Billy Hamilton - hitting ? what the hell

[*bengalfan74*]

Has the light finally come on for Billy ? I forget exactly but they flashed his average over the last twenty games at like .326 or something like that ? Several doubles, several stolen bases, like .400 and something OB%.

Or is this just an extended version of the flashs in the pan like we've seen before ?

If he could actually get on base he's an other worldly game changer.

[guyofthetiger]

This is good news because it ups his trade value. I think the Reds need to deal him by the trade deadline. I think he will regress back into his old ways soon and not get on base much. Just imagine if he could lay down a good bunt? Problem is he can't.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-10-2018, 02:57 PM)guyofthetiger Wrote: This  is good news because it ups his trade value. I think the Reds need to deal him by the trade deadline. I think he will regress back into his old ways soon and not get on base much. Just imagine if he could lay down a good bunt? Problem is he can't.

You're probably right and I tend to agree.

BH has flashed for a few games before, a week and a half, whatever. But he's always flamed out and hard ! Many have said it including many on here and me. If he could just be an average hitter .265 - .280 range and stay there. Throw in the ability to bunt well and take a few walks/ be patient. He'd be a household name !

I don't have a lot of faith he's going to keep hitting at this level. And therefore I'm not sure he figures into the Reds future.

[Yojimbo]

He did mention a month or so ago that he was going to give up switch hitting. Can anybody that gets to watch games confirm that? Not a lot of Reds games on here in Oregon.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-10-2018, 04:31 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: He did mention a month or so ago that he was going to give up switch hitting. Can anybody that gets to watch games confirm that? Not a lot of Reds games on here in Oregon.

If I recall correctly he was hitting left last night ? don't remember him batting right but I couldn't swear to it. And can't say for sure whether he's quit switch hitting or not ?

[fredtoast]

Since June 16 (21 games) he is hitting .382.  He has raised his batting average 48 points from .187 to .235.  He also has half of his stolen bases (11 of 22) in those last 21 games.

And he is still switch hitting.

Billy hit .260 just year before last.  I have been puzzled as to why he seemed to be regressing instead of getting better.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-10-2018, 05:33 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Since June 16 (21 games) he is hitting .382.  He has raised his batting average 48 points from .187 to .235.  He also has half of his stolen bases (11 of 22) in those last 21 games.

And he is still switch hitting.

Billy hit .260 just year before last.  I have been puzzled as to why he seemed to be regressing instead of getting better.

Me 2

I've tried to chalk it up to trying to hard but I'm not sure that's it ? Has he been hiding a nagging injury ? Get a new set of contacts ? I dunno

And I've never figured out why the hell he can't learn to bunt ? If I was him or his coaches I'd be practicing bunting for hours everyday. If he could just get average at bunting his OB% would sky rocket !

[*Go Cards*]

Do not get people with his speed not being able to bunt.

Seems like if one dedicated a few weeks to practicing it they would have it down quickly.

Had no problem laying down bunts. Yet if mine were not perfect my slightly above average speed for big white guy was thrown out often.

All as he has to do is get one down and he has a great chance of beating it out.

Hope the switch has flipped on for him like it seems to have for the Reds.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-10-2018, 07:02 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Do not get people with his speed not being able to bunt.  

Seems like if one dedicated a few weeks to practicing it they would have it down quickly.

Had no problem laying down bunts. Yet if mine were not perfect my slightly above average speed for big white guy was thrown out often.

All as he has to do is get one down and he has a great chance of beating it out.

Hope the switch has flipped on for him like it seems to have for the Reds.

Yup,

I don't know why he doesn't or the coaches don't demand BH become a complete punch and Judy hitter either ? But you still see him taking long power swings !

[Yojimbo]

(07-10-2018, 07:02 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Do not get people with his speed not being able to bunt.

Seems like if one dedicated a few weeks to practicing it they would have it down quickly.

Had no problem laying down bunts. Yet if mine were not perfect my slightly above average speed for big white guy was thrown out often.

All as he has to do is get one down and he has a great chance of beating it out.

Hope the switch has flipped on for him like it seems to have for the Reds.

Doesn’t seem like there’s much bunting in MLB at all these days. It’s just swing away and strikeouts are ok.

[Goalpost]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24049347/mlb-hitters-explain-why-just-beat-shift

Interesting article about why players won't beat the shift. These guys just don't think singles are as valuable. Of course with Billy it's just the opposite. His singles can become power hits.

[guyofthetiger]

With Billy's ability to steal bases, a walk or bunt single easily becomes a double or even a triple. He needs to work on his OBP and not swing for the fences. That is his game.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-11-2018, 11:38 AM)Yojimbo Wrote: Doesn’t seem like there’s much bunting in MLB at all these days. It’s just swing away and strikeouts are ok.

