Josh Hamilton - 2013 free agent

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by savafan

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...

I'm not terribly dead set against booing in general, or at least the other teams or controversial calls, but I especially think booing your own players is bush league.

[KronoRed]

Nothing wrong with booing, boo it up when the team is bad.

As for Hamilton, I hope the Cards get him, everything he has said comes across to me as a guy who can't wait to get the big money pay day and then take it easy and relax, I'll be surprised if he averages more then 120 games a year the rest of his career.

[Chip R]

One Rangers official says that they don't want him back, "not even if he wants to play here for free next season."

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/10...#storylink=cpy

[westofyou]

The Prisoner of Redemption - What happened to Josh Hamilton?

A week later, on a bright day in Oakland, Hamilton dropped a can of corn.

Rangers fans and writers pulled out their knives. Hamilton, it was said, was high-maintenance. Of course, he'd always been high-maintenance — a celebrated part of The Story was that Hamilton had an "accountability partner," Johnny Narron, who stayed one hotel room over; that he had to be sprayed with ginger ale while his teammates were sprayed with champagne. Hamilton, it was said, created clubhouse "drama." Well, yeah. This is the guy who said he saw Satan in the clouds. This is the guy who came to Arlington with the most pharmacologically adventurous past this side of Hollywood Henderson. That we thought his drama ended with Act 3 — at the conclusion of the book or DVD or testimonial — showed we were as beguiled by The Story as Hamilton was.

It's not defending Josh Hamilton to say that he became despised this year for many of the things that, in the confines of a redemption narrative, once made him beloved. The Story swallowed the man. Hamilton seems like a reasonably friendly, occasionally defensive guy who is teetering on the edge of sobriety, who is prone to inconvenient bouts of detachment, and who gets hurt a lot. When he goes to his next team, I hope a new story will start there. But I have a sinking feeling that every time he loses a fly ball, Hamilton will again be a prisoner of redemption, trapped in a tale too flawless for any man.

[REDREAD]

Originally Posted by 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.

I agree.. That one paragraph was ludicrous -- summary was "How dare Josh Hamilton go 0-4".. Every player has an o-fer day occasionally.. geez.
I'm happy for Josh that he's eligible for FA. Hopefully he can find a team he likes and be happy again.

[RFS62]

Originally Posted by westofyou

The Prisoner of Redemption - What happened to Josh Hamilton?

A week later, on a bright day in Oakland, Hamilton dropped a can of corn.

Rangers fans and writers pulled out their knives. Hamilton, it was said, was high-maintenance. Of course, he'd always been high-maintenance — a celebrated part of The Story was that Hamilton had an "accountability partner," Johnny Narron, who stayed one hotel room over; that he had to be sprayed with ginger ale while his teammates were sprayed with champagne. Hamilton, it was said, created clubhouse "drama." Well, yeah. This is the guy who said he saw Satan in the clouds. This is the guy who came to Arlington with the most pharmacologically adventurous past this side of Hollywood Henderson. That we thought his drama ended with Act 3 — at the conclusion of the book or DVD or testimonial — showed we were as beguiled by The Story as Hamilton was.

It's not defending Josh Hamilton to say that he became despised this year for many of the things that, in the confines of a redemption narrative, once made him beloved. The Story swallowed the man. Hamilton seems like a reasonably friendly, occasionally defensive guy who is teetering on the edge of sobriety, who is prone to inconvenient bouts of detachment, and who gets hurt a lot. When he goes to his next team, I hope a new story will start there. But I have a sinking feeling that every time he loses a fly ball, Hamilton will again be a prisoner of redemption, trapped in a tale too flawless for any man.

That's some great stuff. I know a lot of serious baseball fans in Dallas who are far more down on Hamilton than even this guy. They think he's a quitter, and that's worse than a drug addict here.

They're talking about him in Dallas now like they talk about Lamar Odom after "Dirk beat him up and the Mavericks sent he and his skanky Kardashian wife packing back to LA'' as described to me by a rabid Dallas sports fan. Seriously, that was a huge event here, and this is bigger.

There's no way he comes back to the Rangers.

