Josh Hamilton at First Base?

[RBA]

Josh Hamilton for 5th starter and release Milton.

[Always Red]

Josh Hamilton for 5th starter and release Milton.

He can do it all.

[rotnoid]

Narron's said he's going to stick with Hamilton until he slows down. So that means extra days off for Griffey and Freel. That fact alone probably makes this a better team late in the season. If Josh keeps it up, there's likely to be a deal in the works somewhere.

[WMR]

Our best defensive outfielder at 1B? No thanks.

The debate should be between Griffey and Dunn.

Move one of those two to first and this team's offensive is immediately improved substantially and the bench gets a bit more pop as well.

Ain't gonna happen with who we got piloting this ship though.

[The_jbh]

I don't think Dunn would mind playing 1B once a week, or as a late inning switch. He just doesn't want to play there full time...

I could be incorrect tho

[edabbs44]

Josh Hamilton as the 5th starter???? Hamilton as the new GM??? Hamilton for closer??

No one should be rearranging the roster for this guy. Sure he needs ABs, but picture Hamilton like Bailey. No one wants to rush Homer, but we're ready to revamp the starting lineup in less than 2 weeks for a guy who is been above AA for that same time period. Remember how Ross basically pushed LaRue and Javy to the eternal pine last season? Now it's Ross' time as the whipping boy. Things change awful quick in this game.

Let Hamilton play 3 or 4 time per week max, for now. Then, if possible, move someone at the deadline if Hamilton forces the FO's hand. This guy has a bright future ahead of him and he should be treated with more caution than anybody else in the organization. I'm sorry to say it but there is still a large risk with him and, if he gets too big in Cincinnati too fast, you never know what could happen. He's got a lot more on the line than just his baseball career.

[AtomicDumpling]

I vote for Hamilton in centerfield and Freel as the super-utility man all over the field. This is all assuming Hamilton can continue to play well over the long haul. That is a big assumption considering his total lack of experience.

Hamilton has got me very excited. I hope he can keep his nose out of trouble because I think he can be a special player.

[Willy]

He has to play until he proves he is not one of our best 9 players. Right now he is one of our best 9.

[jmcclain19]

Josh Hamilton for Pope

[jmac]

JH just adds to the 4 spots for 3 players scenario this team has had so much of recently.
since about 4-5 years ago we have had :

Dunn-Griffey-Juan Encarnacion..........Austin Kearns
Dunn- Griffey- Kearns....... Jose Guillen
Dunn-Griff- Kearns ........ Wily Mo
Dunn- Griff- Freel......Hamilton

[vic715]

Put EE at 1st and Freel at 3rd

I suggested that in a thread about three weeks ago and you'd have thought that I'd kicked someones dog. There are posters on this board who believe EE is the second coming of Brooks Robinson.He led all 3rd baseman in errors last year and most of them were throwing errors. Puting him on 1st would eliminate that. It worked for Tony Perez.Freel has and can play 3rd as well as EE.In 1975 Sparky put Pete on 3rd so Foster could play everyday and the result was pretty nice.

[jmcclain19]

I don't mean to be a downer or a killjoy, but FYI - Chris Shelton in April last year (A Rule V pick himself) looked like the second coming of Babe Ruth all month. By the end of the summer he was in AAA.

Not that Hamilton doesn't have oodles of talent and excites the heck of me with his potential - just keep that in the back of your mind when anointing him franchise savior after 10 major league at bats.

[Razor Shines]

Josh Hamilton as the 5th starter???? Hamilton as the new GM??? Hamilton for closer??

No one should be rearranging the roster for this guy. Sure he needs ABs, but picture Hamilton like Bailey. No one wants to rush Homer, but we're ready to revamp the starting lineup in less than 2 weeks for a guy who is been above AA for that same time period. Remember how Ross basically pushed LaRue and Javy to the eternal pine last season? Now it's Ross' time as the whipping boy. Things change awful quick in this game.

Let Hamilton play 3 or 4 time per week max, for now. Then, if possible, move someone at the deadline if Hamilton forces the FO's hand. This guy has a bright future ahead of him and he should be treated with more caution than anybody else in the organization. I'm sorry to say it but there is still a large risk with him and, if he gets too big in Cincinnati too fast, you never know what could happen. He's got a lot more on the line than just his baseball career.

I said it during spring training, Josh Hamilton's situation is different. It's different than David Ross having possibly a flash in the pan season, and his spring training was different than a Tony Womack having a great spring training one year. Josh Hamilton is an extraordinary talent, reportedly the most talent of his generation. It means more that he's started off hot than David Ross's great half of a season. He's different than Homer Bailey, one because Homer is a pitcher, but also because Homer doesn't have the talent that Josh has. Homer wasn't even the most talented guy in his draft class, not to say that he's not talented just not on Hamilton's level, but few are.

The part about his off the field stuff, you're right they do need to be careful with that though. But I don't know how much that should translate to playing time, they just need to have someone keeping an eye on him off the field. And by all reports they do.

[Jpup]

I'm not sure what is wrong with Scott Hatteberg at first base.

[redsrule2500]

I'm not sure what is wrong with Scott Hatteberg at first base.

I was thinking the same thing...