Nolasco5and4

True. The conundrum is also having a player getting penciled in at 1B (forget about the contract) who has clubbed 4 home runs in his last 600 at bats. If this was 1912, you could live with it, but a .367 slugging percentage cannot work at that position, unless he was on base half the time. Maybe the wear and tear on his lower body has robbed him of the ability to consistently drive the ball, but the move to first base has not had any positive impact on his offensive production, even controlling for age. Realistically, he has to be the first baseman, because of the salary and the notion of him returning to his old position is a pipe dream.

Molitor said it was a temporary stay and Hicks has demonstrated that his confidence at the plate is fragile, at best, in the big leagues. Bouncing him up and down would not serve much purpose. Buxton's development is surely a crucial var in determining his callup date, but it would be somewhat naive to discount the role his Super Two status plays into his eventual callup. If big market teams like the Angels and Cubs (with regard to service time, not Super Two) play games to tack on a year of player control, it is surely a powerful force in their decision-making process. However, if the stadium remains less than 67% full after school lets out, I would wager July 24th as the date. He has, with the exception of any lingering injury doubts, proved almost everything he has to in the minor leagues. His only scuffling had to do with freak injuries last season. There is a high probability that he will excel from day one as a major leaguer, especially considering a five tool star can struggle in one or two areas and still have a positive impact on the team.