Hicks

[TheLeviathan]

Yeah except strikeout percentage is one of the most important stats. You can't help the team if all you do is strikeout.

You also don't help much if all your "contact" results in weak outs. Hence the value in consulting multiple stats.

[DaveW]

Yeah K% only matters if you are making good contact, fortunately for Hicks, even his outs (and fall balls) are traveling quite a long ways and is making GREAT contact these last couple weeks. He had a couple hits the past couple days that would have been home runs in nearly every other park.

[Mike Sixel]

Good golly, stop the concussion talk already in this thread.

[twinsnorth49]

Yeah, one more concussion related sidebar and either the thread gets locked or we start handing out warning points. This is the 3rd Mod note, please let it go.

 

Thx

[dxpavelka]

 

No where in there did i say he cant play 3B, but Plouffe is an very good defensive 3B, why replace him, unless you trade him, and i have no prob with a trade if we get some value back..............Just remember this is one mans opinion

I didn't say that YOU said he can't play 3B but that seems to be the prevailing opinion among Twins fans.  I agree with you that I want Sano to play in the field but it makes no sense to me to have the guy who might be capable of producing insane offensive numbers being the guy you want to burden with a position switch.  Do whatever you can to make him as comfortable offensively as he can be.  The defense will either come or it won't.  I also agree that Plouffe is very good defensively.  I also think that as a veteran he'd also be very good at the other corner infield or either corner outfield spot.  I would put him in the super utility role that was once envisioned for Michael Cuddyer-5 starts a week rotating between the 2 corner infield & outfield spots and DH.  That also only increases his value both to us and in a possible trade at some point.

[Craig Arko]

Maybe we should ask Hicks to become a catcher?

 

*ducks*

 

[twinsnorth49]

 

Maybe we should ask Hicks to become a catcher?

 

*ducks*

[Siehbiscuit]

Maybe we should ask Hicks to become a catcher?

 

*ducks*[/quote

 

If it makes a reader laugh out loud it can't be wrong, right?

[DaveW]

His at bats last night and so far today have all been great as well. So impressive to see him battle back from 0-2 counts to get a walk and a triple.

 

Dude looks locked in and like the 5 tool player we were hoping for when we drafted him.

[stringer bell]

Yes, he's looking much better. I still have my doubts that he should be considered a candidate for a regular corner outfield role. That said, he's the best center field option the contending Twins have right now (including a healthy Byron Buxton--I don't think he's quite ready) and I hope he continues to play well and hit decently from both sides of the plate.

[jimbo92107]

Hicks still needs to hit more home runs from the left side of the plate. He's barely banging them off the top of the wall.

 

Also, he needs to make the catch on those screaming line drives other teams are hitting to the wall in Left-Center. Buxton makes those catches, before smashing into the wall.

 

His base stealing is okay, but I'd like to see a few steals of third. Ricky Henderson made that look easy, so, it must be easy.

 

Decent bunt today. Can't he bunt for a little more power?

[TheLeviathan]

I gave up on the guy (for damn good reason) but he's looking more more confident and capable at the plate.

 

He actually looks like a major league hitter since he came back up.  I really hope that continues.  

[stringer bell]

 

Hicks still needs to hit more home runs from the left side of the plate. He's barely banging them off the top of the wall.

 

Also, he needs to make the catch on those screaming line drives other teams are hitting to the wall in Left-Center. Buxton makes those catches, before smashing into the wall.

 

His base stealing is okay, but I'd like to see a few steals of third. Ricky Henderson made that look easy, so, it must be easy.

 

Decent bunt today. Can't he bunt for a little more power?

I presume the comments were tongue-in-cheek, but I have wondered it Buxton could have caught a couple of balls the fell for doubles during this series. I have thought that Hicks was better coming in and going laterally than going back on balls, the excellent catch against Parmelee notwithstanding.

 

No question that Hicks has had far better plate appearances since his latest recall. Keep it up Aaron!

[TheLeviathan]

 

I presume the comments were tongue-in-cheek, but I have wondered it Buxton could have caught a couple of balls the fell for doubles during this series. I have thought that Hicks was better coming in and going laterally than going back on balls, the excellent catch against Parmelee notwithstanding.

 

No question that Hicks has had far better plate appearances since his latest recall. Keep it up Aaron!

 

I haven't seen a replay, but from behind home plate today I thought he had a bad route on the Cespedes double.

 

Edit: Yes, definitely a bad route.  But I'm not sure he catches it with a good one either.

[Monkeypaws]

The key to his resurgence imo?

