I think he will be a starting OFer for a while for the Reds. He must be doing something right for Freel to volunteer his starting OF job he fought for to go back to a super sub.
I think he will be a starting OFer for a while for the Reds. He must be doing something right for Freel to volunteer his starting OF job he fought for to go back to a super sub.
He showed a lot of power in March/April. Most of his hrs came in those months. I
am somewhat surprised by these numbers. I am glad he is doing so well, and it looks like he is doing his best to fulfill his potential. It looks like he has made adjustments, and will be a starting outfielder for years to come. I was worried he would play himself into being a reserve outfielder; now at looks like he might be in a position to replace Dunn or Griffey in a couple of years.
I have not seen many Josh Hamilton threads on this forum, so I have decided to make one. . He has had about half a season of statistics. This is for the 2007 season: 84 games. 279 AB, 47 runs, 78 hits, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 18 hr, 43 rbi, 151 total bases, 33 walks, 62 strikeouts, .362 OBP, .541 slg., and a .280 BA. He has had some weaknesses: He only hits .209 vs. LHP and he hits .157 in Day games. He has done pretty well defensively for his first year. He has a .980 fielding percentage, with 4 errors and 7 assists. If Hamilton could stay healthy for a whole year he could have quite an impressive year. However, he will need to do better against LHP in the future if he is ever going to do better than play in a platoon with Hopper. Hopper has no power, but he does hit LHP. I will continue to watch Josh Hamilton, and I will make further posts as it seems warranted.
Plain and simple... Hamilton is a beast.
-LTlabnerIf you can't build a winning team with that core a fire-sale isn't the solution. Selling the franchise, moving them to Nashville and converting GABP into a used car lot is.
I had forgotten I had created this original thread. I quoted his stats earlier, so I do not feel the need to do it again. As to whether he will be a starting outfielder, I expect we can see him start in center field vs. RHP as long as he is healthy. He will need to show he can do better vs. LHP, or he could be in a platoon with Norris Hopper in center field. It pains me to post that, because Norris has absolutely no power. Norris does hit LHP, and therefore a manager could be excused for starting Norris when a left-hander is on the mound. I would like to have Hamilton start every game in CF, but he will need to improve vs. LHP. Hamilton has played well, and I would like to see what he could do in a full season. I will sometimes make bad analogies, degenerate 10, and I will concede Brady Clark was one. I expect there will be no reason to bring it up again.
The only way for Hamilton to get better against lefties is to actually play him against them. He has only had 67 at bats against them for the year, too small of a sample size to say that he may need to be in a platoon with Hopper. In a lost season, I see no reason for Hamilton to sit anymore this season strictly because of matchup issues.
-LTlabnerIf you can't build a winning team with that core a fire-sale isn't the solution. Selling the franchise, moving them to Nashville and converting GABP into a used car lot is.
67 AB is a small sample size. Players that don't progress often find themselves in a platoon. I would imagine he will be given every opportunity to hit LHP, but the Reds should continue to start him even if he continues to struggle against LHP. He is good at getting on base, shows a lot of power, plays good defense, and maintains a good BA.. The Reds would need to find someone who does all these things vs LHP, before it would make sense to have Hamilton in a platoon. I realize all this contradicts my previous point about having him in a platoon, though.
Last edited by AmarilloRed; 09-03-2007 at 01:38 PM.
-LTlabnerIf you can't build a winning team with that core a fire-sale isn't the solution. Selling the franchise, moving them to Nashville and converting GABP into a used car lot is.
In the past 4 years Hamilton had played only a handfull (less than 50 I believe) of professional games all at the "Low A" level prior to this year. Stamina has seemed an issue at times for him this season. I don't think they want hiim going to Arizona or anywhere to play winter ball for that reason. I'd say they will have him doing a lot of strength and conditioning work this off season. Perhaps they will have him down at Sarasota early (voluntarily of course) to take extra work against lefites. Otherwise, he just has to get in there and do it.
I don't think it would be surprising to see a starting outfield of Hamilton, Hopper, and Jay Bruce by this time next year. The big question is who would play where. If it works out this way, I'd imagine it will be Bruce (RF) and Hopper (LF) on corners next year but going into 2009 Bruce would move to Center and Hamilton to right.
Personally I think there would be a lot to like about a lineup that featured Hopper at the top and filled out the top 5 after Hopp with Keppinger, Phillips, Hamilton and Bruce (not necessarily in that order after Hopper).
I hope to god that Hopper is never a starting outfielder on this team. He has shown this year that he deserves a spot on the bench, but that is as far as I will go. His ISOD is only 0.038, meaning that he will continually have to bat at least .320 in order to have a decent OBP. Also, I beleive that his bunt singles will decrease over time, as teams learn to defend against it. Finally, his SLG this year is .385, and .335 over his minor league career. These numbers do not show that of a starting calibre outfielder, but as a bat off the bench and late inning defensive replacement.
wow i never knew that. i always thought freel was a utility guy, but that shows a lot of class and a real desire to help his club win games.
in light of our record/standing, thats kind of like a bright spot to know we have some unselfish guys in an era of such egotistical atheletes.
another thought: even if bruce and votto are tearing major league pitchers heads off, griff will probably get injured, regardless of where in the outfield he plays. that leaves a nice little opening for hambone
Last edited by bigredmechanism; 09-05-2007 at 11:37 PM.
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