Is Aaron Hicks burning bridges, or just on borrowed time as a Twin?

[Shane Wahl]

While I am astounded by Hicks' apparent disregard for time, I do have to wonder how much has gotten to his head! He has my vote, still, for being with the club out of ST next year. Hopefully Gardy is the one gone.

[Thegrin]

I think this is spot on.  It's also one of the times I find dogging a player publicly to be an understandable approach.  I think the Twins are past the point of speaking out to motivate him, this is something else.  This is public relations oriented.

or maybe, being late like this is such a rare occurrence that it got everyone's attention.

[TheLeviathan]

or maybe, being late like this is such a rare occurrence that it got everyone's attention.

You realize this isn't the first public admonishment right?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

"I couldn't play him if I wanted to" is a pretty juicy quote from Gardy.

 

I feel like Hicks is getting picked on a bit with this article. He wasn't late because the team apparently has no policy for when a player is supposed to report. That seems to be the staff's discipline problem, not Hicks.

 

The communication between Hicks and management is really poor. The fact that they have to print stuff like this is a little ridiculous. The trainer's don't know if Hicks' back is injured or not? Well... isn't it their job to know that?

 

If I'm Aaron Hicks, I'm hoping to play for a different manager next year, regardless of which clubhouse he's "rolling into."

[jokin]

You realize this isn't the first public admonishment right?

 

Apparently not.  

[WLFINN]

Except Cuddyer won the batting title last year with a slash of .331/.389/.530 and OPS+ of 136.

Would be fun to see what he could do if he was healthy...

[jokin]

"I couldn't play him if I wanted to" is a pretty juicy quote from Gardy.

 

I feel like Hicks is getting picked on a bit with this article. He wasn't late because the team apparently has no policy for when a player is supposed to report. That seems to be the staff's discipline problem, not Hicks.

 

The communication between Hicks and management is really poor. The fact that they have to print stuff like this is a little ridiculous. The trainer's don't know if Hicks' back is injured or not? Well... isn't it their job to know that?

 

If I'm Aaron Hicks, I'm hoping to play for a different manager next year, regardless of which clubhouse he's "rolling into."

 

There's no official policy, but I think it's clear that there is an expectation of personal responsibility and understanding that a day to day injury requires a daily session with trainers and/or the team doctor-   a guy who's been around for 2 years really has no excuse.  And how is a trainer supposed to do their job and check on Hicks' alleged back injury, assess it, treat it and pronounce him fit, or not fit, to play that day,  if he's not there?  To reiterate:

 

 

While the team has no set time that players are supposed to be at the stadium, Hicks' tardiness drew grimaces and shaking of heads from teammates who walked by his empty locker stall. For an afternoon game, the Twins' clubhouse opens at 9:30 a.m., and most players are there by then. Injured players typically arrive early to the clubhouse to receive treatment, but Gardenhire and trainers saw no sign of him.

 

It's really hard to put much of this on management.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

There's no official policy, but I think it's clear that there is an expectation of personal responsibility and understanding that a day to day injury requires a daily session with trainers and/or the team doctor-   a guy who's been around for 2 years really has no excuse.  And how is a trainer supposed to do their job and check on Hicks' alleged back injury, assess it, treat it and pronounce him fit, or not fit, to play that day,  if he's not there?  To reiterate:

 

Injured players typically arrive early to the clubhouse to receive treatment,

 

It's really hard to put much of this on management.

 

I see "typically" which is not the same as "always" or even "team policy"

 

It's both parties that are at fault. Management wants to paint Hicks as lazy, I get it.

 

It's not just management's fault - Hicks and management are not communicating with one another. The teams' expectation for Hicks to arrive at a specific (yet unwritten) time is not being met.

 

He's not communicating with the medical staff - that's on both Hicks and the staff.

 

I don't mean to say that it's either side that is the victim or the villain in this drama. I think it's kind of ridiculous and petty that the issue is playing out publicly in this way. Terry Ryan seems to be annoyed by the reporter's question and explains that it's Gardy's job to take care of it.

 

No comment from Hicks in this article. At this point, I wouldn't say anything about it to the media if I were him, they already formed their opinion.

[Willihammer]

So the clubhouse opens at 9:30, and Hicks got there "shortly after" 10:30. I've been as frustrated with him as any fan but that's pretty small beans. Its not like he was caught beating his kid with a stick or something.

[drjim]

So the clubhouse opens at 9:30, and Hicks got there "shortly after" 10:30. I've been as frustrated with him as any fan but that's pretty small beans. Its not like he was caught beating his kid with a stick or something.

 

Probably also why he was in the lineup the next day instead of indefinitely suspended.

[Willihammer]

Probably also why he was in the lineup the next day instead of indefinitely suspended.

So why are we talking about it? Its impossible not to read between the lines a little.

 

This "story" reminded me of the Zimmer interview on Barreiro last week. He said his players were his family and he's stand behind AP, a man accused of child abuse, as if he were a son or daughter afflicted with cancer (he later recanted the statement).

 

Gardy throws Hicks under the bus when asked a simple question about his availability for Sunday's game.

