Billy Hamilton- The Next Rickey Henderson?

[RubeBaker]

Interesting blog post on Yahoo:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/fantasy-roto-arcade/farm-report-had-better-headline-billy-hamilton-stole-185139246.html

The skinny, he's only in high A ball, but he looks like he may be the most terrifyingly fast players we've seen in some time. Last season: 103 sbs in 133 attempts (for a solid 77% rate) over just 135 games. They HAVE to know he's going to go, and he's still swiping them. He's swiped 31 bases in 38 tries (84%) this season, in just 26 games.

He's also Baseball America's #48 prospect. But he's far from perfect (and probably not Rickey). He's still low in the system, but he does strike out a bunch, and his defense has not been very good (39 errors, .932 fielding % last year, 8 errors, .922 fielding % this year).

Is he the next Rickey? Probably not. But an amazingly fast player who will sell tickets and terrorize opposing catchers? Possibly.

[csh19792001]

Is he the next Rickey? Probably not. But an amazingly fast player who will sell tickets and terrorize opposing catchers? Possibly.

Hopefully. Phenomenal speed coupled with super aggression on the paths is part of what makes this game so much fun to watch.

PS- The Billy Hamilton we all know was perhaps the *first* Rickey, not the next.

[ol' aches and pains]

He's got a great name, anyway.

[RubeBaker]

PS- The Billy Hamilton we all know was perhaps the *first* Rickey, not the next.

He's got a great name, anyway.

Just to clarify for those who don't know:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamilbi01.shtml

[Captain Cold Nose]

It was cool watching him here in Dayton last year.

[White Knight]

Can he break Vince Coleman's Minor's record with 145? He's on pace (although Coleman missed the first month with a broken hand).

[Bigfoot 88]

Maybe he will be the next Billy Hamilton.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

This Billy Hamilton looks more like the next Vince Coleman. Hamilton has a 105 BB/254 K ratio so far in the minors. In the minors Rickey had a 240 BB/175 K ratio. This Billy Hamilton is 21 years old and is still only in high A-ball. When Rickey was 21 he was in his second season in the majors and leading the AL in steals with 100, was an All-Star, and finished 10th in the AL MVP voting. When Vince Coleman was 21 he was also in A-ball.

[Francoeurstein]

Yea, no way he'll be the next Rickey Henderson. Hopefully he develops a decent bat and sticks around the majors for a while, because I've never seen any true speed demons play (Henderson, Wills, Coleman, etc.)

[Ubiquitous]

Bill Hamilton's IPHR. About 14 to 15 seconds long. Which is fast.

Billy Hamilton's SB

[GiambiJuice]

The next Wily Taveras maybe. If he's lucky.

[RubeWaddell19]

Maybe he will be the next Herb Washington?

[CokeMachineGlow]

The next Wily Taveras maybe. If he's lucky.

Outside of the fact that he's nothing like Taveras, sure.

[dominik]

He really strikes out too much. especially for a small man.

that is the problem with aluminum bats. everyone can be a power hitter with them. he probably realized that he could hit HRs if he swings hard enough. but with wood that is not working.
little guys like him need to go for contact and not trying to take "gangster hacks".

It's ok to strike out 100+ but only if you are a 220 pound power hitter. a 150 pound guy with little power should really be able to make contact.
also while he certainly is blazing fast don't forget that catchers and pitchers in the majors are much better in preventing steals. so it will be harder to steal that many there.

(he has improved on this though this season but of course the sample size is too small to make conclusions. we will see at the end of the year)

[BondsOverBabe]

Honestly forget hitting he should just learn to field and he'll play 15+ years in the league