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Sox Sign Billy Hamilton


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I don't like carrying pinch runners, so I was against Dyson, and I'm against Hamilton, who is on the short list of worst MLB hitters I have ever seen.  That said, he could make the roster.  If they carry only 13 pitchers and 2 catchers, who's the 26th man?  Mendick?  He's not going to get any AB's.  I could see them putting Mendick on the taxi squad in case of injury and rolling with a full-time pinch runner for late innings.  Not my thing, but I could see LaRussa wanting to do it.

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Not sure why they are doing that, the investment is low of course but using a roster spot for a pinch runner doesn't make much sense in these days. Sure it makes sense to take out Eloy late as he is very bad Defensively but are you using a roster spot for that?

The issue with Hamilton really is that his issues are not fixable. He has decent plate discipline (28% career chase rate which is better than league average) but he has barely average contact rate (20.7% career K rate is ever so slightly above average but obviously not for a zero power guy) and of course By far the lowest exit velo in mlb. 

This means there is really no upside. If he was a no power, good contact guy like dee Gordon or madrigal he could at least hit for average but his K rate is not low enough for this. And obviously he also isn't a guy which can compensate for his low OBP with power. 

If the Sox want to have a low OBP speedster at least take a guy with power upside, the minors are full of really fast outfielders with power who can't hit. Or if you want hit tool get a no power good contact guy, but BH can do neither above average contact rate nor any kind of power. 

 

Edited by Dominikk85
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10 minutes ago, Dominikk85 said:

Not sure why they are doing that, the investment is low of course but using a roster spot for a pinch runner doesn't make much sense in these days. Sure it makes sense to take out Eloy late as he is very bad Defensively but are you using a roster spot for that?

The issue with Hamilton really is that his issues are not fixable. He has decent plate discipline (28% career chase rate which is better than league average) but he has barely average contact rate (20.7% career K rate is ever so slightly above average but obviously not for a zero power guy) and of course By far the lowest exit velo in mlb. 

This means there is really no upside. If he was a no power, good contact guy like dee Gordon or madrigal he could at least hit for average but his K rate is not low enough for this. And obviously he also isn't a guy which can compensate for his low OBP with power. 

If the Sox want to have a low OBP speedster at least take a guy with power upside, the minors are full of really fast outfielders with power who can't hit. Or if you want hit tool get a no power good contact guy, but BH can do neither above average contact rate nor any kind of power. 

 

He is going to have a decision to make in a couple of weeks, does he want to go to Charlotte or be released again. I think he will chose being released.

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Our minor league teams figure to have some "name" players like Hamilton.

Q: I love Matt Reynolds HR today. My question is why sign him though? There's no room for him on the MLB roster in the foreseeable future is there? Yet he's young still. He's a former second rounder. I just wonder why Sox bring in some guys if they stand little to no chance of playing in the bigs. ... BTW as much as I've ripped on Jake Burger in the past I'm rooting for him at Double A and hopefully beyond. Any guy that appears to have gotten his act together physically is OK by me. Are we hoping to trade him someday? Again, doesnt seem to be any room for him on the MLB roster in immediate future.

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43 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Our minor league teams figure to have some "name" players like Hamilton.

Q: I love Matt Reynolds HR today. My question is why sign him though? There's no room for him on the MLB roster in the foreseeable future is there? Yet he's young still. He's a former second rounder. I just wonder why Sox bring in some guys if they stand little to no chance of playing in the bigs. ... BTW as much as I've ripped on Jake Burger in the past I'm rooting for him at Double A and hopefully beyond. Any guy that appears to have gotten his act together physically is OK by me. Are we hoping to trade him someday? Again, doesnt seem to be any room for him on the MLB roster in immediate future.

Reynolds is 30.  Young for a CEO or an elected official, not so much for a baseball player.  He’s an up and down guy at this point, hoping for an injury to give him an opportunity.  I, on the other hand, hope we never see him in the majors.

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