What are the Texas Rangers thinking in making a trade for Josh Hamilton? The question was posed to me on a radio show this week, a day after the deal in which the Angels sent Hamilton back to Texas for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
The terms of the deal sound far more cold and business-like than the emotional drama that surrounded the trade and Hamilton’s exit from Anaheim. Whatever player the Angels might get in return seems irrelevant. Arte Moreno’s club is paying nearly $70 million remaining on the last three years of Hamilton’s contract, while the Rangers will play less than $7 million. It appears as if the “cash considerations” have already been addressed.
But back to the original question: Why would the Rangers want a player back who bolted for a $125 million contract after the 2012 season, who burned bridges with Texas fans by calling them spoiled and saying Arlington was “always a football town.” Consequently, Hamilton had become a villain to some Rangers fans, expressing relief when general manager Jon Daniels shot down rumors of a Hamilton deal back in January.
Perhaps Daniels still had some hard feelings over not being given a chance to match Anaheim’s offer back in 2012, a development that left him “disappointed.” After signing with the Angels, Hamilton’s then-wife faulted the Rangers for letting him “date other teams” after five years together, rather than “making it official.”
At the time, however, Daniels seemed reluctant to break the bank for a 31-year-old player who had played more than 150 games in only two of five seasons with Texas due to various injuries. The fact that the Rangers seemed reluctant to give Hamilton a blockbuster deal when they knew him better than any other team likely made other clubs reluctant to offer a superstar contract.
ANAHEIM, CA – DECEMBER 15: Owner Arte Moreno of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Josh Hamilton #32 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim shake hands as Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto (R) smiles in the background during the press conference to introduce Hamilton as the team’s newest member at ESPN Zone at Downtown Disney on December 15, 2012 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
Obviously, that didn’t apply to the Angels, who saw a slugger coming off a 43-homer season, a left-handed bat that fit their lineup nicely and the chance to stick it to a division rival (whose reign as the best the team in the AL was reaching its end). But the deal soon turned bad for the Angels, as Hamilton posted two subpar seasons in Anaheim, hitting a combined .255 with a .741 OPS, 31 home runs and 123 RBI in 240 games. His prospects for a turnaround in 2015 seemed less likely after sustaining a shoulder injury before spring training that required surgery.
Then, of course, came the news that Hamilton had suffered a drug relapse, slipping into cocaine and alcohol use again. Later, we learned that he fell back into destructive habits as he was going through a divorce. That’s when the relationship between the Angels and Hamilton truly turned ugly. Was Moreno already disenchanted with Hamilton because of his disappointing two seasons in Anaheim? Was he looking for a reason or opportunity to trade the outfielder and get out of a contract that looked like a terrible financial investment?
Or was the Angels’ outrage and spurning of Hamilton entirely related to his drug relapse? Did Moreno and general manager Jerry Dipoto feel betrayed by their player’s lapse in judgment and responsibility? A statement issued by the team in early April, following an announcement that MLB would not suspend Hamilton because his infraction didn’t violate the terms of the Joint Drug Agreement with the players’ association, certainly seemed to indicate so.
The Angels have serious concerns about Josh’s conduct, health and behavior and we are disappointed that he has broken an important commitment which he made to himself, his family, his teammates and our fans. We are going to do everything possible to assure he receives proper help for himself and for the well-being of his family.
Yet assuring Hamilton received proper help for himself mostly seemed to involve getting him the hell out of Anaheim. Moreno wanted Hamilton penalized, if for no other reason than he wouldn’t have to pay him while he was suspended. But the Angels owner also seemed intent on using a suspension and apparent violation of MLB’s drug policy as an opportunity to void the terms of Hamilton’s contract. When that didn’t happen, the next step was trying to trade Hamilton.
ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 27: Josh Hamilton, outfielder for the Texas Rangers, shakes hands with Jon Daniels, Texas Rangers President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, at Globe Life Park on April 27, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. Hamilton was acquired from the Los Angels in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, being shipped out of Anaheim was more than fine with Hamilton. As it turns out, he really wanted to return to Texas, where he experienced his greatest success as a player and the support system he needed to get through daily life and his struggles with addiction had previously been established. Hamilton seemed to have vastly underestimated how good he had it in Arlington, likely figuring that he could rebuild everything he needed in Anaheim. And how could he turn down a guaranteed five-year, $125 million deal? The other stuff would surely fall into place.
As we now know, that didn’t happen. It’s an overused cliché, but Hamilton learned the tough lesson that money can’t buy happiness. But maybe he seems to feel he can find it again in Texas. He apparently felt that way for quite some time, even sending video of himself taking batting practice in March to the Rangers. (Hamilton insists he was just sharing video with his friend Michael Young, now a special assistant with Texas.) The Angels were ready to trade Hamilton to a National League team, but he vetoed the deal. That decision essentially cost him $7 million, but that didn’t matter. Hamilton wanted to go back to Texas.
That’s certainly one reason why the Rangers wanted Hamilton back. Of course, it also helps that they’re adding a former AL MVP three years removed from a 40-homer season for just over $6 million. A three-year, $6 million deal for a major league outfielder is a significant bargain, especially if Hamilton rediscovers his batting and power strokes in Arlington. There’s not much risk, unless Hamilton somehow becomes a surly, disruptive presence in the clubhouse and clashes frequently with the media.
The truth is that the Rangers need Josh Hamilton. Maybe not quite as much as Hamilton seems to need the Rangers, but this is potentially a mutually beneficial reunion. This season, Texas has gotten a collective .164 average, .569 OPS, one home run and five RBI from its left fielders. (The only AL team that’s getting worse production at that position is the Angels. How about that?) Even at his worst, Hamilton seems capable of surpassing those numbers. (Rangers’ right fielders aren’t much better, batting .132 with a .510 OPS, so he may play there as well.)
The Rangers also currently hold last place in the AL West and figure to stay there through the rest of the season. Though Hamilton became a villain among some Texas supporters when he left via free agency, he was extremely popular with a majority of the fanbase. It’s not difficult to imagine he’ll resume that popularity given how clear he made it that he wanted to play for the Rangers again. And if Hamilton does revive his career and can be an impact hitter, that becomes a great story to follow.
And suddenly, there’s a reason to check in on this team. If Hamilton sells tickets and boosts TV ratings in any fashion, he becomes a worthwhile acquisition. That, along with any production he can add to the lineup, answers why the Rangers would want him back.
