Aaron Hicks quietly posting good numbers in New Britain

[iastfan112]

Hicks has hit in AA before. He still isn't hitting the ball with any authority.

 

.127 OPS isn't terrible, certainly not Ben Revere levels of slap hitting(.060) more like Span and his low to mid .100's power. With BABIP around .300 its not as if the BA is unsustainable either. All of this is SSS of course and its in a repeat of AA which takes some of the shine off, but still a good step nonetheless.

[diehardtwinsfan]

.127 OPS isn't terrible,

 

Florimon had an OPS greater than .127

 

Just giving you a hard time a bit... I do agree though, Hicks is actually hitting quite well in AA. I hope he keeps it up for a bit more and can get a bump to AAA. The Twins need to get him experience in the higher minors.

[diehardtwinsfan]

should add... 3/5 with a double tonight. Average over .300.

[Shane Wahl]

Let him get back to AAA after the All-Star break and then see what happens for the rest of July.

[TheBigGuy7273]

There are many that haven't given up on him and I'm sure the front office is among that group.

 

I thought Hicks was mis-handled but he's still only 24. There's plenty of time for him to get back on track.

 

Agreed!

[stringer bell]

SSS, but Hicks is outperforming Rosario at the same level. He may win the race to AAA if he continues to hit.

[JB_Iowa]

Okay, I heard back from Andrew Walter (Twins Fan from Afar). Unfortunately he hasn't been at the games lately:

 

I haven't been in a couple weeks, but I will note that he went 0-for-4 in today's game batting lefty each time against a righty. So that would suggest to me that he's back doing it (which I had thought was the case).

 

Also from BB Reference, here are his minor league 2014 splits:

 

[TABLE=width: 269]

Split▴

G

PA

AB

BA

OBP

SLG

OPS

vs LHP as RHB

43

88

69

.290

.432

.377

.809

vs RHP as LHB

30

86

71

.141

.271

.197

.468

vs RHP as RHB

29

78

66

.273

.377

.394

.771

[/TABLE]

 

 

So, it looks to me as if it is still muddled. He has almost the same amount of appearances against RHP's as a LHB and RHB. But BRef doesn't tell us the timing of those AB's.

[jorgenswest]

Okay, I heard back from Andrew Walter (Twins Fan from Afar). Unfortunately he hasn't been at the games lately:

 

I haven't been in a couple weeks, but I will note that he went 0-for-4 in today's game batting lefty each time against a righty. So that would suggest to me that he's back doing it (which I had thought was the case).

 

Also from BB Reference, here are his minor league 2014 splits:

 

[TABLE=width: 269]

Split▴

G

PA

AB

BA

OBP

SLG

OPS

vs LHP as RHB

43

88

69

.290

.432

.377

.809

vs RHP as LHB

30

86

71

.141

.271

.197

.468

vs RHP as RHB

29

78

66

.273

.377

.394

.771

[/TABLE]

 

 

So, it looks to me as if it is still muddled. He has almost the same amount of appearances against RHP's as a LHB and RHB. But BRef doesn't tell us the timing of those AB's.

 

Those must include major major league splits also. Too many plate appearances.

[TheLeviathan]

Okay, I heard back from Andrew Walter (Twins Fan from Afar). Unfortunately he hasn't been at the games lately:

 

I haven't been in a couple weeks, but I will note that he went 0-for-4 in today's game batting lefty each time against a righty. So that would suggest to me that he's back doing it (which I had thought was the case).

 

Also from BB Reference, here are his minor league 2014 splits:

 

[TABLE=width: 269]

Split▴

G

PA

AB

BA

OBP

SLG

OPS

vs LHP as RHB

43

88

69

.290

.432

.377

.809

vs RHP as LHB

30

86

71

.141

.271

.197

.468

vs RHP as RHB

29

78

66

.273

.377

.394

.771

[/TABLE]

 

 

So, it looks to me as if it is still muddled. He has almost the same amount of appearances against RHP's as a LHB and RHB. But BRef doesn't tell us the timing of those AB's.

