Billy Hamilton Scouting Report

[Benihana]

Pretty negative on his hitting ability:

http://projectprospect.com/article/2...couting-report

Billy Hamilton Scouting Report
by Adam Foster
April 18, 2011


You can only tell so much about a ball player from watching one round of batting practice. So I'll tell you more.

Billy Hamilton is a slick-fielding shortstop and a plus runner. A rhythm hitter with easy bat speed, he has plenty of swagger.

He's very thin with little room for physical projection. The switch hitter has poor pitch recognition and poor balance at the plate, a combination that will leave him at the mercy of advanced pitching. His swing is upper-body-driven and he's not a patient hitter.

Hamilton plays the game like it comes naturally to him, and he could be an above-average defensive shortstop. He ranges easily, has good hands, a strong arm, and is a fluid defender. But his odds of ever hitting in the bigs are slim.

He lacks the natural ability to square up on a baseball. And he doesn't have the frame or barrel awareness to hit for any kind of power.

I've talked to plenty of baseball people who are high on Hamilton's upside. Just be warned that he's going to be a big project at the plate, won't blaze through the minors and offers very limited offensive upside.

[dougdirt]

I agree with it all if we are going to talk about CURRENT ability. The thing Adam overlooks too often in my opinion, is future improvements. He cares a lot more about what a guy can do right now than what he may be able to do in the future in terms of making improvements to his skillset.

[OnBaseMachine]

Foster likes to form opinions after one atbat, or one batting practice session. Which is why I don't take him seriously.

[BakoTheTako]

I am of the firm believe that you either have the ability to hit or you don't. It's something you are born with. Yes, you can become a better hitter but there is only so much you can improve from you're natural ability. I have only seen a few of Hamilton's at bat but he just doesn't look natural to me. It might be unfair to say that after only seeing a few at bats but you can tell a lot from seeing someone swing a bat.

I think it will take a lot for him to overcome his lack of hitting ability but he may just have what it takes to do that. Hopefully he does.

[REDblooded]

Foster likes to form opinions after one atbat, or one batting practice session. Which is why I don't take him seriously.

Aside from the fact that it's extremely irresponsible as a "journalist/scout"...

[Superdude]

Aside from the fact that it's extremely irresponsible as a "journalist/scout"...

It's not like he didn't disclaim that fact. You can choose to ignore the article if you want

[dougdirt]

I am of the firm believe that you either have the ability to hit or you don't. It's something you are born with. Yes, you can become a better hitter but there is only so much you can improve from you're natural ability. I have only seen a few of Hamilton's at bat but he just doesn't look natural to me. It might be unfair to say that after only seeing a few at bats but you can tell a lot from seeing someone swing a bat.

I think it will take a lot for him to overcome his lack of hitting ability but he may just have what it takes to do that. Hopefully he does.

Here is what I see from Billy Hamilton from the left side.... When he keeps his weight back, he has a swing that looks pretty good. It has some balance and it isn't an armsy swing that can lead to solid gap power. When he doesn't keep his weight back (which is much too often at this point, likely because he struggles some with pitch recognition) his swing is pretty rough and he isn't going to hit the ball 200 feet with a roll.

[Scrap Irony]

Aside from the fact that it's extremely irresponsible as a "journalist/scout"...

What I struggle with vis a vis amateur internet guys is the lack of responsible scouting from those that have been there, done that.

Absolutely anyone can look like a baseball god for a three-game series. Absolutely anyone can look clueless in the same time frame.

Swings (and swing mechanics) get screwed up over the course of a season. Batting practice swings can be even worse-- that's often when these guys try something new or are goofing off.

Insisting that someone has poor mechanics after a couple a swings is an extremely poor way to evaluate any player.

Some of these goof-offs (who know just as much-- and no more-- than 90% of Redszone) write things everyone else take as facts.

[Cedric]

I agree with it all if we are going to talk about CURRENT ability. The thing Adam overlooks too often in my opinion, is future improvements. He cares a lot more about what a guy can do right now than what he may be able to do in the future in terms of making improvements to his skillset.

Well then why does anyone listen to the guy and why does he have a job? Someone that writes about 18-20 year old kids and doesn't care about projection?

[dougdirt]

Well then why does anyone listen to the guy and why does he have a job? Someone that writes about 18-20 year old kids and doesn't care about projection?

Well, if you want to know how a guy is right now, he can tell you. But when I want to know how someone projects, I much prefer what other PP writers have to say (Steve Carter for example, who does awesome work for them). But Adam does a good job at coordinating everything and he certainly has the ability to do what most other sites aren't able to or willing to do. Travel a lot with camera in hand and get a ton of footage. Why more people don't do it, I don't know.

[bellhead]

So on the opposite end Torres is a 12 time allstar caliber player because of his ability to put the barrell of the bat on the ball? Correct?

[dougdirt]

So on the opposite end Torres is a 12 time allstar caliber player because of his ability to put the barrell of the bat on the ball? Correct?

Not really. But Torreyes, who I assume you are talking about, is probably going to be a better hitter because of it, in his opinion.

[bellhead]

Not really. But Torreyes, who I assume you are talking about, is probably going to be a better hitter because of it, in his opinion.

Sorry too lazy to look up the full name...and yea that's what I implied.

[jojo]

What I struggle with vis a vis amateur internet guys is the lack of responsible scouting from those that have been there, done that.

Absolutely anyone can look like a baseball god for a three-game series. Absolutely anyone can look clueless in the same time frame.

Swings (and swing mechanics) get screwed up over the course of a season. Batting practice swings can be even worse-- that's often when these guys try something new or are goofing off.

Insisting that someone has poor mechanics after a couple a swings is an extremely poor way to evaluate any player.

Some of these goof-offs (who know just as much-- and no more-- than 90% of Redszone) write things everyone else take as facts.

He didn't base his report on an at bat or single round of batting practice thought did he?

I thought he was suggesting that since we only have the limited video in his link that he'd inform it with what he's seen over the course of watching Hamilton in a bigger sample.

[jojo]

Well, if you want to know how a guy is right now, he can tell you. But when I want to know how someone projects, I much prefer what other PP writers have to say (Steve Carter for example, who does awesome work for them). But Adam does a good job at coordinating everything and he certainly has the ability to do what most other sites aren't able to or willing to do. Travel a lot with camera in hand and get a ton of footage. Why more people don't do it, I don't know.

With Hamilton he basically said the guy's frame doesn't project to fill out and his mechanics/recognition will be a work in progress that will slow his progression. That kinda seems like a projection.