Slumping Cincinnati Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton open to dropping switch hitting

Striking out with two runners on base in the second inning of Friday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton nearly slammed his bat on the ground in frustration.

It’s been about a month of frustration for Hamilton at the plate.

After a seven-game hitting streak at the beginning of May, Hamilton owns a .240 on-base percentage in his last 27 games, striking out in 32 of his 88 at-bats.

Hamilton has tinkered with his mechanics: Should he change his stance? Where should his hands be?

Another thought, he said, is whether he should stop switch hitting and just focus on one side of the plate – at least temporarily.

“I know if I just did one and really worked at that one side, I’d be a way better hitter than I am,” Hamilton said. “But it’s just something that I really haven’t talked to (coaches) about. I feel like if it keeps going the way it’s going, I’m going to just have to be a man and tell them that I really want to focus on just one.”

Hamilton said there are weeks when he feels like he’s a better left-handed hitter and other weeks when he’s stronger as a right-handed bat.

In 134 at-bats as a left-handed hitter this season, Hamilton has a .201 batting average and .301 on-base percentage with three doubles and two triples. As a righty, he’s batting .167 with a .242 on-base percentage in 60 at-bats. Both of his home runs this year are as a right-handed hitter.

He’s confident if he focused on hitting on just one side of the plate, he could show improvement. But he knows there’s value in being a switch hitter.

“It’s tough for me,” Hamilton said. “I know I’ve always been through challenges. I’ve always accepted a challenge. I don’t want to keep going through this with having to do both of them when I’m not succeeding at both of them.”

Despite his current slump, Hamilton isn’t ready to give up on switch hitting yet.

“It sucks coming in here every day not getting hits, not having good at-bats and everything,” Hamilton said. “I wouldn’t say I’m real, real close to going and telling them stuff like that. It’s just more that I have to work it out and see how it goes. Who knows when that point will be.”

Reds manager Jim Riggleman said he wants Hamilton’s on-base percentage near the league average in the .320 range. Hamilton was there at the beginning of May, but he’s down to .283 entering Sunday.

Among regular starters in the Majors, Hamilton ranks 141st of 160 in on-base percentage.

He’s been limited to 10 stolen bases through 61 games.

“I was talking to our hitting coaches Don (Long) and (Tony Jaramillo), they were like, ‘We don’t want to change too much and put too much more in your head,’” Hamilton said. “Pretty much when you’re slumping, you’re all in your head.

“I’ve been through slumps like this before. I’ve also come out of slumps like this.”

If Hamilton made the decision to pick one side of the plate, which one should he pick?

Riggleman thought Hamilton was a better right-handed hitter when he first watched him play in the minor leagues in 2012.

In the Majors, his career numbers are stronger as a lefty.

“He drives the ball a little more right-handed,” Riggleman said. “But there’s not enough information there that says he should do that. He’s never expressed that to the hitting coaches or myself that ‘This is what I want to do.’ There are people who feel like he should only hit left-handed.

“I want him on base. I don’t care how he does it.”

VOTTO LIKELY TO DH: The Reds will make their second trip to an American League ballpark this season with a two-game series against the Kansas City Royals, beginning Tuesday.

“Joey (Votto) plays every day so I will probably give him at least one of those days as the DH,” Riggleman said.