harfman77 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Jun 18, 2017 -> 04:55 PM) Whatever about where he was potentially viewed by some observers before a surgery (based it would seem on projection rather than any sort of college performance, which was seriously mediocre and actually regressed from 2014 to 2015), he is now a nearly 24-year-old (albeit with age caveats) throwing 90-93 in single A striking out 3.3 per 9. I don't see him as any sort of prospect without serious improvement. He battled through injuries his senior year at Iowa to get his team into the regionals for the first time in a generation, his performance was down and his results toward the end of the season were not on par with where he had been for the rest of the season and really sours his stats. He is going to take a long time to make an impact, he has never handled a pro workload and its going to take him a few years to get there. Thats probably part of the reason for the late start to the season, trying to limit his innings while he builds up over time. His ceiling is probably back of the rotation starter with a floor of AAA RP depth. Hes a good story and a lot of people are wishing success for him because of that, I don't think anyone projects him to be a staff ace at any point, but if he can develop into a valuable piece than its a great deal for the Sox in every way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jun 20, 2017 -> 04:05 PM) He battled through injuries his senior year at Iowa to get his team into the regionals for the first time in a generation, his performance was down and his results toward the end of the season were not on par with where he had been for the rest of the season and really sours his stats. He is going to take a long time to make an impact, he has never handled a pro workload and its going to take him a few years to get there. Thats probably part of the reason for the late start to the season, trying to limit his innings while he builds up over time. His ceiling is probably back of the rotation starter with a floor of AAA RP depth. Hes a good story and a lot of people are wishing success for him because of that, I don't think anyone projects him to be a staff ace at any point, but if he can develop into a valuable piece than its a great deal for the Sox in every way. I also feel like some mistake rooting for a player on a personal basis, with thinking they are going to make it big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 The Hickman story if he even briefly makes it to the big leagues is Disney's Rookie II...or another version of The Blind Side. That's obviously why there's more noise around him, the human interest angle. Same reason Tim Tebow started out the year as the MILB player with by far the most coverage. Not based on prospect rankings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago White Sox Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 20, 2017 -> 08:11 PM) The Hickman story if he even briefly makes it to the big leagues is Disney's Rookie II...or another version of The Blind Side. That's obviously why there's more noise around him, the human interest angle. Same reason Tim Tebow started out the year as the MILB player with by far the most coverage. Not based on prospect rankings. What is Hickman's story exactly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnin' two Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jun 20, 2017 -> 08:34 PM) What is Hickman's story exactly? Count me in the curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 http://m.mlb.com/news/article/129538944/bl...te-sox-draftee/ Note the quotes from Hostetler "We're excited about him. We think there is a huge projection there," said Hostetler of Hickman. "The ACE part of it and him being a local kid was kind of a bonus for us. Our scout, J.J. Lally, did a good job with him. We've known him forever, and we made the call. ... He was so excited to be here." "They have been there for me since I was 12 years old," said Hickman of the White Sox. "Hopefully I'll make it to the big leagues and help them win a World Series. I'm really excited." Hickman started as a catcher at Iowa after prepping at Simeon Academy in Chicago. He didn't become a full-time pitcher until this past season, and Hostetler said Hickman almost has to be treated like a high school kid, because he hasn't pitched much. "His upside is tremendous, with his body and arm strength and whatnot," Hostetler said. "If his curveball comes, he has a chance to be special." That 12-year-old reference made by Hickman was connected to his start with ACE. Hickman finished with ACE when he was 17, but had a special boost toward the White Sox on Tuesday thanks to the White Sox community commitment. "I became a better man. That organization got me to where I am today," Hickman said. "They prepared me for this type of moment, on and off the field." "You look at these boys, and now they are men," O'Reilly said. "It has been such a treat watching them grow up. For them being able to experience success and to know we've had a little part of that is just incredible." ... When we first started the ACE program, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, if they could graduate college,'" said White Sox vice president of community relations Christine O'Reilly. "One of the staff members was like, 'Can you imagine if we ever get a kid drafted and makes it to the bigs and leaves us tickets?' It makes me almost want to cry to say that." http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/co...-iowa/26242503/ Desiree Hickman took her three oldest boys — Justin, Christian and Blake, then age 8 as she recalls — to the front of their home at 77th and Paulina streets, which had become a gathering spot for a local gang. "She had all of us standing out there on the porch," Blake Hickman, now a 21-year-old Iowa junior, said last week, "and said, 'These are my boys. You're not going to take my boys.' … Since then, they just pretty much left us alone." Hickman's mom politely calls the gang activity around their home adversity. Standing up to it that day, she said, was a message. "My boys were in my gang. They couldn't be in anybody else's gang," she said. "There wasn't never going to be a point where I felt like the streets would raise my children." Blake never got mixed up in any of it — thanks to assists from his older influences. "We all knew what was the right thing and wrong thing to do," Hickman said. "My brothers, they kept me on the narrow straight path. "You see a fight, you go the other way. That's the first thing my mom told me." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago White Sox Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I must be missing how his story is the next Blind Side or The Rookie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jun 21, 2017 -> 08:29 PM) I must be missing how his story is the next Blind Side or The Rookie. White Sox practically groom him as a player from a young age is a sweet story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsox Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jun 21, 2017 -> 07:50 PM) White Sox practically groom him as a player from a young age is a sweet story. Who plays him in the movie? Not Tommy Cruise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnin' two Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 QUOTE (oldsox @ Jun 21, 2017 -> 09:25 PM) Who plays him in the movie? Not Tommy Cruise. Dennis Quaid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 https://www.milb.com/milb/news/chicago-whit...558/t-185364810 Add this to the screenplay... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsox Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 How can you not pull for him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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