Although the MLB trade deadline came and went a week ago, there are some interesting nuggets that are still coming out about what could have been.
Jon Heyman of The New York Post shared “Why these nine players were not deal at wild MLB trade deadline” on Thursday evening. Of the nine players listed, Minnesota Twins All-Star centerfielder Byron Buxton was the second guy Heyman mentioned.
Heyman wrote, “The Mets, Phillies, Padres, hometown Braves and others sought the ultra-talented Buxton — who, unlike teammate Carlos Correa, wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause.” I have so many thoughts here pertaining to the Braves’ reported interest in the always-injured outfielder from Baxley, Georgia. Buxton would rather stay with the rebuilding Twins than come back to home to the Braves?!
This really proves a point that Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos may have lost the plot. The Braves were closer to sellers than buyers at the deadline. Buxton is 31, going on 32. While he may be under contract for the next three seasons as well, he has never played in 162 games before in 11 years with the Twins, having only played in 100 games twice. So good, yet so unreliable…
Buxton is a player the Braves of old would have never targeted, yet the “hometown” guy said no?!
Atlanta Braves’ interest in Byron Buxton shows complete lack of direction
For those unfamiliar with Georgia geography, Atlanta is in the northwest part of the state. Marietta is in Cobb County, the biggest suburb of the state capital, is about 25 minutes northwest of Atlanta. As far as Baxley is concerned, it is in southeast Georgia, about four hours away from Atlanta. It is closer to Jacksonville, Florida than it is to Atlanta. It is still in Braves Country, but it is not exactly “hometown”.
What I am getting at is Buxton may have grown up in the Braves’ extended backyard, but the Twins are the franchise he developed loyalty to. After all, they are the team who kept believing in him and kept giving him money when he failed to play in 100 games a season for the better part of a decade. He is immensely talented, but why would the struggling Braves want to add an always-injured player?
If the Braves need anything, besides a new coaching staff, as well as ownership that believes in something called accountability, they need prospects. Once again, prospects do nothing for me. Look no further than Buxton coming out of Appling County High School… Since Anthopoulos would never give homegrown hall-of-fame-level players the time of day after turning 30, why even go here?
For Buxton to not waive his no-trade clause, it says he would rather lose 100 games with Minnesota.
