Josh Hamilton - 2013 free agent

[mth123]

Josh Hamilton made his choices. There is only one person to blame for him now living under a suspicious public eye.

I don't care enough to read the article, but if Josh Hamilton is being questioned without much real information to go on, its really only his own fault IMO.

[Dom Heffner]

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.

Oh yes. People should only applaud. They should also clap for the other team if they run hard to first base on a routine groundball.

In all seriousness, the point of the article is to jab at Hamilton for the myriad of reasons he gives for not being able to play or not play up to his standards. Yeah, we may never know, but Hamilton is partially to blame here: he gives reasons that I think we can agree no other player in baseball gives. It is always something with him. He's religious, yet he finds himself in bars with women who are not his wife licking whip cream off his chest. He's also said that because of his religion he needs to make sure he gets paid- that money has to do the Lord's work, you know. Who else in baseball does this crap happen with? Who can't play in day games because their eyes bother them? Who needs constant babysitting because they have a drug problem?

I see the author's point. Just because you're a good baseball player doesn't mean the whole world has to bend over and kiss your tail and cheer you on good and bad. Players earn respect, and Hamilton has apparently done enough down there to the point where some people have had it. I dunno- would Tony Gwynn get booed? Steve Garvey? Are they booing Adrian Beltre? Is Elvis Andrus drawing ire? Hamilton is high maintenance and if you're going to demand different treatment than everyone else, then you're probably going to be given a shorter leash...

[Brutus]

Oh yes. People should only applaud. They should also clap for the other team if they run hard to first base on a routine groundball.

In all seriousness, the point of the article is to jab at Hamilton for the myriad of reasons he gives for not being able to play or not play up to his standards. Yeah, we may never know, but Hamilton is partially to blame here: he gives reasons that I think we can agree no other player in baseball gives. It is always something with him. He's religious, yet he finds himself in bars with women who are not his wife licking whip cream off his chest. He's also said that because of his religion he needs to make sure he gets paid- that money has to do the Lord's work, you know. Who else in baseball does this crap happen with? Who can't play in day games because their eyes bother them? Who needs constant babysitting because they have a drug problem?

I see the author's point. Just because you're a good baseball player doesn't mean the whole world has to bend over and kiss your tail and cheer you on good and bad. Players earn respect, and Hamilton has apparently done enough down there to the point where some people have had it. I dunno- would Tony Gwynn get booed? Steve Garvey? Are they booing Adrian Beltre? Is Elvis Andrus drawing ire? Hamilton is high maintenance and if you're going to demand different treatment than everyone else, then you're probably going to be given a shorter leash...

Just because I think booing players is immature doesn't mean I think players are beyond reproach. I don't mind being open to criticism. I think the scathing tone of the article and promoting acting like hooligans at a baseball game takes away from any points the author may have had.

If people think buying a ticket gives them a right to act like a child when a player doesn't perform to their expectations, that's their prerogative I suppose. I just think it's silly, personally. Doesn't mean I think Hamilton deserves no criticism. I just think booing is a pretty petty way of going about it.

[savafan]

If people think buying a ticket gives them a right to act like a child when a player doesn't perform to their expectations, that's their prerogative I suppose. I just think it's silly, personally. Doesn't mean I think Hamilton deserves no criticism. I just think booing is a pretty petty way of going about it.

How do you express your displeasure at a game if you don't boo?

[_Sir_Charles_]

How do you express your displeasure at a game if you don't boo?

Frown....intensely. Isn't that what everyone does? :O)

[dougdirt]

How do you express your displeasure at a game if you don't boo?

Leave the game and don't come back.

[Tom Servo]

To me it's not even the booing, it's the sense that Hamilton somehow is supposed to never come up short, ever. Dude was one of the best players in all of baseball and helped get Texas to 2 straight World Series and this guy bashes him like he was Juan Castro. Also one of my biggest pet peeves is sports writers or fans 'calling out' athletes on injury issues.

