By Betsy Helfand
Pioneer Press (TNS)
ORLANDO — Derek Shelton is very familiar with Byron Buxton from the two seasons he spent as the Twins’ bench coach.
Since he left Minnesota following the 2019 season to take over as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the two had seen each other from time to time. But the man who walked into the Jacksonville, Fla., restaurant recently to share a meal with the new Twins manager was a much different version of himself.
“When he walked in the restaurant, the presence that he has, like, that’s a superstar,” Shelton said. “I got goosebumps when he walked in because this is a guy, this is a Minnesota Twin, this is what you want to build around and do. … (It’s) like seeing one of your kids after they come home from college and you’re like, ‘Damn, that’s what it looks like.’”
Shelton’s visit with Buxton at a meeting point in between their offseason homes — Buxton’s in Georgia, Shelton’s in Florida — was one piece of his process to acquaint himself with his new team.
He also visited third baseman Royce Lewis in Texas where the two enjoyed barbecue. On a recent Thanksgiving trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, he caught up with catcher Ryan Jeffers. Plans to go visit Joe Ryanwere scrapped due to the impending arrival of Ryan’s first child, Rowan, who was born last month. A visit to Pablo López, who also makes his offseason home in Florida, is in the works.