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  1. #1
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...2/2613288.html

    The Scoop: No one has ever questioned Hamilton’s ability to run and steal bases, but the young shortstop has heard plenty of questions about how much he’s going to hit. Last year he struggled to get his average over the Mendoza line early in the year, and it took a strong finish for Hamilton to bat .278/.340/.360. But at the end of the season, Midwest League observers explained that Hamilton’s off-the-charts athleticism meant that he could make dramatic improvement that the average player could only dream of.
    Hamilton hit over .500 last week. More at the link.

  2. #2
    rest in power, king Wonderful Monds's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    I still think he can be Jose Reyes.

  3. #3
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by Wonderful Monds View Post
    I still think he can be Jose Reyes.
    Never going to have anywhere near the kind of power Reyes has.

  4. #4
    rest in power, king Wonderful Monds's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    Never going to have anywhere near the kind of power Reyes has.
    I know that's the prevailing opinion, but Hamilton's a super athlete and I still think he'll put on some muscle. I feel like he's got a chance.

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    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by Wonderful Monds View Post
    I know that's the prevailing opinion, but Hamilton's a super athlete and I still think he'll put on some muscle. I feel like he's got a chance.
    Hamilton has super athlete speed. I am not sure anything else he does on the baseball field puts him in super athlete status. Josh Hamilton is a super athlete. Drew Stubbs is a super athlete. Billy Hamilton is super fast. Big difference.

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    Party like it's 1990 Blitz Dorsey's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    Hamilton has super athlete speed. I am not sure anything else he does on the baseball field puts him in super athlete status. Josh Hamilton is a super athlete. Drew Stubbs is a super athlete. Billy Hamilton is super fast. Big difference.
    No, Usain Bolt is both "super fast" and a "super athlete." Nice try though.

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    Member Sea Ray's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by Wonderful Monds View Post
    I still think he can be Jose Reyes.
    How 'bout Bip Roberts?

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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Hamilton has super athlete speed. I am not sure anything else he does on the baseball field puts him in super athlete status. Josh Hamilton is a super athlete. Drew Stubbs is a super athlete. Billy Hamilton is super fast. Big difference.
    Strongly disagree. Hamilton had a football scholarship to be a receiver at Mississippi State. He was a tremendous HS basketball player. The kid is an elite athlete -- otherwise he'd have had no prayer of success in learning how to switch hit at the professional level. He plays the toughest position on the diamond (that does not require squatting). I think you're going to be surprised at his development as a baseball player, Doug.

  9. #9
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by lollipopcurve View Post
    Strongly disagree. Hamilton had a football scholarship to be a receiver at Mississippi State. He was a tremendous HS basketball player. The kid is an elite athlete -- otherwise he'd have had no prayer of success in learning how to switch hit at the professional level. He plays the toughest position on the diamond (that does not require squatting). I think you're going to be surprised at his development as a baseball player, Doug.
    Hamilton doesn't have all that good of hands. His arm isn't really anything to write home about. By mere mortal stretches, yes, Hamilton is a great athlete. But in comparison to guys who stand out as athletes in professional baseball? Hamilton has one plus tool to his game and it is speed. Super athletes have 3 plus tools or more.

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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Hamilton doesn't have all that good of hands. His arm isn't really anything to write home about. By mere mortal stretches, yes, Hamilton is a great athlete. But in comparison to guys who stand out as athletes in professional baseball? Hamilton has one plus tool to his game and it is speed. Super athletes have 3 plus tools or more.
    My definition of athlete has Hamilton in the top tier. You can have yours.

  11. #11
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by lollipopcurve View Post
    My definition of athlete has Hamilton in the top tier. You can have yours.
    Well what is yours based on?

    Baseball has 5 tools in which it rates the strength of those tools among the rest of baseball. Hamilton is above average in one of them. The rest are either average or below average.

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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    One interpretation of a great athlete would be a guy who can play an array of sports at a high level. By that standard, Hamilton qualifies resoundingly.

    Doug, I can understand your application of athleticism to baseball skills, in this context. But I'm not sure that would hold up as a comprehensive definition. Bruce Jenner might have zero tools as a baseball player, and he was widely regarded as the greatest athlete in the world.

  13. #13
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by mace View Post
    One interpretation of a great athlete would be a guy who can play an array of sports at a high level. By that standard, Hamilton qualifies resoundingly.

    Doug, I can understand your application of athleticism to baseball skills, in this context. But I'm not sure that would hold up as a comprehensive definition. Bruce Jenner might have zero tools as a baseball player, and he was widely regarded as the greatest athlete in the world.
    Jenner probably would have been an above average runner.

    But in this situation, what does Hamilton's ability to play other sports at a high level (which is almost directly tied to him being incredibly fast) do for him on the baseball field?

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    Member 757690's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    Jenner probably would have been an above average runner.

    But in this situation, what does Hamilton's ability to play other sports at a high level (which is almost directly tied to him being incredibly fast) do for him on the baseball field?
    It means that he has the athletic ability to learn new skills.

    To me being a great athlete says nothing about tools or skills. Tools and skills are acquired through hard work, intelligence and natural talent. Athleticism is based slowly on natural talent. It mostly has to do with coordination, quickness and strength, but it can't be divided like the five baseball tools, it's one "tool" in and of itself.

    Having athleticism helps individuals succeed in most physical sports, since coordination is the main requirement for success in most sports. Throw in hard work and intelligence, and most great athletes will develop most of the tools or skills needed to succeed at most sports. Hamilton seems to be proving that true.
    Hoping to change my username to 75769024

  15. #15
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

    Quote Originally Posted by 757690 View Post
    It means that he has the athletic ability to learn new skills.

    To me being a great athlete says nothing about tools or skills. Tools and skills are acquired through hard work, intelligence and natural talent. Athleticism is based slowly on natural talent. It mostly has to do with coordination, quickness and strength, but it can't be divided like the five baseball tools, it's one "tool" in and of itself.

    Having athleticism helps individuals succeed in most physical sports, since coordination is the main requirement for success in most sports. Throw in hard work and intelligence, and most great athletes will develop most of the tools or skills needed to succeed at most sports. Hamilton seems to be proving that true.
    Every single guy playing minor league baseball is a very good athlete though. Tools are something that are considered natural. Skills are the thing that are generally based upon the work put in with those tools.

    I feel like I am ripping Hamilton here, but I really like the kid as a prospect, I just don't really see him as some super athlete simply because he is incredibly fast. His other 'athletic' things he does on the baseball field just don't really stack up as being stand out compared to the guys on the field with him.


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