Hicks off DL, Optioned to New Britain

[Seth Stohs]

Twins PR man Dustin Morse tweeted moments ago that Aaron Hicks was removed from the Disabled List and optioned to AA New Britain.

 

That's where he has been playing for the last 4-5 games, and with all the work he needs to do to gain back his swing and his prospect status, I think it was the easy and right choice.

[Linus]

Very interesting. I wonder (hope) that a stop in AAA is in order before a recall to the big club. I believe there is a difference between AA and AAA and spending time there does offer something to the player and the front office (being able to see how he will handle pitchers that have been i the big leagues).

[TheLeviathan]

We should take predictions on the next bizarre twist to this story.

 

I'll nominate: Hicks petitions International League to use a tee during his at-bats left-handed.

[Mike Sixel]

Good luck to Mr. Hicks. Still hoping he's a good MLB player soon.

[Linus]

Good luck to Mr. Hicks. Still hoping he's a good MLB player soon.

 

Here, here. It would be a huge bonus for this franchise if he could end up being a quality MLB player whether that is for us or as a trade chip.

[nicksaviking]

We should take predictions on the next bizarre twist to this story.

 

I'd like to say he's going to take up pitching again, but seeing as he'll be out of options before that's beneficial to the Twins, that'll never happen in one of their uniforms.

 

So instead I'll say he gets rabies.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

To think, it only took about a year and a half to be sure he wasn't ready to play in the Majors. He was good enough and showed enough potential in AA to have the Twins trade away all their CF depth for some needed prospect arms.

Hicks isn't done yet. Good luck to him on his way back to the Show.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

This unfortunately was the right move. I believe in Hicks but I'd let him collect his thoughts in AA (and not hear about him the rest of the year). As wild card competitors the Twins will need to roll with Fuld and cross their fingers or make a trade.

[JB_Iowa]

This makes sense if they are doing this to improve Hicks and not just to punish him for going back to switch hitting again.

 

I think that is exactly what they are trying to do. The following quotes are taken from a couple of different posts by Mike Berardino in the "Twins Now" blog on the Pioneer Press:

 

Sunday's post:

“If a guy doesn’t feel comfortable, what are you going to do?” Ryan said. “You can’t force something like that. I’m going to support Aaron Hicks on how he feels the most comfortable going up to the plate. He’s still a young man. He’s still learning the game. There’s still a lot of upside.”

...

“We’ll have to see if we can salvage this thing,” Ryan said of Hicks. “He’s certainly salvageable. We haven’t given up on Aaron Hicks at all. He’s the best center fielder we have in this organization right now until you see what (Byron) Buxton can do once he gets to the upper levels.”

 

From a post today:

 

Asked Sunday whether he regretted bringing Hicks straight to the majors off that 2012 season, Twins general manager Terry Ryan minced no words.

 

“Well, it hasn’t worked out,” Ryan said. “There are players that do skip that it has worked out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. He was next in line. I made a decision. It hasn’t worked out right, so I’ll take responsibility.”

 

To me, it is an acknowledgment that there is shared responsibility. The Twins didn't have many options after trading Span and Revere and Hicks went out and "won" the job in ST 2013. But he couldn't sustain that performance during the season. Unfortunately the Twins had pretty much put their eggs in the Aaron Hicks basket by that point. The same thing also happened this spring.

 

Aaron Hicks also has responsibility if the quotes about his preparation were correct. As for his giving up switch hitting in May, it looks to me like an act of desperation from a young player who was floundering. He needs to be able to work this out away from the major league spotlight.

 

At this point, I too believe that Hicks' confidence has to be at an all-time low. I hope he can get his game stabilized and eventually work his way back to the big league roster -- perhaps in September.

 

 

Edit: There is an element of "punishment" in this (so to speak) in that Hicks could have been kept on a rehab assignment another two weeks (at major league pay) and then optioned to NB. By optioning him now, he is back at minor league pay (I think) and his accrual of major league service days is stopped. Again, per Berardino's blog entry today:

 

Players accrue big-league service time while on rehab assignments in conjunction with the major league disabled list, so there is some financial component to ending a rehab assignment early. Hicks entered the year with 124 days of big-league service time and has accrued 87 more through Tuesday, putting him at 211 career days: one year and 28 days.

 

A full year of service time is 183 days.

