Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt700wlw
Doesn't seem that the Texas players have a problem with the Josh Hamilton story...and the circumstance.
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But the circumstances are fundamentally different. Texas traded their highly regarded (potential at least) pitching prospect for Hamilton. Hamilton was established as a Major Leaguer, he didn't have to prove he was capable of hitting MLB pitching as he already had done that. The Reds on the other hand took a chance on him, didn't give up anything and gave him a chance. He had been out of the game and what many would consider as an absolute failure. He comes to the Reds and both fans and media alike have adoration for him. Fans cheered louder for Hamilton than players who had proven themselves to be MLB players which dented their ego's. I am sure some thought why is it that an ex-druggie minor league prospect flame-out is getting more attention from the home crowd than they were.
Of course Hamilton would prove that he was worthy of that, but I doubt that initial reception did him any favors. Texas players see him as an equal and as a pretty darn good 26 year old coming in to help their team win. Reds players saw him as a PR story, a guy who didn't deserve that kind of chance (he didn't have to work his way through the minor league ranks like most did) and possibly as a guy who took away a job from a hard working player who had to go to AAA because of Hamilton. Texas players didn't have to face what the Reds players did because as an established MLB player, they saw him worthy of the praise he got, be it as a person or a player.... he was 'one of them.' The Reds players likely never got over the fact that he came in different and was treated differently from fans and media, therefore he was an outsider.