Aaron Hicks Called Up

[h2oface]

Great. Time to make all the doomsayers eat their words. All future and no past. Now is all there is.

Great call Nick Nelson. 

[stringer bell]

I have written more about the pluses and minuses of Aaron Hicks (mostly the minuses) in the past six months than any other player.  I wrote that he didn't deserve to be considered the incumbent based on his major league work.  I think I was absolutely right.  I've also written that Jordan Schafer did more in his short stay with the Twins in 2014 than Hicks did in his two years with the Twins. 

 

I think it was good and right for Hicks to go to AAA and earn a promotion and the numbers say that he did just that.  Best wishes to him on his return to the big leagues.  I hope he continues to "earn it".

 

As far as Schafer goes, he was a good story last year.  Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to continue his success from last year to this year.  He has hit an empty .217.  I have read the reports that he hasn't been 100% healthy and I actually believe them, but his chances of getting even a platoon role with the Twins or somewhere else whould be close to zero.  I expect that the Twins will disable Schafer and then send him to AAA for rehab for the maximum amount of time, just in case they will need Schafer.

 

The outfield is unsettled, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  The guy with the most defined role going forward--Shane Robinson.

[goulik]

Hicks, Hunter, Rosario in the outfield sounds good. So do Arcia and Hunter take turns at DH and Vargas get sent down for more seasoning when someone comes off the DL?

[Rosterman]

Interesting. Especially to see what happens when Arcia returns. (Would Arcia go to Rochester to rehab at some point). Of course, it is all up to Hicks to play to stay. If the Twins can DL Schafer, they will. Better than losing him, although probably don;t see anyone grabbing him.

[twinsnorth49]

I'm happy for Hicks, I think he's been royally jacked by this team the past two years. They ram rodded him through the system instead of finding a CF to bridge the gap after trading away Span and Revere.

 

Hicks past failure was largely at the feet of Ryan, at least now he is in a position to succeed or fail on his own, if he is indeed "ready".

[kab21]

Hicks being called up really doesn't affect Arcia at all.  If Hicks sticks then he will the CF (at least until Buxton comes up).  The Arcia, Rosario and Hunter (also Vargas) situation is exactly the same as it was before.  Of course the Rosario promotion was called temporary when he was called up and he hasn't really changed anything about that yet.  He hasn't been bad but neither has he been great.  He shouldn't be demoted now but when Arcia returns he likely will unless another injury comes up.

[mudcat14]

Does Hicks go right onto the #1 slot in the order like he was at Rochester?  I'd like to see him hit 7th or 8th at first, just to get re-acclimated.  Gotta admit, it kills me to see Suzuki in the heart of the order though.   I'd much rather see Hunter, Plouffe & Vargas at 4,5,6 in some order.  Obviously we're stuck with Mauer at #3, no matter what.

[Secondary User]

 

I'm happy for Hicks, I think he's been royally jacked by this team the past two years. They ram rodded him through the system instead of finding a CF to bridge the gap after trading away Span and Revere.

Hicks past failure was largely at the feet of Ryan, at least now he is in a position to succeed or fail on his own, if he is indeed "ready".

 

He got called up after a very good season at AA at the age of 23 after 4 full seasons (if you count the year he was drafted and his injury shortened year as one season) in the minors.  I wouldn't exactly call that ramroded.  The guy performed well throughout the minors and got promoted as such.  If he hadn't gotten called up, people would have just complained that they don't promote their players.  They're damned if they do and damned if they don't

[curt1965]

I'm excited for Hicks! I hope if he has a slow start, fans will cut him a little slack. Hope the kid has some success, though.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Or Schafer to the DL ... but really ... why bother with that ... I guess released.

 

The reason to DL him rather than release him is that you don't lose a player. Anything can happen in those 15 days. Someone else gets hurt in the OF, etc. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Nice story in the Rochester newspaper:

 

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/baseball/minors/2015/05/11/twins-finally-give-call-aaron-hicks/27157091/

 

That leg kick timing mechanism must be awesome. If I remember correctly, Hunter had something to do with that.

I have not heard Hunter connected with Hicks' leg kick. This suggests it was Hicks himself, with some help from Bruno:

 

http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_27771621/twins-aaron-hicks-getting-tips-from-good-sources

[Seth Stohs]

 

As a Hicks hater, I will be looking for every little mistake.  I hope I am wrong, but Hick's attitude and effort will again doom him to failure. 

 

Sounds fair... That's the attitude! 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Does Hicks go right onto the #1 slot in the order like he was at Rochester?

I hope not!

[JB_Iowa]

I have not heard Hunter connected with Hicks' leg kick. This suggests it was Hicks himself, with some help from Bruno:http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_27771621/twins-aaron-hicks-getting-tips-from-good-sources

Thanks. I got to thinking about that after I wrote it.

[HitInAPinch]

 

I bet Schaefer to DL or DFA.  Robinson has been solid and can be fourth outfielder.  The real question is what happens when Oswaldo is ready.   

Rehab assignment??  Arcia seems to need a little, ahem,  "attention grabber"   

[HitInAPinch]

 

It shouldn't be do or die.

He has already shown the ability to be a valuable platoon/4th OF. It takes two to platoon and even the short side of the platoon saw 56 starts against lefties last year.

