Article: Center Of Attention

[Physics Guy]

I'm going to throw my two cents in.  I'd like to see Hicks play 3/4 of the time, spelling him against certain RHP with Schaefer.  I want to find out if Hicks can be a serviceable player for the Twins over the next 3-4 years.  I know it's not the true platoon, but Hicks should not play on the short end of the platoon.  If he is in MLB he needs to be playing the majority of the time.  Having Schaefer face the tougher RHP could afford Hicks some time to build some confidence.  I could see the platoon giving us decent defense and a .650 OPS out of the #9 spot in the order.  Without a trade, I think this gives us the best defensive alignment as well. 

 

I see many clamoring for Escobar over Hicks based on last year's performance.  It's hard to disagree strictly based on performance, but let me throw this at you:

 

Escobar

2012   Age 22   146 PA   .214  .278  .260  .537

2013   Age 23   179 PA   .236  .282  .345  .628

 

Hicks

2013   Age 22   313 PA   .192  .259  .338  .597

2014   Age 23   225 PA   .215  .341  .274  .615

 

What's to say that Hicks can't do the same thing Escobar did last season?  I would argue that minor league stats suggest that Hicks stands a better chance than Escobar. 

[Riverbrian]

If this is Hicks... Take 3... (Smacking sound of that Clip Board Movie Thing-a-ma-job). 

 

So be it... I'm pulling for the kid to figure it out and become what we hoped!!! 

 

However... If it was me... I'd start Hicks in Rochester and make him tear up AAA first and then call him up. And then make him compete for the MLB CF Job with someone that I brought in to start opening day. 

 

I Don't Know... Someone like Mike Trout or Willie Mays... Nothing unreasonable but yet someone with a little game. 

 

The way it sits right now... I can only see one scenerio. Hicks or Schaefer starting opening day and if either or both don't work out... Santana returns to CF. 

 

But I'm still scratching my head on why the Twins would utility Escobar in order to play someone in CF who didn't perform at the plate like Escobar did in 2014.

 

I understand wanting Santana to play SS but... CF is still a wing and prayer in it's current state.

 

The attention paid to CF remains baffling and the calender has changed again.   

[Otto von Ballpark]

What's to say that Hicks can't do the same thing Escobar did last season?  I would argue that minor league stats suggest that Hicks stands a better chance than Escobar. 

Escobar didn't suddenly become a good hitter out of nowhere in 2014.  He actually hit VERY well at AAA in 2013, showed a much-improved MLB bat in September that year, and also an improved bat in winter league.  And his chief improvement (power) was rather consistent through all of those stops.

 

To my knowledge, Hicks has yet to really show any significant incremental improvement like that.  Doesn't mean he can't improve in 2015, just that at this point, I feel the odds of it are somewhat lower than Escobar's 2014 improvement.

 

Also, since you bring up minor league records, I think it's important to note that Escobar's core stats (BB%, K%, ISO) didn't change much even when he was struggling in his early MLB days.  Hicks on the other hand has seen his K% explode and his ISO plummet.  Again, not that he can't recover from it, but it suggests that he needs to make significant adjustments to improve his numbers, as opposed to Escobar who perhaps just needed time more than anything else.

[big dog]

If this is Hicks... Take 3... (Smacking sound of that Clip Board Movie Thing-a-ma-job). 

 

So be it... I'm pulling for the kid to figure it out and become what we hoped!!! 

 

However... If it was me... I'd start Hicks in Rochester and make him tear up AAA first and then call him up. And then make him compete for the MLB CF Job with someone that I brought in to start opening day. 

 

I Don't Know... Someone like Mike Trout or Willie Mays... Nothing unreasonable but yet someone with a little game. 

 

 

Trout's going to be hard to get, but Willie is 83 so he won't cost much.  If he doesn't work out, we'll go all Youth Movement and put Torii in center.

[djvang]

What I noticed about Hicks is that he hit much better when he went to the plate swinging rather than trying to "work the count".  He's a terrible two-strike hitter so don't let him get to that point. When he gets a hittable pitch, hit it! It doesn't matter if it's the first pitch or the seventh. Just hit it.

[TCisNotaBear]

1) They all should get a look... as well as... the twins will need to keep an eye on if Santana can stick at SS. If not and the other outfielders aren't stepping up... His speed and bat should play in the outfield... just maybe not center. But, They all should get a look... and the player that is hottest gets to start. With Schafer as the 4th due to his lack of options. But, if Hick at all hesitates... I hope they send him to start the year at AAA and basically go with option #2.  

 

2) Hicks will start the year at CF and hopefully there will be no reason to regret it this time. 

[jimmer]

1) They all should get a look... as well as... the twins will need to keep an eye on if Santana can stick at SS. If not and the other outfielders aren't stepping up... His speed and bat should play in the outfield... just maybe not center. But, They all should get a look... and the player that is hottest gets to start. With Schafer as the 4th due to his lack of options. But, if Hick at all hesitates... I hope they send him to start the year at AAA and basically go with option #2.  

 

2) Hicks will start the year at CF and hopefully there will be no reason to regret it this time. 

If Santana's defense doesn't work at shortstop, maybe he moves to the OF, but if his BABIP goes to normal, dropping his offensive production big time, then we may not care if he has a spot at all.

[JB_Iowa]

LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal  · 8m8 minutes ago 
Aaron Hicks arrives in Fort Myers on Wed. for final preparations before spring training. Torii Hunter is already there, waiting for him.

[JB_Iowa]

Morrie Silver ‏@MorrieSilver8  · 6m6 minutes ago 
@LaVelleNeal @nater79a He would probably be there either way. Hicks is one of the hardest workers. One of the first to the ballpark everyday

 

 

Interesting observation but who is this 27 yo and does he really have a connection to the Red Wings other than taking the name of the guy who worked to keep rhe Wings in Rochester and served as their president?

Edited February 8, 2015 by JB_Iowa