Josh Hamilton meets with MLB officials about a disciplinary issue

[Hollyw00d]

Most regular people with drug addictions lose their job. They have not the resources to have 24/7 life coaches to keep them on the path. They don't have millions to invest in treatment and counseling. So, yeah, we look at Hamilton in a different light and think he should quit ****ing up his family, team and fanbase with all of the advantages he has at his disposal to not be that guy.

 

You won't lose your job and family over a cheeseburger and beer. You will lose them to a cheeseburger and so much beer you can't walk out of the sports bar your in. There is a difference.

Well said

[yk9001]

I wonder if any of the people who are so supportive of Josh have to write any five year payroll checks to addicts.

[Amazing Larry]

I wonder if Josh Hamilton is going to have to cooperate with authorities and turn in all his dealers and friends that are connected with this issue. Cocaine usage is also a criminal activity.

 

Probably depends what state he was in. California has more pressing issues than Josh's yayo habit.

[Adam]

Hopefully the dude can get back and stay on track.

 

Glad we got Joyce

[Mark68]

Hopefully the dude can get back and stay on track.

 

Glad we got Joyce

Joyce = Hamilton insurance

[Jay]

Hi Jay,

First of all I should make it clear I'm not trying to be snappy with you I just think that this is an important subject that only until the last few years as impacted me so personally.

It seems like there are many here who just want to blast Josh and I think that comes from a misunderstanding of the nature of addiction.

Although I'm not an expert on the subject it is clear that any addict, no matter how long they have been sober, has to be vigilant to avoid relapse the rest of their lives. So the fact that he has been sober for a few years seems irrelevant when it comes to addictive behavior. Josh clearly had a confluence of personal factors that led to his relapse.

As for Josh's resources and support I'd say that having that is a double-edged sword. Yes he has plenty of money to treat his addictive behaviors and he can hire people to help him but that same money can be used to circumvent his support structure and gives him access to literally all the drugs he wants to use. It is a powerful, tempting tool and I imagine it is just as much a burden as it is helpful.

As for his family depending on him most of us have some type or quantity of family depending on them. Josh is not unique in that regard. My nephew was married and had a son that he is now estranged from. He showed up at our door the other day and was crying like I never saw him cry before when he talked about his son (who's in Texas). My nephew knows he has screwed up and that his son needs him but when he can't maintain some control of his own life how can he help his son? Josh can't maintain himself so how can he help his family emotionally? There are a lot of addicts who have family depending on them. Josh is no different.

Yes Josh broke down and used drugs. I'd argue he has a lot more opportunity to do so than the average addict due to his tremendous resources. Breaking down happens to addicts all the time, why should Josh be any different? Addictive behavior whether it is drugs, alcohol, drinking soda, smoking cigarettes, gambling etc. doesn't go away. It has to be actively managed at all times and most of us want to indulge in our addictions not eliminate them. Usually the only time we are successful at eliminating them is when we make a conscious choice to fight the addiction and stop using/consuming it.

Jay I'm just saying that I think you should reevaluate your opinion on it. It's not as clear cut as it appears.

Respectfully,

Robert

 

Sorry about your nephew's troubles but making excuses for Hamilton will not improve his situation.

 

You don't just "break down" and use cocaine, you have to make a conscious decision to go get some.  You can't just roll down to 7-11 or step outside the restaurant and bum a rail.

[Stradling]

I wonder if any of the people who are so supportive of Josh have to write any five year payroll checks to addicts.

I'm guessing the people that are being supportive of Josh are being supportive of him being an addict. They are separating the two.

[Stradling]

What MLB should do is allow a team to cut a player that puts the teams image in danger, regardless of how many years are left on their contract. The team should try to reach a buy out, but if that can't happen, the team should be able to pay off the contract, and have it not count against the luxury tax. So that way the players union can't complain, the team can rid themselves of an embarrasment, and the team can move on without it affecting future payroll decisions.

[Kenny]

Like I said yesterday, I hope he stays off the yayo, but I'm not sad if he's never playing for the Angels again.

[yk9001]

I'm guessing the people that are being supportive of Josh are being supportive of him being an addict. They are separating the two.

 

I am not sure why people would.  Him being an addict f*cks up a lot of people's lives.  His family's.  His employer's.  His boss's.  His teammates'.

[Mark68]

Hopefully, Hamilton the man can put this behind him and move forward with his life.

 

Hopefully, Hamilton the ballplayer has some new-found confidence and comfort level with being sober (again) which translates to a better on-field performance.

[yk9001]

What MLB should do is allow a team to cut a player that puts the teams image in danger, regardless of how many years are left on their contract. The team should try to reach a buy out, but if that can't happen, the team should be able to pay off the contract, and have it not count against the luxury tax. So that way the players union can't complain, the team can rid themselves of an embarrasment, and the team can move on without it affecting future payroll decisions.

 

May be a cash flow issue with players like Josh.  You'd have to come up with $85 million tomorrow.  Not sure if Angels Baseball LLC has that sitting around.

[eaterfan]

Sorry about your nephew's troubles but making excuses for Hamilton will not improve his situation.

You don't just "break down" and use cocaine, you have to make a conscious decision to go get some. You can't just roll down to 7-11 or step outside the restaurant and bum a rail.

