>because it sounds like PTSD to me.

Hicks is probably the only candidate on the team for that right now.

>at what point do the twins realize that hicks probably should
>not have skipped a level?

They probably realize it already, but believe there's some value (particularly for a team that isn't expected to be good anyhow) in making it seem like tacit policy for players who win a job out of spring training to hold that job for at least 4-6 weeks. I suspect they also like to be able to send Hicks to Rochester with more specific instructions than "stop sucking so much."

But yeah, he was rushed. Apparently nobody has struck out this many times through the first ten games of their career ever or something? They're hemmed into a bit of a corner right now with Mastroianni injured, Benson hitting nearly as poorly as Hicks only doing it in Rochester, and Wilkin Ramirez not really a centerfielder.

I think dropping him in the order was smart and might kickstart him in the way that putting him at leadoff did in New Britain last year - it'll simplify his process. The toughest thing to watch about him so far was seeing him do things that, even at his occasional MiLB low points were never part of his game, like swinging at fastballs outside the strikezone. With no real CF options besides him right now, he can get the Rochester treatment just by virtue of low expectations: take better at-bats; be yourself and work the count.

Whatever his problem, I'd rather be him and pathological opportunity-misser Joe Benson right now. .171/.216/.200 and striking out almost as often as Hicks.