The story of Josh Hamilton goes back awhile. After being one of the few first overall picks to be drafted straight out of Raleigh, NC's High School, he quickly moved through the D-Rays farm system.
I saw him play for the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Single A affiliate of the Rays in the NY-Penn League. Then Hamilton had a major set back in his young life. Drugs were to blame.
Drugs destroyed Hamilton's career for a few years. He became an alcoholic and was addicted to many other "hard" drugs, the main one being heroin. He was finally reinstated into the league in 2004, where he once again made his way through the farm system.
Hamilton had many restrictions though that were assigned to him by the D-Rays. Rules such as he must always be with a team mate, he must not have more than $20 on him, and he must not drink. Hamilton has been sober since his reinstatement in '04.
Hamilton started to look like the first overall pick that the D-Rays had hoped for. A bad move by the D-Rays sent Josh to the Reds where he played in 2006. He did decent but did not yet emerge as a star player, and was still re-adjusting to baseball again.
In 2007, he continued his adjustment to baseball with the Reds. In the off season between the 2007 and 2008 season, a huge trade went down which sent Josh Hamilton to the Rangers in exchange for Edinson Volquez.
Edinson is having a great 2008 season, but I would have much rather had Hamilton. Hamilton is tearing up the 2008 season. Batting over .300, while leading the AL in home runs at most times.
He is in the running for the triple crown, which would make him forever remembered in baseball history; not that his amazing 28 home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby didn't already do that.
Anyway, I do not care who your favorite team is. I don't care if your a Rays, Reds, Astros, Mets, Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox or any other teams biggest fan. Josh Hamilton is a player who should be liked throughout baseball.
Maybe you don't need to like him, but you have no choice to respect him. He has experienced the all time lows and now the all time highs in life. And i think the highs have beaten the lows in Josh Hamilton's future...
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2 months ago
It's a little bit premature to call Hamilton "the future of baseball." There is no doubt that he's having an amazing season, but come on, it's just one season.
from 2 months ago
Daniel i do understand that it is only 1 season, but it doesn't look like he's slowing down at all. Yes he will have his up and down seasons, but this seems like the real deal to me. Thanks for the comment
2 months ago
i also agree...i'd say hanley ramirez or ryan howard is the future of baseball...hamilton is having an amazing year...but its one year
from 2 months ago
yea, Hanley Ramirez was the first person that came to my mind, too
almost EVERY veteran all-star player was quoted as saying Ramirez is the BEST hitter in the game of baseball
2 months ago
Avery,
make sure you have this article ready, and applicable, for Pacman Jones or Travis Henry, should they have *turn around* seasons...fair?
OH YEY:
"...He became an alcoholic and was addicted to many other "hard" drugs, the main one being heroin..."
There's one disillusioned, pro-Racist, member of this site (Hi Matt!) who is not going to be happy to read this.
2 months ago
Only difference is that Hamilton destroyed his OWN life. Pacman has a guy paralyzed from his "Make it Rain" episode and Travis henry has 9 children from 8 different women.
Rooting for a guy who conquered his own demons is much different than guys who destroyed lives.
Another embarrassment for yung!
2 months ago
"Finally, in 2004, Josh stopped taking tests altogether. At that point, he was out of baseball. Josh continued to drift in and out of rehab, wanting badly to kick his habits but unable to do so . Many a time he consumed enough cocaine, crack, and booze to kill a normal human being, but his amazing body pulled him through."
from 2 months ago
thank you Matt for your comment. I am Josh Hamiltons # 1 FAN. I love him. Are you also a big fan. By the way, i'm a big Eagles fan. I like your icon. I love Brian Dawkins.
2 months ago
Matt,
your disingenuous, pro-Racist attempts to blame that shooting on Pacman, is eerie...but normal. At least, for a pro-Racist. And I do believe that a racist-Court agreed with you, despite facts CLEARY showing only a *hater of Black males* would've abused his authority, to rule Pacman as liable.
You're bred by a racist Nation's core, which successfully uses its galactic power to make the Black male negligent in every possible attempt...thats why the FBI-Website has stats showing that Caucasoids commit nearly 75% of ALL the crime in the U.S., while Black males = 53% of the prison population.
So useless to argue with you, you have a racist-society on your side...and you certainly play that card. As I have common sense, as the only card to play.
Travis Henry had about as much sex as any other pro-Athlete, who was fortunate enough to not get entrapped by pregnancies, some deceitfully...but you won't ever ever deal with that because you have a World of *Black male hating media* to support your pro-Racist intent, to do otherwise...like Casey highlighted, fortunately.
Just like you do, when you attempt that Josh Hamilton didn't destroy his Family and Friends and Agents an endorsers who had to feel the effects/help deal with his addiction.
But, still, none of that will prevent me from exploiting you when you're on racism patrol...poisoning this forum with your peculiar posting culture.
OH YEY:
keep dodging those questions I asked, in exploiting you, too. It speaks volumes!
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