MVP BUCK: Hitting Dingers (And Staying Healthy)

Baseball MLB Twins
Lancman

It’s Twins baseball season once again, it feels great to say that. That means the inevitable let down against the Yankees, Josh Donaldson getting hurt (happened in the first game, yikes) and Byron Buxton absolutely mashing. Wait, did I say Byron Buxton mashing!? I sure did! it doesn’t seem like the first two, but my goodness has he come out swinging. If he stays healthy, do I dare say Byron Buxton MVP season?

We have been used to disappointment and constant injury from him. In these past few years, he has been playing pretty good, but injury has just really ruined things for him. In 2017, he played 140 games with the Twins; that’s the most he has played with the team since coming up to the pros. He showed his potential a bit that year hitting .253. He also hit 16 home runs and played stellar defense. There has always been flashes, but last year and the start of this year have shown what he is capable of. Just check out these numbers in his first 28 at bats. Please stay healthy.

MVP TALK?

I just had to mention, Byron has a single and a double with two RBIs against the Seattle Mariners since I started this blog today (Sunday). Now talk about an MVP, bolstering his case mid-writing this blog. The blog is writing itself at this point. Buxton is off to a tear to start the year. He’s always been fast and an elite center fielder, but the hitting just hasn’t been there up to this point. You combine that with the constant injuries, it’s been a letdown thus far.

The past two and a half years he was showing signs of the potential he has, but the injury bug crept up on him. In the second half of 2018 he hit .300, 11 home runs in 56 games. Only playing 87 games in 2019 and 39 in the shortened season last year. In 39 games last year, he hit 13 home runs and showed that power that is on full display to start the 2021 season.

It always came down to hitting with Buxton. Everyone knows if he can figure his shit out on that end, he is immediately a star player. Has that finally happened? The start of this year says yes, but it is also very early. Buck already has 8 extra base hits, one behind JD Martinez.

This stat is also pretty special. I know it is early, but it’s very impressive. Just being close to any stat with the god Mike Trout means something, but to start this year, Buxton is up there with Trout for a ton of stats. The wins above replacement being a pretty big one.

As I continue to type this blog Byron just keeps making his case. He just hit a 2 run home run! He is literally on fire. JD Martinez just hit a home run so Byron is still 1 behind in the extra base hit category. When I had the idea to do this blog after the first few games, it was more for fun, not insanely serious. It is now, funny enough, pretty serious and Buxton is looking like a real MVP. He has been getting MVP chants at Target field, enough said.

Here is his 5th home run of the year, his most recent. If you have bleacher report tweeting it, you know he is on fire. The power surge has been unreal to start this year, and It has only become more absurd since I started the blog.

This stat is just unreal. Again it is early on, but when did anyone think Buck would have a higher slugging percentage than Nelson Cruz? The answer is never, this is truly unbelievable. This 1, 2 punch we have with them right now is deadly. If Buxton even keeps this up to small degree and stays healthy, watch out pitchers. His WAR has now risen to 1.0 also, the same as Mike Trout. Unreal.

Here is his updated lines, truly just AMAZING. As a Twins fan that’s been waiting for this from Buxton, this is beautiful. This is more than I expected, if he keeps this up, he may just sneak his way into being one of the best in the game.

This blog is all over the place, writing it mid game was questionable, but it helped validate my opinion so I can’t complain. Byron is on damn fire, and it’s so fun to watch him play while doing it. Some players are great, but aren’t even that entertaining. Byron has everything checked off right now. Every time he steps up to the plate you are locked in. If that’s the case, you are doing something right.

When this blog came to mind after the first few games, it was mainly joking and for fun. Byron Buxton MVP season is absolutely serious at this point. If he keeps it up how can he not be in the conversation? He has to be. I won’t try to get ahead of myself, let’s just enjoy what he is doing. It is so special and Twins fans deserve this. Let’s just pray to the higher ups that he stays healthy. Please, Minnesota deserves it.