Buxton

[Kenny Powers]

I was pretty down on both Buxton and Correa this year mostly because the cost vs. production.  Big money brings big expectations and both guys had down years.  However, the playoffs are made for star players and watching Correa rise to the occasion is softening my stance on Buxton.  I still wouldn't want to add him as a only a DH.  But man, if the guy can still play some CF, I kind wouldn't mind activating him to see if he can do what Correa is doing.  We're not really getting anything from Taylor, so the bar is pretty low right now.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

1 minute ago, Kenny Powers said:

I was pretty down on both Buxton and Correa this year mostly because the cost vs. production.  Big money brings big expectations and both guys had down years.  However, the playoffs are made for star players and watching Correa rise to the occasion is softening my stance on Buxton.  I still wouldn't want to add him as a only a DH.  But man, if the guy can still play some CF, I kind wouldn't mind activating him to see if he can do what Correa is doing.  We're not really getting anything from Taylor, so the bar is pretty low right now.

Have you not watched the playoffs?  Taylor is doing everything he can in centerfield.  I would say arguable playing as well as a healthy Buxton.    Anything we get from his bat is gravy.  

[Muppet]

8 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Have you not watched the playoffs?  Taylor is doing everything he can in centerfield.  I would say arguable playing as well as a healthy Buxton.    Anything we get from his bat is gravy.  

A good Buxton would have done everything Taylor is doing, and add several home runs to boot. But the Buxton we have now is likely to go 1 for 100 in the post season. 

Any chance Correa's food is magically better with the tear and all that? Watching him run makes him seem like the Correa of years past. Not that he's fast... but he's not slow either. 

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

1 minute ago, Muppet said:

A good Buxton would have done everything Taylor is doing, and add several home runs to boot. But the Buxton we have now is likely to go 1 for 100 in the post season. 

Any chance Correa's food is magically better with the tear and all that? Watching him run makes him seem like the Correa of years past. Not that he's fast... but he's not slow either. 

Those days off is helping with Correa's plantar fasciitis.  The extra days off in the playoff are not hurting either, you can tell he feels healthy but also confident.    Buxton has a career .167 BA in the playoffs.   He could have racked up 6 strikeouts so far this series trying to hit a home run.  

[Kenny Powers]

4 minutes ago, Muppet said:

A good Buxton would have done everything Taylor is doing, and add several home runs to boot. But the Buxton we have now is likely to go 1 for 100 in the post season. 

Any chance Correa's food is magically better with the tear and all that? Watching him run makes him seem like the Correa of years past. Not that he's fast... but he's not slow either. 

This is where my head is at.  Obviously I wouldn't want to add the Buxton we saw during the regular season (basically a DH).  But as I wrote in my original post - IF, he can play CF (meaning healthy), I wouldn't mind seeing if he too can rise to the occasion under the big lights.  I agree with you that a healthy Buxton can certainly match anything Taylor is doing the field and obviously the additional offensive potential.  Anyway - I'm sure they know where Buxton is at health wise and are handling it accordingly.  It was just me thinking out loud after seeing Correa star so far.  Buxton and Correa were supposed to be the two main engines this season and it would be pretty cool if they both caught fire in the playoffs.

[IndianaTwin]

7 minutes ago, Muppet said:

A good Buxton would have done everything Taylor is doing, and add several home runs to boot. But the Buxton we have now is likely to go 1 for 100 in the post season. 

Any chance Correa's food is magically better with the tear and all that? Watching him run makes him seem like the Correa of years past. Not that he's fast... but he's not slow either. 

If Correa's food includes Lucky Charms, it's magically delicious!

And it seems like those Lucky Charms (and probably the tear) have indeed improved the plantar fasciitis. 

[Twodogs]

I wouldn't mind if they added Buxton as long as he was healthy enough to do Buxton type of things.  I mean, they'd have to beat Houston then maybe you look to add Buck for the next round which looks like it will be the Rangers.  Doesn't mean he would start, but if 90% healthy he'd be a really nice option coming off the bench.

[Muppet]

16 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

He could have racked up 6 strikeouts so far this series trying to hit a home run.  

Well Taylor has 4 strikeouts so far, so not that much different. If Buxton had managed to hit 1 HR, they'd be about even with runs scored, Buxton would be ahead if anyone was on base. 

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

3 minutes ago, Muppet said:

Well Taylor has 4 strikeouts so far, so not that much different. If Buxton had managed to hit 1 HR, they'd be about even with runs scored, Buxton would be ahead if anyone was on base. 

