Byron Buxton Making One Dimensional Work

Couldn't disagree more. His approach to hitting is painful to watch this year, I truly believe that not playing in the field at least some of the time is affecting his hitting. He looks lost at times and anyone who has played baseball will tell you that getting in to the flow of the game by being in the field helps you at the plate. Sure there are guys that are professional DH's but they are usually incredibly good hitters who have played the game a long time (Cruz).  If they ever let him play in the field again you will see his focus and stats rise at the plate. No reason for him not to be playing some in the outfield now.

I just don't think that Buxton can sit on the bench for 2 innings and then be a good hitter.  Just sitting around for up to 15 minutes and then getting up and be ready to bat has to be difficult. Being more active when playing in the field would seem to make a player a better hitter.

The Twins really have too much money invested in Buxton for him to just bat 3 or 4 times each game. He seems to be swinging at more bad pitches this year. If the Twins planned for him to not play in the field they should not have signed him to such a big contract.

I don't think we should celebrate turning a 5 tool player into a 1 tool player.  I am also very concerned that Carlos Correa seems to think he made the decision to turn him into a DH.  

It may be a plan, but it uses two positions up, which reduces what one can do in the field and for the lineup. Can he make it to August without getting shut down? We're only six weeks in and everything is still smelling like roses, but we've seen that movie too. If Buxton happens to stub his toe rounding first, what has been gained? 

It’s debatable if BB as a full-time DH has worked for the Twins on the field - my own humble opinion is that having him in the lineup at DH, while not ideal, is better than not having him in the lineup at all.

Where it decidedly has hurt is with the identity of the team with the fans. During the off-season, the Twins’ marketing gurus fed us Buxton, Arraez, Polanco, and then Correa as the position player “faces” of the franchise.  Now BB DH’s only with marginal relative success, Arraez is gone, Polanco is pretty much meh Polanco, and Correa’s claim to fame is he’s our highest paid FA who also happens not to be performing as a dud at the plate.

My point is that BB in CF 2/3rds of the time would really help with the engagement of the broader fan base. But if it can’t be done, well then, it can’t be done and we soldier on. But a marginally successful DH who doesn’t show his incredible (league best?) speed or glove is difficult to put forth as the face of the franchise with the degree of success that might be desired. 

26 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

On one hand, his hitting has been quite good so far, some may not like the “style” of it, but the fact remains his stats are good.

 

Is good, good enough? His oWAR after 34 games is .8, in 92 last last year it was 3.2, in 61 games in 21 it was 3.5. It 39 games in 20 it was 1.0, and in 87 games in 19 it was 2.1.

In my quick view, it looks like this year is his worst hitting year since 18, now I understand worst is relative. If my math is correct and he plays the same amount of games the rest of the year that will put him at 148/149 and if he stays the same his oWAR will end up a hair under 3.5.

I guess I was hoping that this DH role would allow him to play more games but still hit like he was the last two years.

Buxton has and always will be an enigma of sorts.  At times he flashes some brilliance at the plate but that's getting to be less and less.  He's currently in a o for 20 streak and looks bad and overmatched again.  He is tied for the team lead in strikeouts at 43 with the recently demoted Larnach.  He is tied in RBI with 19 also with the recently departed Larnach.  Bottom line is Buxton is just an average hitter.  Unless you accept a .226 average as superstar status like Correas .189. IMO Larnach and Miranda were demoted in part due to the poor performance of the teams so called star players.  Had they been performing to their capabilities, Larnach and Miranda may have still been on the team as this may have been less pressure for those guys to perform.  I'm not even saying they shouldn't have been sent down.  Their production in some regards has been better than the star players.  Too bad they had to be used in par at least as scapegoats.

On FanGraphs it looks like from the DH position the Twins are 18th in wRC which would suggest it isn't working great, I imgaine Buxton will heat up again like he did a couple weeks ago, but hard to feel like the Twins are getting so much production from the DH with him there it wouldn't be better to rotate some other guys through.