 

That's right folks, we don't actually know what side of the plate one of our top prospects is hitting from.

 

That is so freaking bizarre.

[JB_Iowa]

Those must include major major league splits also. Too many plate appearances.

 

You're right. I have to learn to READ:

 

Please note that splits include both major and minor league stats. We have decided that the splits across all levels is more useful than just minor league stats.

 

So we apparently don't have a way of separating out the data.

 

That makes me more likely to rely on Andrew's observation about the other night where he batted lefty against a righty each time.

 

I still think we need more info before we reach any conclusions or get too concerned about what is going on.

[TheLeviathan]

The concern about Hicks has been ongoing for awhile. The switch-hitting in the minors is more of a curiosity brought on by how goofy his career has started.

[TRex]

Video on Rock Cats TV showing an Aaron Hicks single from 7/12 against RIGHT-HANDED pitcher Kyle Simon (ignore the sub-title that says it is a double, Hicks goes to second on the throw home). He is batting LEFT-HANDED. Can we finally put it to rest?

 

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=34543869&sid=t538

 

Sorry, after using the link I see you will have to scroll over to the correct video clip (i.e. the one saying Hicks had a double).

[TheDean]

Video on Rock Cats TV showing an Aaron Hicks single from 7/12 against RIGHT-HANDED pitcher Kyle Simon (ignore the sub-title that says it is a double, Hicks goes to second on the throw home). He is batting LEFT-HANDED. Can we finally put it to rest?

 

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=34543869&sid=t538

 

Sorry, after using the link I see you will have to scroll over to the correct video clip (i.e. the one saying Hicks had a double).

 

There's also one further over of him hitting a homerun while batting left-handed from early July. So he's been hitting switch (again) since at least the beginning of the month...probably longer?

[TheDean]

Please note that splits include both major and minor league stats. We have decided that the splits across all levels is more useful than just minor league stats.

 

So we apparently don't have a way of separating out the data.

 

Actually, Bbref keeps track of ML splits separately. But it does combine in the minor league screen.

 

So, in theory, you could subtract the ML split PAs from the totals shown in the minor league splits screen... That's where it gets weird:

Bbref has Hicks taking 2 PA RHvsRHP and 100 PA LHvsRHP at the major league level.

Bbref also has him taking a total of 78 RHvsRHP and 86 LHvsRHP at all levels.

 

The numbers don't add up. We know he's taking LH PAs vs RHP at AA, but somehow his total split at all levels in that category is 14 PAs lower than the recorded PAs at the ML level?

 

A Bbref error? Or am I reading this wrong?

[JB_Iowa]

Hicks was 3-for-4 tonight with a HR, Double and single.  1 RBI, 2 Runs.

 

BA now at .301.

 

And was part of the Rock Cats rally in the bottom of the 8th where Kvasnika hit a HR to bring in Hicks and Waring and take the score to 5-4.

 

Rock Cats held on to win.

[stringer bell]

Hicks is doing well. Does anyone know what happened to Rosario? He hasn't played in three or four games.

 

BTW, Alex Wimmmers got the save. Is his future in the bullpen? I am still pulling for the guy. He has endured a lot of trials in his young career.

[gunnarthor]

I hope Hicks gets to AAA this year.  He's really doing well at AA and probably time for him to see some better pitchers.

[Oxtung]

Hicks is doing well. Does anyone know what happened to Rosario? He hasn't played in three or four games.

 

BTW, Alex Wimmmers got the save. Is his future in the bullpen? I am still pulling for the guy. He has endured a lot of trials in his young career.

I've long thought Wimmers route to the majors was in the pen. It just takes too much time to build up the arm strength required to be a starter when you haven't pitched in three years. He seems to be excelling in the pen as well. Like you I hope he makes it. His story is every bit as good as colabellos or thielbars, IMO.

