Josh Hamilton - 2013 free agent

[westofyou]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/josh-ha...GlvbnM-;_ylv=3

He was the face of the Texas Rangers' collapse over the last two weeks, a period in which they blew home-field advantage in the American League, a five-game lead in the AL West and found themselves in a one-game, win-or-go-home playoff against the Baltimore Orioles. And when they didn't show up for that, either, getting embarrassed 5-1 in front of a stunned Rangers Ballpark, it cemented Hamilton's slow devolution from hero to pariah.

Hard as he tried not to dwell on the boos, he couldn't help but bring them up over and over. Five years he's been here, one of the planet's best players when he's healthy and biggest teases when he isn't, and this was how he was leaving. Hamilton is a free agent, and while he said his return is a 50-50 proposition, his tenor and disappointment and dwelling said something entirely different.

And so did the verse of scripture he paraphrased, Matthew 10:14.

"If they don't receive you in a town," Hamilton said, "shake the dust off your feet and move to the next."

[kaldaniels]

This is just me talking to the guys at the bar so take it as you will...

But something seems off about Hamilton and I am concerned for him.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by kaldaniels

This is just me talking to the guys at the bar so take it as you will...

But something seems off about Hamilton and I am concerned for him.

Agreed. I wasn't going to post anything and be the only one, but since you bring it up...

[Chip R]

Scathing column on Josh Hamilton from ESPNDallas.com

http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/...r-boy-collapse

[Tom Servo]

Originally Posted by Chip R

Scathing column on Josh Hamilton from ESPNDallas.com

http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/...r-boy-collapse

Embarrassing that people get paid to write 'Guy sitting around bar half-watching the game' observational garbage like this.

[Big Klu]

Wow. I know people around here say that Cincinnati fans turn on their best players, but I've never seen an article that vitriolic about Eric Davis, Adam Dunn, or Ken Griffey Jr.

[KoryMac5]

Judging from the swings I saw he looks more hurt than fallen off the wagon. Either way not what you wanted to have happen in your walk yr especially when you're asking for 20 million per yr.

[BearcatShane]

I thought the article was very well written. And accurate.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by BearcatShane

I thought the article was very well written. And accurate.

Frankly, any story that starts off on the premise that fans should boo their own players is a pretty bad article from the get-go.

[Kc61]

I did not care for this article. This young man has come back from deep problems and generally performed superbly in Texas. If he faded, or he's hurt, or he slumped, or whatever, then let him move on, gracefully.

[KoryMac5]

Originally Posted by Kc61

I did not care for this article. This young man has come back from deep problems and generally performed superbly in Texas. If he faded, or he's hurt, or he slumped, or whatever, then let him move on, gracefully.

That's not the way bad break ups usually work though. Seems to me there might be a lot of behind the scene stuff we are not privy to.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by KoryMac5

That's not the way bad break ups usually work though. Seems to me there might be a lot of behind the scene stuff we are not privy to.

That hasn't stopped fans and media criticizing him without any knowledge of what might be going on.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by KoryMac5

That's not the way bad break ups usually work though. Seems to me there might be a lot of behind the scene stuff we are not privy to.

Isn't a marriage. It's a baseball player who helped get the team to two World Series.

If it's time for the guy to leave, then say it, but I didn't appreciate the tone of this article.

[KoryMac5]

Originally Posted by Brutus

That hasn't stopped fans and media criticizing him without any knowledge of what might be going on.

It comes with the territory doesn't it? Stars get all of the credit or get all of the blame. Hamilton was not the player down the stretch that he was earlier in the yr. Fair or not fair much like a star Quaterback he is going to take the heat for this meltdown. I have no problem with him getting booed and I find it hard to feel bad for a guy that is going to be making 15-20 million dollars a season.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by KoryMac5

It comes with the territory doesn't it? Stars get all of the credit or get all of the blame. Hamilton was not the player down the stretch that he was earlier in the yr. Fair or not fair much like a star Quaterback he is going to take the heat for this meltdown. I have no problem with him getting booed and I find it hard to feel bad for a guy that is going to be making 15-20 million dollars a season.

I personally think booing players is immature regardless of how much someone is getting paid. But while I get what you're saying completely about criticizing performance, which I do think comes with the territory to some degree, I think it's also prudent to understand why a player isn't playing well before criticizing too much; especially scathing commentary like the aforementioned article.