Is it time to call up Hicks?

[KirbyHawk75]

I just think he has nothing to prove in the minors and he is a step up from both Robinson and Schafer.  I really think it is time to get rid of those two and Nunez and call up Hicks, Rosario, and Pinto.  

[Mike Sixel]

If you think Hicks is a 4th OF, then yes. If you think he still has a shot to be a legit starter on a nightly basis, I think they need to give Hicks more time to get better in AAA. Rosario should probably also be in AAA, imo, polishing his approach, but I am more of a believer in him than Hicks long term. Yes, Pinto should be up, imo. There is a whole thread on that.

[Oxtung]

 

I just think he has nothing to prove in the minors and he is a step up from both Robinson and Schafer.  I really think it is time to get rid of those two and Nunez and call up Hicks, Rosario, and Pinto.  

He has taken all of 30 AB's against RH pitching this year.  That is hardly a sample large enough to claim his issues are solved.  

[nytwinsfan]

Nope, give him some more time. He's been rushed time and time again. Plus Robinson is playing fine for now, and it makes no sense for Hicks to replace Schafer (leaving two CFs that hit better against lefties). 

[Dantes929]

I know I beat a dead horse with this but he is tearing it up as a right handed batter vs left handed pitcher with a 1.090 OPS in 10 games.    .713 as a left handed hitter in 12 games.  Not horrible but doesn't he need to bat better than .267 as a minor leaguer from that side?    

[Brock Beauchamp]

Let Hicks build confidence in Rochester. We've been through this dog and pony show too many times to call him up after a handful of games.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Nope, give him some more time. He's been rushed time and time again. Plus Robinson is playing fine for now, and it makes no sense for Hicks to replace Schafer (leaving two CFs that hit better against lefties). 

Agreed on not rushing Hicks, but Robinson does not hit better against lefties, despite being a RHB.  Career .589 OPS vs LHP, .651 vs RHP.  His recent minor league splits are similar too.  (Not that he's a desirable offensive platoon option against either...)

[Otto von Ballpark]

I totally get that it is past time to bench Jordan Schafer, which sadly was fairly easy to predict.  And Shane Robinson isn't a promising alternative.  But it's also time to accept that this team is perpetually under- or just un-prepared in the outfield and we can't let that affect our handling of Hicks anymore.

 

It's early and he still has plenty of warts, but Colby Rasmus has a 130 OPS+ this year, and has even shifted to LF with the spring emergence of Marisnick in Houston.  Chris Young has hit quite well for the Yankees too since being acquired and re-signed around the same time as Schafer.  Recent Twins property Sam Fuld has a 148 OPS+ for Oakland as well.  But I am sure someone will chime in how Schafer/Robinson was a better investment this year, just as Hicks/Mastroianni/Thomas/Bartlett were the best options the past two years...

[70charger]

 

I totally get that it is past time to bench Jordan Schafer, which sadly was fairly easy to predict.  And Shane Robinson isn't a promising alternative.  But it's also time to accept that this team is perpetually under- or just un-prepared in the outfield and we can't let that affect our handling of Hicks anymore.

 

It's early and he still has plenty of warts, but Colby Rasmus has a 130 OPS+ this year, and has even shifted to LF with the spring emergence of Marisnick in Houston.  Chris Young has hit quite well for the Yankees too since being acquired and re-signed around the same time as Schafer.  Recent Twins property Sam Fuld has a 148 OPS+ for Oakland as well.  But I am sure someone will chime in how Schafer/Robinson was a better investment this year, just as Hicks/Mastroianni/Thomas/Bartlett were the best options the past two years...

 

That's just crying over spilled milk though, isn't it? I get it. I accept that 2/3 of our outfield shouldn't be playing, and the other 1/3 is a defensive liability that we keep around for his bat. But we can't go get Rasmus. We traded Fuld for a starting pitcher, and 95% of the people on this board were thrilled at that trade (not to mention that a 148 OPS+ will absolutely not last). I guess I don't get the point of this post unless the point is to complain.

 

But that's not why we're talking about whether to bring up Hicks or not. Is it?

[mickeymental]

would buxton be up if he was in the cubs org?

[Brock Beauchamp]

would buxton be up if he was in the cubs org?

Absolutely not.

[Brandon]

_{I'm fine with our current place holders for now. Robinson is out producing expectations at this point Schaeffer is horrible but the season is early.  see if Brunanski can help him fix the problem.  Santana is turning it around the last few days.  Besides we're looking at Schaeffer as a future 4th/ 5th OF for this team so he does have future value just not as a starter.  unless he gets on base at.340 OBP and steals bases.} 

 

_{I am more shocked that Pelfry and Millone are our 2 best starting pitcher right now.  Let that sink in for a minute...}

 

 

[spinowner]

Buxton (and Sano) should not even be mentioned for call-ups. They are both only 21 years old and coming off a 2014 of little or no baseball because of injuries. They need AT LEAST a few months in AA.

