Derrick Robinson Born With Speed

The speed of Billy Hamilton had the baseball world buzzing in March as he was invited to spring training for the first time.

Under the radar or maybe just too fast to be detected by radar, the Reds signed Derrick Robinson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

The speedy Robinson chose to sign with the Kansas City Royals rather than accept a scholarship from the University of Florida to play defensive back.  A curious decision when you consider he was born in Gainsville and would have graduated with the Tim Tebow Gators that handily defeated the Cincnnati Bearcats in the 2010 Sugar Bowl.

Robinson excelled in all sports at PK Yonge High School in Gainsville.

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As a junior he hit .359 and started to bat left-handed.  Robinson is a natural right-handed hitter even though he throws left-handed.

"I used to play around swinging left-handed for fun when I was younger," Robinson said.  "I didn't start to be serious about it until I was a junior.  My uncle convinced me to hit lefty and to not waste that side."

Robinson's uncle, Ricky Nattiel, was a wide reciever who played at Florida and was a member of Denver Bronco's "Three Amigos"  with Vance Johnson and Mark Jackson as John Elway's favorite targets.  Robinson's other uncle Michael Nattiel played in the Reds' minor league system at Billings in 1982.

Robinson was a fourth round pick by the Royals in the 2006 draft.  He spent three years at Single-A Wilmington.

"That happens sometimes,:" Dusty Baker said.  "He had a few things to learn hitting-wise. He was a young player out of high school. His right-hand hitting wasn't as good as his left-hand hitting which is unusual for a right-hander.  You end up getting more reps as a left-hand hitter.  Robinson struck out quite a bit so we tried to get him to cut down on those.  But I like his defense and his speed.  He is a big addition to our team especially to a team, that doesn't have a lot of speed."

Lost in the Friday night game against Milwaukee was the fine running catch that Robinson made off the line drive that Yuniesky Betancourt hit off Aroldis Chapman leading off the ninth inning.  Robinson was able to track down the ball at full speed running toward the leftfield line.

"I knew he was going to pull the ball," Robinson said.  "I played with him in spring training with Kansas City. He is a dead red fastball hitter."

"Robinson is a centerfielder playing left," Baker said.  "He had plenty of speed to run that ball down easily."

Speed is Robinson's greatest asset; the reason that he is in the major leagues as the roster addition when Ryan Ludwick was placed on the disabled list.

Baker was asked repeatedly this spring about the development of Billy Hamilton, who is known for his speed after setting a professional baseball record with 155 stolen bases last season.

"Take a look at Robinson," Baker said one day in March.  "If he isn't as fast as Hamilton, he's just a step slower."

The 25-year old Robinson may just now be coming into his own.  He certainly saved the Reds a game with his speed in the series opener.

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