 

In fairness, I think the Twins view it as "good contract management" not punishment.

[Shane Wahl]

Hicks should be back with the Twins in CF.

[JB_Iowa]

Hicks should be back with the Twins in CF.

 

Shane, I think Hicks is the Twins' best CF option but do you really think that being w/the major league club is in Hicks' best self interests (and ultimately in the Twins' long term best interests)???

[stringer bell]

Not to repeat myself too much, but Hicks isn't a major league hitter right now, not even close. What is best for the player is to put him at whatever level he feels comfortable and can thrive. I thought AAA, but maybe AA is better.

 

Those of you who think Hicks is the best option in center field right now are not seeing what I am seeing. Santana and Fuld in center will provide more offense with a slight deficit on defense (when Fuld is there) or more (when Santana is there).

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Hicks's laid back attitude drove Gardy up a wall and he was starting Santana over Hicks even when Hicks was up here. So what would be the point.

[SirLoin]

LaVelle is reporting Hicks was optioned to Rochester. Is he blogging from Allary's again?

[Winston Smith]

I think Hicks still has a chance to be a good major league player I just don't think it will be with the Twins.

[gmarais66]

Hicks should be back with the Twins in CF.

 

Not until he gets his head screwed on right... There are players with all the talent in the world, who just can't perform at the major league level, because they don't have the mental/emotional makeup that it takes to be successful. I'm starting to believe that Hicks is one of these players. His head is getting in the way of his playing the game at the level everyone projected... Until he figures that out, he's not worth the space on the major league roster.

[cmathewson]

When he starts hitting again, I'm sure he'll get the call to Rochester. But there's no rush. Hopefully, he gets up there and establishes himself before the playoffs. I still believe in him.

[jokin]

When he starts hitting again, I'm sure he'll get the call to Rochester. But there's no rush. Hopefully, he gets up there and establishes himself before the playoffs. I still believe in him.

 

Classic StarTrib editing, dopey headline-writing and LaVelle proofreading (or lack thereof), how can you have this content sitting online for the last 3 hours???:

 

 

Hicks completes rehab and officially optioned to Rochester.

 

 

 

Aaron Hicks, who was already at Class AA New Britain on a rehabilitation assignment, has been reinstated from the disabled list and officially optioned to the Rock Cats.

 

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/264626681.html#oQORs9AU5b5Dt2WJ.97

[JB_Iowa]

Especially when making it a point to say that it was "official"??

[Thrylos]

Twins PR man Dustin Morse tweeted moments ago that Aaron Hicks was removed from the Disabled List and optioned to AA New Britain.

 

That's where he has been playing for the last 4-5 games, and with all the work he needs to do to gain back his swing and his prospect status, I think it was the easy and right choice.

 

Not sure about easy or not, but:

 

- Hicks has higher OBP than Fuld

- Hicks has higher OBP than Span had his last 3 seasons with the Twins (did not hear too many cries about how awful Span was.)

- The Twins have no back up CF and 3 lumbering corner OFs.

- Hicks is not even playing Centerfield in Hardware City.

 

"Right" Choice?

Guess a whole bunch of wrongs might make a right...

[JB_Iowa]

"Right" Choice?

Guess a whole bunch of wrongs might make a right...

 

Thrylos, I'll ask you the same question I asked Shane above.

 

Do you really think that being w/the major league club right now is in Hicks' best interests (and ultimately in the Twins' long term best interests)???

 

I think Hicks is the Twins best CF at the present time. I also think he can benefit greatly from some time away from the mlb spotlight (especially with the rabidity of some of the fans I've read on posts about him).

[ashbury]

[TheLeviathan]

Whatever minimal amount Hicks is an improvement over Fuld (And yes....it's VERY minimal) should be more than offset by doing what's right by an important asset.

 

The only reason to have Hicks playing CF is to completely abandon the idea that he's an important part of the future. If you still believe he can be....then he's where he needs to be and hopefully he's there for an extended period of time.

[Thrylos]

Thrylos, I'll ask you the same question I asked Shane above.

 

Do you really think that being w/the major league club right now is in Hicks' best interests (and ultimately in the Twins' long term best interests)???

 

I think Hicks is the Twins best CF at the present time. I also think he can benefit greatly from some time away from the mlb spotlight (especially with the rabidity of some of the fans I've read on posts about him).

