Orange County Register: Smith: Angels are unforgiving to Hamilton, an admitted addict

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM – Now, not playing left field at Angel Stadium, not batting cleanup behind All-Star Mike Trout and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols and not wearing No. 32 for your Angels is … Josh Hamilton.Hamilton hasn’t been around this spring or...

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[Glen]

1. Trout always bats second so Hamilton never hit directly after him.

2. Won't somebody please think about the addict?

3. Boo ****ing hoo.

4. I didn't realize it was baseball's job to coddle addicts.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Glen

[Broad Street]

My brother is an addict, did he get coddled? No he's serving a 3 year prison sentence. I have absolutely no ****ing sympathy for this bastard.

[Angel Oracle]

He couldn't even report the relapse to the Halos first, instead of MLB first?

That puts the Halos in an awkward spot.

[fan_since79]

Not one word from Hamilton in months. Zilch. Nada.

 

I don't think "unforgiving" is the operative word here. More like "mystified". And the latest, his alleged refusal to go to Arizona and start the process of returning to the active roster.

 

The Angels need this like a hole in the head. The Rangers can deal with him for 15 mill. That's cheap enough for the drama that shows no sign of ending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tdawg87]

We live in a society where everyone is the victim.

 

Josh is the victim here. Please pray for him!

[Biergott]

So, he lawyers up and "admits" his relapse to MLB, not his team, knowing full well his next text would be a fail. Then refuses to rehab with the Angels and their doctors. After that, once he's ready to play, refuses to rehab with the Angels in the minors as is standard practice for any player, and demands to be traded to Texas. Let's see, violates drug policy, and then multiple cases of insubordination. Yet we are supposed to feel bad for him? And this is regardless of his lack of production vs salary.

I've always been a Hamilton supporter, especially as a person because of interactions he had with my son, but this is absolutely absurd. I got canned from a 17 year job for insubordination simply because I disagreed with my boss on a project we were working on. Not heatedly, just in a discussion. Didn't refuse to do anything, and actually did what he told me to, but I had disagreed in front of other people. And that was only two months after a perfect review and I had a perfect resume/record with the company. I had zero recourse.

Never thought I'd say this, but good riddance. Guess the drugs made him do it. All of it. The conniving and methodical planning of everything that has happened was obviously his plan. No way all of these things line up as pure coincidence.

[TroutCron]

I think the whole" not wanting to report to Arizona move" was orchestrated by Josh's attourney and agent to get the result he judt received. The Angels had no leverage and it was exploited by Hammy's agent. The ideal move for Hamilton would to have been released outright.

This is just another bad mark in Angel's history. There have been so many but this is the worst one.

[dimitrig]

The reality is that if Hamilton was raking the Angels wouldn't have "zero tolerance" about the relapse, they would be trying to get him help, and they would have been praying MLB did not suspend him. However, because his play has been poor they threw him under the bus and looked for any excuse to rid themselves of him. That's the reality and it is incredibly mercenary even for professional sports.

[Glen]

The reality is that if Hamilton was raking the Angels wouldn't have "zero tolerance" about the relapse, they would be trying to get him help, and they would have been praying MLB did not suspend him. However, because his play has been poor they threw him under the bus and looked for any excuse to rid themselves of him. That's the reality and it is incredibly mercenary even for professional sports.

Except that after he got "thrown under the bus" he still got his huge payday. I'd love to be thrown under that bus.

And yes, if he'd been a model player who was actually contributing of course the Angels would be working with him. Why is it bad that they want to rid themselves of somebody who isn't anywhere close to living up to his contact? That makes perfect sense.

[dimitrig]

Except that after he got "thrown under the bus" he still got his huge payday. I'd love to be thrown under that bus.

And yes, if he'd been a model player who was actually contributing of course the Angels would be working with him. Why is it bad that they want to rid themselves of somebody who isn't anywhere close to living up to his contact? That makes perfect sense.

 

He happened to get his payday, but the Angels were trying their best to void the entire thing.

 

Vernon Wells was an albatross as well, but the Angels did not have an "out" so he was in the lineup sucking every game. 

