Cincinnati Reds Midseason Report Card
By Adam Hughes
Center Field
Jul 7, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton (6) slides in to third base during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Billy Hamilton was supposed to be a one-dimensional player who might steal 100 bases some year but would be more valuable as a spectacle than as a bona fide baseball player. A funny thing has happened on the way to obscurity, though, as Hamilton followed up a rough start by improving his OPS every month in the first half. At the break, Hamilton has only 38 stolen bases (though he’s been caught 15 times), but he’s socked five homers and is OPSing at .743. He’s also the frontrunner to win the National League Rookie of the Year award.
Grade : A-