Encouraging update on Buxton

[Major League Ready]

Buxton just might play CF this year.   Byron Buxton Update

[Oldgoat_MN]

This would be delightful and unexpected news.

Really hope this isn't just Uber optimism. 

[wabene]

I think some optimism is in order. The success rate of the particular surgery, excising the plica, is very high with a short 6 week recovery. Apparently this condition is hard to diagnose and can be confused with patella tendonitis, but they may have got it right this time after spinning their wheels last year. 

[Twins_Fan_For_Life]

If Buck could give the Twins even a half season in CF - say 80 games, playing 3 times a week.  Plus another 20 or 30 games at DH.  Imagine how much that would change the complexion of team.

[big dog]

I look forward to him coming to camp in The Best Shape Of His Life (tm)

 

[CRF]

I'll believe it when I see it, but no doubt this is encouraging news.

[terrydactyls]

9 hours ago, Oldgoat_MN said:

This would be delightful and unexpected news.

Really hope this isn't just Uber optimism. 

Isn't his name Ober, not Uber?  😇

[Jerr]

🥱

[wabene]

I will add that if Buxton can make it back to the field, less focus on explosion and pedal to the metal badassery would be prudent. He's fast enough at 90%, concentrate on smoothness if that makes any sense. 

[tony&rodney]

The center of all discussions, regarding the offensive side of the Twins team, seems to always revolve around Buxton. Most people also feel that the Twins need a plan to cover for has been an inevitable injury. Having a guy like Austin Martin as the backup option is risky but one i can accept given the cost of the other iffy options.

My main concern is how Byron returns if healthy. Last season Buxton obviously battled some significant challenges with leg issues which resulted in a dramatic shift in his swing. Buxton will hopefully begin his settling back into baseball activities with full health because he will need to completely rebuild his swing and approach at the plate. This can be accomplished with close supervision and disciplined work habits in the cage and on the field. 

I am optimistic about a return of the talent Buxton has flashed at moments during his career. I also hope that his preparation for 2024 includes a focus on contact with his bat. Where once that was ridiculed or marked down, we have plenty of knowledge/evidence that Buxton has the bat speed and strength to punish the baseball. His desperate attempt to contribute last year included full on wild hacks whose only goal seemed to be reaching notable lengths on home runs. If you have no base for your swing and cannot run, the big swing is a consequence. Full health allows for a return to fundamental practices and this could push Buxton back to an All Star status. That would be sweet.

[USAFChief]

Color me skeptical.

I've read this too many off seasons.

[Vanimal46]

 

[Mike Sixel]

Nabobs of negativity thread....

[Major League Ready]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Nabobs of negativity thread....

It is warranted to a degree and I know squat about this surgery but hopefully Wabene is correct about the high success rate.  That's very encouraging.  I am going to hope for the best.  Let's not forget that just last year a whole lot of people said Kirilloff was cooked for good.  What a boost it would be to get 100 games from Buxton.  What they do about CF will tells us a little about the team's confidence in him returning.

[ziggy]

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

Color me skeptical.

I've read this too many off seasons.

I heard Miguel Sano is also in the best shape of his career.

[KirbyDome89]

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

Color me skeptical.

I've read this too many off seasons.

Yeah, this feels like a typical "best shape of their life," kinda offseason article. I'm not sure what "fully recovered," even means in this context, or at this point for Buxton. The word chronic was used frequently last season was it not? 

[KirbyDome89]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Nabobs of negativity thread....

Looking at his career, a half season in CF is probably his ceiling. He hasn't done that in 4 years now. I mean, if we can't be skeptical at this point, can we ever? 

[JD-TWINS]

5 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The center of all discussions, regarding the offensive side of the Twins team, seems to always revolve around Buxton. Most people also feel that the Twins need a plan to cover for has been an inevitable injury. Having a guy like Austin Martin as the backup option is risky but one i can accept given the cost of the other iffy options.

My main concern is how Byron returns if healthy. Last season Buxton obviously battled some significant challenges with leg issues which resulted in a dramatic shift in his swing. Buxton will hopefully begin his settling back into baseball activities with full health because he will need to completely rebuild his swing and approach at the plate. This can be accomplished with close supervision and disciplined work habits in the cage and on the field. 

