And Josh Hamilton sucks.
Last night's lucky squib single down the third-base line that plated two runs in the Rangers' 4-3 rally victory notwithstanding, Hamilton and his 5-year, $125 contract are having a dreadfully forgettable year.
Which is absolutely delicious.
When Hamilton bolted the Rangers last winter he took a couple shots at the organization and continued doing so in Spring Training when he infamously claimed Arlington/Dallas/Fort Worth wasn't a "baseball town."
What did we wish upon the smug, ungrateful, fraudulent brat? That his season would underwhelm. That he wouldn't make the Angels better. That he'd miss some games due to injury. And that, in general, his departure from the Rangers would be an epic fail.
Throw in that Hamilton would be upstaged by Geovany Soto's walk-off homer in his second return to Arlington and it's mission accomplished. Yes, already.
There are 39 players in the Majors with more homers than Hamilton's 15. Last year with the Rangers he hit four in one game and had 18 by mid-May. With his two hits last night he raised his average to a harmless .223. He's missed seven games with various injuries, and recently whined about "equilibrium" problems. Last month he became the first player since 1916 to go hitless in a game while striking out twice and grounding into three double plays. His team is 48-56, now eight games behind the Rangers and a whopping 13.5 behind the first-place A's.
Oh, and did I mention that the non-baseball town fans in Arlington are averaging 2,000 more in attendance per night than the Angels?
If nothing else, Josh Hamilton gave us an early-game distraction from just how hapless the Rangers' bats had become. That is, until A.J. Pierzynski and Soto bombed Ernesto Frieri in the bottom of the 9th.
Dare I say, fitting?
To be honest I think both teams lost. I'd be happier if the Rangers replaced some of his production, but they haven't. Berkman has hit .254 w/6 hrs but is probably out for the year. I'm not saying I'd be ok with Hamilton's crappy numbers, I just think he'd be playing better here. I fault both sides for this, but at least for Hamilton he's getting paid while the Rangers scramble to find another bat.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. It was a lose-lose-lose. For Rangers, Angels and Josh.
ReplyDeleteBut the for the A's it is a win-win. Even with their anemic salaries, and anemic batting averages, they grind it out blue-collar style. Fun to watch. Bill2455
ReplyDeleteAs pathetic as batting has been for the stRangers recently I still don't want him here. He was a walking drama factory. Yeah, six games back at the start of business today and if we don't make the playoffs I won't be happy, but I can live with it. I had rather take my chances with acquiring a bat with some mental stability and a fucking desire to play the game than the feast or famine of Hamilton. He is the Angel's problem now.
ReplyDeleteAnybody remember the days when we were all asking the question "when are they gonna spend some money and get some pitching in here?" They did. I expect they can do the same to find a or some bats. I have sat through decades of heartbreak watching this team. I can handle another year of cataclysmic injury to the pitching staff and anemic batting. I have a better feeling about this team going to the playoffs in the foreseeable future than I do their neighbors at the Death Star.
Thanks for shaaring this
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