Thats the issue though Muppet,  he isn't healthy.  He looked overmatched in AAA.  

[TopGunn#22]

I think they are monitoring Buxton daily and we haven't seen the last of post-season roster tinkering if they are able to advance.  As you've all been discussing though, just what do you get with this version of Buxton?  Nothing he's done this year indicates anything positive.  Despite a horrible batting average, low OB% and too many strikeouts, Taylor at least hit 20 HR's, stole over 20 bases (something Buxton has done once? twice?) and Taylor has played GREAT defense. (something Buxton has always done).  I'm just not sure how beneficial having Byron would be.

That said, no matter how this season turns out, I don't think Taylor ever comes close to what he did this year and Buxton cannot be counted on for anything in the future.  This front office must come up with a long-term plan for CF for 2024 and beyond.  

[Rod Carews Birthday]

I think the thought of Buxton showing up and playing even a respectable (let alone an awesome) CF are just a pipe dream for these playoffs.  He hasn't been able to get healthy all year and when he tried to play CF at AAA it didn't go well at all.  This isn't even accounting for the lack of timing he would have at the plate coming in without any rehab game experience.  This season, their offensive stat line isn't much different, and if he can't play CF, he just adds another poor hitter to the lineup at DH further clogging up the lineup.  Buxton needs to show up in the dugout, cheer on the team, and heal for next season. 

[HokieRif]

55 minutes ago, Kenny Powers said:

 We're not really getting anything from Taylor, so the bar is pretty low right now.

The bat might be quiet at the moment, but I'm not sure I want anyone else in the league prowling CF for us right now.

[Kenny Powers]

30 minutes ago, HokieRif said:

The bat might be quiet at the moment, but I'm not sure I want anyone else in the league prowling CF for us right now.

I can understand and appreciate your stance.  Taylor actually had a career year for us and essentially matched Buxton's (DH) offense during the regular season.  You can't ask for more than that.  That's why I originally didn't want to see Buxton on this playoff roster. 

But again - Buxton/Correa are stars with track records.  IF they are healthy, it could be pretty fun.  Just a big "if" though.

[HokieRif]

7 minutes ago, Kenny Powers said:

But again - Buxton/Correa are stars with track records.  IF they are healthy, it could be pretty fun.  Just a big "if" though.

I think these are two different cases to consider.  Correa has been generally solid from a health standpoint throughout his career, with the exception being 2019 when he spent a chunk of time on the DL due to a non-baseball injury, and he's got an insane amount of playoff experience.  Buxton, on the other hand, has never really been healthy compared to Correa, and has a total of 3 games of playoff experience.  I guess what I'm saying is Correa has a playoff track record, Buxton does not.  I'd love to see a healthy Buxton playing for us, and playing up to his potential, but this year isn't going to be the year for that.

[John Kelsey]

To me it's not even Taylor vs. Buxton, it's Stevenson vs. Buxton.

Could he not at least pinch run, maybe get a few ABs against lefties and play a few innings of defense? 

[FlyingFinn]

3 minutes ago, John Kelsey said:

Could he not at least pinch run, maybe get a few ABs against lefties and play a few innings of defense? 

No. He would try his best and most likely get hurt in the first game and not be able to play the rest of the series. We would be playing a man down. Get ready for next year Bux.

[Kenny Powers]

59 minutes ago, HokieRif said:

I think these are two different cases to consider.  Correa has been generally solid from a health standpoint throughout his career, with the exception being 2019 when he spent a chunk of time on the DL due to a non-baseball injury, and he's got an insane amount of playoff experience.  Buxton, on the other hand, has never really been healthy compared to Correa, and has a total of 3 games of playoff experience.  I guess what I'm saying is Correa has a playoff track record, Buxton does not.  I'd love to see a healthy Buxton playing for us, and playing up to his potential, but this year isn't going to be the year for that.

Even if the Twins training staff determine he's healthy enough to play CF for the next round?  You still would prefer Taylor to Buxton?

I noted in a previous post that Taylor had a career year for us and essentially matched Buxton's offense this year (with Buxton being a DH).  But thinking about it more...I could easily spin that the other way and say Taylor's best year with the bat matches Buxton's worst year.  If healthy, I'm not sure there would be much difference on defense.  IDK.  I see both sides.  Just thought I'd spin it out there to read how other's see it.

I'm just really pumped to see Correa step up.  It's a different team with him leading.

