OGB (04-12-2019)
Arthur Rhodes was lights out his 2 seasons with the Reds. I'd have sent him all the beers and groupies he wanted out to the bullpen if that's what made him tick.
I know when I was in town and Chapman was still in Cincy that I saw Hamilton and Chapman parking Chapman's car at the Millenium every night so that they could hit whatever night club it is that is located just down the street. I had hoped that the one good thing about Chapman leaving was that maybe Billy had lost his wingman....maybe not...honestly, right or wrong, when a player/person doesn't perform part of their job well and then they leave the impression that they are more interested in partying to the wee hours than being prepared for their job, it just leaves a poor impression. I really did enjoy watching him play CF for the Reds, I didn't enjoy watching him flail away at the plate...
OGB (04-12-2019)
I wonder if Billy Hamilton ever looked into the stands, saw his bartender sitting there, and thought to himself "This guy doesn't take his job seriously."
Yeah, exactly the same thing...These guys get paid a lot of money and it's not cheap to go to a baseball game to take in the entertainment that fans pay to see. Perception is just that. I've had a hangover and come to work and not done a good job that day; if I did that everyday or even just frequently, I imagine that they would find a replacement for me. You can scoff until it matters I guess. He's gone, so he's been replaced for one reason or another.
"This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner
757690 (04-12-2019),Bumstead (04-12-2019),CarolinaRedleg (04-15-2019),Kinsm (04-12-2019),Norm Chortleton (04-12-2019),OGB (04-12-2019),Roy Tucker (04-15-2019)
Old school 1983 (04-12-2019)
I almost hate to bring this up, but...
Ryan Freel.
I don't care much what a player does on HIS OFF TIME. Billy's problem wasn't work ethic or partying. He's just not a good hitter. Dude is an elite athlete. Can't hit. I wanted him to hit. EVERYONE HERE, even jojo wanted him to be able to hit. He just can't do it is all.
Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.
KYExtemper (04-13-2019)
(Referring to Jack Hannahan signing with a Korean team)
Since there are no teams on the moon, I guess South Korea's far enough from Cincinnati to satisfy me.
-RichRed
If somebody said you can have one of the best defensive cfs to ever play the game, he'll hit about .245 with no power and he'll steal about 60 bases a year, I'd take him in a heartbeat. Bat him 8th and forget about him.
757690 (04-13-2019)
I don't think any amount of practice was going to make Billy Hamilton a good hitter. His tool that got him drafted was his ability to run real fast. He's parlayed that into a couple of elite skills on a baseball diamond. It has made him an elite defender in CF and an elite base runner. That doesn't just happen and it takes a lot of work. If it didn't we'd see a lot of struggling track stars making big league money playing baseball as guys who specialize in those areas.
Hamilton was never drafted because of his bat. As a prospect, his ability to hit alone would never have gotten a look without the speed that went with it. If a guy doesn't have a bat that would get him drafted in the first place, expecting hitting to be something that would he would actually succeed with at the games highest level is a fools errand. It's the reason I complain about "fleas" who are drafted primarily because they can run fast. If the bat doesn't wow you as an amateur, it's probably going to be well below average in the big leagues (if it get's that far). It's the same reason that expecting pitchers to hit makes no sense. They were drafted because they could pitch. The bat never really had that potential. No amount of practice is going to make Billy Hamilton a good big league hitter. It's simply not who he is.
Last edited by mth123; 04-14-2019 at 08:22 AM.
All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!
goreds2 (04-14-2019),Red Raindog (04-14-2019)
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please. |