Five Predictions for the Cincinnati Reds in the Second Half of 2014
By Adam Hughes
3. Billy Hamilton Will Win the National League Rookie of the Year Award
Jun 14, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton (6) can
Hamilton struggled early in the season, which seemed to justify the opinion of many pundits that he might not have the hitting skills to succeed in the Majors. Since those cold April days, though, Hamilton has found his stroke and continued to blaze on the basepaths, to the point that he enters the second half with a .282/.314/.403 slash line with 34 stolen bases. Those numbers may not thrill you, but Hamilton is flat-out exciting to watch, which should bode well with award voters. According to FanGraphs, Hamilton also leads all rookies in WAR, which should satisfy the statheads, as well.