According to Rochester Democrat & Chronicle's Jim Mandelaro, Aaron Hicks is being shipped back to Minneapolis as a precautionary measure in the event Josh Willingham is placed on the disabled list.

 

Hicks' rehab stint in Rochester has lasted six games. In 23 plate appearances, he's going 4-for-21 (.190) with one extra base hit, a walk and four strikeouts.

 

UPDATE: It's official. Twins announce Willingham to the DL, Hicks activated from DL.

Hooray?

You know you Sportive guys love Hicks, Marth.

At this point it looks like any remaining defense of the Twins' handling of Hicks simply boils down to 'they're professional baseball people and you're not, so shut your yap'.

@Parker: We love him especially now that he's so thoroughly dominated Triple-A.

Well he has been consistent unlike Gibson!

I wonder if he'll even play in AAA this year. Plus I can't see Gardy playing a struggling rookie over a mediocre veteran (Clete) who's playing better. He just doesn't do that.

I wonder if he'll even play in AAA this year. Plus I can't see Gardy playing a struggling rookie over a mediocre veteran (Clete) who's playing better. He just doesn't do that.

 

I gotta think if Hicks is activated he'll play every day. As will Arcia. So Parmelee and Thomas will rotate, and sometimes DH.

Marthaler on Twins Daily? Is this some sort of Twinkie Town-TD super thread forming [rummages through closet for Velvet Revolver t-shirt]?

I wonder if he'll even play in AAA this year. Plus I can't see Gardy playing a struggling rookie over a mediocre veteran (Clete) who's playing better. He just doesn't do that.

 

This does raise a fair point. Hicks certainly should be playing everyday as he is part of the long(er?) term plan but Gardy will be reluctant to sit Thomas for him. If Willingham does finally hit the DL, there's a good chance Parmelee still gets the shaft as far as playing time goes.

Well he has been consistent unlike Gibson!

 

His AAA K% is only 17%!

This does raise a fair point. Hicks certainly should be playing everyday as he is part of the long(er?) term plan but Gardy will be reluctant to sit Thomas for him. If Willingham does finally hit the DL, there's a good chance Parmelee still gets the shaft as far as playing time goes.

 

Interesting thought.

 

Gets the shaft = hasn't earned as much playing time as Clete, but I think he should play anyway since he is a bigger part of the future wave.

 

Gets the shaft. TD dictionary updated.

I love the talk of "oh leave hicks in AAA". Please, first off he's only player on the 40 man we have that can handle CF in the big leagues right now. second, the only reason he was in AAA was that he was injured. To improve his hitting against big league pitching you have to get big league at bats. He's 23,has about 200 big league at bats, and up until the time he pulled his hamstring, although he wasn't setting the world on fire he was improving. Every one wants to talk long term plan but it seems anytime anyone struggles. It's always 'this guy sucks' or send him to AAA. My point is he's not going to get any better if you just are going to YO-YO himback and forth from AAA to the Bigs.

Well he has been consistent unlike Gibson!

 

.190s no matter what level... that's funny.

Play Hicks vs LHP to start w/Clete vs RHP in CF

Play Hicks vs LHP to start w/Clete vs RHP in CF

This makes way too much sense and sounds like a platoon. We don't do that in the Twins Nation. Sink or swim!

Play Hicks vs LHP to start w/Clete vs RHP in CF

 

Would make a ton of sense.

 

Am sure Herrmann would have been the preferred call up of some, because we know they NEED 3 catchers.

This makes way too much sense and sounds like a platoon. We don't do that in the Twins Nation. Sink or swim!

 

I can't disagree more.

 

People do remember that hicks is just 23 right? That after starting the year horrid, which anyone who followed hicks minor league career would have known was going to happen, started to play a lot better before getting injured? That he only has ~200 big league at bats? Young players need at bats. Not to be platooned which limits his at bats.

Play Hicks vs LHP to start w/Clete vs RHP in CF

Agreed in principle, the only problem being it means 3-4 times as many starts for Thomas as Hicks due to the lack of left-handed starters. Thomas has probably earned playing time by actually being pretty good compared to everything else they've run out as a leadoff hitter, but he's not a long-term answer like Hicks might be. Hicks needs to get at-bats, whether Thomas is better right now or not.

We could decide to just let him bat right handed full time and see how that works out.

It's a win-win I think. If he fails, then they can send him down, lose MLB service time at Rochester, and they have Clete. If Hicks succeeds, they can possibly release Clete when Mastroianni comes back. Plus, now he'll have Clete pushing him rather than no one pushing him. We'll see how he handles the pressure--it worked in spring training.

Play Hicks every day. Clete Thomas is having a nice year, but he is a 4th OF.

The Twins are not making the playoffs. Period.

 

I know I didn't break any news there, but people need to realize this when they discuss who deserves playing time.

 

Hicks was trending up before his injury. Hicks is by far more a part of the Twins long-term future than a guy like Clete. Hicks should play every day because of this fact.

 

Hicks & Arcia should almost never sit (rest days excluded). Why waste their time on a bench when they can learn against the pros in a lost season?

Hicks will be a defensive upgrade in CF over Thomas. Thomas will be an upgrade at either corner. On days they both play, the Twins may approach a league average defensive OF for the first time in 2013. Unfortunately, their offense won't be close to league average.

 

This is an opportunity for Plouffe to earn a spot in the heart if the 2014 batting order. They will need his right handed bat to be a force.

Why do I think Hicks should play over Thomas? Because the idea of Hicks playing is exciting, while the idea of Clete playing is meh.

Hicks should play because he needs playing time... I really don't care at this point if it's in MLB or AAA. I could see him getting sent down for no other reason than service time issues if he doesn't continue on the improvement he was making before the injury.