January 25, 201313 yr Sounds like Hicks is front-runner for the starting CF job. I'm not excited about this for several reasons; however, the options are probably slim. Was the last successful player called up from AA by the Twins Joe Mauer? Edit: Here's a copy of the Tweet: Brian Murphy @murphPPressTwins GM says Aaron Hicks leading candidate to secure CF job in camp and leapfrog AAA Edited January 25, 201313 yr by Alex
January 25, 201313 yr Uh...I think it's clear that Mastro is the favorite, at least to begin the season.
January 25, 201313 yr Sounds like Hicks is front-runner for the starting CF job. I'm not excited about this for several reasons; however, the options are probably slim. Was the last successful player called up from AA by the Twins Joe Mauer? Source?
January 25, 201313 yr If we wait a while by starting Mastro we keep player control for one more year, right? Is it May 7th that we have to wait for?
January 25, 201313 yr Author Source? Brian Murphy @murphPPressTwins GM says Aaron Hicks leading candidate to secure CF job in camp and leapfrog AAA Edited January 25, 201313 yr by Alex
January 25, 201313 yr Author Uh...I think it's clear that Mastro is the favorite, at least to begin the season. My fault for not including the tweet originally. I assumed it would be more universal information, especially as Nick Nelson retweeted it later.
January 25, 201313 yr Brian Murphy @murphPPressTwins GM says Aaron Hicks leading candidate to secure CF job in camp and leapfrog AAA Thank you
January 25, 201313 yr Why is everyone so against this? I get the whole service time issue but people need to relax, if Hicks really is the real deal it is highly likely the Twins will lock him up years before he ever hits free agency anyways. If Hicks has a good spring training and earns the job you give him the job, if he struggles, then send him down for a bit, if he kicks ass then it's a great "problem" to have in regards to service time. I'd prefer the youngsters get as many at-bats this year against ML pitching so we can go into 2014 as strong as possible.
January 25, 201313 yr Why is everyone so against this? I get the whole service time issue but people need to relax, if Hicks really is the real deal it is highly likely the Twins will lock him up years before he ever hits free agency anyways. If Hicks has a good spring training and earns the job you give him the job, if he struggles, then send him down for a bit, if he kicks ass then it's a great "problem" to have in regards to service time. I'd prefer the youngsters get as many at-bats this year against ML pitching so we can go into 2014 as strong as possible. Who is saying they're against it?
January 25, 201313 yr Author Why is everyone so against this? I get the whole service time issue but people need to relax, if Hicks really is the real deal it is highly likely the Twins will lock him up years before he ever hits free agency anyways. If Hicks has a good spring training and earns the job you give him the job, if he struggles, then send him down for a bit, if he kicks ass then it's a great "problem" to have in regards to service time. I'd prefer the youngsters get as many at-bats this year against ML pitching so we can go into 2014 as strong as possible. I just don't see the reason to call him up to start. I always like to see a player force the move rather than organization force the move. I also think if a player isn't really ready for the majors time up is mostly wasted.
January 25, 201313 yr Worry for me is his plate discipline. If he can show that he can lay off the low and outside slider and the high fastball in spring training, then maybe he's ready.
January 25, 201313 yr Brian Murphy @murphPPressTwins GM says Aaron Hicks leading candidate to secure CF job in camp and leapfrog AAA A week from now Ryan will have a totally contradictory quote. Something like: Twins GM looking for exprienced vet to man CF to start the season # foot in mouth
January 25, 201313 yr I just don't see the reason to call him up to start. I always like to see a player force the move rather than organization force the move. I also think if a player isn't really ready for the majors time up is mostly wasted. I'm with this. Hick's history has been as a slow-adjuster before he demonstrates mastery at a particular level. Even if he meaninglessly has a ST line of .450/.550/.950 there's absolutely no harm in waiting a couple weeks or even a tad bit longer, and plenty to gain in service time and confidence- and competence-raising. Once he's called up, I'd like to see it as a permanent move with no possibility for a return trip back for more "seasoning", like last year's fiasco with Dozier.
January 25, 201313 yr I just don't see the reason to call him up to start. I always like to see a player force the move rather than organization force the move. I also think if a player isn't really ready for the majors time up is mostly wasted. Hunter would have been waiting a long time...In three of Hicks' five full seasons in the minors, he had OPS of at least .829. Hunter never had a full season in the minors with an OPS in the '800s. Hicks is a former first rounder, #14 overall, with 5 seasons in the minors. Time to take of the damn kid gloves already Edited January 25, 201313 yr by ThePuck
January 25, 201313 yr A week from now Ryan will have a totally contradictory quote. Something like: Twins GM looking for exprienced vet to man CF to start the season # foot in mouth Beat me to it, if someone took every one of Ryan's quotes to the bank, just since September, they would have been flat-broke by the Spring Opener.
