Here’s the latest from around the AL Central…
- The Twins demoted Byron Buxton to Triple-A yesterday, the fourth time the heralded prospect has been sent back to the minors since his initial call-up in June 2015. Buxton has simply not been able to figure out big league pitching, hitting just .199/.248/.319 over 356 Major League plate appearances. It’s too soon to panic over Buxton, however, as Fangraphs’ August Fagerstrom notes in an analysis of Buxton’s various issues at the plate.
- Braves director of baseball operations Billy Ryan is one of the names under consideration in the Twins’ general manager search, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (Twitter link). Despite being in his mid-thirties, Ryan has an extensive resume in the game, working in the Commissioner’s office as well as in the front offices of the Rangers, Indians and Diamondbacks, including four seasons as Arizona’s assistant GM. As Nightengale notes, Ryan is one of “several young executives” on the Twins’ radar as a replacement for former GM Terry Ryan (no relation).
- Cheslor Cuthbert has played well as Mike Moustakas’ replacement at third base, leaving the Royals with some depth options for next season, Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star writes. Beyond Moustakas and Cuthbert, top prospect Hunter Dozier is hitting well and getting close to a promotion. The hot corner is still slated to belong to Moustakas in 2017, as the others have more defensive versatility — Dozier has been action at first and in both corner outfield spots, plus the Royals feel Cuthbert is capable of handling several spots around the diamond. The DH spot could also be open if the Royals led Kendrys Morales go in free agency. Long-term, it seem as though K.C. could be prepared at third if Moustakas himself leaves as a free agent after the 2017 campaign.
- In a mailbag piece, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian feels the Indians won’t be too active in the August waiver trade market, though the club will keep an eye on potential bench or bullpen help. Yankees catcher Brian McCann is an unlikely fit, as while the veteran has cleared waivers, Bastian feels McCann is much too pricey for the Tribe’s liking (whereas trade target Jonathan Lucroy had a much less expensive contract).
I don’t see any team taking Mccann’s contract
I could see the braves taking a good chunk of it. The marketing value alone would be appealing as they try to put butts back in the seats next year at the new stadium.
I would think ATL would rather trading a moderately-better prospect than pay a massive chunk of his contract, though they should be able to afford it, especially if that would take them out of a FA signing (Ramos, Wieters), which is their #1 area of need. ATL loves Flowers, a great defensive catcher and framer who is outplaying his backup role, which would mean we wouldn’t have to rely on McCann catching much more than 50% of the games, if at all. Still remember his benching for David Ross in the playoff game.
His contract seems fair to me as well. Two years for $34MM. Not bad for a great catcher and a potential team captain. My only concern is the $15MM team option for 2019 that could become a vesting option under the right conditions.
Really? McCann two years left and yes he is not worth 17 million per year but if Yanks ate $10 million he is more then worth the investment as he still puts up top power numbers for catchers and plays above average defense plus pitchers like throwing to him.
But if I’m Yanks there is no need trade him unless if you have to throw in $10 million your getting a very good prospect back. Teams in playoff race adding a bat like McCann at catcher is huge. Teams like Braves moving into new park with young pitchers and zero, I mean zero catchers worthy of starting on any team would also have to consider if Yanks ate some money to get him to fair market value!
More then$10 million is a bargain for team trading for him.
Buxton can hit triple A, he can’t hit MLB. The twins have nothing to lose. Why do they keep yo-yoing this guy. We’ve already seen that sending him down to AAA doesn’t help him figure out mlb pitching.
THIS.
The last 2 years (including this year), he’s had OPS’s of 1.007 and .867 in the minors. Seeing more AAA pitching won’t make a damn difference. Like you said, they aren’t going anywhere, so there’s really no point in sending him down. Even if he doesn’t start hitting, he can provide enough value in CF with the glove to get by for at least the rest of this year. Dumb move.
Yes it can make a huge difference. When a young player’s working on mechanical issues, it’s better to work on them in the minors. There’s less pressure on the player while they struggle, and it’s a lot easier to focus on your mechanics when you’re facing a AAA starter rather than Verlander, kluber, sale, Salazar, etc.
