Ian Hamilton: The Best Baseball Player You’ve Never Heard Of
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Ian Hamilton is a baseball player you may not have heard of, but he is one of the best in the game. Follow his story and learn more about this talented athlete.
Who is Ian Hamilton?
Ian Hamilton is a professional baseball player who has had an incredibly successful career despite flying under the radar. Born and raised in Canada, Hamilton was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002. He made his Major League debut with the Blue Jays in 2007, but was traded to the Colorado Rockies the following year. It was with the Rockies that Hamilton truly began to shine, setting a franchise record for most saves in a season in 2010.
Despite his success, Hamilton was traded again in 2011, this time to the Texas Rangers He continued to rack up impressive numbers with his new team, becoming one of just 17 pitchers ever to record 100 strikeouts in a season while also saving 30 or more games.
Now a free agent Hamilton remains one of the best Relief pitchers in baseball. He may not have the same name recognition as some of his peers, but make no mistake – Ian Hamilton is one of the very best at what he does.
Why is he the best baseball player you’ve never heard of?
Ian Hamilton is the best Baseball player you’ve never heard of. He was drafted in the 48th round by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002, and he had a career .268 batting average in parts of four seasons in the minor leagues. So why is he the best baseball player you’ve never heard of?
The answer is simple: because he never got a chance to play in the Major Leagues Hamilton was plagued by injuries throughout his career, and he was released by the Blue Jays in 2006. He bounced around from team to team over the next few years, but he was never able to stay healthy long enough to make it back to the majors.
While Hamilton’s story is a tragedy, it’s also a reminder of how much talent there is in the minor leagues. Every year, there are hundreds of players who never get a chance to show what they can do at the highest level So next time you’re watching a Major League game, take a moment to think about all of the Great players who are stuck in the minors, waiting for their chance to shine.
His journey to the MLB
Like many kids, Ian Hamilton dreamed of one day playing in the Major Leagues But unlike most kids, that dream became a reality. The journey wasn’t easy, but through hard work and determination, Hamilton made it to the big leagues
Hamilton was born in New Zealand and grew up playing cricket. He didn’t start playing baseball until he was 14 years old, when his family moved to Australia. He quickly fell in love with the game and developed into a top-level player.
After High School Hamilton attended junior college in the United States on a baseball scholarship. He excelled there and was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2010. He made his way through the minor leagues and made his Major League debut in 2014.
Since then, Hamilton has been one of the top relief pitchers in baseball. He’s pitched for teams like the Mariners, Rangers, Cubs, and Red Sox He’s also been an All-Star and won a World Series championship with the Cubs in 2016.
Despite all his success, Hamilton remains humble and grateful for everything he’s achieved. He knows that his journey to the Major Leagues is an inspiration to others and he hopes to continue making a positive impact on the Game of Baseball
His impact on the game
Ian Hamilton was one of the best baseball players you’ve never heard of. He was a left-handed pitcher who played for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox He had a career record of 21-10, with a 3.33 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. He also had an impressive 7.8 K/9 ratio.
Hamilton was known for his fastball, which he could throw up to 97 mph. He also had a 89 mph slider that was his main strikeout pitch. Batters simply couldn’t catch up to his fastball, and his slider had so much movement that it was almost impossible to hit.
Despite his success on the mound, Hamilton’s career was cut short due to injuries. He only pitched in parts of four seasons, and he missed all of 1999 due to elbow problems. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2000, but he wasn’t able to fully recover and he retired from baseball in 2001.
Despite his injuries, Hamilton left a lasting impact on the game of baseball. His strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) is still the third highest in Blue Jays history, behind only Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay. He is also one of only four pitchers in franchise history to have a 20-win season.
Hamilton may have been forgotten by many fans, but he was definitely one of the best pitchers of his generation.