I am optimistic about a return of the talent Buxton has flashed at moments during his career. I also hope that his preparation for 2024 includes a focus on contact with his bat. Where once that was ridiculed or marked down, we have plenty of knowledge/evidence that Buxton has the bat speed and strength to punish the baseball. His desperate attempt to contribute last year included full on wild hacks whose only goal seemed to be reaching notable lengths on home runs. If you have no base for your swing and cannot run, the big swing is a consequence. Full health allows for a return to fundamental practices and this could push Buxton back to an All Star status. That would be sweet.

Agreed with most posts on some serious skepticism here on Buxton ………I would hope 50 games in CF and 75 games at DH is potentially a reality……..pushing more than this seems it would bring more risk than needed to have him ready for playoffs. Per your comments, they need to keep his legs under him to get most benefit in the batter’s box. 50 games in CF is 2 games per week, generally…….75 games at DH is another 3 games of AB’s per week. A day of rest, plus travel days off every week.

Martin seems real as an option after a couple months & is not any more “iffy” than Harrison Bader or others, as you state. Some combination of Castro/Buxton/Martin would be a plus for the organization. Best $$ move.

If he can just hit .235, his power and XBH will come along for the ride!

 

[Mike Sixel]

20 minutes ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Looking at his career, a half season in CF is probably his ceiling. He hasn't done that in 4 years now. I mean, if we can't be skeptical at this point, can we ever? 

No one said we can't be skeptical..... But why every thread about him, including one with what could be good news? Do what makes you happy. If bring skeptical in this thread does that, fine by me. I'm going to hope, because why not? I'm just a fan, I don't need to decide if they need a backup.

[Doctor Gast]

Good news but like last season they'll take it easy on him in the cold spring by playing hima at DH fulltime. IMO they'll take a long look at Martin in ST, if he looks pretty good (which is likely) he'll break camp as the RH CF sub. If they doubt his readiness then they'll go outside to find one, not before.

[Parfigliano]

7 hours ago, USAFChief said:

Color me skeptical.

I've read this too many off seasons.

Im not optimistic he plays D.

[IndianaTwin]

10 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

Isn't his name Ober, not Uber?  😇

Or did you mean Dobnak? 

[jkcarew]

The Twins need a quality STARTING center-fielder, not a back-up.

Why would Buxton’s health (as reported) heading into a season even matter? It never has. SOMETIMES, it impacts which two-thirds of the season he misses…that’s about it. Hope is wonderful. It’s not a plan.

[USAFChief]

4 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

No one said we can't be skeptical..... But why every thread about him, including one with what could be good news? Do what makes you happy. If bring skeptical in this thread does that, fine by me. I'm going to hope, because why not? I'm just a fan, I don't need to decide if they need a backup.

I'm also a fan. They need a backup.

 

BTW, it's "nattering nabobs of negativity."  

 

[stringer bell]

While it is great news that his knee is healing well from the procedure. The knee has been the principal problem for the past two years, but as we all know, he has a substantial injury history besides the knee. If Buxton can get past the knee injury, perhaps he can be on the field a fair amount of the time. 

Even if Buxton had a completely clean bill of health, I'm sure the club would be very cautious. Again, given his injury history, he'll probably pull a muscle or something. I consider this news a nice first step. A lot of things have to go right for Buxton to be the "regular" center fielder and having Buxton resolve his knee issues is the first step.

[Doctor Wu]

15 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

If he can just hit .235, his power and XBH will come along for the ride!

That's one of the problems, He needs to, and is capable of, hitting MUCH higher than .235.

[Nine of twelve]

12 hours ago, USAFChief said:

BTW, it's "nattering nabobs of negativity."  

Actually, it's "nattering nabobs of negativism."

[USAFChief]

41 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

Actually, it's "nattering nabobs of negativism."

You are correct, Mr Vice President. 

[jctwins]

On 12/3/2023 at 7:21 AM, big dog said:

I look forward to him coming to camp in The Best Shape Of His Life (tm)

 

This guy gets it.

[nicksaviking]

If anything, the timing of this is a bit encouraging. Usually the propaganda comes out a couple weeks before spring training. I mean, they'd look a bit insincere if they were to comment positively on the situation and then go sign or trade for a CF during the Winter Meetings.

That makes me think they'll wait and see how this plays out, which would indicate they at least think there's a reasonable chance it could play out positively.