latest offseason news

[guitarmy21b]

Overblown? yes more than likely

Bears watching? most certainly

People like Hamilton don't have the option of having just a few beers, but he is so closely monitored its going to be hard for him to do anything extreme

I would think the goal should now be doing things in moderation instead of cutting it completely out of his life, the temptation becomes that much greater if you "can't" do it

That should be the goal for any alcoholic.

"All or nothing is easy. But learning to drink a little bit, responsibly, that’sa disciprine. Disciprine… come from within.”

 

[Al Falfa]

Also, Hamilton sounded like contract talks were put on hold...


Oh, and the Rangers hired a new accountability partner for him....

See, this is what I think is bullshit. A damn over blown presser evey time he screws up? "Gee whiz I screwed up again and I'm sorry again. Honest guys, I won't do it again". Give me a break. Josh is 30 years old and needs a hand holder? I don't think so. What he needs is a foot in his ass and to be told to grow the hell up. He needs to be left on his own just like every other player on the team and to be accountable to himself, the club and to his family. If I'm Nolan I say enough is enough. Fuck up one more time and the next press conference we have will be to announce that your dumbass is no longer a Texas Ranger. I love Josh as a player, but it's time to take off the gloves. He is getting paid 12 million this year and if he's not smart enough to realize that being at the bar may be a good way to lose it then show him the door.

 

[Senator_fan]

I'm still not really worried about Josh having four beers. From his version of the story it sounds pretty harmless and boring to be honest. I drink a ton of alcohol and I'm in better shape than most baseball players. I'll say it again, as long as this doesn't lead him back to drugs or lead him to getting suspended for any kind of off the field behavior, I don't care what he does in his free time. I expect some "but his past...one drop...blah blah" type responses, and if it ever gets to that point y'all can say I told you so, but until then I think this is being overblown.

If that's all there is to this story it's meaningless in terms of on the field play. He did this in 2009 and in 2010 he was the AL MVP.

It tarnishes his great comeback story but nobody's perfect. The main problem with him is his history of injuries that goes back to the minor leagues.

 

[Windingmywatch]

This is a personal issue ... not a baseball story. Not worth another meaningless post.

 

[jta4437]

This is a personal issue ... not a baseball story. Not worth another meaningless post.

Beg to differ but it has been pretty beat to death

 

[guitarmy21b]

See, this is what I think is bullshit. A damn over blown presser evey time he screws up? "Gee whiz I screwed up again and I'm sorry again. Honest guys, I won't do it again". Give me a break. Josh is 30 years old and needs a hand holder? I don't think so. What he needs is a foot in his ass and to be told to grow the hell up. He needs to be left on his own just like every other player on the team and to be accountable to himself, the club and to his family. If I'm Nolan I say enough is enough. Fuck up one more time and the next press conference we have will be to announce that your dumbass is no longer a Texas Ranger. I love Josh as a player, but it's time to take off the gloves. He is getting paid 12 million this year and if he's not smart enough to realize that being at the bar may be a good way to lose it then show him the door.

I wouldn't be so quick to give him the boot considering we were a sub .500 team without him in the lineup last year in over 40 games.

 

[Al Falfa]

I wouldn't be so quick to give him the boot considering we were a sub .500 team without him in the lineup last year in over 40 games.

And therein lies the problem. This is a matter of principle and not about a stupid baseball record. He's been paid well and supported well by the Rangers and they deserve better than watching another lame press conference where he is basically repeating the same thing he said the last time he screwed up. He's already slapped the team in the face with his stupid, "I owe it to the union" stance, now he's making a joke of the team that has gone above and beyond to supported him, his family and his religion. Time to fish or cut bait.

 

[guitarmy21b]

And therein lies the problem. This is a matter of principle and not about a stupid baseball record. He's been paid well and supported well by the Rangers and they deserve better than watching another lame press conference where he is basically repeating the same thing he said the last time he screwed up. He's already slapped the team in the face with his stupid, "I owe it to the union" stance, now he's making a joke of the team that has gone above and beyond to supported him, his family and his religion. Time to fish or cut bait.

I think a stupid record matters more than principle. The Cowboys wouldn't have won 3 Super Bowls in the 90's if they kicked all the bad guys off their roster. Sometimes you have to sacrifice public image to win games, and it's not like he's a bad guy, he just has his problems. It's not like he rapes people like Kobe or Ben, or kills people like Ray Lewis or Dante Stallworth.

 

[jta4437]

Josh Hamilton's leverage with Texas Rangers falls victim to alcohol relapse - ESPN Dallas

Pretty good article about the Josh Hamilton "relapse"

 

[Al Falfa]

I think a stupid record matters more than principle. The Cowboys wouldn't have won 3 Super Bowls in the 90's if they kicked all the bad guys off their roster. Sometimes you have to sacrifice public image to win games, and it's not like he's a bad guy, he just has his problems. It's not like he rapes people like Kobe or Ben, or kills people like Ray Lewis or Dante Stallworth.

It's that mind set that keeps players going back to the drink or the drug. You're talking about sacrificing players lives so that you, the fan, can enjoy your daily baseball game or Sunday football game. I'm pretty sure those three Super Bowl trophies mean a lot more to you than they do Mark Tuinei's family.
Thomas Henderson will tell you that the man who fired him did the right thing.

 

[romeo212000]

It's that mind set that keeps players going back to the drink or the drug. You're talking about sacrificing players lives so that you, the fan, can enjoy your daily baseball game or Sunday football game. I'm pretty sure those three Super Bowl trophies mean a lot more to you than they do Mark Tuinei's family.
Thomas Henderson will tell you that the man who fired him did the right thing.