[Tibs]

Any chance he comes back to the Twins soon? It seems that we are back to Parmelee being the backup CFer.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Personally, I'd rather bump him up to AAA and give him a taste of slightly better competition.  I think Hicks has a confidence issue as well, that seemed clear (to me at least) based on some of Gardy's comments about how he was donig well in ST and then as soon as the season started he got very tenative again.  I don't think throwing him right back up here would be good, but giving him a smaller boost in difficulty would be good for him I think.

 

This season is lost.   I don't have too much of an issue with Parmelee being a backup CF for the remainder of the year.  This offseason, however, they need to do something to address CF.

[JB_Iowa]

Personally, I'd rather bump him up to AAA and give him a taste of slightly better competition.  I think Hicks has a confidence issue as well, that seemed clear (to me at least) based on some of Gardy's comments about how he was donig well in ST and then as soon as the season started he got very tenative again.  I don't think throwing him right back up here would be good, but giving him a smaller boost in difficulty would be good for him I think.

 

This season is lost.   I don't have too much of an issue with Parmelee being a backup CF for the remainder of the year.  This offseason, however, they need to do something to address CF.

 

 

I'd like to see him in Rochester as well but it's going to have to be soon or we'll run out of time.

[Linus]

On Inside Twins last weekend, TR mentioned that he thought Hicks should be in Rochester soon.  Agreed that they need to get him there to see how he handles it.  More and better information for planning center field in the off season.

[Otto von Ballpark]

On Inside Twins last weekend, TR mentioned that he thought Hicks should be in Rochester soon.  Agreed that they need to get him there to see how he handles it.  More and better information for planning center field in the off season.

I agree he should move up to AAA, but barring a successful return to MLB in September (and maybe not even then), there's no way this team can pencil him in as the CF for the third straight year, right?  The plan has to be to get a viable starter in CF, or at least at SS if Santana holds up in the outfield, regardless of Hicks' final two months.

[Linus]

I agree he should move up to AAA, but barring a successful return to MLB in September (and maybe not even then), there's no way this team can pencil him in as the CF for the third straight year, right?  The plan has to be to get a viable starter in CF, or at least at SS if Santana holds up in the outfield, regardless of Hicks' final two months.

I agree.  I am thinking they need to bring in a Rajai Davis type for next year so they at least have that level of play covered.  If Hicks eventually takes over, they can sit him or flip him for a bag of balls.

[TheLeviathan]

Unless he makes AAA whatever he's doing right now really doesn't matter much to me and hopefully doesn't matter much to the Twins.

[Seth Stohs]

 I don't have too much of an issue with Parmelee being a backup CF for the remainder of the year.  This offseason, however, they need to do something to address CF.

And then when they do, people will complain about that guy blocking Buxton... 

[Thegrin]

Hicks = 10 dollar tools and 10 cent maturity.

 

Everyone seems to forget that the Twins did NOT give up on Gomez.  They traded him for JJ Hardy, a proven major league shortstop. 

 

Blame Smith that Hardy was given away for nothing.

[Linus]

And then when they do, people will complain about that guy blocking Buxton... 

Not if it is a Rajai Davis type on a one year deal as I am proposing.  Plus, I hate to break to everybody, but Buxton is not going to be in the majors next year, with the possible exception of September.  He still has a way to go and he isn't making up all that ground in the month left in the minor league season.

[Mike Sixel]

Ya, that whole "they gave up on him" thing in sports is odd to me. They traded him for another, good, player. That's like saying I gave up on my $30 today when I bought lunch for me and my dad.......

[gil4]

 

 

Blame Smith that Hardy was given away for nothing.

I do, constantly.  I even gave Jim Hoey a new middle name over it - #$%^^#@&!   I'm over most of the stupid moves the Twins have made over the years - Delmon Young, The Reunion, overpaying Punto, Brunansky for Herr, Carew for whatever - but I'm not over that one yet.  (I'm not quite over letting Lyman Bostock go, either, but I'm closer to getting over that one.)