 

Maybe they should have hooked him up with some coke.

Edited April 25, 2015 by dimitrig

[Glen]

I wonder how forgiving the author would be if an "admitted addict" he hired to paint his house had a relapse after painting half of one wall and then quit, but expected full payment.

[dimitrig]

I wonder how forgiving the author would be if an "admitted addict" he hired to paint his house had a relapse after painting half of one wall and then quit, but expected full payment.

 

Hamilton hasn't quit MLB AFAIK. At least not yet he hasn't.

 

A better analogy is that you saw what a poor job the painter had done on the first half so you tell him not to finish the second half but you will only give him half of his pay. You might be justified in doing so but that is the sort of thing that ends up in court for a judge to decide. That is where this thing was headed and so the Angels decided to offer him his salary and send him on his way.

Edited April 25, 2015 by dimitrig

[Blarg]

"It’s unfortunate that the Angels couldn’t give Hamilton, the player who has proved worthy of second chances, a second chance."

What Martha is ignoring is this is not his second chance, Hamilton burned that years ago. This is just Hamilton repeating the same offense and getting away with it.

[hen3ry]

The Angels didn't "offer" him anything.  They're legally on the hook to pay this scumbag.  They managed to sucker someone else into picking up (a relatively small) part of the check, and got him to go away at the same time, is all.

 

The reality is, in the end, if the Angels fought it, they'd extend the drama out for months, perhaps a year or two, pay exorbitant fees to their lawyers, and probably in the end still have to pay at least something to Hamilcaine.  Instead they got the equivalent of being paid $15 million not to go to court.  

[stormngt]

No a better anology. The painter is hung over and misses work. You ask him to go back to work but he insists to paint another person's house.

remember the issue is Hamilton refusing to go to Arizona and ask for a trade to Texas. I have no idea why the can't terminate the contact. But it also makes no sense that there was no disciplinary action.

Hamilton hasn't quit MLB AFAIK. At least not yet he hasn't.

A better analogy is that you saw what a poor job the painter had done on the first half so you tell him not to finish the second half but you will only give him half of his pay. You might be justified in doing so but that is the sort of thing that ends up in court for a judge to decide. That is where this thing was headed and so the Angels decided to offer him his salary and send him on his way.

[CaliAngel]

Not only that, how the hell has he "proved worthy" of ANOTHER chance? I haven't seen anything at all.

[JAHV76]

I'm a fan of unforgiven the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B5lFuTUhso

Edited April 25, 2015 by JAHV76

[Ocangelfan]

man the arbitor on this case really ****ed the angels.  also if the agent and hamilton really offered and dangled the extra language in for protection...then i think they should have been forced to honor it.  moye should be black balled if that is the case, being the nice good christian that he is.      i am not sure those stories are true, but if they are then I am good if both of their careers are at an end.

 

i rooted for him as hard as anyone.  i know once ex angels end up kicking our ass...don't know the reason why that is...but now i am ok with both being done period as in no more meaningful games.   agent and player

[Ocangelfan]

after the surgery i was thinking arod for hamilton....tooo bad that didn't happen....i know yanks wanted to get out of that.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The Angels don’t appear to be giving him a chance at the comeback he has made before.

He has been here for two seasons and part of a third. He has sucked for the entirety of it. I am left to wonder if the author has even seen him play since his last season at Texas.

His mural has been scraped off the façade of Angel Stadium to start this season. His jerseys and merchandise have been removed from the Angels Team Store. His nameplate was never installed above the stalls he used to have in the back corner of the clubhouse.

He went into hiding in Texas, with basically no contact with the team that was paying him $25M per season, apparently to watch HBO in the comfort of his living room. Or the living room of whoever he was ostensibly crashing with.

Hamilton has been de facto cut from the team for months, but unloading him has yet to become official. Too bad he was gone before we ever got see all of his greatness. He has power, speed, 6-foot-4 size, engaging charisma and the story.

We got the chance to see his greatness. It ended right before he put on our uniform.

This looks more like a pride move by an owner and an organization who act like they've been hoodwinked and betrayed by a slugger who made no secret about his drug and alcohol addiction and then stumbled in his recovery.

