Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Fantasy Focus: Impact Rookies- Billy Hamilton

Billy Hamilton, OF, Cincinnati Reds.  B-S, T-R, 6'0", 160 lbs., DOB:  9/92013

2013 AAA  .256/.308/.343, 6 HR, 75 SB in 547 PA
2013 MLB  .368/.429/.474, 13 SB in 22 PA.

Steamer 2014 Projection:  .249/.305/.338, 69 SB in 564 PA
Oliver 2014 Projection:     .250/.304/.335, 76 SB, 88 R, 600 PA

With all the games teams play with arbitration eligibility rules these days, it isn't often that a team just announces that a rookie will have a starting job out of spring training allowing fantasy owners to draft him without having to worry about stashing him on the bench for  a third of the season.  This year, the Reds are doing just that with Billy Hamilton.  Hamilton is a player that has interested fantasy baseball owners for several years now due to his prodigious SB totals in the minor leagues.  SB's can be a vexing category because many of the players who produce high SB totals can hurt you in other offensive categories.  Hamilton is no exception, but you might want to roster him anyway because, simply put, he just might win the SB category for you all by himself which frees you up to concentrate on power categories with your other roster spots.

The problem will be how much to pay either in draft position or auction money on draft day.  If your league is anything like mine, there are SB hunters who will know all about Hamilton on draft day and will be willing to pay a premium price for him.  As the song says, "you've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em...."

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