It could be everyday regular or platoon 4th OF.

4th outfielders aren't all that valuable.  They really just need to be a little bit less than hideous to survive.

[Otto von Ballpark]

He got called up after a very good season at AA at the age of 23 after 4 full seasons (if you count the year he was drafted and his injury shortened year as one season) in the minors. I wouldn't exactly call that ramroded. The guy performed well throughout the minors and got promoted as such. If he hadn't gotten called up, people would have just complained that they don't promote their players. They're damned if they do and damned if they don't

The "ramrodding' wasn't the speed at which he was promoted, it was skipping a level. Hicks had alternated average and above average seasons with the bat at that point in his career -- exactly the profile you don't want to skip AAA and be your opening day CF and leadoff hitter.

 

If that was in the cards at all, he should have tasted AAA and perhaps even MLB in 2012. All around, a rare development misstep by TR.

[Otto von Ballpark]

4th outfielders aren't all that valuable. They really just need to be a little bit less than hideous to survive.

A 4th outfielder who hits LHP and plays a solid CF (plus is fairly young and cheap and team-controlled) is reasonably valuable. Of course, we still have to see if Hicks 2.0 can do those things...

[Jerr]

All I got to add is YAAAAAAAAAAA             

[twinsnorth49]

He got called up after a very good season at AA at the age of 23 after 4 full seasons (if you count the year he was drafted and his injury shortened year as one season) in the minors. I wouldn't exactly call that ramroded. The guy performed well throughout the minors and got promoted as such. If he hadn't gotten called up, people would have just complained that they don't promote their players. They're damned if they do and damned if they don't

Hicks should have and would have spent time in AAA (like he is now) had Ryan put any semblance of a back up plan together in CF in 2013. The fact they did it again without any reason the following year is even more inexplicable. The Twins ultimately got Sam Fuld to save Hicks from himself, how hard could that have been at the very beginning?

[HitInAPinch]

I really, really like the way the Twins managed Hicks this time.  And I believe this is the direct impact of Paul Molitor.  He set the tone in Spring Training and it continued in the Minors. 

 

Hicks' year started poorly in AAA.  A week or 2 later, he started hitting and everyone [large percentage of which were TD posters] were saying "Bring him up NOW!".  And the Twins waited.  Still working on the leg-kick suggestion from Brunansky, Hicks started warming up, hitting better as the weeks progressed.  Then came the big offensive explosion and Schaefer got hurt.  Twins call up Eddie Rosario, the former 2nd baseman with much lessor stats than Hicks.  However, as has been reported, the kind of player Molitor likes.  A guy who keeps focused in the game.

 

Message sent and received. 

[Boom Boom]

I hope I'm wrong, but the TwinsCynic in me is seeing Rosario sent down to accomodate Hicks.

[Mike Sixel]

I think this is the right move.

[TKGuy]

 

Knowing the Twins, it'll be Schafer to the DL, citing one of his recent injuries.

I still like Schafer as a 4th OF, but we already have one in Robinson.

Anyways, it's do or die time for Aaron Hicks. Let's hope this month in AAA was not a mirage.

I actually like Robinson better as the 4th OF, right handed bat who has thrown some runners out at the plate.  I don't see the point of Schafer anymore

[spinowner]

 

I'm happy for Hicks, I think he's been royally jacked by this team the past two years. They ram rodded him through the system instead of finding a CF to bridge the gap after trading away Span and Revere.

Hicks past failure was largely at the feet of Ryan, at least now he is in a position to succeed or fail on his own, if he is indeed "ready".

I agree, to the point where I clicked Like. Even so, hindsight is 20/20 and going into the 2013 season it looked to a lot of people like Hicks was worthy of a shot.

[tobi0040]

 

I actually like Robinson better as the 4th OF, right handed bat who has thrown some runners out at the plate.  I don't see the point of Schafer anymore

 

I hope it is Schafer too, with Buxton going to AAA to take Hicks spot.

[spinowner]

 

The reason to DL him rather than release him is that you don't lose a player. Anything can happen in those 15 days. Someone else gets hurt in the OF, etc. 

DL him if possible, but I agree with most of us that Schafer is the one to be taken off the 25-man. His main problem in the majors has been that it's against the rules to steal first base.

[Dman]

I am happy for HIcks and hope the timing is right and he stays up for good.  I really think that if he improves from the left side then he can be good enough to stick and get better.  I still think he can be a very valuable player for the Twins.  Better than a 4th outfielder even when Buxton comes up.

[twinsnorth49]

I agree, to the point where I clicked Like. Even so, hindsight is 20/20 and going into the 2013 season it looked to a lot of people like Hicks was worthy of a shot.

At some point in 2013 you're probably right, I just think even in hindsight it made more sense to follow the approach they took this year. Hicks should have started the year in AAA and been called up based on his play.

 

I'm a TR fan overall, I don't have much issue with where he has brought the team, I didn't even have a problem when he traded both Span and Revere considering the return. But to this day I'm still perplexed at how he put all his eggs in the Aaron Hicks basket that year and even worse, the next.

[Brock Beauchamp]

2013 didn't bother me much, to be honest. What really grated on me was repeating the mistake in 2014.