Pile on the hate: The Angels looks like Dbags today

[ten ocho recon scout]

Just for arguments sake, do those of you defending hamilton (which i have no problem with anyones opinion) feel the same for santana? First offense 80 game suspension vs series of offenses and nothing?

Obviously the two drugs are for different reasons, i totally get that. But we have one guy using a drug trying to get better, while another is using drugs and not caring to get better.

[HaloMagic]

I don't see a lot of people defending Hamilton. Are you confusing those attacking the FO as people defending Hamilton?

[Guest]

Josh is acting like A-Rod, but people are confusing him as being  innocent vulnerable. Josh, surprisingly, saved his hide by doing what he did–his agent must be pretty smart to hustle the Angels out of $125M and get him out of any trouble. 

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

No love here, but according to Mike D

@MikeDiGiovanna: Don't have time to tweet bunch of stuff, but there's a lot of love for Josh Hamilton among players in #Angels clubhouse.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

http://t.co/kvn6xhhm7c #Angels are hardly angelic dealing with Josh Hamilton

[JarsOfClay]

Look if you are going to blow off steam in a thread, fine. If the subject is close too home then maybe you should step back a little before going off.

Hamilton has earned the reputation he has, both during his tenure with the Rangers and now with the Angels. This situation has gone as far as including the commissioner of baseball so it is not like some internal squabble about jersey numbers, locker assignments or music being played too loud.

The Statement issued by Dipoto was pretty milk toast. It basically had three parts, how the arbitration process concluded, where Hamilton stands with the Angels and the process for moving forward.

The Arbitration results did not coincide with the opinion of the commissioners office and was echoed by the Angels Vice President, Carpino. His follow up statement "We've really got to get Josh the help that he needs. That’s where the focus is. We're dealing with a person here." shows the Angels are concerned with Hamilton on a personal basis.

None of what you posted addressed any of those facts. Unless you have some other statements that apply I really don't think you are making a case for yourself.

I didn't see anything wrong with what the front office said either. Some people are too easily influenced by media propaganda to form opinions for themselves. it's sad.

Edited April 4, 2015 by JarsOfClay

[tdawg87]

Hamilton turns 34 in May. He is delicate of body and psyche. He has four children and the question if he can re-assemble his life and do it in a way in which he is capable of playing in the majors at a suitable level now is part of his personal struggle while looming menacingly over a team that clearly no longer wants him.

 

Gotta keep making Hamilton look like the victim here. He is completely free of blame. Poor, delicate Joshy.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The Angels should be supporting Hamilton - which may or may not include another stint in a treatment center.

 

The problem is that the arbitrator gave him an out on this. Even if the Angels supported him going for treatment - which I'm sure that they would - Hamilton can simply say "no" and report. I strongly suspect that this is exactly what he will do.

 

I'm not as hard on the organization about this as you are. Josh Hamilton is paid handsomely to play a sport professionally. All evaluations of his performance aside, he certainly has the resources to seek treatment if he so chooses. Instead, he chooses to keep using, and the arbitrator has enabled him on this. I don't see the vitriol directed at the organization for saying that they have "concerns", and for expressing disappointment that he won't be compelled to seek treatment. I have concerns too, and they go beyond his performance on the field.

 

Hamilton has a typical drug addict mentality. He cares about himself, and not much else matters - except, on occasion, where his next fix will come from, which he also has the resources to get. What we have heard about his presence in the clubhouse strongly suggests that he is the kind of guy who his teammates had rather not have around, and this isn't just because he isn't hitting. He is aloof, distant and high maintenance - and he doesn't even have the cushion of at least decent production for his teammates to see some reason (apart from the money he is owed) for him to even be here.

 

I also suspect that Mike Scioscia will continue to be an enabler. Scioscia treats every veteran like he is still in his prime, and that it is just a matter of time until he breaks out, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary. He continues to run these types of players out there every day no matter how little they produce. We have seen this movie too many times: Bobby Abreu, Vernon Wells, Jeff Mathis, Raul Ibanez and now Josh Hamilton. Jerry Dipoto eventually had to get all of these players - save Hamilton - off the roster to keep Scioscia from playing them all the time. I suspect that the same thing will have to happen with Hamilton, although the size of the check that would have to be cut makes this a dicey proposition.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Blarg]

I didn't see anything wrong with what the front office said either. Some people are too easily influenced by media propaganda to form opinions for themselves. it's sad.

