Hamilton still needs work

Don't get any ideas that minor league sensation Billy Hamilton might land a September call-up with the Cincinnati Reds. He may be fleet of foot, but the rest of his game needs work.

Hamilton has a combined 128 steals at Class-A Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola and is on pace to break Vince Coleman's professional record of 145 thefts in a season set in 1983. John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer tempers the enthusiasmfor Hamilton, noting that the shortstop already has 29 errors in 107 games. "It's just learning when to throw the ball and when not to throw it, knowing runners and stuff like that," says Freddie Benavides, the Reds' field coordinator.

As of now, there is no talk of making Hamilton the 2012 version of Herb Washington, a world class sprinter who was hired by the Athletics in the 1970s exclusively as a pinch-runner. There is some discussion of moving Hamilton to the outfield at some point, but he remains a shortstop for now.