Hicks for Murphy trade: 14 months later

[Doomtints]

 

Hicks is a plus plus defender, has 20-25 hr pop potentially and has speed as well. Grossman is a disaster in the OF and is a DH type. Grossman needs to have a .780+ ops to be worthwhile as a DH. Hicks needs a .720 OPS to be a nice asset to his team, and a .780 ops makes him a 3-4 WAR player with his D and speed.

 

- You're completely making it up that Hicks can hit 20 HR. The most he ever hit in a season was 14 -- and that was in AA.

- It doesn't matter if he can steal if he can't get on base.

- His defense was the best the Twins had available for a couple of years. Note this is a different statement from him being an outstanding defender. His numbers actually look close to Rosario's numbers, and there are a lot of people who complain about Rosario's defense.

- Hicks's switch hitting is a joke. He can't hit *righties*. How he has been able to survive in the league even this long with this flaw is amazing.

- He is nearing 28. It's time to stop talking about his potential and start talking about who he is. The decline for most players starts at 28, you know.

[DaveW]

The decline for most players absolutely does not start at 28, at least in baseball. Also he is only 27, 6 more months til 28 lololol.

 

27-30 is when POWER begins to peak, thus the 20 HR pop (already has 3 in 22 at bats fwiw)

[Brock Beauchamp]

Well he has walked 9 times. Was he supposed to swing at a bunch of ****ty pitches?

And that might be worth noting if Hicks didn't have a long and storied history of being so passive that it becomes a detriment to his offense.

 

Maybe Hicks breaks out this season. He certainly has the talent to do it but I'm going to need more than 31 PAs with ludicrous peripherals (30% swing rate, 37.5% HR/FB rate) before I become a believer of Aaron Hicks, offensive juggernaut.

[DaveW]

Also anybody complaining about Rosario's defense from a corner OF can't be taken seriously. Or has never seen what most teams roll out in LF/RF lolol

[DaveW]

And that might be worth noting if Hicks didn't have a long and storied history of being so passive that it becomes a detriment to his offense.

 

Maybe Hicks breaks out this season. He certainly has the talent to do it but I'm going to need more than 31 PAs with ludicrous peripherals (30% swing rate, 37.5% HR/FB rate) before I become a believer of Aaron Hicks, offensive juggernaut.

What about Aaron Hicks: 98 ops+ 2015, 102 ops+ second half of 2016?

 

While playing great D and providing nice speed.

 

What has Murphy done again? Ever?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

What about Aaron Hicks: 98 ops+ 2015, 102 ops+ second half of 2016?

While playing great D and providing nice speed.

What has Murphy done again? Ever?

Stop moving the goalposts, Dave. I've barely talked about Murphy and just criticized the front office over him a few posts ago.

 

And Hicks started only 41 games in the second half of last season, posting a .668 OPS in the process.

 

Unless I'm seriously misreading B-Ref's site, that's nowhere near a 102 OPS+. Their league split OPS+ has him at 88 for the second half.

[DaveW]

July 1st on. The real 2nd half.

[DaveW]

Meanwhile nobody taking my bet that Hicks will get a .740 overall or higher OPS at end of year.

 

Lot of talk, no action. Hmmmm

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

July 1st on. The real 2nd half.

That only makes him look worse. He posted a .662 OPS from July onward.

[DaveW]

That only makes him look worse. He posted a .662 OPS from July onward.

#fakenews

 

Check against LHP lolol

[Brock Beauchamp]

#fakenews

 

Check against LHP lolol

Hahahah, fair enough.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Meanwhile nobody taking my bet that Hicks will get a .740 overall or higher OPS at end of year.

Lot of talk, no action. Hmmmm

 

Internet bets are stupid.  It's phony machismo.  As it was last year when you pimped how amazing Hicks would be too.  How'd that work out for you?

 

Hicks will settle back in around 600-650 OPS and be lucky to do it with a BA that cracks .230.  That's who he's been.  That's who he'll always be.  He can't hit.

[DaveW]

Internet bets are stupid. It's phony machismo. As it was last year when you pimped how amazing Hicks would be too. How'd that work out for you?

