Hamilton Suspension Rumors/Speculations (post updates here)

[Troll Daddy]

My guess is ... they come to his home for testing in the off season.

[Ohtaniland]

We all should've known something was wrong when Josh wanted to rehab his shoulder in Houston. I can't believe that the Angels allowed him to do that. No Angels doctors, no Angels trainers?

The FO should've demanded that he show up to Tempe. Who knows what his physical condition really is.

[Redondo]

We all should've known something was wrong when Josh wanted to rehab his shoulder in Houston. I can't believe that the Angels allowed him to do that. No Angels doctors, no Angels trainers?

The FO should've demanded that he show up to Tempe. Who knows what his physical condition really is.

 

Agree. FO should have made him rehab where they could monitor him better

[Lou]

I hate to say it but this could be what Hamilton needs to get his shyt together. Here's a narrative that I could see happening: Hamilton is suspended for X-number of games, comes back and is re-embraced by his teammates and fans and totally destroys the ball for the rest of the year.

 

It could happen.

wish i would have said that

oh wait...

[Adam]

We all should've known something was wrong when Josh wanted to rehab his shoulder in Houston. I can't believe that the Angels allowed him to do that. No Angels doctors, no Angels trainers?

The FO should've demanded that he show up to Tempe. Who knows what his physical condition really is.

The Angels likely knew about this weeks ago. I'm sure Josh and the Angels determined the best way to manage the situation.

[Adam]

Shoulder rehab is probably a bunch of BS

[ELEVEN]

I'm thinking the shoulder pain probably triggered the relapse. He had something ridiculous like a dozen cortisone shots into the AC joint in a very short period late last season. Most Drs only recommend a max of 3.

I thought at the time it sounded kind of bizarre.

[Spirit]

@Alden_Gonzalez

 

 

6 minutes ago

If Hamilton is suspended, #Angels save $138,797.81 for every day of suspension. He'd start serving at beginning of season. DL a moot point.

[Blarg]

We all should've known something was wrong when Josh wanted to rehab his shoulder in Houston. I can't believe that the Angels allowed him to do that. No Angels doctors, no Angels trainers?

The FO should've demanded that he show up to Tempe. Who knows what his physical condition really is.

Player rehab whever the hell they want while recovering from injury/surgery in the offseason. You are making up stuff in your head, again.

[Jay]

I'm thinking the shoulder pain probably triggered the relapse. He had something ridiculous like a dozen cortisone shots into the AC joint in a very short period late last season. Most Drs only recommend a max of 3.

I thought at the time it sounded kind of bizarre.

 

yeah I always snort coke to help me with my shoulder pain

[Hollyw00d]

Lol @ people thinking that missing half or an entire season is somehow going to make Hamilton play baseball better

[beatlesrule]

 

@Alden_Gonzalez

 

 

6 minutes ago

If Hamilton is suspended, #Angels save $138,797.81 for every day of suspension. He'd start serving at beginning of season. DL a moot point.

 

 

Here is a little more:

The terms of Josh Hamilton‘s likely suspension following his relapse are, clearly, secondary to the relapse itself, and what’s most important is Hamilton’s recovery. MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez notes, though, that the impending suspension could have implications for the Angels‘ payroll. The team will save about $126K for every day Hamilton is suspended. They’ll also save the prorated portion of the Hamilton contract’s $25MM average annual value against the luxury tax threshold. It’s probably too late for them to use any of that money on free agents, but Gonzalez notes that they could spend it on players they add in-season. Gonzalez also writes that Hamilton’s suspension would begin at the start of the season, when he could still be rehabbing from shoulder surgery.

 

Definitely conflicting reports he would serve after he is off the DL.  The final decision and details can't come soon enough so there can be an end to all this speculation.

[ELEVEN]

yeah I always snort coke to help me with my shoulder pain

You too?

[Stradling]

Damn, now i want some coke.

[ELEVEN]

Lol @ people thinking that missing half or an entire season is somehow going to make Hamilton play baseball better

Yeah I think he is done as a productive ballplayer. I don't think the game is very important to him either. I think he is hanging on for the money. I would too and anyone says they would do otherwise then they are a liar. He probably should walk away at this point, but he won't this will probably get uglier for him as it plays out.

From all I hear he is supposedly a great guy off the field, and I truly don't wish the guy any ill will. I am pretty sick of this affecting our baseball team though.

[ELEVEN]

Damn, now i want some coke.

I hear they're pretty good at McDonalds.

[mp170.6]

I'm confused why Hamilton needed to "come clean" and tell MLB about his transgressions unless he was cheating on the drug tests. 

 

On the other hand, maybe MLB has known for months and the meeting in New York involved the arbitrator and we're just waiting on his decision.  I think the arbitrator took some extra time to decide A-Rod's suspension.  No? 

[Jay]

Maybe Hamilton's wife persuaded him to come clean as damage control.

[mp170.6]

Maybe Hamilton's wife persuaded him to come clean as damage control.

