.  When Polanco comes up it will most likely be for Wallner.  Then Polanco will get at-bats at 2nd and DH.  Julien will get at-bats at 2nd and DH, maybe 1B.  3rd will be Salano and Farmer mostly.  Buck will get at-bats at DH, but my guess until he starts to heat up, assuming Polanco is hitting like he can, Buck will get much more rest. 

[Daniel Anderson]

I wouldn't be surprised if they find room for Polanco by trading Farmer. He wasn't signed to be a bench player and he could probably be a regular for someone else. The only move I think we will see for Buxton is to drop him in the lineup.

[Whitey333]

They must keep and play Julien when Polanco returns this weekend.  He's been their best hitter by far.  My guess is they send Wallner down again.  It's obvious management doesn't think he's MLB caliber.  They bring him up and then just sit him.  What a total disservice to him and his development.  Rocco says he doesn't have any at bats for him.  Really??? The team is floundering around 500 in an embarrassingly poor division. Do they even watch their own product?  If they send Julien down when Polanco returns there should immediately be firings.  Julien should stay and should play regularly.  He's earned it.  It's becoming more and more clear that the FO isn't interested in winning as long as the plan is followed.  Remember they said " it's the process, not the results that we are interested in"  Easy solution seems to be let Julien DH.  Get Buxton out of there for an extended period of time.  He's hurting the teams chances of winning.  This 8 year fixation on Buxton is ludicrous.  He's hurt so often that we've only seen very short glimpses if his abilities.  It's sad but it's finally time to realize Buxton isn't the foundation for a winning team.

[Byrdman]

The Twins simply hit better without Buxton in the line up.  Twins just need to shut him down and tell him to get all the surgery taken care of and rehab and rest up.  Next year it is all in the OF or bust. 

[twinfan]

I don't understand why Buxton can't play CF but he is doing nothing as a DH. Some players get more into the game when they are also on the field. His swing looks terrible with a noticeable uppercut and he doesn't swing at hittable pitches. Though it pains to see a 5 tool player sit, that has to happen at this time. Just don't make the mistake of trading him- at least not now. It's best to trade a player when he is going good- not bad. And if he is injured, he should be on the IL. Even if we can get him back in late August, he can perhaps be a force down the stretch. As for Julien and Wallner, let's see how they do over a longer run.

[John Belinski]

Last night the Twins had a hitter in 3 spot who had 3 hits and 2 RBI.  Twins will not win with Buxton batting in 3 spot with average below .200.

Just do not understand why Buxton isn't on the IR list so he can get healthy and help the Twins rather than hurting Twins.  Something has to be not normal with him since he just doesn't look right at the plate.

[Johnny Ringo]

What should happen when Polanco returns? Buck should be placed on the Il and Julien should be (more or less) your everyday DH.  Kepler should be traded for a (likely a middling) middle reliever. Wallner should get his shot.

What will happen? Wallner will be sent down. 

[RpR]

8 minutes ago, Johnny Ringo said:

 

What will happen? Wallner will be sent down. 

As it should be.

[stringer bell]

3 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

They must keep and play Julien when Polanco returns this weekend.  He's been their best hitter by far.  My guess is they send Wallner down again.  It's obvious management doesn't think he's MLB caliber.  They bring him up and then just sit him.  What a total disservice to him and his development.  Rocco says he doesn't have any at bats for him.  Really??? The team is floundering around 500 in an embarrassingly poor division. Do they even watch their own product?  If they send Julien down when Polanco returns there should immediately be firings.  Julien should stay and should play regularly.  He's earned it.
 

Easy solution seems to be let Julien DH.  Get Buxton out of there for an extended period of time.

I’ve seen reports that Polanco will have a significant rehab. The team website pegs his return around August 1st, so this weekend is not decision time. 
 

If everything stays as it is now, placing Buxton on the IL would make perfect sense, but a lot can change. 

I don’t think Wallner is clearly superior to either Kepler or Gallo  it’s hard to get PAs for all of them.

 

 

[JD-TWINS]

22 hours ago, gman said:

If they don't send him to the IL, who do they send down or cut. It's Wallner, Julian, Castro or Kirilloff. I think all of those 4 are more valuable, plus they are all hitting better.  If they try to put him on the IL, will he go? Polanco seems to need a couple more games at St Paul, but his time to return is almost upon us.

 

Kirilloff has absolutely zero chance of moving down……….Castro being sent down would be nearly unimaginable……..Julien is our best hitter & not going anywhere, per Rocco.

Wallner or Buxton………Gallo being DFA’d is a possibility but pretty doubtful. May just come up with a reason for Polanco to extend his healing process?

[Major League Ready]

Twins Hitters for the last 6 weeks.  The Twins are not going to send Julien down and Buck is hurting the team.

Name	OPS	wRC+
Julien	1.051	191
Lewis	0.877	149
Solano	0.846	140
Kepler	0.811	123
Correa	0.798	120
Kirilloff	0.765	113
Gallo	0.743	103
Farmer	0.71	97
Jeffers	0.691	95
Larnach	0.644	80
Taylor	0.672	79
Castro	0.595	76
Buxton	0.542	43
Vazquez	0.492	33

[Markdumont25]

I'm personally of the opinion that the organizational approach of wanting to elevate, elevate, elevate is a big reason why Buxton (amongst some other underachieving players as well) is struggling. I don't think it's a coincidence that some of our best hitters have also spent a significant amount of time this year around other coaching influences in AAA. 

As an aside, as the post above me shows, Kepler's actually been good (like good good, not just good by his standards) for nearly 2 months now with some clutch hits and plays in the outfield. Not saying it's enough to override what we've seen for years, but I'm surprised the calls to dump him haven't abated at least a little bit given his recent performance.

[Greglw3]

On 7/18/2023 at 6:15 PM, RpR said:

Put Bux on the IL and call up Stevenson, why he has never been called up is odd.

AGree with calling up Stevenson and putting him in cf.