Billy Hamilton Does Nothing Slow

The headline in this post may be the first and only time that "Billy Hamilton" and the word "slow" appear on the same page.

Three reporters spotted Hamilton at his cubicle from across the Reds' clubhouse this morning and made a move to talk to him.  Before they could even take a step in his direction, he was gone.

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The reporters waited like Wile E Coyote waited for the Roadrunner.

Hamilton stopped to talk.

"I do everything fast," Hamilton said with words coming rapidly.  "I talk fast.  I eat fast. I want to get everything done.  I'm very impatient."

There was concern about rushing the 23-year old base-pilferer from Taylorsville, Mississippi to the major leagues, but that's just how he likes it.

Hamilton arrived in Goodyear in January after playing a second season in the Puerto Rican Winter League.  He played in 17 games for Santurce, hitting .227 with three doubles and a triple.  Hamilton struck out 12 times and walked six.  He was on base a total of 23 times and attempted steals on 13 occasions, successfully in 11 of them.

"Puerto Rico was fun.  I enjoyed. I learned. The main thing was to get at bats and become a better lead-off hitter," Hamilton said.

When he was finished in Puerto Rico, he sped to Goodyear to work with Delino Deshields, who stole 463 bases in his own career.

"I have been working on bunting, my defense," Hamilton said..  "He (Deshields) has helped me with being a good lead-off hitter.  The stuff he told me are stuck in my head.  I'm looking forward to using them. Most of the tips were a lot of guy to guy, the mental part of the game."

Hamilton believes his September experience with the Reds helped him.

"It gave me confidence," Hamilton said.  "It was fun.  I heard the crowd but it wasn't distracting. It was unreal."

Hamilton has an extraordinary skill that can even evoke awe with opposing players but most just congratulate him.

'I wasn't on first base long enough to have a conversation," Hamilton said.  "Kelton Wong was one of the first to congratulate me.  He congratulated me on my first hit. He was the one that caught the ball. I followed him since I started at Dayton and he started with Quad City for the Cardinals."

Bryan Price praised Hamilton's work ethic.

Price said, "I just want him to stay with his strength and keep his eyes and ears open.  Billy is already that guy. His outfield play has improved is getting better.  He just needs to continue to evolve."

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