Billy Hamilton: #1 on the BA Hot Sheet

[dougdirt]

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.

[Wonderful Monds]

I still think he can be Jose Reyes.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Wonderful Monds

I still think he can be Jose Reyes.

Never going to have anywhere near the kind of power Reyes has.

[Wonderful Monds]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

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.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Wonderful Monds

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.

[lollipopcurve]

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.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

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.

[lollipopcurve]

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.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

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.

[mace]

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.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by mace

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?

[REDblooded]

http://www.sportsciencelab.com/metho...-elite-athlete



Clearly his strength would be the only thing in question... Hamilton has trained to be a speedster. If he wished to sacrifice a bit of speed to gain strength, I don't doubt he could.

Speed comes from having an abundance of fast-twitch muscle fibers, great body control, good balance, and flexibility.

Bat speed can mask natural strength/power. I too believe that Hamilton could train/generate a strong swing by using speed to the ball. I'd rather him not sacrifice contact/patience/running speed to do so though.


If Hamilton did not possess above "mere mortal" athletic abilities, he could not have been trained to become an above average switch hitter in 2 years. Clearly he is WAY more bio-mechanically in tune than most merely "strong" athletes, which allows him to adapt and overcome much quicker than those type of athletes. Additionally, his arm strength is somewhat nullified by his range and ability to get to balls that others can't.

He has an ability that is outside the realm of definitive baseball theory. His ability as an athlete are why those theory's aren't law. Feel free to step outside of the old-school principles that are still ever adapting with this outlier of a case study.

[TOBTTReds]

Guys, there was concern that fastballs would knock the bat out of his hands. Now that hasn't happened, but he's not going to develop much power. It's just not in his frame. I'm not going to say he's Emilio Bonafacio, but he's not going to be Reyes.

[REDblooded]

Originally Posted by TOBTTReds

Guys, there was concern that fastballs would knock the bat out of his hands. Now that hasn't happened, but he's not going to develop much power. It's just not in his frame. I'm not going to say he's Emilio Bonafacio, but he's not going to be Reyes.

Equaling 1/3 of his XBH's in 2011 15-20 days into the 2012 season is pretty encouraging...

I'm pretty sure nobody cares if he can hit HR's as long as he can hit the gaps. He doesn't have to have power if he can get on base consistently... his speed will almost replicate power at that point in TB's. Actually, the havoc/distraction he will cause while on base will be move valuable than a HR, as it will effect the hitters AB's following him as long as he's on first or second.

Get on base, divert the pitchers attention from the guy at the plate, and play average to above D at a premium spot, and BHam is a providing this team a MASSIVE benefit at the major league level...

One thing that nobody can take from him: He's as "best case scenario" as anybody could have predicted/imagined at this point in his career.



One thing on Reyes that I find VERY interesting from the article I linked a few posts up is muscle imbalance... It mentions the opportunity for injury in the legs, which Reyes has dealt with throughout his career.

[MikeS21]

The thing with Hamilton is going to be putting the ball in play. Not too many pitchers are going to walk him, simply because he could be standing at 3B within a couple pitches to the next batter. I think pitchers will attempt to pitch him in the strike zone just to keep him off the bases. If he can learn to protect the strike zone and lay off the pitches out of the strike zone, with his speed, I'm not sure he will need very much power.

You just don't want him turning into Deon Sanders, the guy who could fly, but just couldn't get on base.