 

I think that the Twins should have the best 25 up North at all times. Right now they do not. Before last night they were two (2!) games behind the second wild-card spot. Now they are 3. And they carry at least 2 position players (Florimon & Fryer) who have no business being in an MLB club, while there are better options in the minors. Not to mention that they carry 7 relievers.

 

I don't know about what is best for Hicks, but I think that it is best for the Twins for Hicks to be their starting centerfielder while they are competing. And if they are not competing, they should be getting rid of a few veterans at this point...

 

And I don't know how any fan can be rabid re: Hicks with Florimon in his place...

[JB_Iowa]

I think that the Twins should have the best 25 up North at all times. Right now they do not. Before last night they were two (2!) games behind the second wild-card spot. Now they are 3. And they carry at least 2 position players (Florimon & Fryer) who have no business being in an MLB club, while there are better options in the minors. Not to mention that they carry 7 relievers.

 

I don't know about what is best for Hicks, but I think that it is best for the Twins for Hicks to be their starting centerfielder while they are competing. And if they are not competing, they should be getting rid of a few veterans at this point...

 

And I don't know how any fan can be rabid re: Hicks with Florimon in his place...

 

Fair enough. I just think he's struggling so much and in such a doghouse with Gardenhire, it just isn't going to work to have him w/the major league club right now.

[jokin]

Not sure about easy or not, but:

 

- Hicks has higher OBP than Fuld

- Hicks has higher OBP than Span had his last 3 seasons with the Twins (did not hear too many cries about how awful Span was.)

- The Twins have no back up CF and 3 lumbering corner OFs.

- Hicks is not even playing Centerfield in Hardware City.

 

"Right" Choice?

Guess a whole bunch of wrongs might make a right...

 

Well, actually, the Twins made their intentions regarding Hicks' positional future quite clear when they sent him on his rehab assignment. Rob Antony specifically said that Hicks would also be playing the other OF positions to get experience there, along with learning how to hit RHP while hitting RH (Hicks made sure that that experiment lasted all of about 15 minutes).

 

It's time to face facts, the whole thing is a huge mess, and both sides of this issue have a hand in how it has all gone down. Right now, it looks like the Twins are sending a strong message to Hicks that they are considering his future role as a Twin as a 4th OF and are willing to jeopardize their current OF defense and their future SS position to make their point to Hicks clear.

[h2oface]

This is ridiculous. Hicks should at least be in Rochester. Punitive Loshing. Unbelieveable. Fuld has an arm like Revere. Did you see his throw from center to home last night? Just trade the kid then. Things like this make me want Gardenhire/Ryan gone so much. Arcia and Hicks to the Dodgers for Joc Peterson? For the Twin's outfield to look like this is truly a travesty.

[Thrylos]

It's time to face facts, the whole thing is a huge mess, and both sides of this issue have a hand in how it has all gone down. Right now, it looks like the Twins are sending a strong message to Hicks that they are considering his future role as a Twin as a 4th OF and are willing to jeopardize their current OF defense and their future SS position to make their point to Hicks clear.

 

So, basically, they are cutting their noses to spite their faces?

 

And, darn, I can see maybe how a front office and field management stuff might have the political capital to do that, if they spot a few world series rings to prove that they have been doing something right, but...

 

At least (some) fans are (slowly) waking up. Hopefully the owner will too and make changes.

 

The acting GM joined this team as a marketing intern. Need I say more?

[Monkeypaws]

REBOOT:

 

He has all the talent in the world, but has problems in the mental aspects. Let him kick some AA ass and rediscover his strengths, or flame out in glory.

 

Good luck to him. I still think he needs to shave his head to achieve glory:

 

 

[jokin]

This is ridiculous. Hicks should at least be in Rochester. Punitive Loshing. Unbelieveable. Fuld has an arm like Revere. Did you see his throw from center to home last night? Just trade the kid then. Things like this make me want Gardenhire/Ryan gone so much. Arcia and Hicks to the Dodgers for Joc Peterson? For the Twin's outfield to look like this is truly a travesty.

 

"Punitive Lohseing"? The baseball dictionary just gained a colorful new entry. I guess the Twins really showed Kyle, didn't they:

 

http://binaryapi.ap.org/65e708ede77949b1849e5fcaa0242749/940x.jpg