fast times

Let’s hope Billy Hamilton gets on base. The Taylorsville native, whose speed is generating much buzz in baseball these days, will play shortstop and bat leadoff today for the U.S. team in the All-Star Futures Game in Kansas City. (First pitch 4 p.m. on ESPN2.) Hamilton, currently rated the No. 27 prospect in the minors by Baseball America, already has 104 stolen bases for Class A Bakersfield in the Cincinnati system. Scouts rave about his ability to hit top-end speed in two steps. He has been timed at 3.4 seconds running home to first base from the left side (he’s a switch-hitter). He has a .323 batting average and a .413 on-base percentage, so there’s a good chance he will get on, even against some of the good arms he’ll face today. One guy who’s probably not hoping to see Hamilton reach base? Christian Bethancourt of the Mississippi Braves. He is the starting catcher for the World team.