(07-11-2018, 03:53 PM)guyofthetiger Wrote: With Billy's ability to steal bases, a walk or bunt single easily becomes a double or even a triple. He needs to work on his OBP and not swing for the fences. That is his game.

If BH could just get his OBP to like .370 he'd be a terror for other teams ! If he would just learn to slap hit, bunt, be patient and take some walks it would be a show to watch. He's in 2nd place on the team with 83 SO's way way to high for a non power hitter.

But you still see him coming out of his shoes swinging ! He's never gonna be a power hitter. Why doesn't he accept that and just get on base. With his fielding and base running he could be a true super star.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-11-2018, 01:33 PM)Goalpost Wrote: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24049347/mlb-hitters-explain-why-just-beat-shift

Interesting article about why players won't beat the shift.  These guys just don't think singles are as valuable.  Of course with Billy it's just the opposite.  His singles can become power hits.

Couple weeks ago I heard the announcers talking about that and how the hitters just become more determined to beat it ! And also how strike outs have become a badge of honor ? Makes no sense at all !

If I walked up to the plate and one side of the infield was basically vacant I'd do my best to put a single right thru the open space and not even think twice.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(07-11-2018, 11:38 AM)Yojimbo Wrote: Doesn’t seem like there’s much bunting in MLB at all these days. It’s just swing away and strikeouts are ok.

Need to take notes from NPB; bunting is still used super strategically there and it is super effective too.

Additionally, read up about the Vancouver Asahi, a semi-pro-ish, small-time team from Vancouver, around WWII.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_(baseball_team)

The movie is long but brilliantly made, btw; lots of baseball action.

[grampahol]

Like I said, cross breed Billy and Scooter and we'd have a player who couldn't hit nor field and probably crawl to first base.. lol Those two players couldn't be more opposite if they tried..

[grampahol]

Here's a link to one version about the Asahi team. 
https://youtu.be/krY8rA1J-WM

Kind of a shame we don't have the amateur leagues we once had. Some of you might remember when every kid in the neighborhood played baseball all summer. We certainly did. I lived right beside the school field, but most of the organized leagues played down the road at the city park, but would occasionally play on the school field.
The kids by the school fields played almost exclusively on the school field and we'd be out there all day every day. Whenever the organized leagues wanted to use the school field they would have to beat us and never got even close.
They'd come along with their nice clean uniforms and we'd be out there in jeans and tshirts and beat them 70-2 or something like that..
Sometimes it would get to the point where we got bored waiting to bat so we'd strike out on purpose just to strike them all out on purpose.. We really did have the best players in the area and my mom as our coach when we played the organized leagues.
They tried to boot us off the field one day until my mom came out to the field and told some coach that the only reason there was even a baseball field at all was because we cut the grass with her lawn mower and before we were going to leave they would have to beat us. Those big old fat guys weren't about to win that argument against my mom.. lol She was good friends with the school principal and he backed us up every time.
Fun times..

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-16-2018, 11:12 AM)grampahol Wrote: Here's a link to one version about the Asahi team. 
https://youtu.be/krY8rA1J-WM

Kind of a shame we don't have the amateur leagues we once had. Some of you might remember when every kid in the neighborhood played baseball all summer. We certainly did.  I lived right beside the school field, but most of the organized leagues played down the road at the city park, but would occasionally play on the school field.
The kids by the school fields played almost exclusively on the school field and we'd be out there all day every day. Whenever the organized leagues wanted to use the school field they would have to beat us and never got even close.
They'd come along with their nice clean uniforms and we'd be out there in jeans and tshirts and beat them 70-2 or something like that..
Sometimes it would get to the point where we got bored waiting to bat so we'd strike out on purpose just to strike them all out on purpose.. We really did have the best players in the area and my mom as our coach when we played the organized leagues.
They tried to boot us off the field one day until my mom came out to the field and told some coach that the only reason there was even a baseball field at all was because we cut the grass with her lawn mower and before we were going to leave they would have to beat us. Those big old fat guys weren't about to win that argument against my mom.. lol  She was good friends with the school principal and he backed us up every time.  
Fun times..

I can relate. I grew up in the heart of the Big Red Machine days. I lived, ate, drank, slept, and walked baseball all thru mid and late 70's. If I had nothing else to do I'd go to my grade school and bounce a baseball off the wall for two hours. But there was almost always a game somewhere.

I'd just about bet the major leaguers of today would lose in a bunting contest against us 11-13 year olds from back then.

[samhain]

If he evens out to be a consistent 260 or 270 hitter, I want him to be my centerfielder. He's just so damn good in every other aspect of the game. Sometimes the light goes on late. I'm still haunted by the ghost of Edwin Encarnacion. He was a turd here, but he became an offensive superstar when we dumped him for Rolen, a star on the back 9. I'd hate to see that happen with Billy. I'd hold off on moving him and take a bit more time to see if this is for real.