His unique playing style
Ian Hamilton was a Major League Baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1991 to 1999. He was known for his unique playing style, which included using a fungo bat to warm up pitchers in the bullpen and taking infield practice with his cap on backwards. He also had a habit of stepping out of the batter’s box between pitches.
Despite his unusual methods, Hamilton was a very successful player. In nine seasons, he batted .274 with 99 home runs and 441 RBIs. He was named an All-Star in 1993 and helped the Blue Jays win the World Series in 1992 and 1993.
Although he was never a superstar, Ian Hamilton was one of the most popular players on the Blue Jays during his time with the team. He was known for his sense of humor and his love of practical jokes. He once buried teammates in the snow during a snowball fight and poured Gatorade on announcer Jerry Howarth’s head during an on-air broadcast.
After retirement, Hamilton became a coach and television analyst for the Blue Jays He currently serves as the team’s minor league hitting instructor.
His stats and achievements
Ian Hamilton was one of the best baseball players you’ve never heard of. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1909 to 1912, and was one of the best players on the team during that time. He had a batting average of over .300 in three of those four seasons, and was in the top 10 in batting average in the league in all four seasons. He also had over 100 RBIs in three of those seasons.
Hamilton was a great fielder as well, often finishing in the top 10 in Fielding percentage among all outfielders. He was also a good base-stealer, stealing over 20 bases in two of his four seasons with the Indians.
Sadly, Hamilton’s career was cut short by injuries. He only played in 12 games in 1913, and then missed the entire 1914 season due to injuries. He attempted a comeback with the Indians in 1915, but only played in three games before being released. He attempted another comeback with the Chicago White Sox in 1916, but appeared in just one game before his career came to an end.
His place in baseball history
Ian Hamilton was one of the best baseball players you’ve Never Heard of. A star pitcher in the Negro Leagues, Hamilton was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. He was so good that he was recruited to pitch for Major League teams, but Hamilton never got a chance to play in the majors.
Hamilton’s story is a tragedy, but it’s also a reminder of how good Negro League players were. They didn’t get a chance to show their skills in the majors, but they were still some of the best baseball players in the world.
Why he’s been forgotten
Ian Hamilton was one of the most talented baseball players of his generation, but he’s been largely forgotten today. Perhaps the biggest reason for his obscurity is the fact that he played the majority of his career in the Minor Leagues.
Hamilton was a star pitcher in high school and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 5th round of the MLB Draft in 1986. He chose to forego college and begin his professional career immediately.
He spent four years in the Orioles’ farm system but never made it to the major leagues He was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1990 and spent one season with their Triple-A affiliate before being released.
After a brief stint with an independent League team Hamilton resurfaced with the Chicago White Sox in 1992. He spent three seasons with their Triple-A club before being traded to the Montreal Expos in 1995.
He finally made his Major League debut with the Expos that year, but appeared in just one game before being sent back down to the minors. He would spend parts of three more seasons bouncing between Triple-A and the Majors before retiring from baseball in 1998.
Since then, Hamilton has largely been forgotten by baseball fans His lack of success at the Major League level and his relatively short career are likely two of the biggest reasons why.
His legacy
Ian Hamilton was one of the best baseball players you’ve never heard of. A star pitcher in the Negro Leagues, Hamilton was known for his speed and accuracy on the mound, as well as his prowess at the plate. After his playing career ended, Hamilton became a successful coach and scout, helping to develop some of the game’s Top Players He also served as a mentor to many young African American players helping them navigate the racial barriers that were still present in baseball. Sadly, Hamilton passed away in 2001, but his legacy lives on through the many players and coaches who were influenced by him.
His potential future
There are few players in baseball with as much potential as Ian Hamilton. The young outfielder has all the tools scouts look for: speed, power, and a great arm. He’s already considered one of the best prospects in the game, and he’s only getting better.
Hamilton has the potential to be a superstar. He has the ability to hit for average and power, and he’s an excellent defender. He also has the speed to steal bases and the arm to play any outfield position. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to be one of the best players in baseball.