A year ago, Ryan had this to say about the decision to promote Hicks: The guy has earned it. I find it almost humorous that people are talking about service time, starting the clock. We didn't trade Span and Revere to stall the next guy. ... I can't ever feel guilt about stopping a guy that deserves to be there because I know if I put myself in that man's shoes, I would be severely disappointed. Are we trying to win, or what are we doing? Can you imagine if we sent somebody out that did what the kid did, and I had to look at Willingham and Morneau and Perkins and Mauer and those guys that are trying to win, and I'm going to stop that guy? I just don't believe in that. I hear this stuff. Not here. Even with the questionable concerns about players' feelings set aside, this was a puzzling stance to hold even before the Hick's Hindenburg-esque 2013 season started. At any rate, the point is that in about a year or so, Aaron Hicks has gone from inspiring his GM to publicly throw the concept of his service time out the window to playing so poorly that there is very little fan base concern about how long Hicks is a Twin or how much he will cost. That has to be tough on him.