 

It really feels that way, the media making up some story about how big of meanies the Angels front office are about being disappointed with the arbitrators decision, which is in line with the commissioners office, and disappointed in Hamilton for falling by the wayside voluntarily.

 

Maybe some of you forgot that Hamilton limited his accountability coach role last season. He only allowed supervision on road games and released him once the season ended. Guess where the problem occurred? Yeah, out of view of a person to hold him responsible for his actions in his own back yard.

 

“It’s time to cut the cord a little bit,”

 

That is Hamilton's own words. Look how it worked out for everyone.

[Amazing Larry]

I didn't see anything wrong with what the front office said either. Some people are too easily influenced by media propaganda to form opinions for themselves. it's sad.

It seems to me that most of the people that have a problem with the statements released to the media are part of the media themselves. My unscientific poll tells me that the majority of the fans don't have a problem with what the front office has said.

[NrM]

....No one said that.

 

Poozy said on the previous page:

 

 

and then

 

 

Hence the post you responded to.

 

I meant specifically for drug abuse. I admit to over-exaggerating to get my point across quickly since I was just on my break.

Basically, very few future employers are going to hire you with a drug abuse firing on your record.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Poozy

[NrM]

But you're saying baseball should be more strict than that? So a baseball player who breaks the rules should have their life be completely ruined?

 

 

I'm saying it's a little ass backwards that when a regular joe employee screws up, he's done, yet it's just a slap on the wrist for a professional athlete.

 

Makes no sense to me.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Poozy

[fan_since79]

If I got $142,000 a game to flail away at breaking pitches, and the money was guaranteed, I think I could handle whatever mean things people in the media might say about me.

 

Sticks and stones...but keep those checks coming!!

[Biergott]

The Angels have more than had Josh's back since he came here. Shoving him into the playoffs, and then sticking with him, last year is a perfect example. Do you really think they were trying to make him look bad at the expense of losing in the first round? When this all came public, there were countless statements from Jedi, MS and Angels players speaking about their concern for Josh, his health and his family. Maybe I read it wrong, but I saw nothing in Jedi's statement that I took as aggressive toward Josh. Even Carpino's first statement was just incredulity over the result of the process. Something here I think everyone agrees with. I understand addiction is an illness, and have had many close to me that struggle with it to this day. But I also agree consequences are key in helping deal with it. Getting off scot-free is not going to help anyone. And this is coming from someone who is always defending Josh the person....

[2112]

I'm curious more than anything. Does anyone know what a baseball contract actually states? Wouldn't the Angels have protected themselves against relapse? I understand a guaranteed contract means that a player gets injured, he still gets paid. But it shouldn't mean someone could deliberately hurt their ability to play.

[Chuck]

I don't get the outcry here. I would say the same thing Carpino did.

I guess I'm an asshole.

[ELEVEN]

I don't get the outcry here. I would say the same thing Carpino did.

I guess I'm an asshole.

Totally agree Chuck.

I mean I agree... uh.. I mean, uh...

[Blarg]

Don't worry eleven, we know what you ment.

*wink

[Redondo]

"We're all thinking about Josh and praying for him," Angels third baseman David Freese said. "But when it comes time to play ball, we're worried about who's in this clubhouse. Not having a talent like Josh when he's rolling is huge, but there's a group of guys in here that are determined to get it done and win the division again."

[Ohtaniland]

Totally agree Chuck.

I mean I agree... uh.. I mean, uh...

 

Chuck's not an asshole! 

 

Jerk!

[Angelfaninidaho]

This just in... Angels are going to platoon Hamilton with the rally monkey in an acrylic box and a coke dispensing button. First one to tip over gets to dance to "calling all angels" on the jumbotron next game.

[Troutta here]

I support the Angels' stance. Make Hamilton look like the bad guy, that way it's easier to keep him out of the lineup.

[Stradling]

I think now that he is no longer being considered for suspension the Angels you require him to go to physical therapy and work with a team appointed trainer to get him ready to play. His time at summer camp at his buddies house in Houston should end immediately.

[GregAlso]

All those asking about contract clauses about drugs of abuse. As I understand drugs of abuse, teams cannot put clauses in contracts about that because it is covered in the CBA. The JDA is meant to be the clause that protects owners against players that abuse drugs. This applies to PEDs as well, as I understand it anyway.

Edited April 4, 2015 by GregAlso

[moccasin]

I don't have a problem with the FO either. Josh broke a promise, and he didn't get punished even though he deserved to be. That's the bottom line.

I do think he should have been given a softer punishment for confessing, maybe around 80 games, but this is just embarrassing.