Is Aaron Hicks sensing an opportunity?

[puckstopper1]

I know that Jordan Schafer has not been DLed (or DFAed) yet, but I get the feeling Aaron Hicks is sensing another opportunity on the Twins.  He has another hit for Rochester today, and is now hitting close to .300.  Is it time to give Aaron one more shot with the big club?

[laloesch]

I'd give him another week or two and see if this continues.  If he does then by all means, bring him up and see how he does.  Remember though that he can't hit left handed pitching to save his own life.  

[Mike Sixel]

I don't think for 1 minute he's getting more or less hits based on the MLB roster.......I think he might be getting better at hitting AAA pitching.

[swendel1970]

Unfortunately, I think it's right-handed pitching that he struggles with.

[COtwin]

 

Unfortunately, I think it's right-handed pitching that he struggles with.

 

 

I'd give him another week or two and see if this continues.  If he does then by all means, bring him up and see how he does.  Remember though that he can't hit left handed pitching to save his own life.  

 

 

 

I think you should check his splits and reevaluate your assessments.

 

[gunnarthor]

I think I've given up on Hicks being a fulltime player but I'd be ok with him being the weaker half of a platoon with Arcia in LF and giving him occasional spot starts in center in the longrun.

 

In the short run, I'd probably be ok with him starting in center over Schafer anyway.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I thought Torii was the one with Spidey Sense ?

[Willihammer]

He tripled off a 30 year old career minor leaguer that's sporting a 1:1 K/BB ratio. He should be crushing guys like that.

 

I mean ideally he hits around 1.000 like Arcia did in both of his demotions before they recall him. Its not like Arcia doesn't have a weak side too.

[JB_Iowa]

Getting there:

 

Seth Stohs retweeted

Chris Fee ‏@CJFee  · 8m8 minutes ago 

 

Red Wings Aaron Hicks currently on an 11 game hitting streak. (3-5 today)
Hicks is batting .400 (16/40) w/ 9 runs, 5 RBI's & 7 BB  #MnTwins

[Linus]

Just like all the other scenarios, I give him two months (maybe a little less).  If he continues to hit like this, then you bring him up, put him in center every day for the rest of the season.

 

I would use the same timeframe for evaluating all of these types of decisions.  My hope is that there will be several decisions made at this time that could open a 40 man spot for Lester Olivaros.  While many of our minor leaguers just haven't made a case for a call up, he's really making it hard for the Twins to ignore him.

[puckstopper1]

I agree with most the responses to the post.  Ideally Hicks should get more at bats before being brought back up BUT what are the Twins gaining with having Schafer on the roster?  

 

By the way, here are Hicks splits this year at Rochester:

 

                AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO SB CS  AVE   OBS   SLG     OPS

vs Left -   21  4  7  1  1   1     4    6    0    8    1    0   .333   .481   .619     1.101
vs Right - 45  8 12 3  2   0     8    5    0    7    1    0   .267   .333   .422     .756

 

He had 3 hits today and is now hitting .310 overall.

 

Small sample size, but maybe, just maybe, he is figuring out how to hit righties.

[bird]

 

I don't think for 1 minute he's getting more or less hits based on the MLB roster.......I think he might be getting better at hitting AAA pitching.

 

I for sure agree with the first part, mike....but I wonder if he's getting better BY hitting AAA pitching. One can dream....

 

My guess is they're waiting to hear from the Rochester field staff that Hicks has succeeded at making improvements on every aspect of his game they've called into question, including perhaps some things that won't show up in the box score. I'm rooting for him.

[MileHighTwinsFan]

I have to believe that he will need to sustain this run for about 2 months before they are convinced.  If his splits hold against right handed pitching, I see him up by June 1.   

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I for sure agree with the first part, mike....but I wonder if he's getting better BY hitting AAA pitching. One can dream....

 

My guess is they're waiting to hear from the Rochester field staff that Hicks has succeeded at making improvements on every aspect of his game they've called into question, including perhaps some things that won't show up in the box score. I'm rooting for him.

 

I root for all these guys to succeed, they are people.

 

And, yes, I actually meant to say both "at" and "by".....and yes, he seems to have other things to work on besides hitting.

[Hrbowski]

I don't trust Hicks, he earned his reputation and I don't think he will ever shake it.

[COtwin]

I think Hick's "reputation" was generalized from a few specific incidents.  The whole switch hitting switch gets held against him, but he was under an enormous amount of pressure and was getting repeatedly thrown under the bus by his manager.  That "manager" dropped the ball when he allowed a confused kid to make such a drastic change unilaterally.  In my mind that was akin to a parent admitting they have no control over their kid.  That shows more of a failure on the parents part than the kid.

 

I think that Hick's cares a lot more than he shows, and people see his outward nonchalance and say he can't be coached.  

 

I agree that he has made some really poor choices on and off the field, but in my opinion there have been fewer of them than people think.  We just rehash the same mistakes over and over.

 

 

Just my opinion.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Ideally Hicks should get more at bats before being brought back up BUT what are the Twins gaining with having Schafer on the roster?  

Not having Aaron Hicks on the roster while he sorts out his issues in Rochester.

 

Really, that's the best thing Schafer can or will do in a Twins uniform.