[HokieRif]

16 minutes ago, Kenny Powers said:

Even if the Twins training staff determine he's healthy enough to play CF for the next round?  You still would prefer Taylor to Buxton?

Correct.  Lets win the division series first, but assuming that happens - Buxton is swapped in for Stevenson.  If Buxton needs to make a start we drop him in CF with either Taylor off the bench, or Taylor starting in LF with Wallner on the bench.  Castro can play too in a pinch if the lineup gets screwy in the late innings.  It may only take a couple of ABs from the starting lineup for us to know what we have with Buxton - its either going to go great and either Wallner or Taylor is going to be coming off the bench for the rest of the post season, or we're going to see very quickly why Buxton was not on the roster for the first two series.  Taylor is just giving predictable results, and right now with our team being defined by solid pitching and defense, I think we can live without the extra potential for pop at the plate as long as Taylor is playing great defense.

Quote

I'm just really pumped to see Correa step up.  It's a different team with him leading.

100%

[Rod Carews Birthday]

17 minutes ago, Kenny Powers said:

Even if the Twins training staff determine he's healthy enough to play CF for the next round?  You still would prefer Taylor to Buxton?

I'm not sure why/how that would happen at this point when it hasn't happened all season.  Taylor's defense is just as good as Buxton's even when Buxton is healthy and his offense hasn't ever gotten moving this season.  I'm just not seeing it happen.

[stringer bell]

I think it’s pretty close to magical thinking to expect Buxton to contribute this year on the field. He’s been dealing with a bum wheel for over a year—how can we expect for it to resolve now? 
 

Maybe, maybe, he can be rostered and perhaps supply a key hit in a pinch-hitting role (something he has never done in my recollection), but the time is gone (IMHO) to get him back for regular play for the last round or two of postseason. 

[USAFChief]

See you in February, Buck. Get well soon.

[Kevin Urdahl]

I would like to see Buxton on the roster in the next series (after we win this one!) as a bench bat - pinch hitter. I do think its possible he'll rise to the occasion. I think it is more likely he would contribute to a win as a pinch-hitter than it is that Stevenson would contribute to a win as a defensive substitute. Castro is an adequate defensive substitute in CF if Taylor needs to come out for a PH. I think hitting is contagious and seeing what Royce is doing on bum wheels could provide inspiration. Buxton is itching to contribute. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

8 hours ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Buxton has a career .167 BA in the playoffs.

I’m not advocating for Buxton to be playing but come on. Byron has six postseason plate appearances.

[Trov]

If Buck could play CF and we could count on him playing each game, he would be an upgrade in the OF, however, clearly he cannot.  He could get slotted in the 9 hole, play top defense and we hope for best on offense, similar to Taylor.  He could be a difference maker at the plate at any time, but you cannot count him to be consistent right now. 

[jkcarew]

7 hours ago, Kenny Powers said:

 

But again - Buxton/Correa are stars with track records.  IF they are healthy, it could be pretty fun.  Just a big "if" though.

I don’t think you can even begin to put Buxton in the same category as Correa in terms of career accomplishments.

Buxton has qualified for a batting title ONE time in his entire career and was awful in brief post-season appearances. The ‘track records’ are worlds apart.

Having said that, if Buxton is ready (if there is such a thing with him anymore), you add him…and then come into 2024 with a good CF plan that does not rely on Buxton.

[jkcarew]

30 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

See you in February, Buck. Get well soon.

I think February is a lock. March too.

[tony&rodney]

We should allow Byron to heal. He did everything within his power to stay in the lineup this year. I'm sure that nobody has suffered from the loss of at bats and playing time this season more than Buxton. He did not look healthy the last time I saw him play for the Saints.

[darin617]

The plan for Buxton should be to be back in 2025.

In 2024 shoot him up with everything under the sun to hope to speed up the healing process. When he gets caught it's a 50 game suspension and no post season. I know this would never happen of course, and if anything they should have done it this July and hope for 2024 as the return date target.

[Linus]

Man Buck is a lightning rod. Everyone just relax - reports are he is not even close to running full speed or doing baseball activities. The next time you see him will be spring training. 

[insagt1]

I'm in the 2024 Camp at the earliest. Having him as a pinch hitter is not a good idea...no more than Gallo being used as a PH. When you strike out as much as those two, putting pressure on to even make contact coming in cold is a tough assignment, And Buck usually takes one down the middle before he swings...making it even more difficult. Would be the same thing as asking Sano to pinch hit with game on the line. More often than not you would get a quick 'k'.

Stick with Taylor, He earned the playing time.