Angels trade Hamilton to TEX

[jon abbey]

Very impressed if he came forward before getting caught.

 
Sorry if this has been mentioned already, but his wife is on the new season of The Real Housewives of Orange County, which is evidently filming now, so I wonder if him turning himself in is connected to that, either their cameramen caught him doing something or maybe his wife brought it up on camera, and he is just trying to get ahead of it being aired. 

 

[theapportioner]

I've said this before, but how fitting is it that Josh Hamilton is almost completely unable to lay off first pitches?  The guy can't resist the temptation of anything.

 
He was probably screwed from the beginning:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_marshmallow_experiment

 

[brandonchristensen]

 
Sorry if this has been mentioned already, but his wife is on the new season of The Real Housewives of Orange County, which is evidently filming now, so I wonder if him turning himself in is connected to that, either their cameramen caught him doing something or maybe his wife brought it up on camera, and he is just trying to get ahead of it being aired. 

I didn't know that. Also possible.

 

[luckysox]

 
Sorry if this has been mentioned already, but his wife is on the new season of The Real Housewives of Orange County...

Who in the heck thought this was a good idea? Holy crap, could anything be worse than his wife being a part of this totally demented "reality" show, which will shine the spotlight even brighter on him,and her and their family? Wow.  People are crazy.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

Who in the heck thought this was a good idea? Holy crap, could anything be worse than his wife being a part of this totally demented "reality" show, which will shine the spotlight even brighter on him,and her and their family? Wow.  People are crazy.

 
Yes, some people are crazy. This is not new. Wade Boggs thought it was a good idea to go on national TV with his wife and answer Barbara Walters's questions about Margo. 
 

 

[mauidano]

Who in the heck thought this was a good idea? Holy crap, could anything be worse than his wife being a part of this totally demented "reality" show, which will shine the spotlight even brighter on him,and her and their family? Wow.  People are crazy.

It's not like they needed the extra money around the house.  This is just pure ego on her part.  Doomed from the first thought.  Start the divorce filings.

 

[Average Reds]

It's not like they needed the extra money around the house.  This is just pure ego on her part.  Doomed from the first thought.  Start the divorce filings.

 
Considering who she is married to and what she's put up with over the years, this is rich.

 

[Rovin Romine]

 
Considering who she is married to and what she's put up with over the years, this is rich.

 
 
From http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/J_Hamilton/J_Hamilton_bio.html

 
Josh’s greatest piece of luck came when he showed up at the home of Mike Chadwick, a businessman who lectured around the state on how he had beaten drugs and alcohol. Chadwick explained to Josh that he was in a life-and-death battle. Josh could either quit or die. Chadwick pointed out to Josh that he had advantages others like him did not. There was a group of good supportive people who cared about him and were not interested in baseball. This group eventually included Chadwick’s daughter, Katie, who had known Josh back in his high school days.
The relationship between Josh and Katie blossomed, and the two got married in the winter of '04. She had a daughter, Julia, from a previous marriage, and they decided to have a child of their own. Josh convinced Katie that he was clean, but soon he fell back into his old ways. Tony and Linda gave the couple the last $200,000 left from Josh’s bonus so they could buy a small house. Josh took the leftover cash and blew it on drugs.
Katie gave birth to a girl named Sierra in September of 2005. By then, Josh was smoking crack again. Katie had thrown him out of their house, and he had moved in with grandmother Mary. She was the only one left in the family willing to take him in.
On October 6, Josh vowed to give up drugs and alcohol. He had lost 50 pounds, and his complexion was ghostlike. Baseball was completely off his radar at this point. All that consumed Josh was his next high. Everything that was important to him was gone. He had hit rock bottom.

 

[Hyde Park Factor]

This is a good read from Jeff Passan, advocating a "tough love" approach from Manfred. Basically, he's suggesting that Hamilton do 60 days of rehab and come back to the Angels clean with the understanding that if he tests positive again, he would forfeit the remainder of his contract. Personally, I like it as a solution, but the players union would never go for it.


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-power-struggle-over-josh-hamilton-and-why-rob-manfred-needs-to-do-what-s-right-033607402.html

 

[Cesar Crespo]

He'd probably get suspended without pay a la A-rod anyway or possibly get a life time ban. Wouldn't surprise me if there's language in the contract to protect the Angels against this as well.

