Byron Buxton and Minnesota Twins brass have gotten some questions recently, surrounding his “scheduled off days”. That’s because the 28-year-old superstar has spent 1/3 of this young season on the bench. Of course, those questions only surfaced because the Twins hid his nagging knee inflammation, but we won’t mention that.
Correa Defends Buxton w/Gloves Off
What matters now, is what Carlos Correa said when asked about the process being taken to keep Buxton healthy. The Twins defeated the A’s in Oakland on Monday, to take game 1 of 3 in the bay. Afterwards, Correa didn’t just stand up for his new teammate. He went after anyone who dared to question Byron’s early absences.
“They probably don’t know the game of baseball,” Correa said. “If you’ve got shit to talk about our best player, probably one of the best players in the game, then you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“He’s a guy that wants to be out there every day. When he’s on the field, he’s been performing at the highest of levels. He has 11 homers already, he’s one of the leaders of the league. When you look at Byron and his knees this early in the year, that’s something you’ve got to be careful with as a team. And you’ve got to take the necessary precautions in order for him to stay on the field. I’d rather have him for 120 of a full season than have him for 50 because he’s trying to do too much.”
Carlos Correa (via The Athletic)
This is Leadership
Carlos Correa didn’t need the details on why media and fans might be questioning the process being followed by the Twins, in trying to keep Byron Buxton healthy. When he heard that someone, anyone, was POSSIBLY questioning the toughness of his teammate, the new clubhouse leader sprung into action.
A generic mention of Buxton’s toughness would have sufficed. A short confirmation that the locker room was behind “the process” would have been enough to convince reporters and fans that there was “nothing to see here”. But Carlos Correa doesn’t do “generic”. Not when his teammate’s toughness might be in question.
I was one of the people Carlos Correa went after last night. I have been questioning the Twins’ decision to hold Buxton out of, what appeared to be, random games. But I’m not mad about how Correa handled the situation. His reaction to defend Buck was incredibly impressive and even more than what I would have expected out of any team leader. Correa has been even better than advertised, both on and off the field, since arriving in Minnesota.
Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan