LaVelle Neal is getting the full inside workings on the ongoing crisis management situation for the Twins in CF.

 

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/261336091.html?page=2&c=y

 

For a second straight day, outfielder Sam Fuld worked out at Target Field showing no signs of the concussion that landed him on the disabled list earlier in the month. Fuld even hit off a tee.

 

 

Fuld could replace Hicks on the roster if he’s over the concussion issues. He likely will have to work out for several days — with no return of symptoms — before even heading out on a minor league rehabilitation assignment.

 

It appears he was given the information on Fuld in conjunction with Hicks's status on the team. Reading between the lines, it appears if all continues to improve for Fuld, he could be back in 7-10 days. Rochester, which presumably would be where he rehabbed, is on the road in Charlotte and Atlanta next week, beginning on Tuesday. Perhaps he might be ready by Monday, June 9, as the Twins begin a 9 game, 10-day road trip, in Toronto, which would be a pretty easy plane connection from Atlanta.

Good to see Fuld progressing. He's been sidelined quite a while.

Somehow I am not the least interested in Fuld's return, anyone else think otherwise?

It depends on how Hicks does over that course. But if Hicks shows improvement then we have a few other pieces that we could send back to Rochester other than him; or just drop. (ie Kubel who isn't doing so well lately and is redundant.) I think the infielders in the outfield experiment needs to cease so we need Fuld for that as well.

Somehow I am not the least interested in Fuld's return, anyone else think otherwise?

 

I think having him on the active roster would be a good thing. Santana or Hicks could go to AAA and play. Fuld's defense at all three positions makes him a valuable player (not like MVP value, but value to a roster). It would be good to have him back.

Somehow I am not the least interested in Fuld's return, anyone else think otherwise?

 

(Raises Hand)

(Raises Hand)

Yeah. As much fun as Santana has been offensively, he's been almost equally unfun in center. Another option out there besides Hicks can only be a good thing, even though it's just Fuld.

I like to think otherwise all the time. It's a habit picked up from this guy, among others.

 

 

Oh, and I think Fuld is the perfect fourth outfielder for this team.

Yeah. As much fun as Santana has been offensively, he's been almost equally unfun in center. Another option out there besides Hicks can only be a good thing, even though it's just Fuld.

 

Overseen on Rob Antony's "To-Do List Before Terry Gets Back":

 

More Center Fielders...Less Shortstops

Is Juan Castro available for a CF assignment?

Somehow I am not the least interested in Fuld's return, anyone else think otherwise?

 

 

While we should probably all agree with this, have you seen this team play the outfield?

A bench role where he starts occasionally, pinch runs and goes into LF as a defensive replacement is a good fit for Fuld.

 

Similarly, a back up catcher role where he plays once a series and regularly catches Hughes is a good fit for Suzuki.

 

It is hard to trust that Gardenhire will use the veteran Fuld in the 4th OF bench role.

Yeah. As much fun as Santana has been offensively, he's been almost equally unfun in center. Another option out there besides Hicks can only be a good thing, even though it's just Fuld.

 

Now that Escobar is cooling down, would Santana get a shot at SS? He's hotter at the dish than Nunez and Nunez has looked equally horrible in LF as Santana in CF. Granted Nunez has looked alright at 3B in his times there. I see the pecking order being Escobar, Santana, Nunez...but that's maybe not what the Twins see.

 

I'm with others and letting Kubel go. Arcia is back and offers everything Kubel does, but better.

Is Juan Castro available for a CF assignment?

 

Not sure, but I bet we could pry Punto away from the A's for the right price.

Having an actual backup CFer would be a nice change, Fuld fits the bill, so I'll be happy to see his return.

I think that the Pelfrey story in the same piece (about to be lost for the season) is the bigger story there... Sad news if he needs elbow surgery again, but it looks like it is the case, no matter how much they are downplaying it.

Edited May 31, 201412 yr by Thrylos

It depends on how Hicks does over that course. But if Hicks shows improvement then we have a few other pieces that we could send back to Rochester other than him; or just drop. (ie Kubel who isn't doing so well lately and is redundant.) I think the infielders in the outfield experiment needs to cease so we need Fuld for that as well.

 

Kubel with one RBI in 67 May PA's. Thanks for the memories, good luck in your future endeavors.

Personally, I'd like to see Fuld and Santana share duties in center and have Hicks sent to Rochester to learn to hit breaking stuff right-handed.

 

Did anyone else hear during the radio broadcast yesterday that when Hicks showed up for right-handed BP before Friday's game, he asked that they don't throw him any breaking stuff? He only wanted fastballs? And apparently Gardy "joked" to him that maybe he should go ask the Yankees to do the same thing?

 

To an outsider, Hicks seems like he simply does not get it.

Personally, I'd like to see Fuld and Santana share duties in center and have Hicks sent to Rochester to learn to hit breaking stuff right-handed.

 

Did anyone else hear during the radio broadcast yesterday that when Hicks showed up for right-handed BP before Friday's game, he asked that they don't throw him any breaking stuff? He only wanted fastballs? And apparently Gardy "joked" to him that maybe he should go ask the Yankees to do the same thing?

 

To an outsider, Hicks seems like he simply does not get it.

 

Yes. LaValle also reported that in the story linked above.

 

Hicks not in lineup

Aaron Hicks might want to just hit the reset button on Sunday when June begins.

He work ethic was questioned earlier this month. Then he decided to give up switch hitting. Now he’s sidelined by a sore back.

Hicks took early batting practice Friday and did some outfield work. He said he felt fine.

“I’m ready to start playing games again,’’ Hicks said.

But he asked during batting practice not to face any breaking balls, which had manager Ron Gardenhire a little baffled.

“He said his back is fine. He just didn’t want to see any breaking balls,’’ Gardenhire said. “I called the Yankees and they said they are going to throw some, so I can’t play him.’’

Hicks ended up in the game, however, when Danny Santana stole third base in the third inning. Santana’s helmet fell off his head, hit the ground and whacked him in the face, drawing blood.

Personally, I'd like to see Fuld and Santana share duties in center and have Hicks sent to Rochester to learn to hit breaking stuff right-handed.

 

Did anyone else hear during the radio broadcast yesterday that when Hicks showed up for right-handed BP before Friday's game, he asked that they don't throw him any breaking stuff? He only wanted fastballs? And apparently Gardy "joked" to him that maybe he should go ask the Yankees to do the same thing?

 

To an outsider, Hicks seems like he simply does not get it.

 

Yup. I placed Gardy's quote in the Hicks-related thread. It's pretty clear that not only are both camps not on the same page, at this point, both camps are barely on the same planet. Don't see this ending well.

 

http://twinsdaily.com/showthread.php/11656-Scoggins-lowers-the-boom-on-Twins-Hicks-situation/page6

Now that Escobar is cooling down, would Santana get a shot at SS? He's hotter at the dish than Nunez and Nunez has looked equally horrible in LF as Santana in CF. Granted Nunez has looked alright at 3B in his times there. I see the pecking order being Escobar, Santana, Nunez...but that's maybe not what the Twins see.

 

I'm with others and letting Kubel go. Arcia is back and offers everything Kubel does, but better.

Escobar was even bumped up to the two spot, so they probably have enough confidence to let him regress from his unsustainable .400 BABIP without much concern for the time being. But yes, it would be nice to see Santana playing every day at short.

 

If the Twins don't think he's ready for that, I'd settle for reading about him playing short every day in AAA. Escobar has been a pleasant surprise so far, but organizational depth of shortstop talent is thin enough that it would be disappointing not to have Danny fully developing both his defense and offense skills as a shortstop.

 

If Hicks can't get it together, though, it would appear that all bets are off. If he's sent down and Santana has to primarily play center, then let's hope he gets the majority of the AB's there, with Fuld spelling him against tough RHP.

 

At any rate, he's fun to watch, and a bit like early Gomez or Revere with his athleticism and rawness combing to make for both spectacular and strange plays.

 

Fun closing SSS number. Santana's BABIP vs. lefties is 1.00. 11 PA's, 4 K's, 2 BB's, 5 balls in play, all hits.

Edited June 1, 201412 yr by LaBombo

Did anyone else hear during the radio broadcast yesterday that when Hicks showed up for right-handed BP before Friday's game, he asked that they don't throw him any breaking stuff? He only wanted fastballs? And apparently Gardy "joked" to him that maybe he should go ask the Yankees to do the same thing?

 

To an outsider, Hicks seems like he simply does not get it.

 

Agree with the latter point, but feel even more strongly that Gardy (with the FO's blessing, or tolerance at least) doesn't get it either. He has a tendency to have young players on a pedestal or in the doghouse more often that seems to be warranted.

 

The absurd amount of continued confidence shown in Hicks last season was flat out irrational. And now, two months into this season, he's being needlessly publicly chastised (if not outright mocked) while unlearning switch hitting at the major league level, as if that weren't enough on his plate alone.

Escobar was even bumped up to the two spot, so they probably have enough confidence to let him regress from his unsustainable .400 BABIP without much concern for the time being. But yes, it would be nice to see Santana playing every day at short..

 

Got to love this

 

Santana's BABIP is .570 this season. His BABIP is usually in the .310s or so. Escobar had a .373 BABIP at AAA last season. Methinks that his BABIP is closer to his real than Santana's...

Edited June 1, 201412 yr by Thrylos

Personally, I'd like to see Fuld and Santana share duties in center and have Hicks sent to Rochester to learn to hit breaking stuff right-handed.

 

Did anyone else hear during the radio broadcast yesterday that when Hicks showed up for right-handed BP before Friday's game, he asked that they don't throw him any breaking stuff? He only wanted fastballs? And apparently Gardy "joked" to him that maybe he should go ask the Yankees to do the same thing?

 

To an outsider, Hicks seems like he simply does not get it.

 

I believe the context of the radio broadcast was condition of his back. I suppose looking fastball and adjusting to breaking ball can impact the back. Leaving the context out changes the meaning. Perhaps it was said more than once in the broadcast.

I don't think there are any breaking balls thrown during normal pregame BP.

Personally, I'd like to see Fuld and Santana share duties in center and have Hicks sent to Rochester to learn to hit breaking stuff right-handed.

 

Did anyone else hear during the radio broadcast yesterday that when Hicks showed up for right-handed BP before Friday's game, he asked that they don't throw him any breaking stuff? He only wanted fastballs? And apparently Gardy "joked" to him that maybe he should go ask the Yankees to do the same thing?

 

To an outsider, Hicks seems like he simply does not get it.

 

I know you hate Hicks more than any player in Twins history, but let's be real. Santana needs to play everyday, at shortstop. He's not a center fielder and it makes no sense to try to make him one. It is harder for a shortstop to learn center field at the major league level than it is for a switch hitter to learn how to hit right handed exclusively at the major league level. Fuld and Hicks should platoon in center until they have a better solution.

I don't think there are any breaking balls thrown during normal pregame BP.

Could be wrong, but pretty sure the documentary baseball film Major League shows Cuban great Pedro Cerrano flailing away at breaking balls in BP.

http://bearlybullogging.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/cerrano.jpg

 

Anyway, you're probably right, but then why would Hicks make that request after nearly a season's worth of MLB BP devoid of breaking stuff? Off-topic bonus question for all: how is the Twins franchise better off for Gardy making that remark?

Edited June 1, 201412 yr by LaBombo

I know you hate Hicks more than any player in Twins history, but let's be real.

 

Family photo in front of Bemidji's Babe the Blue Oxymoron. No, I'm not using my liquid waste to desecrate the false impersonators of the One True Babe in Brainerd. Just looking for Mom's heart medicine in reverse fanny pack.

 

http://search.it.online.fr/BIGart/wp-content/paul-bunyan-babe-the-blue-ox-1937.jpg

 

Not trying to be PC, but if Bonnes actually hated a ballplayer, guessing it would be a White Sock. Just sayi...

 

Ooh! Look! Butterfly!

 

http://37.media.tumblr.com/599edf7067fa9692fa772a3a65c06178/tumblr_n1ct8eenIe1ssnp7ro1_400.gif

Edited June 1, 201412 yr by LaBombo

Could be wrong, but pretty sure the documentary baseball film Major League shows Cuban great Pedro Cerrano flailing away at breaking balls in BP.

http://bearlybullogging.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/cerrano.jpg

 

Anyway, you're probably right, but then why would Hicks make that request after nearly a season's worth of MLB BP devoid of breaking stuff? Off-topic bonus question for all: how is the Twins franchise better off for Gardy making that remark?

 

Definitely not.

 

However, I think the quote came up first in pregame. I interpreted it as a during batting practice when discussion with Gardy about his back with Gardy. He wasn't sure about facing breaking balls and Gardy made a line up change. I inferred that it was because of his back and adjusting to a breaking ball. Gardy could have still joked that he could ask the Yankees to not throw breaking balls. He did take him out of the line up.

 

Would we prefer our players keep their injuries a secret? Hicks would have been better off not stating his concern. Now it will likely be reported on KFAN tomorrow that he doesn't want to face breaking balls (without the context).

Definitely not.

 

However, I think the quote came up first in pregame. I interpreted it as a during batting practice when discussion with Gardy about his back with Gardy. He wasn't sure about facing breaking balls and Gardy made a line up change. I inferred that it was because of his back and adjusting to a breaking ball. Gardy could have still joked that he could ask the Yankees to not throw breaking balls. He did take him out of the line up.

 

Would we prefer our players keep their injuries a secret? Hicks would have been better off not stating his concern. Now it will likely be reported on KFAN tomorrow that he doesn't want to face breaking balls (without the context).

 

Fine and dandy. But why rather pointedly beat the dead horse in the post-game presser?