Billy Hamilton looking to put two solid halves together

Someone asked Eric Davis if, in his prime, he could outrun Billy Hamilton.

Davis scoffed at the notion.

"I could outrun him now," he said.

Hamilton, seated a few rows back, said: "Is that a challenge?"

It was all good for a laugh at the question-and-answer session at Sunday's Select-A-Seat event at Great American Ball Park, which serves as the wrap-up to the Reds Caravan.

Whether Davis, Hamilton or someone else is the fastest Red ever will be debated for a long time. But the thing that sets Hamilton apart from Davis and the most recent Reds speedster, Drew Stubbs, is Hamilton has never been torn about what kind of player he is.

Davis and Stubbs had power to go along with their speed. Hamilton has a little pop in his bat, but he knows that speed is the tool that got him to the big leagues and that getting on base and running are what will keep him in the big leagues.

Hamilton, 24, had an impressive rookie season. He finished as the runner-up in the National League Rookie of the Year vote. He hit .250 with 25 doubles, eight triples, six home runs, 56 stolen bases and 48 RBI.

But his splits were drastic: He hit .285 in the first half and .200 in the second half.

The goal for 2015 is to even out those splits and stay strong through the 162-game grind. Hamilton did not play winter ball this year for first time as a professional. The emphasis has largely been on getting stronger.

"It's been pretty good," Hamilton said. "I've had more time to prepare myself. Every other year, I had winter ball or Instructional League. Straight baseball stuff. This offseason, I've been able to get in the weight room more and do training type stuff. This offseason has been great for me."

Hamilton is still very lean. He carries only about 160 pounds on his 6-foot frame.

"I haven't gotten bigger," he said. "But I feel stronger. My body feels better than it did last offseason. I've been training more than I usually do. I can feel it on my body. I think I can stay strong the whole year."

There's no way of knowing definitively, but the Reds suspect that the long season caught up with Hamilton last year. He played in 152 games – 17 more than he played in any season in the minors.

"All we can do is speculate that his second half of the season was just getting used to playing in the big leagues for the full season," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I certainly think strength certainly February through October is important. Getting stronger, getting re-acquainted with the acumen for bunting, getting more balls hit on the ground, more hard line drives, instead of balls in air."

Hamilton has spent much of the offseason in Atlanta, working with Louisville manager Delino DeShields, the Reds' baserunning/leadoff expert.

"I'm excited about this offseason," Hamilton said. "It's been really good for me."

Hamilton was caught stealing a major league-high 23 times. Getting his percentage up will be a point of emphasis.

"I think it's just education," Price said. "The thing about being a young, confident player is feeling like there's not a situation where you can't be successful. Even though the percentages are always going to be in his favor, there are always going to be better opportunities, better pitches to run against. That will be part of his education."

Davis said that is all part of the learning curve.

"There's some mechanical stuff he needs to do," Davis said. "But it's not major. He got thrown out way too many times. That comes from mechanics. Offensively, he's got some little bitty things to work on."

Hamilton was very effective bunting last year. He had 15 bunt hits and his average was .341 on bunts he put in play.

"I've worked a lot on bunting," he said. "I've also got to find a way to make contact. I struck out way too much. That's what Delino and me have been working on."

Hamilton was the big story last year – the rookie speedster, the big question mark in the Reds' lineup.

"He came in with a lot of fanfare," Davis said. "Coming into this year, there won't be as much fanfare. He can improve and learn his trade."