Josh Hamilton's Honesty Gives Rangers Reason to Sign Him to Long-Term Extension

Josh Hamilton stepping in front of the media to explain his most recent setback and being brutally honest about his daily struggle for sobriety is proof he can still be trusted. The Texas Rangers should reward his honesty with a long-term contract extension.

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reported on Twitter the Rangers had cut off extension talks while Hamilton worked through his personal issues:

Letting him have some time to clear his head before getting back into contract discussions was a smart move by the Rangers, but it shouldn't stop them from returning to the table once he's back on track.

Hamilton is still one of the league's premier players. He has a career on-base percentage of .366, including a tremendous .411 mark in 2010, and has hit at least 25 home runs in three of the past four seasons. Not to mention he's also an above-average defender.

Attempting to replace his talent would be nearly impossible for the Rangers. There simply aren't many players in the entire league with has much all-around ability as him, so letting him walk because of a setback would be a poor decision.

While the team would love for him to remain sober, that's a lot easier said than done. It's a fight Hamilton will deal with for the rest of his life, and prior to his recent problem he was doing a great job of staying on the straight and narrow.

The team has hired Shayne Kelley to be Hamilton's new accountability partner, according to Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas. It's well worth the investment for Texas to have another set of eyes on the slugger to ensure he's keeping himself in check.

So they are clearly taking every precaution necessary to make sure Hamilton quickly bounces back before spring training begins. During that time period they should also try to lock him up to a new deal so he doesn't have to play through next season under the constant pressure of playing for a contract.

He hasn't tried to hide his problems from the team and continues to seek out every possible treatment. That should be all the proof the team needs to have confidence in him moving forward. That confidence will also work wonders for his mindset.

The Rangers have done a remarkable job of helping Hamilton reach this point in his career. They should pledge their faith in him to make sure the relationship can continue for many years to come.

An extension is the best possible outcome for everybody involved.