Any concern that Billy Hamilton is nothing more than a MLB utility player?

[mattfeet]

No way Choo signs for 2 years unless its at $25MM each.

[RedEye]

honestly, the Reds don't care about his HR numbers. they want him to get on base and utilize his speed both on the base paths and on defense.

Of course. But MLB players need to have some power to get on base in the first place. Not HR power, just power enough to have the pitchers respect them.

[swaisuc]

No way Choo signs for 2 years unless its at $25MM each.

I would actually consider something like that if I was the Reds. Sure, it will hamstring your payroll in the short term, but what holes do we really still need money for in 2013-2014? Extending the pitchers will obviously be the main competition for the dollars.

It keeps the Reds away from paying 15-20M a season for the tail end of a guy's career and gets us his peak years right in the middle of our winning window.

To me, it's worth an extra 5-7M a year to sign him to a short deal. Just the way we're built at the moment, 2/50 makes more sense than 7/135 or something. Then again, it's also not my money.

[jhu1321]

I would actually consider something like that if I was the Reds. Sure, it will hamstring your payroll in the short term, but what holes do we really still need money for in 2013-2014? Extending the pitchers will obviously be the main competition for the dollars.

It keeps the Reds away from paying 15-20M a season for the tail end of a guy's career and gets us his peak years right in the middle of our winning window.

To me, it's worth an extra 5-7M a year to sign him to a short deal. Just the way we're built at the moment, 2/50 makes more sense than 7/135 or something. Then again, it's also not my money.

The Reds wouldn't even consider a 7 year contract for 30 year old Choo. IF they entertain an extension it's hard to envision an offer of more than 3-4 years.

[Sea Ray]

He's shown an ability throughout the minor leagues to learn and improve. We'll see if he does that here. My guess is he will but it's only a guess. He is not nor ever has been a can't miss prospect

[swaisuc]

The Reds wouldn't even consider a 7 year contract for 30 year old Choo. IF they entertain an extension it's hard to envision an offer of more than 3-4 years.

I agree with you. I was throwing out an example of what his other options will likely look like from other teams.

[traderumor]

The title of this thread reminds me of the joke folks were making about sports interviews. Talk about a leading question. Right now, one can be doing nothing more than abusing statistics to intimate anything about who Billy Hamilton is based on his current AAA line.

[holster10]

easy/ panic button pushers: he'll figure it out at AAA. don't jump to conclusions after one month. remember how terrible ludwick was the first two months of the season last year?

[dubc47834]

Not any more concern than what I had before this year. He is at a new level and I would expect him to struggle probly. I've just had a gut feeling about him not panning out to be what most on here expect him to be. I would love it if he turned out to be a guy that could hit leadoff and get us 50+ steals a year, but he will have to prove it first. Before you blast me Hamilton lovers, look at my post about other players, I'm usually the positive guy, but I'm just not feeling it on this guy!!! Hope he proves me wrong tho.

[Blitz Dorsey]

I still lock up Choo for 2 more years. Hamilton hasn't proven anything at AAA that makes me confident he can hit at this level yet.

No way Boras (or Choo) will want just a 2-year deal. Why would they settle for that? The market will be robust for Choo.

[PuffyPig]

PuffyPig - I don't pretend to be more qualified than the Reds brass at evaluating a 19-year old's development curve as a shortstop. It may have been the right decision, but I don't agree that "if he could [play shortstop] he never would have moved." Organizations, even good ones, make wrong decisions like these all the time. Who's to say that the Yankees would have been wrong to move Derek Jeter from shortstop after his second year in the minors when he made 56 errors in 126 games and showed limited range in the process? Also, who's to say that right now Hamilton's struggles at the plate aren't related to his trying to focus on learning a new position.

All I'm saying is that if Hamilton turns out to be a sub .320 OBP/zero power hitter in the major leagues - a proposition which is looking increasingly likely - then I'd rather he be a decent defensive shortstop than a plus-defensive centerfielder.

It was unlikely that Hamilton could stay at SS since when he as drafted. It's actually surprising he stayed there that long.

And you are suggesting that it's looking "increasingly likely" he'll be a sub .320 OBA guy based on one month of a 22 year old at AAA? Unbelievable.

I hope his struggles are based on learning a new position. That problem will be solved soon enough.

[Todd Gack]

Our current organization refused to trade him this offseason. With their track record, I trust their judgement.

[bigredmechanism]

No way Boras (or Choo) will want just a 2-year deal. Why would they settle for that? The market will be robust for Choo.

Agreed, and it was robust before he set the world on fire in April. If he keeps playing like this, he's going to be ridiculously expensive.

[joshua]

One month in AAA doesn't mean a whole lot. Also, he essentially skipped AA for what it's worth.

I'm more worried about our lack of hitting up and down the entire minor league system. Take a look at the stats. It's atrocious.

[Vottomatic]

Agreed, and it was robust before he set the world on fire in April. If he keeps playing like this, he's going to be ridiculously expensive.

As far as I'm concerned in terms of Reds position players.........there's Votto, Choo and BP. I'd trade everyone else, non-pitcher, in a heartbeat for the right deal.

I'd kill to have more Choo's, Votto's and BP's. Guys that make good things happen.