Should a Return to Designated Hitter Be in the Plans for Byron Buxton?

[Andy MacPhail]

1 hour ago, ewen21 said:

Did AI produce the answer?  Yes, it did.  While I share some of the same concerns and dislikes of AI we are talking about a BASEBALL PLAYER'S BATTING AVERAGE.  He is 125 for 561 as a DH according to baseball-reference.  I hope that is satisfactory

If it is so easy to check on Fangraph, then check to see if it's correct or not (at least in spirit). & yes, I have concerns about AI, but baseball stats? Wish people were more concerned about AI on other things more important. Always check things out.

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, Andy MacPhail said:

If it is so easy to check on Fangraph, then check to see if it's correct or not (at least in spirit) before raking a member. & yes, I have concerns about AI, but baseball stats? Wish people were more concerned about AI on other things more important. Always check things out.

Well, this is about baseball stats. And AI is factually wrong,a lot. .

.224. took about thirty seconds to go there, enter Buxtons name, and filter by position. 

[Road trip]

34 minutes ago, Andy MacPhail said:

DH isn't a position where anybody can just be proficient at. Players who are deficient at defense can often embrace DHing. But IMO those, especially those who take pride in their glove, have difficulty adjusting to sitting on the bench & come in cold to have good productive ABs. So, besides not contributing on the field, his bat takes a hit (pun not intended). So no to DHing for Buck until he says so. Only he knows when or if to make that transition.

This is very true.  Maybe a few discussions with Molitor would be beneficial when the time comes.  Few players made the transition better, and much like Buxton frequent injuries were a large part of the reason Molitor was mostly a DH in his 30s.

[Twodogs]

Buck hit 25 bombs and put up a 3.3 WAR in only 93 games for the Twins this season.  Name another Twin, right now, that has ever done that.  I mean we can sit here and say Walker Jenkins "could" hit 25 bombs, Rodriguez or Gonzalez "could" do well, but none of them ever have, and until multiple of these guys actually put up the numbers to force Buck out I'd quit trying to say that there is anyone better than him.  Now like I said, if someone comes along and next season is out hitting him or out fielding him then make a move.  But you dont push Buck aside until someone forces the issue and hitting OK at AAA doesn't count.  I mean look what Royce Lewis did when he went down to AAA??

[The Great Hambino]

Looking at Buxton's BA or whatever else while he's been a DH might be misleading since the times he's played more DH have oftentimes been stretches where they've been trying to manage an injury.   If he plays there more often when he's hurt, I'd imagine it will hurt his overall numbers there.  Is that an indication that he can't DH, or is any subset going to look worse if it's where he's injured a proportionally larger amount of the time?

At any rate, can we at least wait until we see how he responds to surgery before we put him out to pasture?  Certainly have a backup plan, but I don't get the urgency to move him off the field when he's still clearly the best outfield defender on the roster

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

Absolutely not.

Buxton is still one of the fastest players in the league. Taking him and his still high end defense off the field is just plain dumb. 

[ewen21]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Well, this is about baseball stats. And AI is factually wrong,a lot. .

.224. took about thirty seconds to go there, enter Buxtons name, and filter by position. 

Whether you research it on AI or on Fangraphs the result supports the same conclusion:  He has not been a good hitter with RISP for his career.  

[Jacksson]

Move him to RF (if he is still with the team).   Have him fill in in CF and DH a time or two each week.  Make sure the rest of the league knows that despite Buxton's stated wish to remain with the Twins; the Twins will take calls and listen to trade inquiries.

[HerbieFan]

Keaschall in LF (weaker arm), Jenkins in CF, Rodriguez in RF, Buxton as DH is my preferred OF alignment in 2027.  Buck can mix in CF and Keaschall can DH...Jenkins/Rodriguez can fill the other two spots.  I guess Jenkins or Emma could DH as well if they need a lighter day.