 

But as you said he played on Monday so I'm sure there was absolutely nothing to that statement.

[drjim]

So why are we talking about it? Its impossible not to read between the lines a little.

 

This "story" reminded me of the Zimmer interview on Barreiro last week. He said his players were his family and he's stand behind AP, a man accused of child abuse, as if he were a son or daughter afflicted with cancer (he later recanted the statement).

 

Gardy throws Hicks under the bus when asked a simple question about his availability for Sunday's game.

 

But as you said he played on Monday so I'm sure there was absolutely nothing to that statement.

 

i think people generally make too much out of quotes from Twins officials, but that is probably a different story.

 

I see this more as frustration than greasing the wheels for a sell low departure, and I think Gardy is absolutely justified in his frustration. It is really bad form to pull yourself out of the lineup and then show up late the next day, if I was Gardy I would be furious. And this is doubly so for someone with Hicks track record.

 

More reason, in my opinion, for the Twins to make sure they sign a veteran professional OF in the offseason. And a new manager. Beyond time for a new atmosphere on many fronts.

[jokin]

i think people generally make too much out of quotes from Twins officials, but that is probably a different story.

 

I see this more as frustration than greasing the wheels for a sell low departure, and I think Gardy is absolutely justified in his frustration. It is really bad form to pull yourself out of the lineup and then show up late the next day, if I was Gardy I would be furious. And this is doubly so for someone with Hicks track record.

 

More reason, in my opinion, for the Twins to make sure they sign a veteran professional OF in the offseason. And a new manager. Beyond time for a new atmosphere on many fronts.

 

This is a really good post, especially the bolded part.  I'm definitely not a Gardy supporter, but the the thin ice that Hicks has already skated out on, really didn't allow him any margin for disregard, and posters in support of him fail to acknowledge that his irresponsibility didn't go down well with his teammates, not just management.  I fully concur, and have for some time, time to go in a new direction.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

You are free to think this, but it doesn't work this way (in any aspect of life). Peers will always have more influence on this than authority figures.

true, but management sets the expectations and makes examples of those who don't abide. Peers may have a greater influence, but management holds the authority and needs to wield it justly, but firmly.

 

If it's the peers that have influenced Hicks so, which of the crafty veterans gave Hicks such an impression that it's ok to behave the way he has. By all accounts Mauer and Willingham are first in, last out. I don't really know how much sway peers have in the work ethic regard. Most people don't learn it at their first job, or from their peers, it's instilled from their parents as small children and part of their nature before that. I still come back to management. How can it be that at this point, someone from the management group hasn't sat Hicks down and said "here's the expectations, now don't screw up, you are on thin ice and if you do, you will ruin your own career"

[Thegrin]

The fact that Hicks is being played AGAIN shows us that they want him to play well so they can trade him in the off season. 

[Riverbrian]

Baby

 

Bathwater

 

Baby

 

Bathwater

 

Baby

 

Bathwater

[Linus]

Well it seems that 24 other players have no problem figuring out when they should show up and receive treatment. To put this on Gardy is bs

[D. Hocking]

Baby

 

Bathwater

 

Baby

 

Bathwater

 

Baby

 

Bathwater

I sense you  are trying to say something here.

[Riverbrian]

I sense you  are trying to say something here.

Nope... Just practicing for a two word spelling test. I want to ace it. Carry on all

[jokin]

Baby

 

Bathwater

 

Baby

 

Bathwater

 

Baby

 

Bathwater

 

Based on last night's and tonight's results, thus far, I think Hicks is getting the message.

[jorgenswest]

His OBP is .345 for the season. That's 20 points higher than Revere and one of the best on the Twins.. His ISO will improve. I would keep him. The chance that he approaches his ceiling is worth more than the nominal player or failed prospect they would get in a trade.

[Brock Beauchamp]

So why are we talking about it? Its impossible not to read between the lines a little.

 

This "story" reminded me of the Zimmer interview on Barreiro last week. He said his players were his family and he's stand behind AP, a man accused of child abuse, as if he were a son or daughter afflicted with cancer (he later recanted the statement).

 

Gardy throws Hicks under the bus when asked a simple question about his availability for Sunday's game.

Zimmer also referred to Robinson as "the other guy" and commented "you can't make the club in a tub" when he was displeased with Robinson's behavior so it's pretty hard to make the argument that Zimmer doesn't have a doghouse and isn't willing to throw players under the bus when it suits his purposes.

[jokin]

Zimmer also referred to Robinson as "the other guy" and commented "you can't make the club in a tub" when he was displeased with Robinson's behavior so it's pretty hard to make the argument that Zimmer doesn't have a doghouse and isn't willing to throw players under the bus when it suits his purposes.

 

He pulled himself from the starting lineup Saturday night, WELL AFTER what would have been game time if not for the rain delay.  But that was an action that he just hasn't earned the right to do, and then he compounded the error by not showing up for a trainer evaluation on time Sunday morning.  It seems to me that any doghouse "treatment" Hicks has gotten from management on this issue was well-deserved (and he responded well in the two subsequent games, so give Gardy credit for getting his message across- perhaps he's opened up a line of communication to Hicks after all).