Getting back on topic, I'd love to see Hicks do well enough in the minors to earn a call-up. If he can just hit .250 or so his defense and cannon arm make him a net plus either in center or right.

Dream lineup for opening day 2017 if everything goes well: Buxton-8, Santana-6, Sano-5, Vargas-DH, Arcia-7, Pinto-2, Mauer-3, Dozier-4, Hicks-9. Bench: Suzuki, Escobar, Rosario and ?.

[ericchri]

To be honest, I think I'd be pretty tempted to bring up Rosario, not because I think he's proved he's ready, but because it'll give him a taste of what the bigs are like before going back down in a month when Hicks should be ready.  I'm in favor of Hicks really getting more time to figure out his lefty stroke in AAA.  I would expect Rosario to really struggle and have to go down again fairly soon, but I think the experience would still be valuable.

 

I haven't been watching, but I suspect Rosario can't be much worse than Schaefer and Robinson, and he'll get that first bit of experience he'll need.  He's already been optioned for the year, so bring him up and let him sink or swim for a month.  Worst case, you need to send him down for Hicks.  Best case, he looks like he can stick.  Additional positive, watching somebody who at least gives hope for the future.

[stringer bell]

If the Twins are going to replace Schafer, the answer, I believe, is Eddie Rosario.  It is apparent to me that Hicks needs to master AAA, and 50 PAs is not mastering the level.  Rosario is stronger against RH pitching.  The sample size is too small yet to say with certainty if either guy is going to master AAA at this point.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

That's just crying over spilled milk though, isn't it? I get it. I accept that 2/3 of our outfield shouldn't be playing, and the other 1/3 is a defensive liability that we keep around for his bat. But we can't go get Rasmus. We traded Fuld for a starting pitcher, and 95% of the people on this board were thrilled at that trade (not to mention that a 148 OPS+ will absolutely not last). I guess I don't get the point of this post unless the point is to complain.

 

But that's not why we're talking about whether to bring up Hicks or not. Is it?

Well, we probably wouldn't be talking about whether to bring up Hicks or not right now if we had a better Plan A than Schafer/Robinson.  Schafer and Robinson's names are in the first sentence of this thread, for Pete Redfern's sake.

 

I didn't mean to harp on it, but this is the third year in a row where we're discussing promoting Hicks based primarily on factors other than the merits of Hicks' own performance.  The primary factor being the absence or predictable quick failure of CF alternatives.  It's hard not to comment on that without complaint.

[TheLeviathan]

We should just keep copying and pasting this about Hicks until it isn't true:

 

I didn't mean to harp on it, but this is the third year in a row where we're discussing promoting Hicks based primarily on factors other than the merits of Hicks' own performance.

 

 

Let Hicks earn his way to the big leagues for the first time.   Let's stop handing it to him and then feigning shock at his subsequent failure.

[jimmer]

Has Schaefer or Robinson earned the CF job, or any job really?  Why does Hicks have to earn it when the players playing there now didn't have to? Between those three, who has a chance to be part of the future?

 

 

In any event, IMO, let's have this be his make or break season. Bring him up and just play him.  If he can be good enough, maybe he's a 4th OF  when Rosario and Buxton are up, if not, we know and move on.

[Cap'n Piranha]

Bring him up right now, as long as he is playing every day (even if he's not performing).  It gives him access to our best hitting coach, and will help us to determine if he can at least hold his own in the Bigs.  I'm not big on the whole "make him prove it in AAA" rationale; He'll turn 26 in May, so he's no longer really a prospect.  Even if he does succeed in AAA, that's not a guarantee he'll succeed in MLB, so let's just cut out the middle man, and get the only answer that really matters now.

 

Plus we can jettison Schafer, so that's a good thing too.

[brvama]

The reason Hicks needs to prove himself IS because he has a future here, the other two don't. It's important to get him straightened around, if he can be. Why put him in the same situation as before when he failed, twice. Now if he can't master AAA then we know. I'm sure that by Jun or July he either is here or likely on his way out.

[jimmer]

He's on his 8th season in the minors.  By now, the way we find out if he can do it in the majors is to play him in the majors.  Sink or swim.

[70charger]

 

Well, we probably wouldn't be talking about whether to bring up Hicks or not right now if we had a better Plan A than Schafer/Robinson.  Schafer and Robinson's names are in the first sentence of this thread, for Pete Redfern's sake.

 

I didn't mean to harp on it, but this is the third year in a row where we're discussing promoting Hicks based primarily on factors other than the merits of Hicks' own performance.  The primary factor being the absence or predictable quick failure of CF alternatives.  It's hard not to comment on that without complaint.

