The Rangers will look to give Josh Hamilton a contract extension

Nov 24, 2010, 11:29 AM EDT

San Francisco Giants v Texas Rangers, Game 3

Getty Images

Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas reports that the Rangers plan to speak with AL MVP Josh Hamilton’s agent this winter about a long-term contract extension.

Like his NL MVP counterpart Joey Votto, Hamilton is arbitration eligible. He made $3.25 million in 2010, and would be due a big raise anyway. Though it’s increasingly common, there isn’t a massive amount of history of MVP winners going though arbitration, and the possibility exists Hamilton’s salary would go up pretty quickly. It makes sense the Rangers would want to avoid that and get some cost certainty — even if it’s high-cost — with respect to their best player. The biggest question is health, of course, but when healthy he’s among the best players in baseball.

Skip to Comments (6)

« Newer Is it time to do something about “gentleman’s agreements” free agents make to decline arbitration?

Older » The settlement proposed by the mediator in the McCourt case was interesting

More HardballTalk

Back to Homepage

6 Comments (Feed for Comments)

ngearhart1981 - Nov 24, 2010 at 11:36 AM

3 years/$45,000,001. He’s worth more to the Rangers than Jeter is to the Yankees.

Log in to Reply
RupZip - Nov 24, 2010 at 12:25 PM

What’s not to love about Hamilton? He’s honest about his past, humble about his ability and a role model.

I wrote about his story extensively here:

http://redletterbelievers.blogspot.com/2010/10/josh-hamilton-christian.html

Log in to Reply
- Loren - Nov 24, 2010 at 2:54 PM
  
  Well, if you’re not a christian it gets pretty annoying hearing him be so overtly religious all the time. I don’t love that. Would you consider him a role model if he frequently praised Allah for turning around his life?
  I don’t mean to bash religion here, I just don’t need to hear about it. Josh Hamilton is a great baseball player, a great story due to his incredible will power in getting himself out of a situation that he created. I just don’t buy into the hype so much because I don’t like the religion angle and I think the fact that he made all those poor decisions in the first place should count too.
  
  Log in to Reply
aious - Nov 24, 2010 at 4:30 PM

With his severe drug past, I am suspect as to whether his body will be able to hold up for the long-haul

Log in to Reply
bigharold - Nov 24, 2010 at 5:23 PM

Well since Young is making 16 mil a year I guess there is your starting point.

Log in to Reply
- Richard In Big D - Nov 24, 2010 at 6:55 PM
  
  Exactly! And worth every penny of it, provided there is a provision dealing specifically with the drug issue. Like, in the event of a relapse, when returning from the inevitable suspension, he goes to minimum salary for the remainder of his contract, and he waives any no-trade agreement. Something severe, so as to help motivate him to keep on. A “decentive” clause if you will. And counter it on the positive side with something just as unlikely, such as, winning a triple crown will take him to a dollar more than the highest contract at the time. But you can’t keep on paying this guy less than the average. That’s just WRONG!
  
  Log in to Reply