 

[Average Reds]

This is a good read from Jeff Passan, advocating a "tough love" approach from Manfred. Basically, he's suggesting that Hamilton do 60 days of rehab and come back to the Angels clean with the understanding that if he tests positive again, he would forfeit the remainder of his contract. Personally, I like it as a solution, but the players union would never go for it.


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-power-struggle-over-josh-hamilton-and-why-rob-manfred-needs-to-do-what-s-right-033607402.html

 
Given the circumstances of Hamilton's reinstatement, I think Manfred has a fairly free reign to do what he feels is the right thing.  (Yes, the union will fight but i can't see how they win.) 
 
I'm not sure what I think the answer is here, but the details of Hamilton's relapse are so pedestrian - a fight with his wife set him off - that I would be tempted to compel a long stint in rehab.  The issue isn't tough love as much as it is ensuring that Hamilton is given a chance at success in life.  Unlike in the past, Hamilton is now on his own after transitioning away from his "accountability partner" last year.  His actions are a pretty good indicator that he simply isn't ready or able to handle that sort of freedom.
 
If Hamilton stays clean for the rest of his days in MLB and then goes back to his old ways when his career is over he will have accomplished little.

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

One issue I had with Passan's article is the following:
 
"It's what anybody fighting substance abuse deserves: The ability to remain sober with as few distractions as possible. The very last thing he needs is people with vested interests in his career twisting his problems into something about themselves"
 
As addicts attempting to stay clean, we deserve NOTHING of the sort. We are responsible for our recovery and staying clean is OUR reponsibility.
 
As few distractions as possible?!?!
 
what is created in active addiction, whether it be years or a short relapse, is often referred to as "wreckage"
 
"Wreckage" creates disctractions, upheavals - emotional, financial, mental, etc.
 
If I used because my wife and I had a fight or an argument, I would have been dead years ago. Relapse does NOT happen because an addict is subject to distractions or lack of support from family or the job or a support system. All recovering addicts at some point or many points go through far more devastating things than a fight with a spouse or issues with jobs or even losses of spouses, children and parents. How about an addict diagnosed with HIV in 1986 who is still clean today? I know many who go through all of the above without using.
 
An addict relapses because THEY choose not to live a life of recovery - don't have a program, don't rely on other recovering addicts who stay clean -  and then they use because they use. Then they usually blame it on the crap that Passan wrote in his article.

 

[Hyde Park Factor]

Thank you for that perspective. I've been fortunate to have never dealt with addiction in my life, neither my own nor that of a loved one. To me it sounded like Passan hit all the right notes, but I can see where he completely ignored Hamilton's personal responsibility for all this. As did I. He's been given plenty of chances and he keeps blowing it (no pun intended).

 

[soxhop411]

 

[Corsi]

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan  now
Source: Josh Hamilton will not be suspended.

 

[MentalDisabldLst]

Really?  Manfred had to go out of his way to say he "disagrees with the decision", despite it giving him an excuse to not punish a star player for being an upstanding moral citizen and confessing his sins unprompted?  He's going to try to modify the program so he can nail more of his players to the cross more easily?
 
Just seems gratuitous on his part.  Welcome the prodigal son home, kill the fatted calf, and give thanks.

 

[ifmanis5]

Huh. Cafardo was right after all?

 

[Rovin Romine]

Really?  Manfred had to go out of his way to say he "disagrees with the decision", despite it giving him an excuse to not punish a star player for being an upstanding moral citizen and confessing his sins unprompted?  He's going to try to modify the program so he can nail more of his players to the cross more easily?
 
Just seems gratuitous on his part.  Welcome the prodigal son home, kill the fatted calf, and give thanks.

 
Does seem kind of weird, right?  Hamilton supposedly confessed, which normally means he be very likely to accept some kind of reasonable chastisement.  And, as you say, it's best to encourage that.  Based on the release today, it seems like things were adversarial at the end.  I wonder what happened behind the scenes.  'Course, who knows what actually happened (if there was a confession, or he was more or less caught, what the violation was, if there had been a previous mulligan by the commissioner, etc..)  

 

[soxhop411]

 

[soxhop411]

Mike DiGiovanna ‏@MikeDiGiovanna  19m19 minutes ago
#Angels not exactly welcoming OF Josh Hamilton back with open arms. This could get ugly.