Buxton taking some walks is a positive. Byron still needs to have a check system to remind himself to lay off the high fastball. He can hit the pitch fully in the strike zone at the top but is toast on any pitch 2+ inches up out of the zone. In other words, Buck cannot hit the high ones and needs to let them go. I'm appreciating his improved control of at bats thus far this season.

Twins signed Buxton to be face of franchise for $MM's cash and it wasn't to be the DH.  5 Tool player is truly 1 tool player.  

Hitting for Power, Hitting for Avg,, Fielding Ability, Throwing Ability, Speed.

Hitting for Power: 16th out of 100 for all MLB two have hit at least 5 HR = mediocre

Hitting for Avg: 132nd out of 162 for all MLB players hitting above .200 = poor 

Fielding Ability: No Rank = N/A

Throwing Ability: No Rank unless you call 8 bat flips throwing ability = N/A

Speed: SB with 2 is tied for 114th = poor (only chose SB's but extra base hits, snagging fly balls, keeping singles from becoming extra base hits, etc. you get my drift

So are we really saying he has been good DH which has created trickle down effect for other players as Buck has positioned himself as DH.  Mgmt didn't sign him for DH role, Fans didn't sign up for DH limited use role.

Who cares if he appears in over 100 games when we see him 4 times a game walking to the plate for 45 second at bats. So if doesn't get on base, he impacts the game for about 3 minutes a game.  Sure nice paycheck for him!

4 hours ago, John Belinski said:

I just don't think that Buxton can sit on the bench for 2 innings and then be a good hitter.  Just sitting around for up to 15 minutes and then getting up and be ready to bat has to be difficult. Being more active when playing in the field would seem to make a player a better hitter.

The Twins really have too much money invested in Buxton for him to just bat 3 or 4 times each game. He seems to be swinging at more bad pitches this year. If the Twins planned for him to not play in the field they should not have signed him to such a big contract.

I'm not dismissing Byron Buxton. But I question how his playing the outfield makes him a better hitter? He's never been a high avg. guy and he's a consistently streaky hitter on the positive and negative side. I think most people view him as a mookie Betts type hitter which he never was nor ever will be whether he's DHing or playing CF. Let's see if he can put up these huge projection numbers by performing in 140 or 150 games primarily as DH vs 100 games as DH/CF

He's a glorified Rob Deer as a full time DH. And hey, Rob Deer had value back in his day. But it's not like anyone built a franchise around Rob Deer. 

When the golf swing is  clicking, Buxton can get results. It's just a matter of how often the golf swing is clicking.

The Correa thing is laughable and is an indictment of the front office. They would be embarrassed, if they had any shame to begin with. 

The plan hasn’t been a disaster…Buxton has produced enough…and for the most part, MAT hasn’t been a total wash offensively.

The problem is that a team as offensively challenged as the Twins can’t afford to sacrifice offense at ANY position where they have an alternative. And the alternatives at DH are multiplying as the 40-man gets healthier. While the alternatives at CF remain…Buxton.

Buxton is not nor was he EVER a 5 tool player.                                                 1. Hit for avg. (Never)
2. Hit for power. Yes.
3. Run. Absolutely.
4. Defensively, One of the best CF of all time. When healthy.                    5. Arm strength. Yes. It's above avg.

If he was able to stay healthy and played 130 or 140 games per year, there would be a healthy debate for his HOF enshrinemeInt. So if the best he can offer is the maximum number of games he can provide as DH the Twins will happily take the results of 600 ab's vs 400 he might accrue by playing both. He's averaging less than 100 games per season for his career after all. I'm not saying he should never play CF again. But I'm also not opposed to his solely dh role either. Whatever maximizes his playing time.

I would like to know what you people are watching. Buxton is getting his at bats and in almost every game. The last time I looked Taylor leads the team in steals and plays above average center field. You are not a 5 tool player sitting on the Il. One of those tools is speed,why is he not leading the team in steals. The reason is simple like the whole team its all about the homerun. His at bats are swing for the fences. This team is full of strike out artists. The manager said he is fine with that. If and when they start playing baseball not homerun they could run away with the central.

I don't think Buxton has to be in CF every day, but I do think he needs to start playing the position at least half the time. At this point I don't get why he can't even be a part time outfielder.