I'd bet that's not how it happens. It happens watching beer commercial after beer commercial. He sees his teammates celebrating with champagne and bets after winning the division. One day he goes fishing with a buddy and the guy cracks open a beer for himself. The guy offers him a beer after he's had a couple. Josh says no but eventually thinks "It's one beer and I've been sober four years. I will be okay". One beer turns into a couple and suddenly he just can't properly weigh the consequences of his actions. He and some guys go out partying and there is the coke.

Should he have said no to the beer? Absolutely. But I have trouble condemning Hamilton as sum of the earth for taking it even knowing it could lead to worse stuff. Everyone here has given into peer pressure and temptation before even when we know it's bad. We all will again.

Plus it's not like his family depends on his money to survive. Hrs banked more money than he can snort in 3 lifetimes and his wife is going to be on TV.

[Mark68]

There is also a (probably slight) possibility that he has to make a decision going forward: Is my career as a ballplayer making it easier to access things that aren't good for my life? If that is the case, maybe he will decide to quit playing ball so that he can concentrate on living a sober and drug-free life.

 

IMO, this would not be a bad thing for himself, his family, or, obviously, his team.

[yk9001]

Hopefully, Hamilton the ballplayer has some new-found confidence and comfort level with being sober (again) which translates to a better on-field performance.

 

Good luck with that.

[AngelsLakersFan]

.300

30 HR

100 RBI

 

 

He was high when he said that.

[Biergott]

So what is the normal timeline for a decision from the MLB in a case like this?  Should we expect a ruling announcement at any time or are we days or weeks away?

[Stradling]

May be a cash flow issue with players like Josh. You'd have to come up with $85 million tomorrow. Not sure if Angels Baseball LLC has that sitting around.

Minus however long his suspension is, but yes, you would have to pay him off.

[Stradling]

I am not sure why people would. Him being an addict f*cks up a lot of people's lives. His family's. His employer's. His boss's. His teammates'.

Why, because addicts don't want to be addicts. Of course it affects others, most addicts do.

[bloodbrother]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/02/26/josh-hamilton-relapse-mlb-suspension-roy-silver/24060571/

 

 

Roy Silver, one of Josh Hamilton's closest friends and a mentor in his struggles with addiction, says the best thing for the Los Angeles Angels outfielder is to retire from baseball.

 

 

Silver's most recent concerns go back as far as last summer, when the Angels played the Rays in Tampa.

 

He said Hamilton - who this year is entering the third year of a five-year, $125 million contract - complained about his struggles with motivation.

"He talked about that he was having trouble getting up for games.'' Silver said. "I don't know whether it was a self-realization or depression. He has to find a way to get yourself up, or you have to man up. He has a job to do. And I'm not big into stealing people's money."

 

"Baseball has never driven Josh,'' says Silver. "People don't understand that. He just loves to hit. And he loves to dive.

Edited February 26, 2015 by bloodbrother

[Hollyw00d]

I'm going to take off my Angels fan hat for a second. I'm rooting for him to eventually overcome his addiction, he has a beautiful family, and I hope he can be the husband and father they deserve.

 

I give him props for fessing up to MLB, and if its true that it wasn't due to a failed drug test but he was proactive about it, more respect from me.

 

I'm rooting for Josh hamilton the person to succeed through this.

Actually confessing was an even more weasel move.

He knew he could dodge the maximum penalties by doing the "honorable" thing, rather than fail another drug test.

Don't get it confused, he didn't man up. If anything, he took the pussy route

[AngelsSurfer]

Nobody is saying it is easy for an addict to stop using. If it were as simple as saying "hey, just don't do it anymore," we wouldn't have people who struggle with addiction for decades and lose everything to it.

However - and I say this as someone who has known addicts and has had to cut a few of them out of my life - it IS on the addict to make a commitment to staying well. It's on the addict to make that commitment to get whatever help they need so they don't relapse. As I understand it with both AA and NA - and I'm not saying everyone uses this system - everyone has a sponsor they can call who can offer them immediate help if they even THINK of using. It IS on the addict to stop making excuses for their behavior and take responsibility for themselves.

And as others have mentioned, Josh is fortunate to have the time, money and connections to get all the help he needs. The Angels have his accountability coach on the payroll. They seem to have been committed to helping him work through his issues. That's way more help than most addicts ever have.

[Amazing Larry]

One day he goes fishing with a buddy and the guy cracks open a beer for himself. The guy offers him a beer after he's had a couple. Josh says no but eventually thinks "It's one beer and I've been sober four years. I will be okay". One beer turns into a couple and suddenly he just can't properly weigh the consequences of his actions. He and some guys go out partying and there is the coke.

 

I hope he hangs around better people than that.

[xboom28x]

28 pages? Way to not disappoint Angelswin!

[yk9001]

Why, because addicts don't want to be addicts. Of course it affects others, most addicts do.

 

That is a blanket statement.  Is there any time that an addict wants to be an addict?  In other words, selfish?  We see selfish people in every walk of life.

 

Yet, I read plenty here from Josh supporters that he is helpless.  He's an honorable man in the midst of something he can't control.  He wants to quit, but (throws up his hands) whaddya gonna do??

 

Has there ever been an addict that actually thinks "F 'em - my employer, my family, my teammates"?  Ever?