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Mr. Ed -> RE: Players and prospects III (4/24/2015 2:12:31 PM)
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With opening day center fielder Jordan Schafer in a funk at the plate, on the bases and in the field, it's natural to turn eyes to the minor leagues. The Twins, after all, have the top prospect in baseball waiting in the wings, preparing in Chattanooga, Tenn., for what the Twins hope will be a long and prosperous career.
I've begun to read the chatter on our website's comments section and on Twitter: the time is now to call up Buxton.
The reasons vary but I disagree with all of them as means of justification. Buxton would spark interest in the team, the rationalization goes. Buxton would be a defensive upgrade in center field. The Twins are short on other options.
None of those things should matter, in my opinion. It wouldn't make sense to me to see the Twins call up a 21-year-old future lineup staple to get Major League service before he's ready on a team likely not headed for the postseason. (The sooner Buxton begins in the Majors, the sooner he could hit free agency and potentially leave; that's miles down the road and the Twins should never let that happen, but that's another column for another time.)
I credit the Twins for taking a longer-term view of their organization and realizing the best thing for Buxton right now is to hone his craft against Double-A pitchers.
Through 12 games at Double-A Chattanooga, Buxton is hitting .180/.241/.300 with just three extra-base hits and 15 total bases in 54 plate appearances. He has 14 strikeouts and four walks.
Now, it's early in the season so this isn't to suggest that Buxton has taken a step backward with all his injuries from last season. It's merely to illustrate that he probably hasn't conquered Double-A pitching, which I imagine the Twins would like to see before giving thought to promoting the 21-year-old super prospect.
Amid fans' clamoring for Buxton, the Twins should remain patient and stay the course with the development of Buxton.
Calling up Buxton now might signal a number of things to a number of different parties. Players in the clubhouse probably might see it as a move designed to show that the Twins' brass thinks they're ready to win now. Others might see it as a panic move to promote a young prospect who may not be ready.
Fans no doubt would be excited about the move if it were to happen. But if Buxton struggled initially that sugar high might subside a bit.
To this analyst, calling up Buxton would send a clear message:
'In our impatience, we've lost sight of the big picture.'
That's not how the Twins ought to handle their most important prospect in recent memory.
Some will look at Kris Bryant's promotion -- he's the other player listed atop prospects rankings -- with the Cubs as evidence top prospects should be promoted. Bryant is basically two years older than Buxton. So the comparison should stop with saying that many feel both have bright big league futures.
There's the argument that calling Buxton up now to give him a taste of the big leagues, even if he doesn't stick, might expedite his development. I admittedly don't have data to disprove that theory but personally I don't agree with it.
If I were the Twins I would want to call Buxton up once and I would want it to be when he's ready to thrive. Batting ninth when he's first called up could make some sense to alleviate any pressure he'd put on himself to produce. That would allow perhaps his greatest assets -- his glove and his speed -- to play.
It's similar to what the Orioles did with Manny Machado a few years ago. They called up the kid that nearly everybody believed eventually would be good and asked the shortstop to play sterling defense at third base. He batted low in the order because the Orioles could score runs without him and there's the thought that Buck Showalter didn't want the youngster to feel pressure to produce with his bat. Anything he added there at the onset would be considered gravy.
Some say that the alternatives aren't very appealing, whether it's Schafer, Shane Robinson or perhaps Aaron Hicks. That shouldn't matter. For a team that's unlikely to contend for the postseason in 2015, the Twins should do everything they can to be competitive in future years and that includes doing what's best for one of their future lineup staples, Buxton, and his development.
Here's a take-it-or-leave-it suggestion: If Buxton overcomes his slow start to the year and dominates Double-A pitching this season, I'd consider giving him a September callup to get a taste of the big leagues as a defensive replacement and pinch runner.
Only problem with this I see is "Schafer in a funk". He's just not very good, period.
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