Breaking the Hamilton Impasse

[Blarg]

I would not make any stipulation regarding his income and how he chooses to keep or donate it. It is completely unethical to demand he relinquish 1/2 of his salary to charity just to appease public sentiment.

 

Next, he doesn't need to apologize to anyone, he has made a lifetime worth of apologies in the last ten years and that well is dry. Words will fall on deaf ears simply because they are not backed up by past performance. Enough of the words, just do what is right from here on out and that is the sincerest of apologies.

 

Last, he is not to make policy for his actions, it is another demand that he get on his knees a grovel. If the Players Union and MLB want to get together and revise policy that is their domain. Hamilton does not need to draw attention back to himself and take his attention away from his primary responsibility and that is to finish out his contract.

 

Dave, your recommendations sound more like breaking Hamilton more than breaking an impasse. He doesn't need to take 12 steps from someone else's program. He needs to take one step on his own without everyone telling him how to do it.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Dave, great concept. However you missed step 10, which is critical, much more so than step 12

The most important thing with the 12 step program is anonymity and the fact that the programs are such to not publicly discuss your program, especially at the level of press, radio and film. The basis of these programs are attraction and specifically not promotion.

He's not going to sit and fall on the sword over and over again because he relapsed. He will take an approach that puts him in the best spiritual fitness to succeed.

He will probably try to emulate A Robert Downey Jr approach to sobriety and success - quietly.

One who was very heavily criticized, by some, for broadcasting her program was Elizabeth Vargas, former ABC Newswoman.

He doesn't owe the fans anything, and he certainly won't be discussing his program or spiritual fitness publicly.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

I would not make any stipulation regarding his income and how he chooses to keep or donate it. It is completely unethical to demand he relinquish 1/2 of his salary to charity just to appease public sentiment.

Next, he doesn't need to apologize to anyone, he has made a lifetime worth of apologies in the last ten years and that well is dry. Words will fall on deaf ears simply because they are not backed up by past performance. Enough of the words, just do what is right from here on out and that is the sincerest of apologies.

Last, he is not to make policy for his actions, it is another demand that he get on his knees a grovel. If the Players Union and MLB want to get together and revise policy that is their domain. Hamilton does not need to draw attention back to himself and take his attention away from his primary responsibility and that is to finish out his contract.

Dave, your recommendations sound more like breaking Hamilton more than breaking an impasse. He doesn't need to take 12 steps from someone else's program. He needs to take one step on his own without everyone telling him how to do it.

Well said Notti.

[stormngt]

The word donation implies a voluntary act. No one would make him donate. And the article is suggesting how Hamilton can make amends publicly and the Angels won't try to break the contract.

I would not make any stipulation regarding his income and how he chooses to keep or donate it. It is completely unethical to demand he relinquish 1/2 of his salary to charity just to appease public sentiment.

Next, he doesn't need to apologize to anyone, he has made a lifetime worth of apologies in the last ten years and that well is dry. Words will fall on deaf ears simply because they are not backed up by past performance. Enough of the words, just do what is right from here on out and that is the sincerest of apologies.

Last, he is not to make policy for his actions, it is another demand that he get on his knees a grovel. If the Players Union and MLB want to get together and revise policy that is their domain. Hamilton does not need to draw attention back to himself and take his attention away from his primary responsibility and that is to finish out his contract.

Dave, your recommendations sound more like breaking Hamilton more than breaking an impasse. He doesn't need to take 12 steps from someone else's program. He needs to take one step on his own without everyone telling him how to do it.

[eligrba]

I disagree. People don't give half their salary away just to look good.

 

 

Alfred Nobel gave away his entire fortune just to look good.

[Blarg]

Alfred Nobel gave away his entire fortune just to look good.

He did it posthumous. So what exactly are you trying to say?

[disarcina]

good article.

 

as for Arte -- I'm sure Arte is really mad at someone -- HIMSELF.  He knows he shouldn't have signed Hamilton to that contract and now (correctly) blames himself.

 

Arte's a good guy -- he KNOWS he made a mistake here and for stand up guys like ARTE --the toughest thing is being ticked off at yourself --looking in that mirror and knowing you have no one else to blame but YOU --

 

yeah, Hamilton's relapse is on him, but this was all pretty much foreseeable --you don't give a guy like Hamilton a five year guaranteed deal like the Halos did and Arte, of all people, knows that which is why this is so tough on him........sort of a 'what was I thinking?' moment for Arte.

