Josh Hamilton was at the lowest of lows for a player who was expected to be a great. He was addicted to all kinds of drugs and had become an alcoholic. He got all the money for being a first overall pick in 1999 by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and he lost control. When you look at Josh, he looks to be a happy guy now. But, when you observe all the tattoos on his body you start to realize all the trouble he has been through to get where he is today.
If you ask me, the Rangers are getting a bargain for the numbers Hamilton has put up over the last couple years. Let's not forget this guy hit 32 bombs in the home run derby in one round. He has the talent to be better than any other player in the league. He just won AL MVP after missing almost 30 games. When he's on the field, he's always a threat. Whether it's going deep in the batter's box, or throwing someone out from the outfield.
At 29 years old, and the fact that drug abuse can take a toll on the body, I think this is a good deal for both sides. Hamilton could command a good $20 million on the open market were he to hit free agency. But the injury concerns and his history, both sides are getting even ends of the stick. The Rangers are getting one of the best players out there while Hamilton is getting the financial security for two years although I'm sure he would have liked a longer deal.
The deal will cover his final two years of arbitration, but won't buy out any of his free agency years. This is the same route the Reds took with signing Joey Votto to his three year deal. I would hate to see either of these guys leave these teams because they're part of their strong core of guys. Any departures would probably be devastating to their teams. Of coarse they would end up in one of these huge market teams that banks on free agency to make their team stronger instead of developing them like the Reds and Rangers have done.
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