Just an interesting article(Hamilton)

[brianod]

Which guy in our system is our own Josh Hamilton? Just curious.

We probably don't have any. My argument is that the way to long term success is to sign and develop our own Hamiltons, not to overpay 32 year old guys with all the baggage he brings to the table. If we are to break the bank on a free agent, I would want that free agent to be a lot younger than Hamilton. Which big name free agent signed over the last 3-5 years has been worth the money?

The Orioles have enough money to sign a big name free agent but they don't have enough money to pay a big name free agent who turns out to be a bust and still be a successful franchise. Unless they are 100% sure, I say pass. With the end of the steroid era, free agency is fools gold.

[Ampontan]

You know, he's got his problems and that really turns me off to him, but when I stop and think about it I think Buck is the perfect manager for him. I could see it working out for Hamilton and the Orioles.

I can't see Buck wanting to touch him with a ten-foot pole. If he were in the high minors about to break into the big leagues, perhaps, but not now. Hamilton's a big boy now, with the emphasis on the second word.

[Orange_Crush]

The thing that concerns me most about Hamilton is that he was terrible at the end of the year. There was talk of an unspecified eye problem. What was it? Has it been cured? Was he better the last week of the season or did he talk his way onto the lineup? Whatever the contract turns out to be, it's a lot of money to pay someone who may not be healthy. He's not as good a player, but Swisher seems like a safer bet. Plus, he plays the OF and 1B and should cost less.

I would agree but our offense also sucked at the end of the year. Concern all around.

[Orange_Crush]

Just like Frank Robinson right?

Frank was a former alchy with a cocaine problem?

[Thyrl]

Alright I think people are buying into the media when it comes to Hamiltons personal issues, I mean they blew it up b/c he "drank a beer"...If you don't want Hamilton at least make yourself sound reasonable and talk about the contract

It may not be a concern to you, but to suggest that others shouldn't be concerned about Hamilton's "demons" is wrong. He's a crack/meth addict alcoholic who partied his way out of baseball and nearly pissed away one of the most promising careers ever before straightening himself out. He is and will always be a junkie no matter how long he's sober. The fact that he's felt comfy or compelled to "walk the ledge" by using alcohol can't exactly be dismissed as "drank a beer". In his own words he called on Kinsler after several drinks because he was afraid of what he might do next.

He's also a guy who blamed a prolonged slump this year on his "battle" with addiction to chewing tobacco, a substance that he's been back and forth with several times. And he's a guy who caffeine'd himself into the hospital this year. How many guys wind up hospitalized due to overuse of caffeine? He has a highly compulsive and indulgent personality along with a documented history of illicit drug use. Giving this guy huge/guaranteed money without concern for his personal problems is irresponsible, and casting it as media hype just silly if you ask me.

That's before we even open the discussion regarding the fact that he says, with all sincerity, that God talks to him in the dugout...about home runs. What's to suggest that he won't be wrapped up in building churches or doing missionary work once his last big contract is cemented and pissing away that baseball talent once again?

History suggests that whatever Josh Hamilton is into, he's WAY into and that baseball usually takes a back seat to whatever that is. How can these things not concern the Orioles or any team thinking or signing Hamilton to big money?

[Winter]

if 43hr, 128rbi, .285avg, 60BB is back seat whats front seat 86hrs? 200rbi? over 100bb? 400avg?

[Roll Tide]

It may not be a concern to you, but to suggest that others shouldn't be concerned about Hamilton's "demons" is wrong. He's a crack/meth addict alcoholic who partied his way out of baseball and nearly pissed away one of the most promising careers ever before straightening himself out. He is and will always be a junkie no matter how long he's sober. The fact that he's felt comfy or compelled to "walk the ledge" by using alcohol can't exactly be dismissed as "drank a beer". In his own words he called on Kinsler after several drinks because he was afraid of what he might do next.

He's also a guy who blamed a prolonged slump this year on his "battle" with addiction to chewing tobacco, a substance that he's been back and forth with several times. And he's a guy who caffeine'd himself into the hospital this year. How many guys wind up hospitalized due to overuse of caffeine? He has a highly compulsive and indulgent personality along with a documented history of illicit drug use. Giving this guy huge/guaranteed money without concern for his personal problems is irresponsible, and casting it as media hype just silly if you ask me.

That's before we even open the discussion regarding the fact that he says, with all sincerity, that God talks to him in the dugout...about home runs. What's to suggest that he won't be wrapped up in building churches or doing missionary work once his last big contract is cemented and pissing away that baseball talent once again?

History suggests that whatever Josh Hamilton is into, he's WAY into and that baseball usually takes a back seat to whatever that is. How can these things not concern the Orioles or any team thinking or signing Hamilton to big money?

And Prince Fielder was too fat. You can find an excuse not to sign any player if you look hard enough

[Il BuonO]

According to John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus, Josh Hamilton is looking for a seven year deal worth about $175 million overall, $25 million a season.

[AZOriole]

According to John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus, Josh Hamilton is looking for a seven year deal worth about $175 million overall, $25 million a season.

I'm looking for that, too.

[24fps]

You have to wonder if Hamilton is insurable for the very things we're all concerned about. Or most of us are concerned about anyway. I suspect he isn't.

Josh Hamilton has a profound addiction problem and I completely respect the guy for must be a truly monumental effort to put it all behind him. He'll be fighting that battle for the rest of his life and unfortunately I don't see the Orioles being in the position to absorb the consequences of him failing while he's under contract for the $$$ being speculated about. You would be gambling a quarter of the payroll for several years after all.

I wish him the best and the O's certainly need a MOO bat, but they should stay well away from Hamilton.

[Il BuonO]

His kept those "issues" off the field and at $25 million per year the only thing have a problem with is the length of time he's asking for in years on the contract. However, his issues are unique and I don't think he will get what he is asking for, so four or five years might be more in line. I could live with four years at those numbers and his production.

[TradeAngelos]

The addiction factor is a non starter at this point, Hamilton is waayyy past the point where falling off the wagon is a real concern. Once you get past 4 years of sobriety, the odds are you aren't using regularly again. It is the immediate time after getting clean where the risk factor is sky high.

Hamilton's concerns are about injury and age not him turning into a hard core junkie again, because the odds of that happening are extremely low after 7 years clean. Very few addicts make it to where Hamilton has, and the ones that do are few and far between which is why his chance of using again is so low. It is less than 1% make it through 5 years clean.

There are also other mitigating factors, like how long he used. Most hard core addicts use for many years before getting help if they ever do, which makes it harder to stay clean. Hamilton used for only 5 years (2001-2006), much less than your "average" junkie. It is also doubtful he was using hard drugs for that entire period, it has been reported that he started off with lesser stuff and didn't get into heroin until later on like most do. Also a lot of these people start using at a very young age and for a long time, then try to get clean making it extremely difficult to get and stay sober.

Bottom line is Hamilton is one of the very few that has "made it out", and his chances for future substance abuse is extremely low(relatively speaking). Is it possible? Of course, anything is possible but very unlikely.

[Can_of_corn]

The addiction factor is a non starter at this point, Hamilton is waayyy past the point where falling off the wagon is a real concern. Once you get past 4 years of sobriety, the odds are you aren't using regularly again. It is the immediate time after getting clean where the risk factor is sky high.

He hasn't been sober for five years. He has lapsed twice while with the Rangers.

[weams]

Fells Point hasn't had this much fun since Sid left.

[Il BuonO]

He hasn't been sober for five years. He has lapsed twice while with the Rangers.[/quote

]

He relapsed with alcohol and missed zero games because of it.