 

I am interested to know which came first here -- the contract (good conduct) clauses in Hamilton's contract or the amendments to the MLB collective bargaining agreement.  If Arte is putting up the fight to this point, I'm fairly certain Hamilton's contract clauses were in place when the new MLBPA CB terms were put in place -- MLBPA's position is timing doesn't matter.........as for Hamilton 'lawyering up' -- assume the MLBPA did some of that for him.........this is an important issue for them.

[disarcina]

having said all that above -- nothing would break this impasse quicker than --

 

Cron and Joyce continuing to bat a combined .170 and Hamilton getting in shape and ripping line drives at Tempe Diablo.

[Blarg]

Yeah, well, how about we go with Cron and Joyce ripping the cover off the ball and let the front office and Hamilton work something out?

I like winning.

[AngelsSurfer]

Alfred Nobel gave away his entire fortune just to look good.

Not really. He had serious misgivings about the dynamite he had invented after reading his own obituary, which had been erroneously published, which referred to him as a "merchant of death." His conscience actually ate at him, it wasn't posturing without substance.

[stormngt]

You keep thinking that or do some research. There was more to his motive than just look good.

Alfred Nobel gave away his entire fortune just to look good.

[AngelsSurfer]

Yep. He was an old man when he changed his will. He had made his fortune. He didn't have to impress anyone at that point. Some people actually do act on their conscience.

Edited April 22, 2015 by AngelsSurfer

[Ohtaniland]

Nice work on this piece Dave. The biggest problem with Hamilton is his portrayal of being a devout Christian yet he has greed, lust and pride in his heart. He's a phony and he can't be trusted anymore. If the Angels owed him only $5M instead of $83M, he would've already been sent packing for his behavior. It's not about saving Josh for Arte it's about saving his wasted investment.

[Lou]

devout Christians aren't perfect. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you won't come to expect it

[Spirit]

devout Christians aren't perfect. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you won't come to expect it

 

I would even go so far as to say non-devout Christians aren't perfect

[Chris]

Free Hamilton!

[Lou]

I would even go so far as to say non-devout Christians aren't perfect

Whoa!!! slow down there cowboy

that's just crazy talk

[Ohtaniland]

devout Christians aren't perfect. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you won't come to expect it

Did the Archdiocese of Los Angeles send you your settlement check yet?

[Biergott]

SI.com saying Hamilton could be gone in a matter of days:  http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/04/24/josh-hamilton-leaving-los-angeles-angels

 

Sorry if it is a craig

[Dave Saltzer]

And people wonder why Arte is mad at him. The lawyering up and legally posturing instead of doing what most fans and people would consider right and showing contrition is the most bothersome issue for him. 

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

I hope Arte's hand gets arthritis writing those checks.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

And people wonder why Arte is mad at him. The lawyering up and legally posturing instead of doing what most fans and people would consider right and showing contrition is the most bothersome issue for him.

If you had someone threatening your income, you'd lawyer up too - even if you were in the wrong. He has every right to seek legal counsel and him doing so, says nothing about his desire to resume baseball activities.

[yk9001]

SI.com saying Hamilton could be gone in a matter of days:  http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/04/24/josh-hamilton-leaving-los-angeles-angels

 

Sorry if it is a craig

 

 

from the article:

 

If anything, the Angels—rather than Hamilton—might have run afoul of the Program by issuing remarkably harsh and unsympathetic statements following the arbitrator’s award. For instance, a spokesman on behalf of Angels president John Carpino bluntly remarked, “It defies logic that Josh's reported behavior is not a violation of his drug program.”

 

That is "remarkably harsh and unsympathetic"?

 

Huh.

[wavesfan]

The article at the top of the thread is better than anything I've seen in the media.  Nicely done.

[Dave Saltzer]

If you had someone threatening your income, you'd lawyer up too - even if you were in the wrong. He has every right to seek legal counsel and him doing so, says nothing about his desire to resume baseball activities.

Seeking legal advice and lawyering up are entirely different things. I don't think anyone has a real problem with him getting legal advice. But winning on a technicality, and engaging in no act of contrition or public apology, is entirely different, especially after representing yourself to be anything but that kind of person. That's what I think has Arte the most upset.