Well ignoring the possibility of a relapse, drugs ravage your body, and it seems to me that he's been banged up a bit every single year, including last year during his MVP run. For that reason alone, he isn't a great bet long-term. Add in the possibility of a relapse, and it's scary to invest in him long-term.

 

I sure wouldn't go long term with him for all of the reasons you said, let alone the chance at relapse always being around the corner.

This is just hilarious.

 

http://www.nationalsenquirer.com/2011/02/elijah-dukes-embarks-on-a-new-career-as-a-rapper-meet-fly-eli.html

 

http://twitpic.com/3yqzrd

I sure wouldn't go long term with him for all of the reasons you said, let alone the chance at relapse always being around the corner.

The guy just put up an MVP-like season and has been very solid the last few years. Would you be willing to refuse to that if you were Texas, knowing full-well you just lost Cliff Lee for not ponying up enough money, and knowing that some other team is going to be willing to offer Hamilton a long-term contract?

 

It's certainly a roll of the dice, but I think it's going to have to be one they take the risk on.

The guy just put up an MVP-like season and has been very solid the last few years. Would you be willing to refuse to that if you were Texas, knowing full-well you just lost Cliff Lee for not ponying up enough money, and knowing that some other team is going to be willing to offer Hamilton a long-term contract?

 

It's certainly a roll of the dice, but I think it's going to have to be one they take the risk on.

 

I buy into the Sox theory of putting the team before the fans. It might lead to unpopular decisions, like letting Frank Thomas walk away, but in the long run if you want to be a viable (non-Yankees) franchise, you have to make them.

I buy into the Sox theory of putting the team before the fans. It might lead to unpopular decisions, like letting Frank Thomas walk away, but in the long run if you want to be a viable (non-Yankees) franchise, you have to make them.

Yeah, I can definitely understand that point, and I wholeheartedly agree with it. You can never fall in love with a player or allow the fans to dictate what you do as an organization.

 

It has certainly happened here before though.

 

That being said, there is a difference between signing Hamilton because the fans would get frustrated and signing Hamilton because there is a genuine market for him, despite your misgivings. Very few players are perfect or do not involve significant risk when signing them long-term.

 

I think Josh has been professional enough, and has been consistent enough, that I would be willing to go long term with him. It's not ideal, but given that there will be other suitors willing to, I'd do it, as long as there was a clause which allowed me to void the contract, at my discretion, if testing showed he was using illegal drugs (and obviously you'd have to set up some sort of criteria for the testing in the first place).

Yeah, I can definitely understand that point, and I wholeheartedly agree with it. You can never fall in love with a player or allow the fans to dictate what you do as an organization.

 

It has certainly happened here before though.

 

That being said, there is a difference between signing Hamilton because the fans would get frustrated and signing Hamilton because there is a genuine market for him, despite your misgivings. Very few players are perfect or do not involve significant risk when signing them long-term.

 

I think Josh has been professional enough, and has been consistent enough, that I would be willing to go long term with him. It's not ideal, but given that there will be other suitors willing to, I'd do it, as long as there was a clause which allowed me to void the contract, at my discretion, if testing showed he was using illegal drugs (and obviously you'd have to set up some sort of criteria for the testing in the first place).

he's had at least one relapse that we know of in the last year or so (I believe the deadspin pics were from last off-season), even without those, a known drug addict is a hard sell to me to give long term money to without appropriate safe-guards laid out in the contract. I was a public defender for 2 years, part of that was in abuse/neglect court, I saw people chose drugs over their own kids, even with decent periods of sobriety, it would not come as a major shock to me if Hamilton falls hard again... again, not hoping it happens or anything like that, but it is an extremely realistic possibility.

he's had at least one relapse that we know of in the last year or so (I believe the deadspin pics were from last off-season), even without those, a known drug addict is a hard sell to me to give long term money to without appropriate safe-guards laid out in the contract. I was a public defender for 2 years, part of that was in abuse/neglect court, I saw people chose drugs over their own kids, even with decent periods of sobriety, it would not come as a major shock to me if Hamilton falls hard again... again, not hoping it happens or anything like that, but it is an extremely realistic possibility.

Yeah, well, he was willing to basically throw away his future in the first place, so it's difficult to argue that the possibility isn't there for him to relapse.

