Josh Hamilton confirms tensions in the Reds clubhouse...

[red-in-la]

Well, it is my personal opinion that socializing with the boys is not necessarily a part of a fulfilled life. Josh did enough messing with his system for the sake of trying to fit in or feel good or whatever led him down the bad road for a lifetime.

For anybody to even form an opinion about what Josh should be expected to do with his free time at this point is simply not wise or even fair. If Josh wants to spern his team mates after the game and crawl into a milk bottle, who cares and whose business is it.

Josh is THE BEST player in baseball right now, everything else is nobody else's business.

[Raisor]

Josh is THE BEST player in baseball right now, everything else is nobody else's business.

Larry Jones says "hi".

[kaldaniels]

Well, it is my personal opinion that socializing with the boys is not necessarily a part of a fulfilled life. Josh did enough messing with his system for the sake of trying to fit in or feel good or whatever led him down the bad road for a lifetime.

For anybody to even form an opinion about what Josh should be expected to do with his free time at this point is simply not wise or even fair. If Josh wants to spern his team mates after the game and crawl into a milk bottle, who cares and whose business is it.

Josh is THE BEST player in baseball right now, everything else is nobody else's business.

Sorry...but I say false.

[Patrick Bateman]

He's been basically the exact same player he was here. It's actually quite scary really how his numbers are nearly identical accross the board. The only real difference is the insane RBI numbers, but clearly, this is a matter of opportunity, and variance in success happening with runners on base. His rate stats are all the same.

Was he the best player in baseball when he was healthy enough to play here? I'm going to call hyperbole on that. He's been very, very good, but clearly a cut below the elite like Chipper, Berkman, Pujols and the like. Hell, he hasn't even the best player on his own team, and perhaps not even the best player in his own trade.

I have to say though, it's absolutely awesome to see him succeed, and can't wait to see him during the all-star game. I gotta get myself a Rangers-Hamilton jersey one of these days.

[westofyou]

[/B]

Sorry...but I say false.

Yeah, no doubt.. an .813 OPS in June... Josh's teammate Milton Bradley had an OPS in May of 1.036 and in June 1.213.

There's a darn good chance he's not even the best player on his team.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Well, it is my personal opinion that socializing with the boys is not necessarily a part of a fulfilled life. Josh did enough messing with his system for the sake of trying to fit in or feel good or whatever led him down the bad road for a lifetime.

For anybody to even form an opinion about what Josh should be expected to do with his free time at this point is simply not wise or even fair. If Josh wants to spern his team mates after the game and crawl into a milk bottle, who cares and whose business is it.

Josh is THE BEST player in baseball right now, everything else is nobody else's business.

I am going to disagree with almost every point you made in this post.

[blumj]

Yeah, no doubt.. an .813 OPS in June... Josh's teammate Milton Bradley had an OPS in May of 1.036 and in June 1.213.

There's a darn good chance he's not even the best player on his team.

Kinsler, too. There are lots of really good players playing very well right now. Hamilton's just put himself in the conversation. I remember a few years back, Vernon Wells had almost 90 RBI at the All Star break.

[Spitball]

Last year was a very pivotal period in Josh Hamilton's life. He was an addict fighting for his life. It was surely his last chance at baseball, but the bigger issue was his fight against addiction. The Reds took every precaution including hiring Johnny Narron as a babysitter. I doubt the Reds front office neglected to warn each and every player of the potential dangers of taking Hamilton out into a potentially tempting situation.

I have a very good friend whose father is an addict. He became addicted to pain pills after an automobile accident. He seemingly beat that addiction but through his battle with one demon became addicted to alcohol. He has struggled with both addictions for thirty some odd years. He has had years where he has been successful, but as a professional musician, he encounters too many temptations. He has been off the wagon for about a year now.

Addictive personalities can't simply rely on logical thinking processes to keep them clean and sober. They have to avoid situations that present any temptation.

[TeamCasey]

relapsed drug/ alcohol users will give you the exact defense.

If you want to be sober, why hang out at bars?
If you want a happy marriage, why go to strip bars?
If you want to rid yourself of a gambling addiction, why go to Vegas for the shows?

If you want a summer without aggravation...why follow the Reds?

[Spring~Fields]

Addictive personalities can't simply rely on logical thinking processes to keep them clean and sober. They have to avoid situations that present any temptation.

Goes beyond alcohol or drugs too.

Psychological cues and triggers -

Don’t sit the cheesecake or strawberry pie near me, poof it’s gone, carbohydrate addiction, can’t have just one slice, light up while you have one, I will have three, nicotine addiction, can’t have just one, logic, reason, discipline non-extent in a addictive state. The mind wants more, more, more regardless of risk or cost/benefit analysis.

[red-in-la]

Goes beyond alcohol or drugs too.

Psychological cues and triggers -

Don’t sit the cheesecake or strawberry pie near me, poof it’s gone, carbohydrate addiction, can’t have just one slice, light up while you have one, I will have three, nicotine addiction, can’t have just one, logic, reason, discipline non-extent in a addictive state. The mind wants more, more, more regardless of risk or cost/benefit analysis.

"oh, and he says I hate my father....."

[Spring~Fields]

"oh, and he says I hate my father....."

Huh !

The funny part is that Texas basically said that Hamilton was worth more than Dunn or Griffey, and Hamiltons stats this year support it. I blame Dusty, he had not seen Hamilton or Bruce and was familiar with Patterson, Hairston, Bako and Mercker. "Togther again"

[red-in-la]

Huh !

The funny part is that Texas basically said that Hamilton was worth more than Dunn or Griffey, and Hamiltons stats this year support it. I blame Dusty, he had not seen Hamilton or Bruce and was familiar with Patterson, Hairston, Bako and Mercker. "Togther again"

Miracle on 34th Street.....the amatuer psychologist......

[OldXOhio]

Hamilton, not permitted to venture out alone, never carries more than $20 in his wallet, helping resist temptation.

I know it's a sidebar to the story, but I think this is the point that sticks out the most for me. It's understood that JH could fall back into past habits in short order, but I didn't realize it was to the point that he required attention 24/7 like this.

[KronoRed]

From what I can recall Hamilton got clean and ended up back in addiction more then once before this time around, he may just take every precaution he can.