[defender]

He hit less than .250 and struck out almost 120 times the last four months of the season. That is what the fans are reacting to. He had an amazing first two months and his overall stats are very good. His three year stats are excellent. The fans who have watched him over the last four months do not want him signed to a big long term contract.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by defender

He hit less than .250 and struck out almost 120 times the last four months of the season. That is what the fans are reacting to. He had an amazing first two months and his overall stats are very good. His three year stats are excellent. The fans who have watched him over the last four months do not want him signed to a big long term contract.

Those are Adam Dunn-like numbers. Horrors.

I see similarities to Ken Griffey Jr's career. Both LH, power hitting CFs who had a reputation for being high maintenance, detached and lacking leadership skills. In fact I'm seeing a lot of the same complaints I heard from his time as a Red and likely led to his being traded. The thing is, those MVP numbers he puts up are worth a lot of hassles. It's just that dropped ball that's hard to defend

[The Operator]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

Those are Adam Dunn-like numbers. Horrors.

I see similarities to Ken Griffey Jr's career. Both LH, power hitting CFs who had a reputation for being high maintenance, detached and lacking leadership skills. In fact I'm seeing a lot of the same complaints I heard from his time as a Red and likely led to his being traded. The thing is, those MVP numbers he puts up are worth a lot of hassles. It's just that dropped ball that's hard to defend

I've never felt that way about Griffey Jr. at any point, I think he get a pretty bum deal from most people in Cincinnati. He got hurt a lot yes, but he left it all on the field and is/was a pretty good guy from everything I've read.


And even if Jr. was high maintenance to some degree, he'd have nothing on Hamilton. Hamilton is a recovering coke addict who has to have a baby-sitter with him at all times and can't be trusted to carry any money in his pocket.

And I'm a Christian so I hope no one takes this as me bashing Christians, but he goes a bit overboard sometimes with his "I'm God's Chosen Messenger" act. He once said he saw Satan in the clouds... I mean come on. Crap like that is what makes people mock the rest of us.

But I don't wanna turn this into a religion thing because this is the wrong forum, I'm just saying I don't think there is really anyone who can compare to Hamilton's level of High Maintenance. He's a case study all of his own.

[smith288]

I think the God-speak is a way to hold himself accountable and to a standard he must meet. Just my opinion.

[dabvu2498]

Nolan Ryan blames dip:

"His timing on quitting smokeless tobacco couldn’t have been worse. You would’ve liked to have thought that if he was going to do that that he would’ve done it in the offseason or waited until this offseason to do it. So the drastic effect that it had on him and the year that he was having up to that point in time that he did quit, you’d have liked that he would’ve taken a different approach to that. So those issues caused unrest, and it’s unfortunate that it happened and the timing was such as it was."

[reds44]

Ken Griffey Jr. was "high maintence" in the sesne of star players being high maintence. He's a first ballot, no doubt Hall of Famer. Josh Hamilton is "high maintence" in the sense of he's like a 2 year old who can't be left alone or trusted with anything.

The stuff of him (Hamilton) causing drama in the clubhouse should surprise nobody, because he did the same thing here.

[Vottomatic]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...r-shields.html

Most of the people surveyed see Hamilton winding back up with the Rangers when all is said and done. Outside of Texas, there were predictions for the Orioles, Red Sox, Brewers, and Phillies.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...zoST4FafPVV.99

I'd make Hamilton a 2-year offer for a ridiculous amount. Stick him in LF and bat him cleanup. This team would be unbeatable with that pitching staff and offensive lineup.

Then I'd acquire Fowler somehow.

And in that same article it talks about the Rays seriously moving James Shields this season because he has 2 years left of value to some team and they'll get more now than next offseason. Walt has always wanted Shields, and the Rays held out for Mez last year and Walt wouldn't pull the trigger. Mez + Corcino or Cingrani would get it done.

I don't know how they'd afford it, but you could print World Series tickets on Opening Day.

CF Fowler (SH)
2B Phillips (RH)
1B Votto (LH)
LF Hamilton (LH)
RF Bruce (LH)
3B Frazier (RH)
C Hanigan (RH)
SS Cozart (RH)

SP Cueto
SP Latos
SP Bailey
SP Shields
SP Arroyo

CL Chapman (I don't care if they want to start him, they don't need him too)
RP Broxton
RP Marshall
RP Hoover
RP Lecure
RP Arredondo
RP Cingrani or someone

[westofyou]

I'd fly to the moon if I could.

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by westofyou

I'd fly to the moon if I could.

When you figure out how to get there, stay.