 

Yeah, maybe.  I'm just questioning why he would need to say anything if the 3x/weekly drug testing actually worked.

[beatlesrule]

I read this in an article today:

 

Although Hamilton approached MLB officials to inform them of his relapse, the fact that he was forthcoming will not be the reason for leniency; sources say MLB officials are of the view that Hamilton may have come to them once he believed a positive drug test was inevitable.

 

That seems to be the most logical reason. I don't think there was anything too "honorable" about it.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report--josh-hamilton-likely-to-be-suspended--at-least-25-games-175544535.html

 

This is what I stated earlier.  He knew the test would be positive so instead of going through with the test, he admitted he used.  Since there was no positive drug test for evidence/record whatever, he may have found a loophole in the system.  It shouldn't matter but I am sure the MLBPA will use any technicality they can find.  Despite the report, I think this will factor into account even though it shouldn't. 

Edited March 1, 2015 by beatlesrule

[Hollyw00d]

I read this in an article today:

 

Although Hamilton approached MLB officials to inform them of his relapse, the fact that he was forthcoming will not be the reason for leniency; sources say MLB officials are of the view that Hamilton may have come to them once he believed a positive drug test was inevitable.[/size]

 

That seems to be the most logical reason. I don't think there was anything too "honorable" about it.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report--josh-hamilton-likely-to-be-suspended--at-least-25-games-175544535.html

Yup, my thoughts exactly

[mp170.6]

This is what I stated earlier.  He knew the test would be positive so instead of going through with the test, he admitted he used.  Since there was no positive drug test for evidence/record whatever, he may have found a loophole in the system.  It shouldn't matter but I am sure the MLBPA will use any technicality they can find.  Despite the report, I think this will factor into account even though it shouldn't. 

 

How's this for another possibility.  The Angels/MLB/Hamilton knew about the problem in September and manufactured a phony injury to protect him?   The chain of events doesn't add up:

 

His shoulder pain in early September seems legit.  He returns for a single game on September 16th despite having chest and ribcage pains the previous day.  He claims it got so bad it "hurt to breathe".  That's interesting because he had three plate appearances on the 16th and wasn't removed as DH until the 9th inning. 

 

That doesn't sound like he was hurting much on the 16th.  When asked about the injury and possibly missing the postseason, Hamilton plays dumb about whether it's a short-term or long-term setback. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

http://calltothepen.com/2014/09/19/josh-hamilton-miss-postseason/

 

Even though it it took ten games on Monday there was talk of Hamilton returning to the lineup soon. He worked out with the team Monday and began feeling discomfort near his chest and right rib cage and underneath his armpit, according to MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez.

 

In the lineup Tuesday for the first time in almost two weeks Hamilton’s symptoms began to worsen. Hamilton later described the feeling,

“As I played, as I ran, as I swung, it got worse and worse, to the point where it hurt to breathe. It just felt like my shoulder blade and everything was pretty locked up.”

 

...

 

Hamilton has now been shutdown for what appears to be the remainder of the regular season, he was asked about the possibility of his being unavailable for the postseason.

 

“You’re always concerned about it. If I woke up today and felt great, then I wouldn’t be concerned about it,” Hamilton replied. I don’t know what to tell you as far as long-term, short-term or whatever, but I’m going to do whatever I need to do to get back on the field.”

[mp170.6]

And here's the icing on the cake.  He got caught trying to steal a base on September 16th. 

 

Does that sound like a guy with shoulder, chest, ribcage pain, and difficulty breathing?  Why the hell would you try stealing a base and risk further injury?

[AngelsSurfer]

I read this in an article today:

 

Although Hamilton approached MLB officials to inform them of his relapse, the fact that he was forthcoming will not be the reason for leniency; sources say MLB officials are of the view that Hamilton may have come to them once he believed a positive drug test was inevitable.

 

That seems to be the most logical reason. I don't think there was anything too "honorable" about it.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report--josh-hamilton-likely-to-be-suspended--at-least-25-games-175544535.html

Yup, that's what I thought too. He was just telling them something they were going to find out on their own anyway.

[AngelsSurfer]

And here's the icing on the cake.  He got caught trying to steal a base on September 16th. 

 

Does that sound like a guy with shoulder, chest, ribcage pain, and difficulty breathing?  Why the hell would you try stealing a base and risk further injury?

Perhaps...because he honestly doesn't give a damn. What's it to him if he goes on the DL? He gets paid and he doesn't have to worry about playing and getting booed. Perhaps also because many of those injuries are exaggerated. If he was really feeling severe chest pain radiating to his armpit and had so much pain that he was having trouble breathing, the guy should have been in the ER getting checked for a heart attack or a collapsed lung, not playing baseball (and yes, I know he said right side, not left, but it's not out of the question that heart pain can appear in the central or right side of the chest).

That's an incredibly cynical POV and I know it, but Hamilton doesn't seem to be invested in the game in the same way the other players are. He doesn't seem to be sitting there fighting to get back or worrying about his place in the lineup the way other injured players are doing.