But whatever commitment he should have had had to his teammates and team management is irrelevant, since he apparently gets a pass for basically ignoring the organization through this whole process. Drug addiction apparently clears the deck and excuses anything that happens after that.

The trust, which Moreno and his wife Carole started to build while closing the deal in Texas with Hamilton, was damaged. Moreno made that clear in his recent “accountability”-laden speeches, and team president John Carpino and General Manager Jerry Dipoto echoed the zero-tolerance stance on substance abuse in their comments.

What is missing from this is what Hamilton told team ownership about his ability to perform and his state of mind before the club agreed to sign him.

The Angels players, feeling more sympathy for a player they knew as a good-hearted teammate, have supported Hamilton’s continued recovery.

Given the rumors that I have heard about his demeanor in the clubhouse, "good hearted" isn't the first term that comes to mind.

To expect Hamilton to be permanently cured from drug temptations is hopeful and perhaps a little naive. Addiction is a disease that requires lifelong recovery, with hiccups, sometimes, along the way.

To expect a team to continue to pay $25M per season for a player who does not produce, does not communicate with them and appears to be totally unmotivated to play baseball is beyond naive.

So, it’s perplexing that the Angels management seems so unforgiving now, so intolerant now, choosing to unload him anywhere, even to an AL West divisional rival, to rid of him.

Then your and idoit.

Hamilton is trying to recover in earnest, rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder and restore sobriety in Houston under the supervision of an accountability coach. He has been preparing himself for baseball, working out, muscling up to 250 pounds, hitting in a cage.

He fired his accountability coach. If he was that earnest about returning and anxious to prove himself, he would have allowed the team to evaluate his progress and he would have agreed to work out in a place of their choosing so that they could make an informed decision about when he was ready to return. He couldn't be bothered with accountability, and because of that he is on his way out of town.

He has been dealing also with filing for divorce from his wife, Katie, with whom he has four daughters.

I almost forgot: Having personal problems also justifies complete irresponsibility. How thoughtless of me. I'm becoming just like Arte Moreno.

His life in chaos, he seeks the game that provides him routine.

He hasn't been seeking it very hard. If anything, he has done everything possible to avoid it, despite the fact that the season is underway and his (now former) teammates are hoping to contend for post-season play.

Moreover, the club could be ultimately be hurt by facing his powerful, avenging-Angel bat and really pay in the box score and the standings when it faces him again.

You apparently haven't seen him in the batter's box over the past two seasons. Throw him outside curveballs and he won't be avenging anything. He might kill a few gnats.

It’s unfortunate that the Angels couldn’t give Hamilton, the player who has proved worthy of second chances, a second chance.

It's unfortunate that some people can't count past two (because Hamilton is well beyond a second chance). It is also unfortunate that some of the same people see addiction as an eternal excuse that absolves a person of any personal responsibility for the rest of his life.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Vegas Halo Fan

[AngelsSurfer]

The Angels actually DID give him another chance: They'd designed a plan to get him back on the field by June. All he had to do was show up to extended training in Arizona. He couldn't be bothered with that.

[Troll Daddy]

The Angels actually DID give him another chance: They'd designed a plan to get him back on the field by June. All he had to do was show up to extended training in Arizona. He couldn't be bothered with that.

Do you honestly believe that garbage? Arte was done with him ... there was never a second chance.

[AngelsSurfer]

Do you honestly believe that garbage? Arte was done with him ... there was never a second chance.

Except that it's been widely reported that they had a rehab assignment set for him and he refused to go. Next.

Edited April 26, 2015 by AngelsSurfer

[Troll Daddy]

Except that it's been widely reported that they had a rehab assignment set for him and he refused to go. Next.

Don't believe everything you read. Arte torched that bridge long ago. They leaked confidential information about his relapse to the public and then cried loudly to the press when the arbitrator ruled in favor of Hamilton. Then they removed every trace of him at the stadium.

Am I suppose to believe they were giving him a second chance while trying to negotiate a trade for him with another team?

I call bullshit!!

Edited April 26, 2015 by Troll Daddy