something is gonna have to change pretty dramatically in buxton's mlb performance at the plate for the twins to really benefit from an extra year of control

not sure what amends the twins need to make

Well, they had him play for weeks on a broken toe, then demoted him when he was on rehab after finally being DLed, and the GM has now all but admitted to playing with his service time. So, gee, I wonder.


To recap: Buxton actually showed signs of being a major league hitter last year, went on the DL in mid-April with migraines, broke his toe while on rehab assignment, got called up despite the toe still being broken, went back on the DL for the toe after playing on it for three weeks, then for his trouble got demoted based on hitting .200 during the rehab assignment. He promptly injured his wrist, went on the DL, came off, then went right back on. Now that he's healthy and hitting, you'd think an organization whose priority was on-field considerations might want to get the guy who is 11 healthy games removed from being their Opening Day center fielder a month of play to keep the season from being a total loss. But that's not what the Twins are.

the Twins now gain an extra year of club control over Buxton for 2022, his age-28 season.

Of course, if they had not screwed around with him, they wouldn't be giving up all hope of controlling him beyond that season.

Trade him to the Yankees for a backup catcher.

Of course, if they had not screwed around with him, they wouldn't be giving up all hope of controlling him beyond that season.

The guy has a 79 career OPS+. I doubt they're worried.

Given his injury/hitting woes history, I'd be looking to get 3 hot months out of him, and then trade him before he breaks, or forgets how to hit, again.

Seems like for most teams "benefit from an extra year of control" equals "get a bit more back when they inevitably trade him away as he gets expensive"

Seems like for most teams "benefit from an extra year of control" equals "get a bit more back when they inevitably trade him away as he gets expensive"

Don't know that this should apply to the Twins. Minneapolis is pretty big (#16 of metro area) and wealthy (#7 by p.c. income).

Because even large market teams go through rebuilding/teardown phases. Houston and both Chicago teams come to mind. I realize your POV is that this shouldn't happen, but it does, often.

Because even large market teams go through rebuilding/teardown phases. Houston and both Chicago teams come to mind. I realize your POV is that this shouldn't happen, but it does, often.

OK, but why would anyone assume Buxton's last year is going to line up with a rebuilding phase for the Twins? My point was that if he becomes good, they'll have no need to dump him to avoid paying his arb salaries (like Tampa, Miami, and Oakland do all the time).

Don't know that this should apply to the Twins. Minneapolis is pretty big (#16 of metro area) and wealthy (#7 by p.c. income).

This is weird. #16 is below average for a major league franchise.

This is weird. #16 is below average for a major league franchise.

Mid-market teams can run $150M payrolls with ease. Modern MLB is awash in money.

Every team in baseball including the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers are leaving a bunch of money in their coffers. In fact I’d be willing to bet that those high spending teams are probably spending less of their available money than teams like the Twins or even the Marlins or Royals.

Mid-market teams can run $150M payrolls with ease. Modern MLB is awash in money.

The fact that they have the cash flow to pay a player $X does not mean they will in fact pay that player $X or should pay him $X. For general business situations this is the Amazon phenomenon. In the baseball-specific case marginal production is worth more in other cities, sometimes a lot more. If the player is mediocre and expensive, then there's little reason to keep him around because suitable low-cost replacements are available, thanks to the reserve clause. If the player is good and expensive, then his surplus value is much greater in New York, LA, and a host of other cities, and those clubs can and frequently will compensate mid-market teams accordingly.

I think part of what brought this on is the hardball stance by Buxton's agent that they are unwilling to do a contract extension that buys out any free agent years. This is basically the only way the Twins can get an extra year of service time from Buxton.

How in the world have I never heard of the "Platinum Glove" before?

This is weird. #16 is below average for a major league franchise.

By my count, they're #11 when going by one-team towns.

These days almost all towns can afford a couple huge contracts. There's plenty of salary headroom for anyone playing well, (it's the high cost of mediocrity etc etc etc...) Also, by the time Buxton wants to cash in Mauer won't be around taking up $23m of oxygen.

This decision has at least as much to do with the health of the 2018 Twins as the health of Buxton, which is to say it isn't going to benefit either of them enough this year to offset the value of another year of control later on. If he was some young kid and picking up a hundred at bats would help his development, or they were still looking at a wild card spot and six weeks of defense might help make a difference then they'd do it, but Byron is Byron and 2018 is dead to the team, so the front office is just letting things heal and pushing his arb off for another year. Just business as negotiated in the last CBA. If it's different next time they'll exploit the prevailing interpretation accordingly.