5 Reasons Why Josh Hamilton Will Not Win the Triple Crown

You have to go back to 1967.

That year, Lydon B. Johnson was president; the Vietnam War was in full swing; the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the first-ever Super bowl; and the rock group, The Doors (featuring Jim Morrison) released their self-titled album that became a top-seller.

1967 was also the last time a baseball player won the Triple Crown for hitting by leading the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI). Former late Boston Red Sox slugger Carl Yastrzemski was the last to accomplish the feat (.326 avg., 44 hrs., & 121 RBIs).

Almost forty-five years later, another player is threatening to join the exquisite fraternity of 14 players to have won the Triple Crown.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is the latest to attempt the feat. Hamilton produced one of the greatest weeks in baseball history last week, when he hit nine homers, drove in 18 runs, and batted .467 to cap off one of the best-ever weeks in the history of the game.

Hamilton's herculean feats last week has increased his numbers to a league-leading .402 batting average, 18 homers and 45 RBIs.

With talk of Hamilton possibly winning the Triple Crown this season, the debate is now on whether or not he can maintain his numbers to do so.

The odds of Hamilton winning the Triple Crown are slim, considering the many dynamics that go into today's modernized game.

Here are five reasons why Josh Hamilton will not win this year's Triple Crown. Enjoy.

5. Hitting Slump

Baseball, like any other team sport, is a game of streaks.

Just as fast as a hitter can get on a hot-hitting streak, that same player can fall into a slump or serious dry spell too (see Albert Pujols).

Pujols signed a $254-million dollar deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this past off-season. The former St. Louis Cardinals' slugger has struggled in his new surroundings—batting a dismal .212 with only one homer through 110 at-bats.

For Hamilton to stay at his current pace for the rest of the season, he can ill-afford to have a drought like the one Pujols is having.

One reason why Hamilton is hitting at such a high pace is efficiency. In his last 33 games, Hamilton has gone without a hit in only three. The only other player in the American League that's been as productive is the New York Yankee Derek Jeter (.366). Jeter has gone hitless six times in 35 games.

To perform at the level Hamilton is playing, many factors will go into whether or not he continues his torrid hitting streak.

Sooner or later, Hamilton will have to suffer through a hitting slump like every other hitter that has ever played the game.

4. Ego

Josh Hamilton is good and he knows it.

The former top overall pick of the 1999 Draft was destined to be a star, and after several unfortunate off-the-field incidents, Hamilton has gotten his act together.

With a batting title and an MVP trophy already in hand (2010), Hamilton's celebrity status is at an all-time high.

Hopefully, his ego will not get in the way and he can concentrate on playing baseball without getting caught up in the limelight.

Hamilton will be a free agent at the end of the season and teams will definitely open their checkbooks for his services. Several notable players signed huge free agent deals prior to the 2012 season: Albert Pujols ($254-million); Prince Fielder ($214-million) and Jose Reyes ($106-million).

The Rangers will do everything in their power to keep Hamilton, but Hamilton's ego could get in the way if he continues to produce at a high level.

That could be good or bad.

3. Media Hype

A big problem for Josh Hamilton winning the Triple Crown could be media hype.

ESPN, Sports Illustrated and every other media outlet in the country, has made Hamilton into a media darling.

Hamilton has a great rapport with fans. He has been voted to the All-Star Game the last four seasons and will more than likely be a starter for the American League on July 10 in Kansas City.

The media can have a positive or negative effect on Hamilton. If Hamilton goes into mid-August leading the AL in batting average, home runs, and RBIs, every media outlet will zone in on Hamilton until the end of the season.

It will be hard for Hamilton or anyone else to focus when all eyes will be watching on a daily basis. He may or may not be able to live up to the pressure.

2. Pitching

Many American League pitchers are having nightmares about how to pitch to Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton lit up the Baltimore Orioles' pitching staff on May 8, when he went 5-for-5, with a record-tying four home runs while driving in eight runs.

About the only time you see a performance like that is while playing an X-Box or PlayStation video game.

For the rest of the season, Hamilton will be a marked man by every opposing AL pitcher. As the season progresses, the pressure will build more and more. Unfortunately, Hamilton may get under a few pitchers' skin and see a couple of fast balls thrown at him. He also may see a lot of intentional walks.

Although baseball players are a close-knit fraternity, pitchers are also.

To tell the truth, if I was an opposing pitcher, I would not want to be the one responsible for Hamilton winning the Triple Crown. Former Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Al Downing will always be responsible for one thing: giving up the pitch that allowed Hall-of-Fame great Hank Aaron to break the all-time home run record with 715 in 1974.

Hamilton will be evaluated closely the rest of the season by AL pitchers, and that will have a big effect on whether or not he wins the Triple Crown.

1. Injuries

If Josh Hamilton doesn't win the Triple Crown, the only thing that may stand in his way is injuries.

Hamilton has been susceptible to injuries since making his major league debut in 2007.

He has had his share of time on the disabled list. In 2009, Hamilton missed significant time because of an abdominal tear. Last season he broke his right arm while sliding head-first into home plate in a game against the Detroit Tigers in early-April that caused him to miss a couple of weeks.

Hamilton is known for his aggressive play. But his kamikaze style leaves him open to possible injuries.

Pitching, batting slump, ego, and media hype may or may not be deciding factors. However, the most probable reason for Josh Hamilton missing out on the Triple Crown looks to be injuries.