Hicks activated, Cowser optioned

[Sports Guy]

29 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I understand your point.   It makes zero sense to you to bring back Hicks.   But that is not the question I am asking.   Is it something that Elias would do is my question?

I don't think we know if Elias will trade Santander or Hays.  He may do neither.  Or he may trade one.  I doubt he trades both off a 100 win team.

I doubt he trades both as well. Hays fits perfectly into the roster next year. (As does Urias)

Edited September 11, 2023 by Sports Guy

[MurphDogg]

24 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Fortunately I brought receipts.

Sounds to me like he played poorly and the fans booed him, he didn't play poorly because it was a toxic environment. Nobody wants to get booed and I'm sure it was tough on him, underperforming his gigantic contract, but that is not exactly how I would define a toxic environment.

[dystopia]

4 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Sounds to me like he played poorly and the fans booed him, he didn't play poorly because it was a toxic environment. Nobody wants to get booed and I'm sure it was tough on him, underperforming his gigantic contract, but that is not exactly how I would define a toxic environment.

Whatever you want to call it, it explains the turnaround upon leaving. This is not to say I support him coming back in 2024. I don’t. But he’s a better than what he showed in NY. 

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Whatever you want to call it, it explains the turnaround upon leaving. This is not to say I support him coming back in 2024. I don’t. But he’s a better than what he showed in NY. 

I'm pretty sure the turnaround started before he left.

But that narrative isn't as good.

[MurphDogg]

10 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Whatever you want to call it, it explains the turnaround upon leaving. This is not to say I support him coming back in 2024. I don’t. But he’s a better than what he showed in NY. 

Fair enough. I hope that is the case, but I am perfectly capable of cherry picking to find a 1 week stretch and a 3 week stretch in 2022 where Hicks' numbers were just as good as his two hot stretches with the O's.

Between April 11 and 19, .381/.500/.524 and between June 29 and July 26, .333/.465/.579.

Things must have just been less toxic during those stretches.

[Spy Fox]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

That is certainly a consideration for Hicks.   But Hicks has never won a WS ring.  Where is his best chance to get one?

The Norfolk Tides look like they'll be pretty good for a while. 

In seriousness, I agree with SG's take. Hicks' turnaround has probably earned him an MLB role next year but I seriously doubt it's here. Now I would have never expected we'd sign Frazier so Elias could pull a similar move here but I don't see that happening with another year's worth of prospect graduations crowding up the scene. Kjerstad and Cowser are coming to the majors next year and I don't see them prioritizing a 34 y.o. Hicks over those guys. 

And if those guys fail or get injured, you find the 2024 version of a Hicks-like castoff to plug the hole for a period of time. There will be some available. 

[dystopia]

1 hour ago, MurphDogg said:

Fair enough. I hope that is the case, but I am perfectly capable of cherry picking to find a 1 week stretch and a 3 week stretch in 2022 where Hicks' numbers were just as good as his two hot stretches with the O's.

Between April 11 and 19, .381/.500/.524 and between June 29 and July 26, .333/.465/.579.

Things must have just been less toxic during those stretches.

Hicks played in 55 games between those two stretches. How many did he play between his two hot stretches with the O's? 

Bad players have good stretches and good players have bad stretches. It's what they do in between that makes the difference, so I'm not sure what you think you're proving with this. 

Either getting NY helped Hicks or it's the world's biggest coincidence that he took off after leaving. 

I don't think he can sustain the .839 OPS that he has with the O's but I could see him putting up a .725 or better OPS next year.

 

[dystopia]

Just now, dystopia said:

Hicks played in 55 games between those two stretches. How many did he play between his two hot stretches with the O's? 

Bad players have good stretches and good players have bad stretches. It's what they do in between that makes the difference, so I'm not sure what you think you're proving with this. 

Either getting NY helped Hicks or it's the world's biggest coincidence that he took off after leaving. 

I don't think he can sustain the .839 OPS that he has with the O's but I could see him putting up a .725 or better OPS next year.

 

getting out of NY*

[dystopia]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm pretty sure the turnaround started before he left.

But that narrative isn't as good.

Because of a 3 hit game? LOL, okay. 

[LA2]

6 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Because of a 3 hit game? LOL, okay. 

You forgot how hot the 0 for 2 with 2 Ks after that--his last game with the Ys--was!

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Because of a 3 hit game? LOL, okay. 

He had a run scored in one at bat the game prior, went one for three with a walk the game before that, walked and scored a run in his only plate appearance the game before that....

But hey, why bother actually looking.

[MurphDogg]

6 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Hicks played in 55 games between those two stretches. How many did he play between his two hot stretches with the O's? 

Bad players have good stretches and good players have bad stretches. It's what they do in between that makes the difference, so I'm not sure what you think you're proving with this.

You got me. He only played poorly in 24 games with the Orioles before getting hurt.

The point is that Hicks is still the guy he has been since 2021 (and to an extent, the guy he has been since 2019) and his dead cat bounce stretches in 2023 are no more meaningful than his dead cat bounce stretches in 2022.

I wish him well, but if .725 OPS is your prediction for his 2024, I would jump all over the under. And if he did have a .725 OPS, he would still be a sub 1 WAR player, given that he isn’t really a centerfielder any more, considering he has a .745 OPS this year and has accrued 0.4 rWAR.

[dystopia]

Hicks slashed .164/.292/.230/.523 at home in 2022 and .256/.358/.374/.732.

But yeah, I'm sure MLB players are all robots and environment has zero impact on how they perform.

[dystopia]

3 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Hicks slashed .164/.292/.230/.523 at home in 2022 and .256/.358/.374/.732.

But yeah, I'm sure MLB players are all robots and environment has zero impact on how they perform.

2nd slash line was 2022 on the road.

[dystopia]

7 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

You got me. He only played poorly in 24 games with the Orioles before getting hurt.

The point is that Hicks is still the guy he has been since 2021 (and to an extent, the guy he has been since 2019) and his dead cat bounce stretches in 2023 are no more meaningful than his dead cat bounce stretches in 2022.

I wish him well, but if .725 OPS is your prediction for his 2024, I would jump all over the under. And if he did have a .725 OPS, he would still be a sub 1 WAR player, given that he isn’t really a centerfielder any more, considering he has a .745 OPS this year and has accrued 0.4 rWAR.

I mean, I DID say I didn't want him back. But mostly because of him blocking younger players. His OPS was .732 on the road in 2022 so I don't think that .725 benchmark is unreasonable.