Royals Rumors: Billy Hamilton fits mold of what Royals are
Royals rumors have been peaking recently, with the latest name to be linked to Kansas City being outfielder Billy Hamilton. The former second round pick fits the Royals perfectly.
Hey, we have some legitimate Royals rumors surfacing! Huzzah! The most recent rumor to hit the stands is that the Kansas City Royals have serious interest in adding outfielder Billy Hamilton. This is a move that just screams “Royals”.
Hamilton, a second round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2009, got to the big leagues in 2013 and never really wowed anyone at the plate. What he offers, however, is speed and clutch defense. That’s the anecdote that got the Royals their World Series title in 2015, so the interest makes perfect sense.
Hearing the Royals are looking hard at center fielder Billy Hamilton, recently non-tendered by the Reds. Not a surprise considering they reportedly looked into trading for him in the past and he fits their stated profile of 'action-type' players. Looks like @FlannyMLB is on it.
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) December 6, 2018
During his six years with the Reds, Hamilton slashed .245/.298/.333 with 161 RBIs. The offensive numbers aren’t great, but Hamilton is best known for his speed. He stole 277 bases, with a career high 59 in 2017.
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If the Royals do decide to bring Hamilton in, there’d be some questions to answer about the other players on the team. For instance, Brett Phillips and Brian Goodwin both would be center field options, so where would they fit if Hamilton were acquired?
A case could certainly be made that Phillips needs to take some lumps in the minors to start the 2019 season, but the Royals more than likely see him being the answer in center full-time. As for Goodwin, he’s the same age as Hamilton, but did okay for the Royals in 2018.
The organization recently signed Chris Owings to a deal, being more active on the free agency market than fans had anticipated. The 2019 season is a tricky one for the front office because on the one hand, you want to compete and win games, but the most important thing is for the “future stars” to make sure they’re getting playing time and seeing if they’re indeed the answer moving forward.
While bringing Billy Hamilton in isn’t a bad idea, I’d hate to see him prevent Phillips from getting playing time. The Royals acquired Phillips when they flipped Mike Moustakas to Milwaukee last season and while he wasn’t great at the plate, his defense was decent. He’s 24 years old and could be a vital part of the rebuild.
Hamilton is 28 and probably isn’t an every day starter anymore. The Royals could use him off the bench, as a mentor to the younger guys, and as a pinch runner and hope he’s productive enough to trade him at the deadline, assuming the Royals aren’t contenders (which they likely won’t be).
What do you think of this move? Should the Royals go through with bringing in Billy Hamilton?