Buxton's Approach at the Plate

[beetlebum71]

We all know Buck has been straight raking this year, but I wanted to give some appreciation to how good his approach has been this year.

While some of Byron's plate issues, namely his propensity to chase and his high swing and miss rate are still there (12th percentile and 32nd percentile, respectively), but he's learning to negate those by being uber aggressive early in the count. He has put the first pitch in play 17 times in 79 plate appearances this year, which is a really high percentage, and he's hitting a ridiculous .750/.765/1.750 in those plate appearances (the higher OBP is from a HBP). This is, in my opinion, a measured response to how he is being pitched. Every hitter is better when they're ahead in the count than when they're behind, but Buck is especially so. Over his career, Buck has a .566 OPS when the the count starts out 0-1, and an .824 OPS when it starts 1-0. When he puts the first pitch in play, it's 1.241. This year, those numbers are even more pronounced. .721 after 1-0, 1.235 after 1-0, and 2.515 on the first pitch. So, if you get strike one on Buck, he becomes roughly a league average hitter this year. If you get behind him, he's essentially Barry Bonds circa 2003. So, pitchers are grooving fastballs to him early in the at bat to try to get ahead, and Buck is feasting on them. His SLG against heaters is 1.229, which is insane.

Most impressively, though, he's not getting killed with two strikes as much. In counts that start out 0-2, he's hitting 6-14 with a double and a HR. He seems to have learned to throttle down in those spots and just put the ball in play. He's got a number of infield hits this year, which is going to be the thing that helps sustain his BA and OBP once the hot streak is over.

All in all, Buck's great start is more than just luck and skill. He's made a concerted effort to be more aggressive, hunt fastballs, and find ways to put the ball in play. He's not going to slug .842 all season or anything, but his general success is definitely sustainable if he can stick to the plan he's using up there right now.

[Ask Not]

I'll add what my eyes are telling me.

Approach: for the first handful of years if got behind 0-1, he got scared and swung the 2nd pitch seemingly every at bat. That at bat was over. He can clearly see pitches out of the hand better now due to reps or whatever so he is no longer walking to the plate with a defensive mindset.

Swing: not only isn't his swing as long, it actually incorporates some lower half. He gets around even faster now because it doesn't just come from the shoulders. Where he used to pull outside pitches to shortstop or 3rd base, he now sends into the seats due to the additional power and foundation.

Mind: that guy has a new level of swagger. He finally brings to the plate what he's always brought to centerfield. He's not going to stay this hot for the whole season, but this type of stretch might not be unusual, either.

NOW STAY FUCKING HEALTHY!

[Sidewinder2k2]

Good breakdowns guys.

I really am liking what I'm seeing. Much better approach and much more confident than we have ever seen from him in his career.

[weimy froob]

team pretty much wasted buck's hot start. all the more amazing when you know the record historically for the twins is about a .600 winning percentage or something like that when he's in the lineup.

[weimy froob]

[weimy froob]

he's hitting fastballs. far.

[ForCaleb]

We all know Buck has been straight raking this year, but I wanted to give some appreciation to how good his approach has been this year.

While some of Byron's plate issues, namely his propensity to chase and his high swing and miss rate are still there (12th percentile and 32nd percentile, respectively), but he's learning to negate those by being uber aggressive early in the count. He has put the first pitch in play 17 times in 79 plate appearances this year, which is a really high percentage, and he's hitting a ridiculous .750/.765/1.750 in those plate appearances (the higher OBP is from a HBP). This is, in my opinion, a measured response to how he is being pitched. Every hitter is better when they're ahead in the count than when they're behind, but Buck is especially so. Over his career, Buck has a .566 OPS when the the count starts out 0-1, and an .824 OPS when it starts 1-0. When he puts the first pitch in play, it's 1.241. This year, those numbers are even more pronounced. .721 after 1-0, 1.235 after 1-0, and 2.515 on the first pitch. So, if you get strike one on Buck, he becomes roughly a league average hitter this year. If you get behind him, he's essentially Barry Bonds circa 2003. So, pitchers are grooving fastballs to him early in the at bat to try to get ahead, and Buck is feasting on them. His SLG against heaters is 1.229, which is insane.

Most impressively, though, he's not getting killed with two strikes as much. In counts that start out 0-2, he's hitting 6-14 with a double and a HR. He seems to have learned to throttle down in those spots and just put the ball in play. He's got a number of infield hits this year, which is going to be the thing that helps sustain his BA and OBP once the hot streak is over.

All in all, Buck's great start is more than just luck and skill. He's made a concerted effort to be more aggressive, hunt fastballs, and find ways to put the ball in play. He's not going to slug .842 all season or anything, but his general success is definitely sustainable if he can stick to the plan he's using up there right now.

[salamander]

Love that he's looking like the star we drafted.

[Hornets]

And now looks like a stint on the DL is in order.....of course.

[Leon]

And now looks like a stint on the DL is in order.....of course.

what good as a possible MVP when he can't play regularly ? It's also time to cut ties with Sano. Put Arraez at 3rd base ( sure would have like to have kept Escobar ) and see if you can find a taker for Donaldson - he is not what they need at his salary and what he is providing

[Hornets]

And now looks like a stint on the DL is in order.....of course.

what good as a possible MVP when he can't play regularly ? It's also time to cut ties with Sano. Put Arraez at 3rd base ( sure would have like to have kept Escobar ) and see if you can find a taker for Donaldson - he is not what they need at his salary and what he is providing

Bucks history shows us he'll be lucky to be in the lineup more than 120 games this season. Even if he continues to have a great year that's what concerns me most as the decision of a long term contract comes up soon. Does anyone in their right mind feel good about the potential of a 7 year/240 million contract for a guy that absolutely cannot stay healthy? I don't. The season is turning into a shit show but it's too early for me to go full on with shaking things up....give me till July then we'll see!

[D_H]

Just will never be a guy you can count on

Too bad he’s obviously a good kid and a hard worker his body is just wound up too tight

[Hoop Dreams]

And now looks like a stint on the DL is in order.....of course.

[Hornets]

So Buxton AND Kiriloff out for a LONG time!

#winTwins?

[weimy froob]

So Buxton AND Kiriloff out for a LONG time!

#winTwins?

two of the biggest reasons to be watching the games.

[Hornets]

So Buxton AND Kiriloff out for a LONG time!

#winTwins?

two of the biggest reasons to be watching the games.

You got that right Weimy....I for one won't be watchin much this weekend.

[salamander]

What do we do with Buxton? Is it time to just move on? He's only played 100 games once.

[bubu dubu.]

[weimy froob]

i'll put this here.

Twins' Byron Buxton 'fully recovered' from surgery, striving for center field return

For Byron Buxton, it's one checkpoint reached, and a few more to go.

Buxton spent two days in the Twin Cities recently being evaluated following arthroscopic surgery Oct. 13 on his right knee. Twins trainer Nick Paparesta and strength and conditioning director Ian Kadish were on hand to oversee his workout. Buxton later met with Dr. Chris Camp, director of medical high performance. Everyone was pleased with Buxton's progress.

"Dr. Camp said he is fully recovered from the surgery," Derek Falvey, president of baseball operations, told me on Friday. "There are no lingering effects. He looked good. I thought that was a really good sign."

Rehabilitation is ongoing, and completing that is Buxton's next step. The Twins feel he should be cleared to do some baseball-related activities by the end of the year.

Where is this all heading? Center field is the answer. That's the goal, anyway. This progress, the rehab, the winter workouts, it's all being done to get Buxton, a hobbled DH-only last summer, back in the outfield next season.

-La Velle E. Neal III