[Chip R]

In all seriousness, the point of the article is to jab at Hamilton for the myriad of reasons he gives for not being able to play or not play up to his standards. Yeah, we may never know, but Hamilton is partially to blame here: he gives reasons that I think we can agree no other player in baseball gives. It is always something with him. He's religious, yet he finds himself in bars with women who are not his wife licking whip cream off his chest. He's also said that because of his religion he needs to make sure he gets paid- that money has to do the Lord's work, you know. Who else in baseball does this crap happen with? Who can't play in day games because their eyes bother them? Who needs constant babysitting because they have a drug problem?

I see the author's point. Just because you're a good baseball player doesn't mean the whole world has to bend over and kiss your tail and cheer you on good and bad. Players earn respect, and Hamilton has apparently done enough down there to the point where some people have had it. I dunno- would Tony Gwynn get booed? Steve Garvey? Are they booing Adrian Beltre? Is Elvis Andrus drawing ire? Hamilton is high maintenance and if you're going to demand different treatment than everyone else, then you're probably going to be given a shorter leash...

I do see the author's point. However, Hamilton is the kind of a talent that comes along maybe once a generation. Despite all of his drug problems and time out from the game, he still performs at an elite level. You make allowances for that kind of talent.

But what teams are going to have to decide is how long is that talent going to hold out. I would worry more about the injuries than a relapse. It would be insanity to sign him to a 10 year deal unless there is a team out there like the Yankees that have money to burn and could write off 3-5 years of the deal.

[Brutus]

Josh Hamilton made his choices. There is only one person to blame for him now living under a suspicious public eye.

I don't care enough to read the article, but if Josh Hamilton is being questioned without much real information to go on, its really only his own fault IMO.

They're not booing him because of his choices. If he were hitting .400 with 40 bombs, no one in Texas would be booing even if he were relapsing.

[Brutus]

How do you express your displeasure at a game if you don't boo?

Why does the displeasure have to be expressed at a game? Isn't that the point of call-in radio shows, internet boards, letters to the sports editor, blogs, websites, etc.? There are a whole lot of methods to express displeasure.

[cincrazy]

Why does the displeasure have to be expressed at a game? Isn't that the point of call-in radio shows, internet boards, letters to the sports editor, blogs, websites, etc.? There are a whole lot of methods to express displeasure.

The fans are paying the money to attend. They're responsible for the player's salary. No fans, no money. They're entitled to boo if they see fit. I think Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter getting booed was absurd. Josh Hamilton gettin booed, IMO, isn't a disgrace.

For that writer to write an article of that type, I have to feel it's the general sentiment of the Rangers clubhouse.

[Brutus]

The fans are paying the money to attend. They're responsible for the player's salary. No fans, no money. They're entitled to boo if they see fit. I think Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter getting booed was absurd. Josh Hamilton gettin booed, IMO, isn't a disgrace.

For that writer to write an article of that type, I have to feel it's the general sentiment of the Rangers clubhouse.

And I renew my previous opinion that if people feel that buying a ticket entitles them to act immature, that's their prerogative.

But paying money to see a baseball game gives them entrance to watch the game, not act a fool. They're not paying to boo, they're paying to watch a game. I don't agree with the "I'm a consumer, I have a right" logic.

[Wonderful Monds]

To me it's not even the booing, it's the sense that Hamilton somehow is supposed to never come up short, ever. Dude was one of the best players in all of baseball and helped get Texas to 2 straight World Series and this guy bashes him like he was Juan Castro. Also one of my biggest pet peeves is sports writers or fans 'calling out' athletes on injury issues.

Bashing him like he was Juan Castro? Um, I think it's Juan Castro who pinch hits for Josh Hamilton, thank you very much.

Get your facts straight.

[savafan]

Why does the displeasure have to be expressed at a game? Isn't that the point of call-in radio shows, internet boards, letters to the sports editor, blogs, websites, etc.? There are a whole lot of methods to express displeasure.

Yeah, but no, when I'm at a game if a player does something stupid or an umpire makes a bad call, I want to let them now that right then and there. That's my right as a spectator. Cheer the good and boo the bad. Then again, a lot of fans in Cincinnati sit on their hands the majority of the game regardless of what's happening...

[The Operator]

Booing is fine by me but I do think that often times it's done too much, and it takes away the effect of it when you do it all the time. Yes I'm looking at you, Phillies fans.