The Twins Must Use Byron Buxton in Center Field

[gman]

Buxton has only averaged 65 games a year in center for his first 7-8 years. If he doesn't play center at all this year, what do we have for next year? If he can't play the field this year, will he be able to play next year any better than he has been? If he can only play 50 games in the field next year, who is our regular center fielder? I think answering those questions is more important going forward than whether or not he can play 5-6 games the rest of the year. If he can't play the field at all, what's the option. We know he has not been successful as a DH, so him playing DH for 4 more years is not going to work either. I don't see a roadmap to success in any option right now.

[nicksaviking]

Contrarian take here, but the young hitters seem to be feeding off of each other while the vets are mostly struggling. I won't speculate why.

Buxton hasn't been playing the field or hitting well this year. I might rather give Martin the CF job, shut Buxton down for the year, and see if his competitive instincts take over wanting to prove everyone wrong and take back his CF job with a vengence in 2024.

[terrydactyls]

2 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I didn't read the article but I read the title

And I agree with the title without any other details necessary.

Buxton in CF makes the team instantly and significantly better. 

Only if his hitting improves.  Otherwise, MAT is doing just as well or better.

[Riverbrian]

13 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

Only if his hitting improves.  Otherwise, MAT is doing just as well or better.

Agreed. However... Buxton will be playing regardless so if he isn't going to hit... It's better he doesn't hit in CF so someone else can actually hit in the DH spot. 

[jkcarew]

CF, LF, bench, shut down, buyout/retire….ANYTHING but DH. Anything.

And oh…by the way, if he does play, slide him down in the BO…way down…7,8,9 depending on which catcher is playing or Gallo is in, etc. He may have a hot streak coming…always impossible to say with him, but we don’t need to bat him 3-5 waiting for it to come.

[DocBauer]

I feel compelled to say this again: Buxton as a full time DH, or mostly DH and part time CF WORKS if he's semi healthy and producing like the Buxton he's been offensively the past few years. Yes, it means making the mental/physical adjustments necessary to be a DH or DH/part time player. But that's probably more for the future, and not NOW.

He's reportedly feeling better, but he's by no means 100%. He's going to get rehab time, probably split between DH/CF, to see what he looks like and get the bat warmed up again. At that point, the obvious hope is he can do the same thing up with the Twins, DH and CF on a game by game basis to finish out the year.

Unlike early in the year, Lewis, Julien, Kirilloff, and Wallner weren't up, much less producing and help lead the team offensively. The unfortunate truth is those young players, with the young and improved Jeffers, and the suddenly resurgent Kepler have lead the offense for months now. (Correa has been better). And while the offense has remained inconsistent, runs scored have risen, mostly without Byron. And I hate saying that. 

The hope and trial will be for him...the rest of the season if not the future...is for him to play a couple days in CF, a couple games at DH, and probably sit a couple days based on lineup construction, how he feels, and how he looks at the plate. 

I WANT Buxton to be healthy enough to do exactly that now, and 2024, and beyond. Be at least a part time CF and part time DH, make that illusive mental/physical adjustment to be sharp and engaged as only a part time player. But as much as it pains me, I think that's the extent of his CF career. I sure hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

But for now, the roster has changed a lot, and for the better, and his role is to give CF his best shot for at least a couple days a week.

[USAFChief]

Well duh. I mean, many here have been saying this for months.

[D.C Twins]

Not exactly a Hot Take by any stretch of the imagination... 

[D.C Twins]

I dread the return of Buxton to the DH position. That makes me sad to say, but it is true. 

He makes the team worse when he is DH plain and simple. 

But, they will put him back there because of the contact.... so sad.... 

[ewen21]

16 hours ago, In My La Z boy said:

I am stunned he's only played 85 games this year NEVER seeing the field. Welp, that was a bad plan. New plan has to be playing in the field or what's the point? Sit him down and try again next year. He said it himself, he doesn't have the make up to be a DH, he needs to be out in the field. We seem to have proven this point. We're a better team without him right now, sadly.

He doesn’t have the makeup to be a full time major league ball player.

[ewen21]

We need to give up the ghost.  Buxton is an illusion.  The thought of him reaching his potential is an imaginary thing.  He just wasted his 29 year old season.

 

I watched a video of an interview he had with Mad Dog Russo over the off-season. He kept saying he couldn’t control injuries.  If he can’t, how can the Twins?  It’s a waste of time even discussing him at this point.

 

 

[Doctor Wu]

19 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

This doesn’t allow for Julien & Polanco to be in the line-up………that’s the point of moving Buxton out of DH spot…….Wallner is fine in LF.

Has Buxton ever played in LF? Not saying that's not an option, but is it realistic at this stage of the season? 

[Doctor Wu]

8 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

because of the contact.... so sad

Sorry, I know that was a spelling error (I certainly do that enough), but I couldn't resist ... Buxton's lack of contact is one of his main problems this year. 

[MABB1959]

20 hours ago, gman said:

I think they would need to test Buxton first, whether or not that's at St Paul. They could let him start at DH  through the sixth inning then move him to the outfield for 2-3 innings later in the game. Though it might be better to start him in the outfield, but they could not switch him to DH later in a game. I'm not saying start him in center either. Let him play left field for a few games to start getting the feel of the out field again. Or play center for an inning or 2 then switch him to left to test his legs. Kepler may have to play a few innings in center, but they can always bring Taylor in later for defense.

We can't afford for him to DH any longer.

[MABB1959]

2 hours ago, ewen21 said:

We need to give up the ghost.  Buxton is an illusion.  The thought of him reaching his potential is an imaginary thing.  He just wasted his 29 year old season.

 

I watched a video of an interview he had with Mad Dog Russo over the off-season. He kept saying he couldn’t control injuries.  If he can’t, how can the Twins?  It’s a waste of time even discussing him at this point.

 

 

It is getting old for sure.  I think this continues to be a topic because his future will probably be short lived but that is never discussed by the FO.  Going on the IL after legging out a double????  Try outfield one more time and if he really gets injured in the outfield then we can live with that.  The DH role is killing us and I am sure he is not thrilled either

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Doctor Wu said:

Has Buxton ever played in LF? Not saying that's not an option, but is it realistic at this stage of the season? 

He's caught plenty of balls in LF.

[Markdumont25]

I really like Buxton. I think the contract we gave him made a lot of sense for both parties and am still happy he's on our team. That being said, if he can't be in center 80% of the time (none of this 2x/week I've read elsewhere) then he is a hindrance to our team and needs to sit as long as is necessary to be a more or less everyday outfielder. If that takes the rest of this year then so be it, the fact is we're a better team when he is not the primary DH.

[joefish]

Who is Buxton better than if he is injured? MAT?  No. 

Give Buxton a game in CF.  If he makes us better offensively or defensively give him a longer look. 

It makes no sense to me to have injured players playing at a level below our healthy alternatives.  We have that luxury of depth.