Call me crazy but I think the Brewers opening day lineup is going to feature Ortiz at 3B, Turang at SS, and Hamilton at 2B and I’m talking myself into believing Hamilton could be a strong side platoon guy at 2B this year.
Fenway Park is a tough park for LHH tweener guys because it’s so deep to right field. If you don’t adopt an opposite field approach you’re going to hit into a lot of fly outs to RF that could be HR elsewhere. Hamilton has been way better outside of Fenway in his career largely because he’s hit for much better power outside of Fenway. These are career numbers against RHP.
Home - 255 PA, .203/.273/.307 and 4 HR
Road - 222 PA, .251/.312/.453 and 9 HR
Hamilton has also graded out elite defensively at 2B in his career. For a comparison here’s Turang’s platinum glove season compared to Hamilton’s career at 2B.
Turang’s platinum glove season - 1277 innings, 22 DRS, 6 OAA
Hamilton at 2B in his career - 679 innings, 16 DRS, 6 OAA
Hamilton in his career at 2B has graded out better on a rate basis than Turang did in his platinum glove season.
Maybe I’m crazy and this is just coping because the 3rd infield starter doesn’t look great but I don’t know I think there’s reason to believe Hamilton could put 2-3 WAR getting like 400 PA as the strong side platoon 2B.