 

Hicks will settle back in around 600-650 OPS and be lucky to do it with a BA that cracks .230. That's who he's been. That's who he'll always be. He can't hit.

So you won't bet me for a pair of Twins tickets?

 

Got it.

 

Lot of absolutes being spoken by someone who won't make a friendly wager with a guy he has known for 10+ years.

 

Hicks will have a .740 ops or higher, if not I will donate a pair of Twins tickets to charity in your name.

[glunn]

Moderator note - please tone down the personal swipes.

 

Also, an observation. Some people seem almost certain that Hicks will never become a good hitter and others seem very confident that he will. That's fine, but a little more humility on both sides would go a long way towards making this debate more civil.

[TheLeviathan]

We've heard this before based on a small sample size.  He finished with a .619 OPS.  

 

Hicks simply has a long track record of being unable to hit the ball consistently.  One week doesn't change that.

[DaveW]

We've heard this before based on a small sample size. He finished with a .619 OPS.

 

Hicks simply has a long track record of being unable to hit the ball consistently. One week doesn't change that.

Well if it continues a pair of tickets will get donated in your name

 

Don't count on it though hicks is for real.

[snepp]

 

Don't count on it though hicks is for real.

 

Book it?

[kab21]

 

#fakenews

Check against LHP lolol

How many times does this need to be split in order to make him into a league average hitter?

[glunn]

 

Lot of absolutes being spoken by someone who won't make a friendly wager with a guy he has known for 10+ years.

Hicks will have a .740 ops or higher, if not I will donate a pair of Twins tickets to charity in your name.

I have no absolutes, but this seems like a fair wager.

 

I will accept your wager if you are willing to change the stakes to dinner at Bedford and Burns the next time you are in Los Angeles after the season ends.

[DaveW]

I have no absolutes, but this seems like a fair wager.

 

I will accept your wager if you are willing to change the stakes to dinner at Bedford and Burns the next time you are in Los Angeles after the season ends.

Done

[TheLeviathan]

 

Well if it continues a pair of tickets will get donated in your name

Don't count on it though hicks is for real.

 

Please donate it to "The Foundation for people who have clearly had their account hacked by Aaron Hicks or are just plain out of their minds"

 

It's a noble cause, it'll probably hit close to home.  

[DaveW]

#makeAaronGreatAgain

[Intramural Legend]

 

#makeAaronGreatAgain

 

Again?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Again?

How soon we forget his 3 HR spring training game!

 

You of all people should remember spring training heroics, Intramural Legend!

[TheLeviathan]

 

Again?

 

I assumed he meant Aaron Paul, who has had a lackluster follow up to Breaking Bad.

 

[Intramural Legend]

 

How soon we forget his 3 HR spring training game!

You of all people should remember spring training heroics, Intramural Legend!

Touche! I'm back on the Hicks bandwagon!

[Doomtints]

Hicks' batting average has dropped 50 points and his OPS dropped 200 points since the time this conversation started.

 

We just have to wait 2-3 more days and we'll be back to the Hicks we all know and love.

 

Nothing to see here.

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

I'm not totally sure about this. I think Hicks is better than or at least has the tools to be better than Rosario, Arcia and Santana. 

You surprise me Brandon.

 

Hicks has generated 2.4 WAR in his career. (this is his 5th year)

Rosario has generated 3.0 WAR in his career. (this is his 3rd year)

 

Maybe Hicks has tools that the others don't have, but I find it very hard to believe that at the end of their careers Rosario won't have much better numbers than Hicks.

[gunnarthor]

 

You surprise me Brandon.

 

Hicks has generated 2.4 WAR in his career. (this is his 5th year)

Rosario has generated 3.0 WAR in his career. (this is his 3rd year)

 

Maybe Hicks has tools that the others don't have, but I find it very hard to believe that at the end of their careers Rosario won't have much better numbers than Hicks.

Agreed.  Rosario is a much better player.

[glunn]

 

Done

Please keep in mind that I will arrive hungry.