Is there a ton of pressure playing for the worst team in the AL?
His biggest “mechanical issue” is that he’s listening to the Minnesota staff too much, which, unfortunately, won’t change with a demotion. They’ve tried to do way too much tinkering and got in his head. He has way too much talent to try to turn him into whatever Twins-mold they’re attempting to make. Let him take his natural swing and then make small adjustments from there – not a complete overhaul like they’ve attempted.
He has a terrible eye. That’s not a mechanical issue. He doesn’t recognize breaking pitches well. The only way he’s gonna learn that is facing mlb ones. He can obviously handle the ones he sees in triple A.. His K% has been 11 and almost 20 % higher in MLB than triple A. He’s not gonna learn that hitting more triple a pitchers.
Is this serious? Every player is playing for their next job/contract. If you don’t think everything is weighing heavily on him, you’re crazy. Being a professional baseball player is mentally taxing. He needs a mental break.
Send him down where everyone isn’t talking about his numbers every day and get himself right. The talent is there, it’s all between the ears.
Yah because sending him down to the minors to “get himself right” has worked out so well thus far… He’s proven that he can (and will) dominate AAA pitching. Then when he gets called up, he struggles. He doesn’t need to “get right;” he needs to learn how to recognize and hit major league pitching, which he won’t do in AAA. Going down to AAA and putting up a 1.000 OPS (again) won’t make him a better hitter.
If he was hurting the team, that’d be a whole different situation. But that’s clearly not the case here.
@priggs89 I couldn’t disagree more. There are mechanical changes that buxton can make in order to keep himself from swinging and missing more. You’re talking about a player with tremendous bat speed who is swinging and missing at a terrible level at the big leagues. Sure, he can probably get away with his mechanical issues in AAA and put up decent numbers, but that’s not the point. The point is that he needs to make these mechanical changes in order to hit big league pitching, and working on mechanics is way easier against AAA pitchers than against sale, Salazar, Verlander.
If he is freaking out about his numbers on a twins team that has absolutely nothing to play for how is sending him down to triple A going to help that issue? Just keep sending him down until he comes up and lights the league on fire? That way he wont need to hear the negativity about his numbers. Any time he slumps, just send him back down to triple A to shelter his fragile psyche.
How exactly is sending him down to AAA going to help him “get himself right”?
The Yankees will hang on to McCann to help the other younger catchers I think
I remember when these very message boards used to debate who was better, Bryant or Buxton!
Why? They’re not related at all.
A big debate was about Correa and Buxton as they were drafted 1-2 and many thought the Astros passed on Buxton to save money for other picks.
Because they held the #1 and/or #2 ranking on prospect lists at the same time.
Ryan would be a great hire for the Twins. I don’t have the confidence they’re willing to go that far out from their guys. Firing Ryan surprised me, so mmaybe I’m wrong. Would live to see them make a bold move.
I think hiring Ryan and keeping interim GM Rob Antony are both good choices. It’ll be interesting to see what the Twins decide on.
That’s what happens when you rush guys to the bigs (Buxton)
Really? The last 2 years he has dominated minor league pitching. Unless you believe there should be some sort of mandatory time frame a player should stay in the minors, I find it very hard to believe that he was “rushed.” That’s just a garbage excuse that everyone comes up with when a top prospect has a rough start.
Can’t wait to start hearing how Joey Gallo was rushed to the majors next.
Buxton played 42 games in AAA between 2016 and 2015. That’s not much. I have to agree that the Twins rushed him. They had Buxton start the season and he simply wasn’t ready. Perhaps things will be different next year.
And he had an OPS of exactly 1.000 in those 42 games. Hitting is not his issue. Hitting big league pitching is. Playing in the minors doesn’t help that. Let him see more big league pitching as long as he’s not hurting the team.
Hmm… I can see that. Patience is a virtue.
Buxton has hit AAA pitching very well but struggled every time the Twins have called him up.
Wrong guy sent down! Should have fired hitting coach, Brunansky!!
Brian McCann would be great behind the dish. I guess the two extra years then afterwards would be a problem with Yan Gomes coming back, but that’s what offseason trading is for IMO.