What To Do With Byron Buxton?

I don't think this one is too hard. He finishes the season in Rochester. If the Twins were in it, Id' call him up. We aren't, and Buxton is a big reason for that. He stays home. His instructions are to bulk up a bit this offseason. He needs more padding so to speak, even if he loses a step. 

My plan for 2019 is simple. He has an option. It will be used. Buxton will earn his next trip to Minnesota. 

Nick you did a great job presenting all sides but this one is an absolute no-brainer.

Buxton does not see Minnesota soil for the rest of 2018. If he gets September off... he gets September off. Call it for the purpose of getting healthy but it is primarily for the purpose of getting that extra year... back.

Buxton has nearly burned 3 years of service time and has produced 340 K's and 70 BB's in 1074 AB's. Career BA .230 - Career OBP .285 - Career OPS .672. This is not the superstar production that the scouts predicted he will produce.

What this is... is nearly 3 years of service time wasted culminating in some of the worst offensive numbers ever produced this year. If you believe the scouts are right... you have to wait for it. 

If you have to wait for it... you need time to enjoy it when it finally arrives. That extra year is huge in case the scouts were right. 

If you call him up for a month worth of AB's in a lost season, what do you gain? I don't believe that a month of AB's are going to be the springboard to a changed man in 2019 and I know that his defense isn't going to get us into the playoffs this year.

When you give up that extra year of control... you run a very real risk that Buxton figures it out, becomes the player the scouts predicted, the player we dreamed of... right before he hits free agency and we get 1 maybe 2 years if we are lucky of Good Buxton to go with the 4 or 5 years of Bad Buxton.  

If the front office burns a year of his control, while it is easily avoided and justifiable in consideration of production and health. And do it THIS SEASON with nothing to play for. It could only be viewed as irresponsible.

If Buxton considers this a "gut punch". Better him than me. Because he has been gut punching me for 3 years and if we lose a year of superstar Buxton because of September AB's of Bad Buxton... that will be more like a cannonball to the crotch. A gut punch will feel good by comparison.  

This is coming from a guy, who looks at the terms of the CBA and consistently sides with the players. I do think they get the short end of the stick. But, the CBA is an agreement that a GM needs to consider when making decisions on long range plans. Until the CBA is changed to something more equitable to the players... I sincerely hope that my teams front office utilizes the rules of the CBA to their advantage and ultimately as a fan... that is also the front office acting on my behalf. 

I don't think the extra year matters if he doesn't improve at the plate.

At that point, his speed, and thus his defensive range, will likely have degraded somewhat. So, would it really be that expensive, or even be worth keeping around, if he slides back towards the mean defensively, but doesn't approach it offensively?

If there is even a minute chance that some September playing time gets him back on track going into next year, you have to take it. I don't see how sending him home would help anything in any way.

If he doesn't improve at the plate. The extra year will not matter. 

The scouts who predicted super-stardom will need to be fired of course. 

I understand the appeal of Option 1, but this is probably a no brainer: It's Option 2.  You spend the offseason helping him build up his resilience and durability to injury and hit the reset button.

The only reason to do Option 1 is emotional, so I'd rather go with the more rational option.

Another year of control, even though I am opposed to the system.....the system exists.

this isn't keeping him down at the start of a year, when wins matter........so, whatever they have to do to get another year of control.

Send him to FtM or someplace to hit and hit and hit....and hit some more. than hit again.

So with that 2019 option remaining, it is still possible to get that extra year of team control, even if they recall him this September.

If they recall him after Rochester's season concludes, it looks like he would finish this year with 3 years and 14 days service time.

If he was optioned for at least 29 days in 2019 (or 2020), we'd get that extra year too. A little trickier, but not implausible, especially if we acquire another outfield option.

I'd be somewhat OK with this. 

But, at this moment... we are theoretically in contention for 2019. 

Not so much in 2018.