Byron Buxton struggled mightily in his second audition with the Twins this year, going just 7-for-45 and striking out 24 times. He was sent to the minors in late April, and he didn't exactly set the Class AAA world on fire at the start — hitting just .214 through his first six games.
The combination of those things, and particularly the way Buxton looked overmatched by big-league pitching, touched off several waves of alarm among Twins fans. The b-word (bust) was even tossed around.
But here are some comforting facts for Twins fans:
• Buxton is only 22. That's really young. Just because we've been hearing about Buxton for years doesn't mean he's getting older at a rate faster than anyone else.
• Since that cool start in Class AAA, he's been on an absolute tear. Buxton through Wednesday was hitting .380 in 71 May at-bats with five homers. His OPS is an eye-popping 1.105 this month.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
