Narron sees Hamilton making an impact

[The Entertainer]

[quote][size=3][b]Narron sees Hamilton making an impact[/b][/size]
Reds notebook

BY JOHN FAY | JFAY@ENQUIRER.COM


Reds manager Jerry Narron's sessions with Josh Hamilton have gone well enough that Narron is convinced that Hamilton will have an impact on the Reds this season.

"It might not happen early," Narron said. "But, at some point, he's going to play well for us."

Hamilton is the player the Reds got from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays through the Rule 5 draft. Injuries and drug suspensions have kept Hamilton, a former No. 1 overall pick, from playing most of the last two years.

But Narron has been meeting him twice a week in North Carolina to work on Hamilton's game.

"It's gone real well," Narron said. "The talent's still there. There are few guys in the big leagues with that kind of talent."

Under the Rule 5 setup, the Reds have to keep Hamilton on the 25-man roster for the whole year or offer him back to Tampa Bay for half of the $50,000 it cost to select him.

"What I'm going to do is get him as many at-bats as I can at spring training," Narron said. "I told him to be ready to play every day. We'll try to get him 80 to 100 at-bats."

MORE AWARDS: Homer Bailey received the Chief Bender Award as the top Reds' minor league player Wednesday. But you could make an argument that Joey Votto had a better year.

Votto's consolation prize was being named the Reds' organization hitter of the year. Right-hander Johnny Cueto was named pitcher of the year.

Votto, 23, led the Southern League in hitting (.319) and was named the league's MVP. He also led the SL in hits (162), doubles (46), on-base percentage (.408), slugging percentage (.547), extra-base hits (70), total bases (278), runs scored (85) and walks (78). He was second in homers (22).

Cueto, 21, combined to go 15-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 26 starts at Single-A Dayton and Sarasota. He led all Reds minor league pitchers with 15 wins and finished second in the organization with 143 strikeouts.[/quote]



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