Byron Buxton Hits 100 Games: A Milestone We Should Celebrate

9 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

All facts here…..

1. .304 lifetime OBP

2. .244 lifetime average

3. He’s never scored 70 runs in a season.

4. Has had over 100 hits in a season once

5. He has never scored 70 runs in a season

6. The most RBI he’s ever driven in is 56

 

This is a guy who was referred to here as the “face of the franchise” just days ago in another article.

 

No lies in anything I said so if you hit that disagree button you’re going to need to also speak up and tell me what caused you to disagree with FACTS.

 

I don’t disagree, but 3-6 will happen when you rarely play 100 games though. I’m a firm believer in “the best ability is availability” and he will go down as one of, if not the biggest “what ifs” in franchise history.

This article was simply rage bait

1 hour ago, ewen21 said:

Don’t mistake my input here for rage.  However, when I see all the thumbs down on posts that were entirely fair and done with no malice I have to back them.

I posted a list of facts in my last post.  I don’t know how anyone can disagree with it

Yeah there are some who will accept no criticism of certain team personnel, whether they be players or staff. I don’t get that mindset, this has largely been an unsuccessful franchise for over 30 years. It’s crazy to me. 11 out of the 15 AL teams have won a pennant since the last time the twins have. Criticism is very warranted 

11 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

Yeah there are some who will accept no criticism of certain team personnel, whether they be players or staff. I don’t get that mindset, this has largely been an unsuccessful franchise for over 30 years. It’s crazy to me. 11 out of the 15 AL teams have won a pennant since the last time the twins have. Criticism is very warranted 

Criticism would be a breath of fresh air....

8 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Criticism would be a breath of fresh air....

I don’t see too much beyond criticism on this thread? Maybe some strong indignation at the idea that we should celebrate a guy doing something like that, the morning after being eliminated. No one is calling for violence or ugliness. Fans can sometimes be irrational, but that’s why they’re called FANatics. These are ball players, they aren’t above sometimes harsh criticism. 

39 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

Completely agree.  How is it unreasonable to expect a player in the prime of his career to play something resembling a full season?  
 

When 2020 is excluded, since his “breakout season” in 2017, in the six full seasons that followed he’s played in an average of just 76 games in those seasons.  That is right around 47% of the games played in six seasons.  There is no WHY that explains this away anymore.  These are the seasons of his career from age 25 to age 30.   I don’t want to hear theories or excuses as to WHY at this point.  He’s played in less that 50% of the games in the last six full seasons.  That’s just a fact.  Let’s not obscure that with theories, excuses or explanations.

 

So he’s having a little hot streak in his last 10 days.  It’s too little, too late as this team is already cooked.  And quite frankly, no player who plays in 47% of the games on the schedule in his prime deserves to be elevated to “face of the franchise” as this place has in a recent article.  Nor should 100 games played be considered a milestone.  
 

If anyone wants to celebrate that be my guest.  Just don’t tell me or anyone else who is incredulous over the celebration we can’t feel a certain way about a millionaire ballplayer who can’t go more than 50% over the last six full seasons.  Don’t expect much out of the Twins if this kind of “accomplishment” is considered a good thing.  It lowers accountability across the board.
 

 

Mike trout, who is considered to be always injured, had 8 straight seasons of at least 114 games played. Heck he even played 119 in 2022. 

2 minutes ago, adorduan said:

I'll take the under...

We need the Ober.

7 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

Going into this season Buxton had played in more than 92 games only once and collected more than 76 only once.  I do want to hear "if healthy" anymore.  He was sore for a month and did not play.  Someone needs to tell him that ballplayers have to play through soreness down the stretch.  There was nothing that showed up on any scans and there was no diagnosis beyond a sore hip.  That diagnosis comes from Buxton himself and the organization has had this "protect at all costs" mentality where he is protected like the Hope Diamond.

I blame the guys in the front office for this.  They are the ones who imposed load management on Buxton to the degree where HE now feels he cannot play unless he is 100% (or darn close to it).  That is not reality in any sphere of manhood.  Forget sports.  There are jobs far more difficult than playing major league baseball which are more important and pay a lot less.  People like him get replaced in the normal world.  I did roofing and flooring for a handful of years when I was about his age.  How many times I dragged myself out of bed to work when I was sore?  I have seen friends who are farmers, construction workers, well diggers, ect.....work daily  year in year out with all sorts of ailments for YEARS.  In that context, it is very hard to for me understand how soreness holds him back for a month during the most important time of the year.  I guarantee you Carlos Santana was sore all through August and September, but he soldiered on.  We all watched Torii Hunter play a reckless brand of baseball like Buxton, but his toughness carried him through.  

 

Sorry man. I just have to clap back on those who celebrate this. I think it is part of the problem with the organizational culture here.  Aim low, hit a target even lower seems to be the philosophy and it gets passed off as being glass half full.  

I think there is some self-fulfilling prophecy that is entrenched in the organization. Even starting pitchers. Can’t let them go deep in to games in the minors, and we expect them to do it in the majors? It’s like they’re engrained to think “I should come out of the game, I can’t see the lineup for the THIRD time!”. 
 

I think the entire organization needs an enema if we’re being honest.