 

He shaved his head - Puck and Hunter excelled out there with the chrome dome, and I knew Hicks would if he only got out the razor.

 

Keep on shavin' Mr. Hicks!

[Siehbiscuit]

Keith Law has always maintained that Hicks' bat wouldn't play in a corner OF spot. While most of us here likely agree, the Royals OF, even last year with Aoki, is only slightly above average in the corners offensively. What makes them elite is their defense. If we the Twins sent out Rosario, Buxton and Hicks and wanted every fly ball caught I could by into this philosophy.

 

Phil Hughes may too. Especially if they can rob a few from the 2nd deck.

[jokin]

 

I haven't seen a replay, but from behind home plate today I thought he had a bad route on the Cespedes double.

 

Edit: Yes, definitely a bad route.  But I'm not sure he catches it with a good one either.

 

Yeesh.  Thanks for that second look. I remember noting that he misjudged the direction of the ball at the time, but that was a terrible route.   But  especially given his typical trepidations around fences, you're right, he doesn't catch it  either way.  

 

(Notwithstanding, he's still a dynamically different player out there relative to the previous 2 seasons, who apparently has directly benefited from stints in AAA.  It's like a curse has been entirely lifted from his body.)

[DaveW]

Keith Law has always maintained that Hicks' bat wouldn't play in a corner OF spot. While most of us here likely agree, the Royals OF, even last year with Aoki, is only slightly above average in the corners offensively. What makes them elite is their defense. If we the Twins sent out Rosario, Buxton and Hicks and wanted every fly ball caught I could by into this philosophy.

 

Phil Hughes may too. Especially if they can rob a few from the 2nd deck.

I think hicks has 20/20 potential, that is more than enough for a corner OF bat (especially one who doesn't K much), add in elite corner OF defense and you have a damn good player, maybe not all star quality every year , but "guy who sticks in the league and has a nice 12 year career with a couple

Gold gloves" type. Hunter with a little less power but a better eye seems like a pretty good potential comp.

 

Guy has taken very very good at bats lately, hopefully something just "clicked" and he never looks back. I mentioned before and believe it more every day; he reminds me of when Hunter finally figured it out at the plate and never looked back.

[DaveW]

I gave up on the guy (for damn good reason) but he's looking more more confident and capable at the plate.

 

He actually looks like a major league hitter since he came back up. I really hope that continues.

I give up on a lot of players (see: Dozier, Perkins), but I always had a hunch that Hicks would figure it out, and yes I will toot my own horn on this one

[Brock Beauchamp]

Hick since the recall:

 

PA: 35

BA: .286

OBP: .400
OPS: 1.043

BB: 6

SO: 3

 

His 2015 OPS is now at .701 (92 OPS+). He's a completely different player than he was just six weeks ago.

[DaveW]

Hick since the recall:

 

PA: 35

BA: .286

OBP: .400

OPS: 1.043

BB: 6

SO: 3

 

His 2015 OPS is now at .701 (92 OPS+). He's a completely different player than he was just six weeks ago.

If he keeps this up another week or two I think you have to seriously consider moving him to lead off.

 

Hicks

Mauer

Sano

dozier

Plouffe

Hunter

Rosario

Suzuki

Santana

[Brock Beauchamp]

I like lefty/righty as much as possible and I like Dozier as the third hitter so I'd do this:

 

Hicks

Mauer

Dozier

Sano

Plouffe

Rosario

Hunter

Suzuki

Whatever, I refuse to even put a name here

 

Arcia would go a long way toward shoring up that righty/righty/righty 3/4/5 part of the lineup. In an ideal situation, he'd hit fifth in the lineup.

[ashbury]

Edit: Yes, definitely a bad route.  But I'm not sure he catches it with a good one either.

"Let's try and keep the 360s to a minimum, OK?"

 

That was only about a 225 to 270.

[TheLeviathan]

"Let's try and keep the 360s to a minimum, OK?"

 

That was only about a 225 to 270.

The spinning is a definite problem. He also takes very flat routes for some reason. Someone needs to sit down and explain what "as the crow flies" means.

[ashbury]

The spinning is a definite problem. He also takes very flat routes for some reason. Someone needs to sit down and explain what "as the crow flies" means.

Problem is there are two crows flying at the same time.

 

It's actually a calculus problem - two rates of change, first second or even third derivatives, and all that. The human eye can be trained to be pretty good at that. But it does require tons of practice, and some eyes are better at it than others.

[spinowner]

 

Problem is there are two crows flying at the same time.

