When Billy Hamilton gets on base, he scores at a much higher rate than any other base runner. The first rule of a base stealer, "You can't steal first base."
Getting on base in the first place is the problem for the switch hitting centerfielder, who saves the Reds' young pitching staff a lot of runs by getting to baseballs that no other outfielder is able to reach.
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The Reds won 97 games with Drew Stubbs in centerfield even though he added very little to the Reds' offense.Hamilton in spite of his base stealing and base running potential is becoming a Drew Stubbs without the occasional power.
"With Billy its all about on base percentage," Jim Riggleman said. "Billy scores runs at a higher rate than anyone in baseball when he's on base. Earlier in the year he was at a .320 on base percentage. Since then he's drifted back. .320 is not high for a lot of guys but for him its a good number. He creates havoc. He scores runs. However he does it, a walk or base hit, We need to get him on base."
The Reds converted Hamilton, who bats right-handed naturally, into a switch hitter. There are rumblings within the organization that he should give it up and go back to right-handed hitting.
"I saw Billy for the first time back in 12," Riggleman said. "It occurred to me that right-handed swing looks good. I had him in 13. I felt the same way that hitting only right-handed would be the way to go. The numbers have not bore that out. He's actually has a higher batting average left-handed. He's gotten on base more left-handed. He is higher right-handed on slugging percentage. He drives the ball more right-handed. There's not enough information to say he should bat just right-handed. Billy has not expressed that to myself or the coaches that he wants to do. There are people who feel that he should only hit left-handed. I want him on base."
Indeed his career number show that Hamilton is a .248 hitter batting left-handed with a .308 on-base-percentage. Batting right-handed, Hamilton, is hitting .229 with a .265 OBP.
Still the defense that Hamilton provides is too good to pass up. By chasing down would be extra base hits and charging sinking liners to rob opposing hitters of single, he save runs, innings and pitches for a young pitching staff that could use a bit of confidence. Hamilton has erased a lot of pitching mistakes for the pitching staff.
We definitely want his defense in there," Riggleman said. "He is off the charts on defense. Especially in the bigger ballparks, we have to have him in there. Even here, there are a lot of guys giving great efforts but just can't get to balls that he gets to. We are still holding out hope that Billy will get to the point that we have him out there every day."
It isn't just making catches. Hamilton has thrown four runners out trying to advance and was among the league leaders with 13 last season, using the arm of a former shortstop. Add to that the actions that aren't as easily quantified. He is able to cut balls off in the gap to prevent bases advanced. He makes the right and left fielders more effective but reducing the need for them to cover more ground.
Hamilton is not stealing bases at the rated he once did either. The Reds' staff have had discussions about it too. Hamilton has 10 stolen bases and been thrown out three times this season. That's a pace to steal less than 30 bases for 2018. He has stolen 56 bases or more in each of his four full seasons in spite of a career OBP of .299. Still he is in a four-way tie for sixth in the National League
"We've discussed how he isn't running as much when he gets on base," Riggleman said. "He's playing team baseball. We've been down so much that he is saying, I could get my stolen bases but I don't want to be thrown out and hurt the team. I appreciate what he's doing there. They are throwing over, trying to be quick to the plate and the catchers get on top of their game when he gets on. He is being unselfish. Guys who can steal bases don't want to be held back. He put that restriction on himself. I appreciate that."
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