Speed is at a premium, we all know that at this point. Elite speed is so hard to find that there were only seven men who stole 30-bases last season with only three at 40 (Charlie Blackmon) and just two at 50 (Dee Gordon, Billy Hamilton).

The last two seasons the league leader in steals is Dee Gordon with 122.

The man who is second in baseball in steals the last two season, with 113 thefts, is Billy Hamilton which makes him the leader in baseball in steals at the outfield position. He can’t hit, I’ve beaten that position into people’s heads over the last two years, but he can run. Amazingly though, people have turned so negative with Hamilton that they are willing to throw him away. Check out this series of tweets.

Mallex Smith or Billy Hamilton? Smith seems to have shown some actual contact and on base skills.
@roto_baseball

My response was – you want Hamilton to which…

Wow, you must really think Smith stinks.
@FranqJohnson

Let me clear all this up before we fall down the rabbit hole.

Hamilton can’t hit. I pleaded with you all last year for months before the season started for you to accept that simple fact. None of you did. Hamilton went out and failed to hit and how he’s been dropped to the bottom of the batting order for the Reds to start the 2016 season. Now everyone thinks he’s the worst player in baseball? You don’t care that he’s been second in baseball in steals the past two years? If you hold that position you’ve done a complete 180 on Hamilton from where you were with his outlook 12 months ago. Admitting that should lead you to be cautious with overvaluing any rookie, shouldn’t it? A guy you were convinced would be a star last season is one you’re now willing to drop for a guy who doesn’t even have a big league at-bat as of this writing? Really? Really…?

Mallex Smith is an elite speedster who has averaged 69 steals the past three seasons in the minors. Who is Smith by the way? I’ve got a full player breakdown on Smith in this edition of Daily Trends. Sure he’s got a better approach than Hamilton, not going to argue with that, but does a guy with no big league at-bats deserve to be added at the cost of a guy who is second in baseball the last two seasons? I sure as hell don’t. Why would you? I’d love to hear the reasoning of you folks who would drop Hamilton to add Smith. Some points to consider.

1 – Billy Hamilton is second in baseball the past two years.

2 – Billy Hamilton had an APD of 89 in the NFBC.

3 – It’s been a week.

Please re-read all three of those points to ingrain the importance of each thought.

4 – Smith has no work at the big league level.

5 – Is Smith a lock to be starting for the Braves in three weeks when Ender Inciarte is healthy? Hell no he ain’t.

I’m not, nor ever have I been in the Billy Hamilton fan club. I’m not you. At the same time there is just no way that I’m dropping Hamilton to add Smith. It would be foolish to do so.

 

Ray Flowers can be heard Monday through Friday, 7 PM EDT and Friday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 6 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).