Aaron Hicks: Best Defensive CF?

[RedBull34]

Aaron Hicks led the league in Remote Plays made for a CF last year with 4 (out of 6, percentage of 66, which he is also the league leader in). Kids got an amazing range!

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=200&type=3&season=2013&month=0&season1=2013&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=7,d

[Badsmerf]

We've had this discussion before. Revere is better in every way with the exception of arm strength.

[Riverbrian]

Hicks is great... I don't want to downplay is skill at all. But yeah... Revere was as good as I've seen in quite sometime. Not counting arm of course.

 

Hicks has every tool. Once he decides he is a defensive superstar... He will be. If Buxton is supposed to better than Hicks... OMG... The OF D in the future is going to be worth the price of admission.

[cmathewson]

Revere is quicker. Revere would beat Hicks in a 40-yard dash. Hicks would catch up at 50 yards or so. I've seen Revere get some awful jumps on balls and make "spectacular" plays simply by outrunning the ball. Hicks doesn't have that kind of acceleration. If he gets a bad jump on a ball, he usually doesn't get to it. So, he has to get a good jump. And my eyes say he gets better jumps than Revere overall. Neither is as consistent in his jumps as Span or Hunter.

[Steve Lein]

I agree. Revere has the "quickness," but at the top end Hicks would overtake him.

 

I never liked the routes Revere took, but he was quick enough to make up for most of them.

 

Hicks has the better instincts in that regard, I would say, but in any case they're both awesome.

[RedBull34]

Revere is quicker. Revere would beat Hicks in a 40-yard dash. Hicks would catch up at 50 yards or so. I've seen Revere get some awful jumps on balls and make "spectacular" plays simply by outrunning the ball. Hicks doesn't have that kind of acceleration. If he gets a bad jump on a ball, he usually doesn't get to it. So, he has to get a good jump. And my eyes say he gets better jumps than Revere overall. Neither is as consistent in his jumps as Span or Hunter.

 

You are absolutely correct and the numbers completely back you up, I was mostly referring to Hicks ability to get to the difficult play. He may be the best at that!

[B Richard]

Numbers be damned! I see what I see!

[jokin]

Aaron Hicks led the league in Remote Plays made for a CF last year with 4 (out of 6, percentage of 66, which he is also the league leader in). Kids got an amazing range!

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=200&type=3&season=2013&month=0&season1=2013&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=7,d

 

Probably nothing, but Hicks was scratched from today's lineup due to "elbow soreness"- isn't that how those things start? I do think back to that amazing throw on the fly to Third Base last year, and hope his UCL is holding up well- one TJ a year on position players is more than enough.

 

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/248754221.html

[TheLeviathan]

So, if I have this right, 6 plays that were subjectively determined to be "remote" got converted into outs four times and this is grounds to heap praise.

 

im dubious about all small sample sizes and highly dubious of the subjectivity of many defensive stats. This is a double whammy of dubiousity.

[Riverbrian]

So, if I have this right, 6 plays that were subjectively determined to be "remote" got converted into outs four times and this is grounds to heap praise.

 

im dubious about all small sample sizes and highly dubious of the subjectivity of many defensive stats. This is a double whammy of dubiousity.

 

I didn't even know "Dubiousity" was a word. Thank You... I'm gonna use that word whenever I can. The value of TD has just been illustrated.

[cmathewson]

So, if I have this right, 6 plays that were subjectively determined to be "remote" got converted into outs four times and this is grounds to heap praise.

 

im dubious about all small sample sizes and highly dubious of the subjectivity of many defensive stats. This is a double whammy of dubiousity.

 

I don't think the stat is all that important. It sows potential, nothing more. But I do think he has a chance to be special if he gets the opportunity. As special as he is, he won't hold the position for long, because Buxton has Hicks' instincts and Revere's quickness and more speed than either of them.

[Riverbrian]

With my love of speed and defense... I have a feeling I'm gonna be a huge Buxton Fan down the road.

 

Hicks... I can see him being my favorite this year. I hope he finds it this year because this team really needs him.

[TheLeviathan]

I don't think the stat is all that important. It sows potential, nothing more. But I do think he has a chance to be special if he gets the opportunity. As special as he is, he won't hold the position for long, because Buxton has Hicks' instincts and Revere's quickness and more speed than either of them.

 

I have no problem with suggesting Hicks has high potential as a fielder, but he wasn't very good last year.

 

Stats like this bug me because they are so silly on their face and yet propped up as meaningful. I can't help but feel most defensive metrics are little better most of the time.