+10000000

 

[scotsman1948]

It's that mind set that keeps players going back to the drink or the drug. You're talking about sacrificing players lives so that you, the fan, can enjoy your daily baseball game or Sunday football game. I'm pretty sure those three Super Bowl trophies mean a lot more to you than they do Mark Tuinei's family.
Thomas Henderson will tell you that the man who fired him did the right thing.

so you'd cut him loose for his own good, very magnanimous of you. don't try to help the guy let him help himself. by the way, according to wikipedia: "In May 1999, Tuinei was found unconscious in his car and pronounced dead upon arrival at a hospital in the Dallas suburb of Plano. He had been planning to return to Punahou School as offensive line coach. The autopsy revealed that Tuinei died of a lethal combination of heroin and a form of the drug ecstasy. His death was ruled an accident. Upon the release of the autopsy, Plano police chief Bruce Glasscock was quoted as saying that it was Tuinei's first experience with heroin." there was never any indication of any drug issues during his time with the Cowboys so why do you use him as an example?

for Tuinei those 3 Superbowl rings meant a helluva lot

 

[Al Falfa]

so you'd cut him loose for his own good, very magnanimous of you. don't try to help the guy let him help himself. by the way, according to wikipedia: "In May 1999, Tuinei was found unconscious in his car and pronounced dead upon arrival at a hospital in the Dallas suburb of Plano. He had been planning to return to Punahou School as offensive line coach. The autopsy revealed that Tuinei died of a lethal combination of heroin and a form of the drug ecstasy. His death was ruled an accident. Upon the release of the autopsy, Plano police chief Bruce Glasscock was quoted as saying that it was Tuinei's first experience with heroin." there was never any indication of any drug issues during his time with the Cowboys so why do you use him as an example?

for Tuinei those 3 Superbowl rings meant a helluva lot

The Rangers have gone above and beyond for Josh. There is a reaching point with any situation and the third time should be it. It's called tough love. Or in terms that Josh can relate to, no more hometown discounts.
I'm pretty sure that there isn't a junkie on earth who ever overdosed and died on purpose. And I'm pretty sure my younger brother who died two years ago had a lot of people convinced that A) that he was going to quit or B)every time he smoked crack or drank or took a drug that it was his first time.
What the hell did you expect the Cowboys and Jerry to say, "oh yeah, we knew Mark was using, but hey, don't forget, uhh, we had, uhhh, some Super Bowls to win. And after all, uhh, it was his, uhh, first time". My ass.

 

[guitarmy21b]

To be fair, Josh had a few beers. It's not even in the same league as an overdose.

 

[jta4437]

To be fair, Josh had a few beers. It's not even in the same league as an overdose.

To be fair, for him, it could become that

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

The Athletics are among the teams pursuing the Rangers' Koji Uehara, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Orioles also remain interested in the right-handed reliever.

Last week, Rosenthal wrote that Texas might be looking to move the 36-year-old to sign a lefty reliever like Mike Gonzalez. Uehara recently used his limited no-trade clause to block a trade that would have sent him to the Blue Jays and is said to be seeking a return to Baltimore.

Doesnt really fall in line with their "rebuilding" mode now does it?

 

[Al Falfa]

To be fair, Josh had a few beers. It's not even in the same league as an overdose.

Probably not if winning has priority.

 

[scotsman1948]

The Rangers have gone above and beyond for Josh. There is a reaching point with any situation and the third time should be it. It's called tough love. Or in terms that Josh can relate to, no more hometown discounts.
I'm pretty sure that there isn't a junkie on earth who ever overdosed and died on purpose. And I'm pretty sure my younger brother who died two years ago had a lot of people convinced that A) that he was going to quit or B)every time he smoked crack or drank or took a drug that it was his first time.
What the hell did you expect the Cowboys and Jerry to say, "oh yeah, we knew Mark was using, but hey, don't forget, uhh, we had, uhhh, some Super Bowls to win. And after all, uhh, it was his, uhh, first time". My ass.

so once again you know more than a man's family, his doctors and the Plano medical examiner who all said that Tuinei's death was as a result of a one-time use of drugs.

 

[scotsman1948]

This was on Yahoo a couple of hours ago and i agree with it.

This is about Josh Hamilton's life. Anyone who dismisses him because of his relapse this week should be ashamed. He made a mistake and he stood up to it. It's time to stop being judgmental and let the man continue to fight a fight that I hope none of you ever have to face.


as soon as i read this one poster on this board fit this exactly

 

[jta4437]

This was on Yahoo a couple of hours ago and i agree with it.

This is about Josh Hamilton's life. Anyone who dismisses him because of his relapse this week should be ashamed. He made a mistake and he stood up to it. It's time to stop being judgmental and let the man continue to fight a fight that I hope none of you ever have to face.


as soon as i read this one poster on this board fit this exactly

Not an issue of dsmissing him for me, its an issue of him not being a reliable player, not in his daily life and not staying healthy on the field

and for him to even consider saying anything like, "owe it to the union" "fair contract," AT THIS TIME (the comments were ridiculous before all this),

the Rangers should see him on his way somewhere else, the Rangers have been more than fair in their dealings with him and should be EXPECTED to consider his next contract in the most responsible way

Hamilton has set a precedent over the past 5 years and thats the light his next contract should be held under, not the player he SHOULD have been or COULD have been, but one with whatever natural regression there is EXPECTED to be

For me this means a contract with multiple TEAM options, safeguards, like voiding of the contract, against relapse, and safeguards (EASILY achieveable playing time incentives) against injury

Sure, I'd give him a 7 year deal, with a TEAM options every year after year 3 of the contract, playing time incentives for 120, 130, 140, 150 games, and the ability to void the contract if need be due to the failing of a drug test or suspension due to drug use

If he doesn't play he doesn't get paid, simple as that, I have no doubt he EARNS his contract of 20 million per season, IF he plays