 

[soxhop411]

Jerry Crasnick ‏@jcrasnick  1m1 minute ago
Just a gut feeling, but #Angels statement seems to have a lot of Arte Moreno in it. More punitive than supportive of Hamilto

 

[Rovin Romine]

 
Mike DiGiovanna ‏@MikeDiGiovanna  19m19 minutes ago
#Angels not exactly welcoming OF Josh Hamilton back with open arms. This could get ugly.
 

 
 
Seems like it already is ugly. 

 

[theapportioner]

Wow, very judgmental comment by the Angels GM. "Disappointed he has broken an important commitment". Makes it sound like Josh made a rational choice, which is highly unlikely to be the case.
 
Edit: maybe the issue is not the relapse itself, but Josh possibly refusing rehab/treatment?

 

[Average Reds]

They have $125 million reasons to be judgmental.

 

[mauidano]

Don't think it will get ugly with Josh and the Angels at all.  He fucked up and got away with it.  He's damn lucky.  Their statement is probably what Josh is feeling as well.

 

[Snodgrass'Muff]

Wow, very judgmental comment by the Angels GM. "Disappointed he has broken an important commitment". Makes it sound like Josh made a rational choice, which is highly unlikely to be the case.
 
Edit: maybe the issue is not the relapse itself, but Josh possibly refusing rehab/treatment?

 
I don't think it's out of line at all. It's equal parts condemning and supportive. He broke an important commitment, and that shouldn't be swept away just because he then did the right thing and admitted it without having to. So yes, make sure it's clear that breaking that promise is a bad thing, but then offer whatever support you can to help him get back on and stay on the right track. Simply saying "Oh, well you told us when you didn't have to, so it's okay just don't do it again" is a form of enabling. Being firm about how bad it is that he crossed that line again in the first place while also being supportive is a good way to go if they genuinely care about him staying sober.
 
In fact, some form of punishment, like management deciding to impose their own suspension, even if it's a small one, might not be an awful idea if that's their goal.

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

They have $125 million reasons to be judgmental.

 
I don't know. They chose to do business with a drug addict. That's on them. The DiPolito statement seems very reasonable though (IMO).

 

[Average Reds]

 
I don't know. They chose to do business with a drug addict. That's on them. The DiPolito statement seems very reasonable though (IMO).

I don't disagree with you about the Angels having no one to blame but themselves.

Despite the fact that most teams try to pretend otherwise, baseball is a heartless business and teams only care for players if they are producing. Hamilton was a high risk signing and has turned out to be an expensive disappointment. The Angels comments reflect that reality.

In an odd way, it's almost refreshing to see a team drop the artifice and be honest about how they view their players.

 

[soxhop411]

Bob Nightengale @BNightengale · 4m4 minutes ago


Oh-oh. #Angels president John Carpino reporters:"It defies logic that Josh's reported behavior is not a violation of his current program."

 

[soxhop411]

so this is going to get UGLY

 

[soxhop411]

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi  55s55 seconds ago
Josh Hamilton suffers from addiction but succeeded with the Texas Rangers because that organization supported him with sensitivity

 

[soxhop411]

seriously.. The Angels are acting like assholes.. Way to have a players back...

 

[Cellar-Door]

How are the statements by MLB and the Angels not violations of the JDA?
 
Edit- Yeah Fangraphs noticed it too. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/josh-hamilton-avoids-suspension-for-alleged-drug-relapse/

 

[soxhop411]

so I am pretty sure the Angels were the one who leaked about his relapse... And if they did.. they should be punished

 

[soxhop411]

keithlaw ‏@keithlaw  25s25 seconds ago
The lack of any sensitivity or understanding of the science of addiction implied by Carpino's comments is appalling.

 

[soxhop411]

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan  3m3 minutes ago
Not sure what Angels are trying to do. Shaming addicts and worsening your relationship with player you owe $83M is a lose-lose proposition.

 

[drbretto]

Great. Run him out of town, subsidize the contract and send him to Boston. I'm pretty sure by New England Standards, he doesn't even have a drug problem.

 

[mauidano]

Let's see what Josh has to say about all of this.  And does he plan to resume "baseball activities".  Is this going to be a NY Yankee/A-Rod type of relationship going forward?