 

It's actually a calculus problem - two rates of change, first second or even third derivatives, and all that. The human eye can be trained to be pretty good at that. But it does require tons of practice, and some eyes are better at it than others.

Three rates of change: velocity of the ball, height of the ball, velocity of the player. And if you really want to be accurate you have to consider spin of the ball and air density because they affect the trajectory as well. It's actually quite amazing that an outfielder's brain can assess all that quickly enough to make a play.

[twinsnorth49]

 

As much as I've dismissed Hicks in the past, I have a soft spot for him due to how the Twins have jerked him around. He does look more confident and assertive now, I still think he's a 4th OF at best but I'd be happy to be wrong.

Pretty pleased about being damn stupid wrong about now.

 

The poise he has at the plate right now is almost hard to believe given what we've seen previously.

[jokin]

 

If he keeps this up another week or two I think you have to seriously consider moving him to lead off.

Hicks
Mauer
Sano
dozier
Plouffe
Hunter
Rosario
Suzuki
Santana

 

I like lefty/righty as much as possible and I like Dozier as the third hitter so I'd do this:

 

Hicks

Mauer

Dozier

Sano

Plouffe

Rosario

Hunter

Suzuki

Whatever, I refuse to even put a name here

 

Arcia would go a long way toward shoring up that righty/righty/righty 3/4/5 part of the lineup. In an ideal situation, he'd hit fifth in the lineup.

 

 

Whoa.... Hold on there.   How soon we forget the disaster-zone that was Hicks first experience at the top of the order.   While I agree that Hicks has made a quantum leap in his development,   he is easily still short two quantums before anyone should seriously consider returning Hicks to a leadoff role.

 

Brock, you've been the biggest proponent of not messing with guys who have established themselves into a comfortably productive niche.   That's where Hicks is currently residing, moving him to the top of the order prematurely might disrupt that delicate balance.   The top of the order is unconventional, but it's working.   If anything, Mauer, with the highest OBP, is also the best at working the count, and would benefit by flipping the two, and  having Dozier hitting right behind Mauer in the order-   just move those two up in your order and leave Hicks down in the lineup for now.

 

I do agree on Arcia though,   another LH power bat is sorely needed, and inserting his bat the middle of the order, particularly against RHSP, is just the ticket to generate some more offense, with a very flinty, mostly L/R/L/R configuration from 1-7 (w/ Arcia playing some in LF, RF and DH):

 

1) Mauer

2) Dozier

3) Sano

4) Arcia/Plouffe

5) Plouffe/Hunter/Arcia

6) Rosario/Arcia/Hunter

7) Hicks

 

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

The poise he has at the plate right now is almost hard to believe given what we've seen previously.

Yes and no. What I see differently with Hicks is he's finally making good contact and that was the final missing piece. Earlier this season, I became more positive about him after he stopped being so passive at the plate. That was encouraging. We knew Hicks had poise and good discipline. What he was missing was authoritative contact and the confidence to swing. In May he started swinging but still lacked contact. Now it appears he's finally getting the contact part of the puzzle.

 

Hopefully he can adjust as pitchers develop new approaches against him so the contact element remains strong. That's the key piece we didn't see earlier in the season.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Whoa.... Hold on there. How soon we forget the disaster-zone that was Hicks first experience at the top of the order. While I agree that Hicks has made a quantum leap in his development, he is easily still short two quantums before anyone should seriously consider returning Hicks to a leadoff role.

 

Brock, you've been the biggest proponent of not messing with guys who have established themselves into a comfortably productive niche. That's where Hicks is currently residing, moving him to the top of the order prematurely might disrupt that delicate balance. The top of the order is unconventional, but it's working. If anything, Mauer, with the highest OBP, is also the best at working the count, and would benefit by flipping the two, and having Dozier hitting right behind Mauer in the order- just move those two up in your order and leave Hicks down in the lineup for now.

 

I do agree on Arcia though, another LH power bat is sorely needed, and inserting his bat the middle of the order, particularly against RHSP, is just the ticket to generate some more offense, with a very flinty, mostly L/R/L/R configuration from 1-7 (w/ Arcia playing some in LF, RF and DH):

 

1) Mauer

2) Dozier

3) Sano

4) Arcia/Plouffe

5) Plouffe/Hunter/Arcia

6) Rosario/Arcia/Hunter

7) Hicks

To be clear, I'm not in a rush to mess with Aaron Hicks. I should have qualified that post with "If Hicks keeps hitting for a month or more..."

 

Right now, I'd make no change. I was thinking down the stretch but didn't clarify that statement.