Article: Can Aaron Hicks Be Fixed?

[jorgenswest]

It may be his last chance to be a regular CF, but he has demonstrated skills that can help a major league team.

 

He can hit left handed pitching. He would be an above average defender on a corner. He is adequate in CF. Some team will give him a role platooning in RF with a guy that doesn't hit left handed pitching well and is limited defensively.

 

His skills play well on a bench. Defensive replacement, pinch hitter against a LOOGY, pinch running and a platoon option on a corner.

 

I would give him two more months to see if he can hit righties well enough to be a regular CF. Meanwhile Rosario is the AAA CF and Buxton is the AA CF. On June 1 if either is dominating while Hicks is struggling, they come up and take over and Hicks slides into a bench role and start him on a corner against lefties.

[tobi0040]

It may be his last chance to be a regular CF, but he has demonstrated skills that can help a major league team.

 

He can hit left handed pitching. He would be an above average defender on a corner. He is adequate in CF. Some team will give him a role platooning in RF with a guy that doesn't hit left handed pitching well and is limited defensively.

 

His skills play well on a bench. Defensive replacement, pinch hitter against a LOOGY, pinch running and a platoon option on a corner.

 

I would give him two more months to see if he can hit righties well enough to be a regular CF. Meanwhile Rosario is the AAA CF and Buxton is the AA CF. On June 1 if either is dominating while Hicks is struggling, they come up and take over and Hicks slides into a bench role and start him on a corner against lefties.

 

That is the plan I would go with.  If he is hitting .220 with no power by June, call a duck a duck and make him a good bench option.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I think this is Aaron Hicks last chance to prove that he can play at the MLB level. I'm of the belief that Torii Hunter was offered considerably way more money to sign here rather than Texas and Hicks is the reason why. If I'm right Hicks is out of options, isn't even the future center or right fielder, and is on his last leg in the organization with his attitude.  If Torii cannot get him turned around, Hicks is done.  Plenty of other options remain for a future left fielder including Rosario, Kepler, Walker II, or even Travis Harrison.  Aaron, it's time to ^&*$ or get off the toilet dude.

Hicks does have one more option I believe.

[stringer bell]

 

Hicks does have one more option I believe.

 For goodness sakes, that option should be used. Turning a first round choice into a right handed Sam Fuld is not really a positive. Let the kid master AAA and come up when he's ready. If Rosario or Buxton is ready first, so be it.

[tobi0040]

 

 For goodness sakes, that option should be used. Turning a first round choice into a right handed Sam Fuld is not really a positive. Let the kid master AAA and come up when he's ready. If Rosario or Buxton is ready first, so be it.

 

I agree with you. That should have been the plan. But the Twins took the let spend $10.5M on Torii to motivate him path.  No way HIcks starts in AAA.

[stringer bell]

I agree with you. That should have been the plan. But the Twins took the let spend $10.5M on Torii to motivate him path.  No way HIcks starts in AAA.

IMHO, if that is the case, they are throwing good money after bad. I've said many times that I still consider Hicks a prospect, but even if he becomes a mid-range outfielder, I don't see much future for him with the Twins. Buxton will start in AA, and other players have made that jump. Buxton is a prospect in a different galaxy than Hicks ever was, so at best Hicks a) builds a little trade value or slides over to a corner where his bat will have to make another quantum leap to be league average.

 

I don't believe Torii Hunter was signed to specifically mentor Aaron Hicks. He may have been acquired to provide an example for young players, but in the end Hicks will have to stand or fall on his own.

[Paul Pleiss]

Things said about Aaron Hicks "that man sure can take a walk."

 

Everything else falls under the "if you can't say something nice, don't say anythign at all" policy.

 

Mahalo for your kokua.

[tobi0040]

IMHO, if that is the case, they are throwing good money after bad. I've said many times that I still consider Hicks a prospect, but even if he becomes a mid-range outfielder, I don't see much future for him with the Twins. Buxton will start in AA, and other players have made that jump. Buxton is a prospect in a different galaxy than Hicks ever was, so at best Hicks a) builds a little trade value or slides over to a corner where his bat will have to make another quantum leap to be league average.

 

I don't believe Torii Hunter was signed to specifically mentor Aaron Hicks. He may have been acquired to provide an example for young players, but in the end Hicks will have to stand or fall on his own.

 

Yeah, I can't argue with any of this.  I don't think that Torii will have much sway in whether or not Buxton, Rosario, or Hicks become good MLB players. But I do believe he is here for these guys and without Hicks, probably would not be here at all.

 

As far as what will happen, the Twins will win more games next year than they have in any of the last four (low bar, I know). But regardless, Torii will get an outsized share of that credit. From the players, media, and coaches alike.

Edited December 27, 2014 by tobi0040

[Twodogs]

Two years ago coming out of ST it seemed like Hicks had good power but once people figured him out he had trouble making contact.  Seemed like that first year he actually put balls out of the park and was hitting solid line drives, (when he hit the ball), last year it didn't look like he could hit the ball out of the infield.  Looking at him pulling away from the pitch in that video of his swing he looks really confused.  Hopefully he can figure it out and put some wood on the ball.  I don't think anyone would question his fielding as much if he hit around .250 with some doubles power and an occasional Hr.  It is pretty much all about his hitting and it seems as though he has been reluctant to accept coaching, at least from the Gardy regime, but Bruno was part of that regime also.  So I hope he comes through and grows out of his funk, but I'm not holding my breath.  I hope he is desperate enough to go and seek out help to better his hitting, but that would mean that he has matured and that is really probably the main question with Hicks.  Maturity.

[tharasix]

I don't believe Torii Hunter was signed to specifically mentor Aaron Hicks. He may have been acquired to provide an example for young players, but in the end Hicks will have to stand or fall on his own.

 

My hope is that Torii has an impact on more than just Hicks.  Arcia springs to mind.  Also, I would hope that Hicks, Rosario and Buxton all audition for the CF job this spring, and the best one sticks.  Make Hunter part of that decision making process if that helps justify the money.  If the Twins are going to pay him to be a mentor, I'd hate to see it spent on Hicks just because he's the eldest of the three prospects.

[Mike Sixel]

Why would you want Hunter to help pick the next CF? Why would you think he's a good GM?

[bird]

We can only guess as to what makes Hicks less responsive to instruction than most of his MLB peers, but I'd bet this trait has haunted him since his childhood and we're just being introduced to it. My guess is that he's overcome it through sheer talent throughout his athletic career. Now that he's at the most elite level and no longer exceptional, it's up to him to change, IMO. There's still hope. I keep thinking about a pampered kid in my son's class-smart, great eye-hand coordination, etc., but he just couldn't be coached and kept out of trouble otherwise. I guess it took a drill sergeant to get through to him, and now he's an elite sniper in our U.S. Marine Corps.  

 

Not really a fitting analogy, but still...