mlb.com article saying Hamilton may be up sooner than later, and Chapman to rotation?

[dougdirt]

Considering Chapman was a starter this spring until Madson's injury, it's not much of a leap of faith.

I don't know why it's so hard to fathom they prefer putting him in the rotation. They had three key injuries to relievers this year and had five capable starters. They moved him out of nothing more than necessity.

And at the absolute first chance they had, they bailed on that plan. The Reds didn't use Chapman as a closer last year to start the year and still put him in the bullpen at the first chance they had to make it happen. What happens this year if they sign a closer and then someone else gets an injury? Do they put Chapman in the bullpen again? I just don't believe it until it happens. They have said time and time again that they view him as a starter, yet every chance they get, they put him in the bullpen.

[Brutus]

And at the absolute first chance they had, they bailed on that plan. The Reds didn't use Chapman as a closer last year to start the year and still put him in the bullpen at the first chance they had to make it happen. What happens this year if they sign a closer and then someone else gets an injury? Do they put Chapman in the bullpen again? I just don't believe it until it happens. They have said time and time again that they view him as a starter, yet every chance they get, they put him in the bullpen.

It wasn't the "absolute first chance they had."

Notice they didn't do it when Bill Bray went down. They didn't do it when Nick Masset went down. It was only after Ryan Madson got hurt, in conjunction with Bray and Masset also being out, that they decided they had no choice.

That was three projected bullpen arms all getting hurt. You're acting like a little arm soreness of one bullpen guy precipitated the whole thing.

[puca]

It wasn't the "absolute first chance they had."

Notice they didn't do it when Bill Bray went down. They didn't do it when Nick Masset went down. It was only after Ryan Madson got hurt, in conjunction with Bray and Masset also being out, that they decided they had no choice.

That was three projected bullpen arms all getting hurt. You're acting like a little arm soreness of one bullpen guy precipitated the whole thing.

If I remember correctly Dusty was saying he wanted 2 lefties in the pen as soon as Bray went down (hint hint), so I think it was a strong possibility that Chapman would have been in the bullpen regardless of Madson's and Masset's heath.

[Brutus]

If I remember correctly Dusty was saying he wanted 2 lefties in the pen as soon as Bray went down (hint hint), so I think it was a strong possibility that Chapman would have been in the bullpen regardless of Madson's and Masset's heath.

Dusty says a lot of things, but this wasn't his call. It was Jocketty's. Ultimately he, not Dusty, is in charge personnel.

[_Sir_Charles_]

And at the absolute first chance they had, they bailed on that plan. The Reds didn't use Chapman as a closer last year to start the year and still put him in the bullpen at the first chance they had to make it happen. What happens this year if they sign a closer and then someone else gets an injury? Do they put Chapman in the bullpen again? I just don't believe it until it happens. They have said time and time again that they view him as a starter, yet every chance they get, they put him in the bullpen.

I agree with what Brutus said. Plus, one reason they didn't put him at closer right away was that he had to get re-acclimated to relieving and coming in on back to back days. He was getting used to going deeper in games and getting longer rest between uses.

That being said...I still say they bailed on Marshall much too quickly.

[westofyou]

from BP

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...rticleid=18882

Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton leads off for the West Division team by walking after working a 3-2 count. Pleskoff earlier identified the 22-year-old as the fastest player in the league, and it doesn't take long to see why. Hamilton gets a bad jump, Yankees catcher Austin Romine (age 23) throws a strike to second, and it still isn't close. Hamilton then steals third on a return throw from Romine to the pitcher. If you blink, you miss it. Romine blinked.

In his next trip to the plate, Hamilton strikes out looking at a 1-2 curveball. It's a seven-pitch at-bat mainly consisting of weak foul balls, which brings up a point Pleskoff made this morning: Hamilton has work to do from the left side of the plate.


The thing about Hamilton is that, until you see him, everything sounds like an urban legend. And it isn't just the speed. Make no mistake—he is crazy fast. But beyond that, he is in perpetual attack mode. He is always watching the pitcher and defense, looking for opportunities and weaknesses to exploit.

In the fifth, Hamilton drops a bunt. Astros first baseman Jonathan Singleton (age 21) fields the ball and launches it into right field, allowing Hamilton to reach third. Depending on which expert you believe on Twitter, his time from home to first is between 3.38 and 3.50 seconds. The guy sitting next to me has him at 3.50. We have no words for this, but just kind of giggle like schoolgirls.

Watching Hamilton glide around second is a treat. Again, it is difficult to speak of his feats without sounding like an idiot. The man does things that most people physically cannot do.

[Blitz Dorsey]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yes please!!!

Man that gets me even more excited about young William. "Perpetual attack mode." Gotta love it.

[dougdirt]

Still needs to learn to hit better to be a true impact player. The odds of him being an average player have risen dramatically over the last year. He still has plenty of work to do in order to be an impact player though.

[Brutus]

With that speed, he'll be an impact player with a .340 OBP.

[Scrap Irony]

Still needs to learn to hit better to be a true impact player. The odds of him being an average player have risen dramatically over the last year. He still has plenty of work to do in order to be an impact player though.

So do all prospects.

Hamilton, if he continues to hit as he did last season, has a real chance to be a legitimate difference-maker both offensively and defensively. A perennial 5.0 WAR+ is not out of the realm of possibility.