You know that sinking feeling you get when you know something is going to wrong? Yea that is the feeling I get every time Aaron Hicks comes up to bat. You know, buzz kill, rally buster, deflation expert? Yea, that is Hicks to me. I really try to stay positive in my posts, as my colleague Steve Azul from the Bleed Blue Show encourages me to do, but I have nothing but negativity when I see Hicks in the lineup, And when he gets up with runners in players in scoring position, that is a whole other kind of rage. So, my question or rather my plea: Please Tell Me That Aaron Hicks is Done Already!
"Looking for a spark on offense, the Yankees made a few changes to their lineup as well. Willie Calhoun gets the start at designated hitter with Aaron Hicks shifting to left field and Oswald Peraza getting the nod at second base," reported NJ.com. I'm sorry, what? Aaron Hicks is giving spark to the offense?
In Monday night's loss to the Twins, Aaron Hicks performed as expected. "With two outs and nobody on in the first, Aaron Hicks took advantage of a rare start by bunting Gray's first pitch directly towards the mound. He didn't drag it. He didn't really do much of anything. He just fed it to the catcher, who lobbed on to first for the out," reported FanSided. In fact Hicks in the lineup provides absolutely no value to this struggling Yankee team.
As the New York Post writes, "If the 2022 baseball season seemed like a nightmare for the talented Hicks, 2023 looks far worse so far. Overlooked amid all the bouquets thrown ace pitcher Gerrit Cole’s way after the Yankees’ 2-0 victory last Sunday was an offensive performance by Hicks that qualifies as memorably bad — three at-bats and three strikeouts out of the No. 9 hole against his original Minnesota Twins team."
On the road, Tuesday night against that same Minnesota team, he was equally lackluster. Hicks is batting an abysmal .120, trying to earn bases through walks which has backfired with backward Ks for the former center fielder now utility outfielder.
"The Yankees do not like to admit their mistakes, and no one relishes eating $30 million, which is no crime. But while Hicks’ seven-month slump appears to have no ending in sight — he had an 86 OPS+ last year, and it’s -12 now (though that’s only through 22 at-bats) — there isn’t any suggestion his Yankees tenure is anywhere near its close," reported The Post.
With Giancarlo Stanton on the IL for an indefinite amount of time and Harrison Bader still battling to come back, it looks like Hicks is around for a little while longer. But honestly, if the Yankees want to get anywhere this season, they need to find a trade partner or DFA the guy. Listen if Sonny Gray and Joey Gallo can find a new lease on baseball life somewhere else, why can't Hicks? He could play outfield for another team and maybe revive himself like his two former teammates.
Please tell me that Hicks is done being a Yankees and Brian Cashman, somehow and some way can find a way to drop the guy off at another ball club that can welcome him with open arms? Maybe we can get someone of equal need of rehabilitation to come to New York in return. Honestly, anything would be better than watching Hicks trot toward balls in the outfield and swing through pitches from both sides of the plate. It's frustrating and it needs to be done already.
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--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
Last year the Yankees lived and died with the home run,this year the offense is totally pathetic. Does anyone have confidence with with anyone at the plate, except Rizzo.
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