Billy Hamilton continuing to excel at AA

[Sea Ray]

Did Billy play yesterday?

[dfs]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Is Billy Hamilton likely to get better at hitting? Yes.
Is Billy Hamilton likely to get better at stealing? Yes.
Is Billy Hamilton likely to get better at throwing accuracy? Yes.
Is Billy Hamilton likely to gain more home run power? No, probably not.
Is Billy Hamilton likely to carry forward a high walk rate? That is a much tougher question than the other ones and the real debate going on here and there are two sides to it.

You've seen him this year.

Based on his own merits and not what the major league team needs, is Billy Hamilton going to stick at shortstop?

Gut reaction?

[lollipopcurve]

Is Billy Hamilton likely to gain more home run power? No, probably not.

Disagree. He will get stronger. (Take a look at the shot to right-center he hit last night -- on milb.com.) He's 21 -- all guys get stronger over the course of their 20s. Hamilton is learning quickly and he will learn how to turn on certain pitches. There's wiry strength there.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

Disagree. He will get stronger. (Take a look at the shot to right-center he hit last night -- on milb.com.) He's 21 -- all guys get stronger over the course of their 20s. Hamilton is learning quickly and he will learn how to turn on certain pitches. There's wiry strength there.

No scout I have ever talked to or seen quoted anywhere seems to agree with you on this one. At least to the point where he will grow into some home run power. He might get stronger, but that may take him from 20 power to 30 power.

DFS, if he can improve the consistency in which he uses the correct arm slot, then yes, I do think he could stick at shortstop. But he has to correct it.

I uplaoded 7 minutes worth of video last night of Hamilton. Watch it. Come to your own conclusions.

http://youtu.be/bxlAwVEdcAc (Link in case you want to watch it in HD and full screen, which you can't do while embedding it on this board.

Billy Hamilton playing for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos - YouTube

[lollipopcurve]

He might get stronger, but that may take him from 20 power to 30 power.

That qualifies as an increase in power, which I have to assume would increase the number of HRs he'd hit.

[camisadelgolf]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/82...ton-fast-track

Hamilton, a Derek Jeter fan as a youth, patterns his game after Jose Reyes, another switch-hitting shortstop with a flair for putting pressure on opposing pitchers, catchers and defenses with his speed. In a Cal League game between Bakersfield and Modesto earlier this season, the opposing pitcher threw over to first base eight straight times to keep Hamilton close. Then he threw home, and Hamilton immediately burst for second and made it easily.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

That qualifies as an increase in power, which I have to assume would increase the number of HRs he'd hit.

I guess. But I don't really call going from 3 home runs to 5 or 6 much worth talking about.

[mdccclxix]

Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/82...ton-fast-track

That's a great anecdote about how Billy is able to leverage his talent in order to dominate an inning. I think that says a lot about him. Leverage is an important quality and I think he uses it at the plate as well.

[dfs]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

DFS, if he can improve the consistency in which he uses the correct arm slot, then yes, I do think he could stick at shortstop. But he has to correct it.

I uplaoded 7 minutes worth of video last night of Hamilton. Watch it. Come to your own conclusions.

Thanks for the video and sharing your impression.

The video doesn't give me warm feelings at all, but.....

but a two years ago BH was not hitting left handed. If he can learn that this quickly, I'm very hesitant to talk about what I think he can't do.

[lollipopcurve]

but a two years ago BH was not hitting left handed. If he can learn that this quickly, I'm very hesitant to talk about what I think he can't do.

Exactly. This is an elite athlete who is learning very quickly.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

Exactly. This is an elite athlete who is learning very quickly.

To be fair guys, Hamilton started switch hitting in June of 2009 when he began playing for the GCL Reds. So it has been a little more than 3 years. He has made big improvements, particularly left handed, from 2011 to now.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

To be fair guys, Hamilton started switch hitting in June of 2009 when he began playing for the GCL Reds. So it has been a little more than 3 years. He has made big improvements, particularly left handed, from 2011 to now.

Two years, three years, for any player to not pick it up until after they've began pro ball is impressive no matter how you slice it. Doug, no offense, but it's coming across that you're trying to look for ways to downplay every compliment someone has about Hamilton.

I get that you're not enamored with speed-first players, and I think that's fair. But people are excited about Hamilton and he's doing some extraordinary things. It seems to me that you feel compelled to downplay them for some reason.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Brutus

Two years, three years, for any player to not pick it up until after they've began pro ball is impressive no matter how you slice it. Doug, no offense, but it's coming across that you're trying to look for ways to downplay every compliment someone has about Hamilton.

I get that you're not enamored with speed-first players, and I think that's fair. But people are excited about Hamilton and he's doing some extraordinary things. It seems to me that you feel compelled to downplay them for some reason.

Three years is a whole lot different than two years. It is 50% more. And even with that, I noted how much improvement he has made with his swing and yet somehow what was taken from my comment was that I was poo-pooing him somehow.

Hamilton is doing some awesome things. I am not purposefully disliking parts of his game. I want him to be what Michael Bourn is right now, but at shortstop or in center. I want him to be what Brett Gardner has been he past few years for the Yankees, but in center or at shortstop. I am just not sure that he can be that because of things that I see when I watch him play.

Everyone is talking about Hamilton and they have been for a while now. With that comes my opinion on his game, both currently (or current at the time of the post) and how it projects in the future IMO. With lots of stuff out there, my opinion just gets brought up a lot. I am not going out of my way to rain on parades, but I am going to give my opinions on guys. It just so happens that Hamilton gets talked about a lot more.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Three years is a whole lot different than two years. It is 50% more. And even with that, I noted how much improvement he has made with his swing and yet somehow what was taken from my comment was that I was poo-pooing him somehow.

Hamilton is doing some awesome things. I am not purposefully disliking parts of his game. I want him to be what Michael Bourn is right now, but at shortstop or in center. I want him to be what Brett Gardner has been he past few years for the Yankees, but in center or at shortstop. I am just not sure that he can be that because of things that I see when I watch him play.

Everyone is talking about Hamilton and they have been for a while now. With that comes my opinion on his game, both currently (or current at the time of the post) and how it projects in the future IMO. With lots of stuff out there, my opinion just gets brought up a lot. I am not going out of my way to rain on parades, but I am going to give my opinions on guys. It just so happens that Hamilton gets talked about a lot more.

You opinion is fine. But you've expressed your opinion repeatedly. Every time someone new chimes in with something good to say, it seems you respond with something to downplay their enthusiasm.

Splitting hairs over two years or three years is really an unsubstantial amount. Dude, it's 365 days. For him to, at 18 years old, pick up switching hitting for the first time in his life... that's flat out impressive. It's no less impressive that it took an extra 365 days than previously mentioned. It's impressive regardless. Most kids can't do it growing up, let alone not doing it until after they've begun pro ball.

I think everyone in this thread is clear on your position, Doug. Your opinions have been heard loud and clear. There's nothing wrong with expressing them and in fact I respect them, as you've raised some very fair points. But it seems now you're going out of your way to downplay anyone's excitement. That's all I'm saying. If that's not your intent, and I'll leave that for you to decide, you may want to consider how you're coming across.

[membengal]

He is now at 155 at-bats with a .310/.429/.413 slash line good for an .842 OPS at Pensacola.

50 stolen bases.

I really expected some struggles at AA as he adjusted to the higher league but that really has not been the case at all...

His obp at bakersfield was .413. His ops at bakersfield was .852.

Remarkably consistent as he moved from A to AA.