 

Again, I get it. I even agree. I'm just sort of suggesting that if there are complaints about the front office, then perhaps they belong in the threads about the front office (that I don't read). If I want to discuss Hicks, I go to Hicks threads. That's about it.

[jimmer]

 

would buxton be up if he was in the cubs org?

Kris Bryant had to play CF today.

[stringer bell]

 

Has Schaefer or Robinson earned the CF job, or any job really?  Why does Hicks have to earn it when the players playing there now didn't have to? Between those three, who has a chance to be part of the future?

 

 

In any event, IMO, let's have this be his make or break season. Bring him up and just play him.  If he can be good enough, maybe he's a 4th OF  when Rosario and Buxton are up, if not, we know and move on.

Compared to Hicks, Schafer earned center field last year.  Prior to an injury, he had a good month and a half at the plate, was satisfactory in the field (mostly in left) and was a force on the base paths.  It isn't a long duration and he has a history that would suggest he wouldn't sustain his good performance.  I have said it before--Schafer's short stint with the Twins showed more than Hicks has at the major league level in a bit more than a full year.  I think Hicks forfeited any inside track with his performance in 2013-14 and should not have been considered an incumbent.  He hasn't done enough to earn another shot at the big league level.  

[jokin]

 

Has Schaefer or Robinson earned the CF job, or any job really?  Why does Hicks have to earn it when the players playing there now didn't have to? Between those three, who has a chance to be part of the future?

 

 

In any event, IMO, let's have this be his make or break season. Bring him up and just play him.  If he can be good enough, maybe he's a 4th OF  when Rosario and Buxton are up, if not, we know and move on.

 

Ahh, but since most of us presumably agree that Hicks is the only one of the three who has a chance to be part of the future, the only remaining question is this:  

 

What is the best prescription that gives him that chance?

 

"Make or break season?"  The guy has already shown that being forced up to the major leagues over two seasons when he clearly wasn't ready has resulted in a crisis of confidence.    Given that Hicks has never even mastered AAA, there's a strong case to be made that the Twins are correct (finally!) and perhaps can still salvage Hicks' major league career  in having him take a step back-  perhaps some success at that level will lead to an increase in confidence, which in turn leads to better enough play, both in the field and at the plate, that he'll be better prepared for his next call-up.  ***

 

 

***  This doesn't mean I would exonerate the Twins if this proves to be the proper course of action in the handling of Hicks, their personnel decisions in the OF over the last 3 seasons, particularly CF, would have meant certain FO pink slips in many other organizations.

 

 

[jimmer]

 

Compared to Hicks, Schafer earned center field last year.  Prior to an injury, he had a good month and a half at the plate, was satisfactory in the field (mostly in left) and was a force on the base paths.  It isn't a long duration and he has a history that would suggest he wouldn't sustain his good performance.  I have said it before--Schafer's short stint with the Twins showed more than Hicks has at the major league level in a bit more than a full year.  I think Hicks forfeited any inside track with his performance in 2013-14 and should not have been considered an incumbent.  He hasn't done enough to earn another shot at the big league level.  

Then enough time has been wasted on him and we should cut bait.  8 years for a 1st round pick and he's not good enough to start on this team right now, with the state of our OF?  Jettison him.  Rosario, Buxton and Arcia are likely the OF for the foreseeable future anyway.

[Squirrel]

 

We should just keep copying and pasting this about Hicks until it isn't true:

 

 

Let Hicks earn his way to the big leagues for the first time.   Let's stop handing it to him and then feigning shock at his subsequent failure.

Well, there is that old saying ... third time's a charm!

[jokin]

 

Then enough time has been wasted on him and we should cut bait.  8 years for a 1st round pick and he's not good enough to start on this team right now, with the state of our OF?  Jettison him.  Rosario, Buxton and Arcia are likely the OF for the foreseeable future anyway.

 

I mostly agree with this, I think the Twins are pursuing salvage mode with Hicks.  It would be nice if they could make lemonade out of a lemon.  JD Martinez was only a 20th round pick, was up and down with the Astros, and then at age 26, was unwanted by the worst team in baseball and also by practically every other team that passed on him, as well, all except the Tigers (including the Twins), before he finally got his career on track.  That's not to say I predict that Hicks will ever turn it around in similar fashion, just that he's still only 25 and has more skills in his tool box than Martinez.

[jorgenswest]

The next time they bring him up has to be for good. Give him at least 100 PAs in AAA and then assess.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Well, there is that old saying ... third time's a charm!

 

I actually agree!  That's why I want the third time to be when he's ready and we haven't seen enough time in AAA to assess if he's fixed the issues against right handers.  

 

I don't want to give up on Hicks yet and a call up now feels like exactly that.  I don't believe in messing with prospect development because of botched "plans" with the big league roster.  If the CF situation is a mess and Hicks isn't ready - fix it some other way.  Rushing Hicks (again!) is only compounding the problem.