Jun 19 2008
Josh Hamilton, Other Notes
As many of you may or may not know, Josh Hamilton is one of my favorite players. I’d like to take this opportunity to put into perspective just what it is he is doing and how rare a talent like his is. For those of you who don’t know his story, please take the time to check out his wiki.
To take four years off from baseball and return and play like he has been playing (.322, 19 hrs, 72 rbi) is astounding in its own right. As it stands he is first in home runs and rbi, and fifth in batting average. There hasn’t been a triple crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. While Hamilton has a long way to go and will likely slump at some point, his lead in HR’s is 2, and his lead in rbi is 18. He was leading the AL in hitting up until a recent slump dropped his average 10-20 points.
As impressive as his current performace is for any baseball player, it makes it even more amazing that he is doing it without the benefit of any real minor league development. Most players who are drafted out of high school need to play and develop in the minors. Hamilton played only 1 season in the minors before becoming addicted to cocaine and other drugs. After a struggle with drugs that lasted until 2006 he recovered and rediscovered his desire to play baseball.
He played 15 games in the minors at the end of the 2006 season and made the Cincinnati Reds MLB roster in 2007, where he had a solid but injury stunted year. After being traded for Edinson Volquez, he has become one of the best players in baseball. It’s simply amazing what he has done with essentially just two seasons of competitive baseball in the past 8 years. To take years off and come back and dominate is simply unheard of, even without the addiction problems it placed an incredible handicap on his career.
At only 27 years old he appears to be entering his physical prime. He still has a chance to play possibly a decade of great baseball. The only questions that remain are whether or not his years of drug use has affected his health, he did have gastroenteritis last season and went on the DL.
I can’t wait to see what he is going to be able to do as he continues to shake off the rust and develop as a major league player. Talents like his are once in a generation and his story only makes it easier to root for him.
Other Notes:
Hamilton went 2/4 today
Joba Chamberlain has had his best career start going 5.1 ip with 9 k’s and only 1 er allowed
A.J. Burnett allowed 8 er in 5 ip
Zack Greinke went 7 ip and 1 er
Aaron Harang dropped to 3-10 on the year joining Barry Zito and Joe Blanton as the leagues 10 game losers. Interesting all three have been a part of the Oakland A’s at one point in their careers.
Dave Bush took a no hitter into the 8th inning but lost it when Lyle Overbay tripled to lead off the inning.
The Tampa Bay Rays signed the #1 overall pick Tim Beckham
The worst record in MLB Seattle Mariners fired manager John McLaren, and replaced him with former Cubs and Padres manager Jim Riggleman.
Justin Upton, amid rumors of being sent down to AAA upon Eric Byrnes return from the disabled list, went 2/3 with a 2b and a HR today to lead Arizona to a 3-2 win over Oakland.
College World Series:
Thursday - LSU vs North Carolina on ESPN 4pm Pacific in a rematch of Sundays 8-4 UNC win. (In a rain delay right now with UNC ahead 2-0 in the 1st.) - UPDATE - Looks like this game is going to be rained out for tonight and will likely be made up tomorrow at some point.
Friday - Georgia vs Stanford in a rematch of Monday’s 4-3 Bulldog victory on ESPN2 2pm