 

But do you really see him hitting the FA market and someone not going 4-5 years at $75-100 million? I would be shocked if there weren't multiple teams willing to take a chance on him.

 

If you protect yourself via the contract against a relapse, I don't see how the risk is all that great though.

Yeah, I can definitely understand that point, and I wholeheartedly agree with it. You can never fall in love with a player or allow the fans to dictate what you do as an organization.

 

It has certainly happened here before though.

 

That being said, there is a difference between signing Hamilton because the fans would get frustrated and signing Hamilton because there is a genuine market for him, despite your misgivings. Very few players are perfect or do not involve significant risk when signing them long-term.

 

I think Josh has been professional enough, and has been consistent enough, that I would be willing to go long term with him. It's not ideal, but given that there will be other suitors willing to, I'd do it, as long as there was a clause which allowed me to void the contract, at my discretion, if testing showed he was using illegal drugs (and obviously you'd have to set up some sort of criteria for the testing in the first place).

 

I am sure there would be a market. It only takes one dumb team to bid against themselves and hand out a stupid contract. I also know a long term deal is a risk, but Hamilton has two big strikes of his drug history and his injury history to consider, which most other players don't have. If it were my team, I would sign a lesser player to a long term deal before Hamilton, if they didn't have those two other red flags.

 

Ideally, sure if you can get him to agree to a no drugs clause you do it, but there is nothing saying that another team wouldn't make him do that. There is also nothing saying that it is drugs that derails his career. With what heroin does to your body, he could break down years before a normal player, and no one would be surprised. He could be as clean as could be, but that damage is done already.

Yeah, well, he was willing to basically throw away his future in the first place, so it's difficult to argue that the possibility isn't there for him to relapse.

 

But do you really see him hitting the FA market and someone not going 4-5 years at $75-100 million? I would be shocked if there weren't multiple teams willing to take a chance on him.

 

If you protect yourself via the contract against a relapse, I don't see how the risk is all that great though.

yeah, he would likely get those offers, and the contracts would have wording to protect the teams, however, I imagine they would be breaking some new ground, so if he does relapse teams could be buying themselves a ton of litigation.

Hmph, I have no idea how I missed this. Shin Soo Choo's military service requirements were fulfilled this offseason.

Hmph, I have no idea how I missed this. Shin Soo Choo's military service requirements were fulfilled this offseason.

 

"Anything other than a gold medal would have forced Choo, 28, into a two-year military training in South Korea, which requires men to complete the service before they reach the age of 30."

 

There's motivation for you. Win the gold or give up your sweet gig in the US and grab a rifle buddy. LOL.

I buy into the Sox theory of putting the team before the fans. It might lead to unpopular decisions, like letting Frank Thomas walk away, but in the long run if you want to be a viable (non-Yankees) franchise, you have to make them.

As Bobby Knight once said, "If you listen to the fans, you wind up sitting next to them."

Probably just motivation, but here's Brian Cashman saying that Joba Chamberlain is no lock for the major league roster since he has minor league options left.

On a related note:

 

Jon Heyman

not saying jobas fat, but he looks like he may have swallowed one of the clubhouse kids

2 hours ago via Mobile Web

I think that's the old "I'm not going to say he's fat directly, but I will indirectly call him a huge tubbo, so in essence, I am calling him fat, but just in a more polite manner."

I think that's the old "I'm not going to say he's fat directly, but I will indirectly call him a huge tubbo, so in essence, I am calling him fat, but just in a more polite manner."

Um, I'm not sure there's anything polite about that. That's calling him fat and making a joke at his expense.

speaking of fatties, does San Fran report today? Im interested(for fantasy baseball purposes) in seeing how much weight sandoval lost

Heyman has two teams in on a Young trade with Rangers, no teams named and he said Ranger and Rockies haven't talked in a long time.

 

Scary.

One of those things is not like the others.

Yeah, Hamels is the only one under 30.

One of those things is not like the others.

 

Blanton is like, "What the hell am I doing up here?"

One of those things is not like the others.

 

Those exact words came out of my mouth when I saw the press conference. It's like introducing the Miami Heat and putting Mike Miller on the stage with Bosh, Wade, and LeBron.

If you want to get technical, 2 of the 5 are not like the other 3. And two of the other 3 are not like the other 2. Then you have Joe Blanton.