Quote (numone @ Jun 11 2012 11:43am)
The legend of Billy Hamilton grows. The Reds' minor leaguer -- a second-round pick in 2009 -- has 70 stolen bases in 84 attempts for Single-A Bakersfield, and he's increased his on-base percentage this year from .340 to .401. Walt Jocketty, the Reds' general manager, has asked his player development folks about the nature of Hamilton's stolen bases, and he has been assured that this is not a case of a baserunner piling up numbers without discretion in empty moments. "He's running in the right situations," Jocketty said.
Chris Buckley, the Reds' amateur scouting director, wrote in an email that Cincinnati "first started scouting him in 11th grade. Our scouts raved about his speed and athleticism. He reminded me of a guy I grew up admiring and played with as a young guy -- Willie Wilson." Hamilton was a four-sport athlete, and the more he plays, Buckley wrote, the better he's gotten.
Hamilton is a shortstop, but the Reds have the smooth-fielding Zack Cozart in the big leagues and Didi Gregorius in Double-A, and at some point in the upcoming offseason, Cincinnati may decide to shift Hamilton to another position.
iso him in the league