If he keeps it up, when should Billy Hamilton be promoted?

[dougdirt]

I get that, although I think his arm negates his range a bit. If he gets to a ball that no one else would, but still launches it into the stands what was that worth? I realize it's not a great metric or anything but those fielding%s are ugly.

When you have Cozart locked in at SS, and Phillips locked in at 2B, with more MLB ready prospects than Hamilton behind them, I just don't see Hamilton finding traction with the big club. Why not get value out of him while he's getting all this press and before his bat gets exposed at the higher levels?

Those fielding % numbers also take into account minor league fields and minor league first baseman. Right now he has a .926 Fielding % and that isn't truly that bad for the minor leagues because of the things I mentioned.

I am not necessarily against your 'trade him while his stock is at its highest' idea. I was just simply addressing his defense.

[OGB]

Serious question: is Hamilton running too much right now? Look, we all love the gaudy SB numbers, but the goal is not to steal bases in the minors. Should he dial it back a bit and not kill his legs?

That's not how legs work.
He could be a little more worn down at the end of a season from over exertion, but legs don't have a finite amount of life to them, pparticularly when it comes to sprinting ninety feet 150 or so times in a five month stretch.
Are you aware how often Olympic sprinters who compete in the 100, 200, 400 (etc) meter dash will run those distances in training?

[bellhead]

Those fielding % numbers also take into account minor league fields and minor league first baseman. Right now he has a .926 Fielding % and that isn't truly that bad for the minor leagues because of the things I mentioned.

I am not necessarily against your 'trade him while his stock is at its highest' idea. I was just simply addressing his defense.

Also I think you have to throw in his range on that also as he gets to balls even elite SS don't get to. How many of his throws or errors are on plays he makes look normal but other SS at his level struggle with because of their athletic ability?

[Scrap Irony]

Also I think you have to throw in his range on that also as he gets to balls even elite SS don't get to. How many of his throws or errors are on plays he makes look normal but other SS at his level struggle with because of their athletic ability?

Quite a few last year at Dayton.

As for his arm, it's average for a SS. He's not David Eckstein over there.

The problem (at least last season) was that he occasionally threw sidearm or submarine to 1B. That caused his throws to sail a bit. The same thing happened to Shawon Dunston as a minor leaguer (and early in his major league career). It's easily correctable with more reps and experience.

As for his bat, he's had more great months than bad ones at this point. (Two bad months to start his career, a year of great in Billings, a poor half season at Dayton then a monster half season. Now, a phenomenal month.)

How long until the first half of last season is considered an aberration?

[RiverRat13]

How long until the first half of last season is considered an aberration?

Especially considering he was learning how to switch hit.

[camisadelgolf]

Especially considering he was learning how to switch hit.

And throw with better mechanics.

[Ohayou]

Hamilton not in the same class? In terms of contribution to the team I disagree. Bruce year 1 -0.3 WAR, not hard to keep up with that class. Year 2 0.8 WAR, again doesn't take much to whoop that class. Year 3 4.6 WAR - now we're talking. Year 4 whoops a 1.2 WAR.

Hamilton's first 4 years won't beat that? I guess we'll see.

I'm not sure I'm seeing your point. Fact remains WAR is a subjective, arbitrarily invented formula which I find to be horse crap and not representative of the real world. But then again, I've actually seen baseball games and played a bit so I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

[Scrap Irony]

I'm not sure I'm seeing your point. Fact remains WAR is a subjective, arbitrarily invented formula which I find to be horse crap and not representative of the real world. But then again, I've actually seen baseball games and played a bit so I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

Not cool, Walter.

It's fine that you bag on WAR (as long as you show your work). But let's not make blanket accusations about other posters or their preferences within a game bursting at the seams with numbers.

Bad form, as Captain Cook would say.

[dougdirt]

I'm not sure I'm seeing your point. Fact remains WAR is a subjective, arbitrarily invented formula which I find to be horse crap and not representative of the real world. But then again, I've actually seen baseball games and played a bit so I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

It isn't arbitrary. It is pretty darn accurate at predicting actual team wins. The person who invented it clearly saw baseball games, otherwise they would have had no interest in creating such a start.

It isn't a perfect stat, none of them are, but it is fairly sturdy as one of the best ways to determine who is in what category of ballplayer (scrub, regular, above average, all star, MVP/Cy Young).

[camisadelgolf]

Not cool, Walter.

It's fine that you bag on WAR (as long as you show your work). But let's not make blanket accusations about other posters or their preferences within a game bursting at the seams with numbers.

Bad form, as Captain Cook would say.

Hook - 1991 - Baseball Scene - YouTube