In the 2013 MLB season, the Cincinnati Reds had one of the best lead-off hitters in the league in Shin-Soo Choo. Choo was a sparkplug in the Reds offense. His .423 on-base percentage showed that he could really get the game rolling for the Reds. Choo could really set things up for Brandon Phillips, who was an unbelievable RBI hitter, followed by Joey Votto who was also a great OBP hitter like Choo. Choo was a major contributor to the effort that got Cincinnati into the NL Wild Card in 2013
Cincinnati fans wanted Choo back, but when Reds management saw what Shin-Soo’s agent wanted on his new contract, they knew there was no way they would keep their key lead-off hitter. They were right, as Shin-Soo Choo signed a $130M contract* with the Texas Rangers.
It was a major blow to the Reds’ offense, but instead of worrying about losing Choo, Cincinnati is now looking forward to the 2014 season, and particularly a new CF who would make a great lead-off hitter.
Billy Hamilton, the lightning-fast prospect for the Reds, came into the MLB late last year when the rosters expanded and he made an instant impact. He stole bases game-after-game and even stole on the incredible Yadier Molina. Billy turned a simple, boring ground ball into a heart-stopping play that had fans on the edge of their seat. He could score from second on a grounder straight at the center fielder – he proved that multiple times. There is no doubt that the Reds needed Billy Hamilton (whether it was pinch running or starting) to win key games. The whole stadium knew he was stealing, even the other team did, yet he still did it successfully time and time again. Billy was electrifying and made the game of baseball more exciting than ever.
However, all that speed doesn’t mean that Hamilton doesn’t have flaws. A major problem he had in the minors obviously wasn’t base running, it was hitting. Hamilton had a .368 batting average in the Majors last year, but his hitting ability is not nearly as good as the average shows. His speed makes up for the lack of overall hitting ability as he can turn a weak groundout into an infield single.
Billy Hamilton is not going to step in and give the production that Shin-Soo Choo gave from the start, but that’s not to discredit his value. He is still a fast, athletic fan favorite who will steal bases and set up numerous RBI situations with his legs, and all teams could use that. He has limitless potential to develop into a great hitter in that spot, as even a minor hitting improvement would go a very long way with his speed.
The Reds can start off a new season with a fresh new young lead off hitter who is an obvious choice to hit in front of Brandon Phillips this season in the top spot for the Cincinnati Reds.
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