 

[theapportioner]

 
I don't think it's out of line at all. It's equal parts condemning and supportive. He broke an important commitment, and that shouldn't be swept away just because he then did the right thing and admitted it without having to. So yes, make sure it's clear that breaking that promise is a bad thing, but then offer whatever support you can to help him get back on and stay on the right track. Simply saying "Oh, well you told us when you didn't have to, so it's okay just don't do it again" is a form of enabling. Being firm about how bad it is that he crossed that line again in the first place while also being supportive is a good way to go if they genuinely care about him staying sober.
 
In fact, some form of punishment, like management deciding to impose their own suspension, even if it's a small one, might not be an awful idea if that's their goal.

 
It's one thing to make those comments to him privately, and another entirely to make a public statement. Publicly stating that Hamilton basically "betrayed his fans" because he relapsed is pretty vile, IMO. Public shaming won't help him. And if the Angels think that this statement somehow lets them wash their hands clean regarding this FA signing, they're wrong.
 
The only thing that would make the Angels' statement not fully shitty is if perhaps Hamilton refused to go through physician-recommended rehab or refused to accept a chaperone this time. But even then, there may be some contract ramifications if he did that (guessing this may be a reason why it went to arb).

 

[joe dokes]

Rosenthal's tie is askew:
 
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/los-angeles-angels-josh-hamilton-no-suspension-deserved-better-040315

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

 
It's one thing to make those comments to him privately, and another entirely to make a public statement. Publicly stating that Hamilton basically "betrayed his fans" because he relapsed is pretty vile, IMO. Public shaming won't help him. And if the Angels think that this statement somehow lets them wash their hands clean regarding this FA signing, they're wrong.
 
The only thing that would make the Angels' statement not fully shitty is if perhaps Hamilton refused to go through physician-recommended rehab or refused to accept a chaperone this time. But even then, there may be some contract ramifications if he did that (guessing this may be a reason why it went to arb).

 
I don't think it matters. The Angels knew what they were getting in bed with when they signed Hamilton. They played with fire, got burned, and now are throwing a fit as if this weren't incredibly foreseeable. If they didn't have a plan for when Hamilton relapsed they're just incredibly stupid (which looks to be the case here).

 

[charlieoscar]

From the MLB Standard Player Contract:
 
Loyalty 3.(a) The Player agrees to perform his services hereunder diligently and faithfully, to keep himself in first-class physical condition and to obey the Club’s training rules, and pledges himself to the American public and to the Club to conform to high standards of personal conduct, fair play and good sportsmanship.

 

[Cellar-Door]

From the MLB Standard Player Contract:
 
Loyalty 3.(a) The Player agrees to perform his services hereunder diligently and faithfully, to keep himself in first-class physical condition and to obey the Club’s training rules, and pledges himself to the American public and to the Club to conform to high standards of personal conduct, fair play and good sportsmanship.

And?

 

[JayMags71]

Is this going to be a NY Yankee/A-Rod type of relationship going forward?

I believe we're already there.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Great. Run him out of town, subsidize the contract and send him to Boston. I'm pretty sure by New England Standards, he doesn't even have a drug problem.

 
I think you just made Nick Cafardo faint.

 

[joe dokes]

Let's see what Josh has to say about all of this.  And does he plan to resume "baseball activities".  Is this going to be a NY Yankee/A-Rod type of relationship going forward?

 
 
Considerably worse, IMO.  It would be hard to find anyone with any sympathy toward ARod.  Meanwhile, far more than zero people understand that Hamilton's addiction is different than ARod's drug use.

 

[drbretto]

 
I think you just made Nick Cafardo faint.

 
It's ok, my post was as much of a joke as he is.

 

[MakMan44]

So he admitted to drinking and using drugs but because he didn't actually test positive he didn't get suspended.

I can sort of see the Angels POV here, even though releasing a public statement is stupid.

 

[bosox188]

From the MLB Standard Player Contract:
 
Loyalty 3.(a) The Player agrees to perform his services hereunder diligently and faithfully, to keep himself in first-class physical condition and to obey the Club’s training rules, and pledges himself to the American public and to the Club to conform to high standards of personal conduct, fair play and good sportsmanship.

 
I guess a lot of players have betrayed the fans then.

 

[Spacemans Bong]

Ask yourself: do the Angels make that statement if he relapsed after a .310, 32 HR, 110 RBI season last year? I think we know the answer.
 
Hamilton should release a statement saying "While many in Orange County are disappointed with the conduct of the Angels, I am thankful that their addiction to shitty free agent contracts continues with me."