January 25, 201313 yr Hunter would have been waiting a long time...In three of Hicks' five full seasons in the minors, he had OPS of at least .829. Hunter never had a season in the minors with an OPS in the '800s. Hicks is a former first rounder, #14 overall, with 5 seasons in the minors. Time to take of the damn kid gloves already With that much invested in him, I would think kid gloves would be mandatory.
January 25, 201313 yr Worry for me is his plate discipline. If he can show that he can lay off the low and outside slider and the high fastball in spring training, then maybe he's ready. ST is practically predictively meaningless as the "final determinant" for promotion or not.
January 25, 201313 yr With that much invested in him, I would think kid gloves would be mandatory. I think it's the other way around...if he was good enough to draft that high, it shouldn't take him 6, 7 years to make the show. The kid has never had an OBP below .353 in any pro season. He's a plus defender. It's time.
January 25, 201313 yr ST is practically predictively meaningless as the "final determinant" for promotion or not. Ours for sure.
January 25, 201313 yr Worry for me is his plate discipline. If he can show that he can lay off the low and outside slider and the high fastball in spring training, then maybe he's ready. Sounding more and more like Hunter...
January 25, 201313 yr The only thing most people are arguing is, whether or not it makes sense to give away a year of service time for a couple of extra weeks with the big club, in a season that is going nowhere fast. Why is this so crazy?
January 25, 201313 yr The only thing most people are arguing is, whether or not it makes sense to give away a year of service time for a couple of extra weeks with the big club, in a season that is going nowhere fast. Why is this so crazy? That's the argument that makes sense...
January 25, 201313 yr I'd prefer to wait, not only because of service time but because Hicks has been a slow starter in the past. I'm not convinced this team wouldn't panic if he started with a low BA even if he had a strong OBP. I have a feeling they don't put as much weight in the latter of the two stats. Edited January 25, 201313 yr by nicksaviking
January 25, 201313 yr I may be in the minority but I really hope Benson wins the job out of ST. It would create another trade chip at some point if he can succeed and since this seems to be his last real chance....
January 25, 201313 yr I think it's the other way around...if he was good enough to draft that high, it shouldn't take him 6, 7 years to make the show. The kid has never had an OBP below .353 in any pro season. He's a plus defender. It's time. The kid gloves treatment that has proven to be a good strategy, for an extra 2 week or possibly a little more time, it won't hurt his long-term value to the team, possibly help him and most definitely, the club, financially---- and--- won't make any difference on his short-term value to the team
January 25, 201313 yr Do what's right for Hicks and his development into a cornerstone of the franchise. Whatever that is, doesn't matter about service time, do it. I trust the Twins on assessing their prospect readiness, it's one of their strongest qualities as an organization.
January 25, 201313 yr Author Hunter would have been waiting a long time...In three of Hicks' five full seasons in the minors, he had OPS of at least .829. Hunter never had a full season in the minors with an OPS in the '800s. Hicks is a former first rounder, #14 overall, with 5 seasons in the minors. Time to take of the damn kid gloves already Interesting comparison. In AAA at 22 Hunter posted an .891 OPS in around 100 AB. Hunters's first two seasons were not impressive in the majors. His third season he crushed the ball and but still posted an OPS below .800 thanks to poor plate discipline and had an OPS + of 80. It's hard to say what would have happened with more seasoning, but the Twins certainly didn't get much out of his first three seasons. Also, it's a minor point but one of Hick's season's above .800 was 45 games in the rookie league. Look I'm not saying keep him down for the whole season, and if they start him I certainly hope he does well but some PAs in AAA wouldn't hurt, for multiple reasons. Edited January 25, 201313 yr by Alex
January 25, 201313 yr Author Do what's right for Hicks and his development into a cornerstone of the franchise. Whatever that is, doesn't matter about service time, do it. I trust the Twins on assessing their prospect readiness, it's one of their strongest qualities as an organization. I don't know. Their assessment of Dozier's readiness and putting Parmelee on the roster to start the season last year didn't work out that well.
January 25, 201313 yr Interesting comparison. In AAA at 22 Hunter posted an .891 OPS in around 100 AB. Hunters's first two seasons were not impressive in the majors. His third season he crushed the ball and but still posted an OPS below .800 thanks to poor plate discipline and had an OPS + of 80. It's hard to say what would have happened with more seasoning, but the Twins certainly didn't get much out of his first three seasons. Look I'm not saying keep him down for the whole season, and if they start him I certainly hope he does well but some PAs in AAA wouldn't hurt, for multiple reasons. This. This is not so hard, people.
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