Comments on: Angels hire Josh Hamilton’s accountability partner

By: RUAHORNH8R

RUAHORNH8R — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 12:03:04 +0000

U numb nuts that think he’s a baby for having a “babysitter”, are clueless… The “addict” that says he has no will power???
Please, I’m an addict as well, I have sobriety too but my life is completely different. If I were to thrust you into fame , and fortune. Give you a bank account with $100 million, all your “entourage” that wants to party. The super model women that want your c&$k…. You would relapse too, no question, I know I would!!!
So , until you have walked in his shoes, do not judge. You look silly

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 05:26:16 +0000

He might very well pay back the organization (I am unaware if this has been addressed publicly). In order for the accountability partner to be in the dugout every game, he must be in uniform and a team employee. Thus, he must be given a position by the Angels organization.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:22:39 +0000

I was only discussing the risk in regards to his addiction (“That being said, very risky move by the Angels in sinking that nuch money and length of contract to a guy who has to have someone else carry his cash/credit cards for him in fear that he will run out and buy drugs”).

And the two public incidents were him drinking. When any other major league player gets intoxicated during the offseason it is a non-story.

By: stex52

stex52 — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:17:02 +0000

It seems to me that in return for that absurdly huge contract, Josh could at least pay for his own acountabuddy.

By: jimbo75025

jimbo75025 — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:17:02 +0000

Well, I give Hamilton credit for trying-really, I do. That being said he has had two incidents that we know of as they were public. Who knows if anything has happened privately that we do not know about.

Add in his tobacco/caffeine issues this past season which just seemed to me to be hollow excuses for poor performance.

$25 million/yr for 5 years just seems inflated for a guy who tanked the second half of the season and seems to have the frailty of someone twice his age. All the crap he put into his body in the past may or may not be a factor in that, but either way no reason to think that it will improve with age.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:26:24 +0000

How many “headcases in the history of sports” quit playing because of a debilitating addiction only to win an MVP just a few years later? There are no comps for Josh Hamilton. If it works for him, so be it. Of what concern is his accountability partner to you?

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:21:15 +0000

Just because others don’t use such extensive measures, Josh shouldn’t either? You don’t have to celebrate the man, but to knock him down for taking a more extreme approach seems harsh.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:18:32 +0000

The fact that Hamilton works so tirelessly to remove even the smallest of temptations (ex. not carrying cash) should be proof that this move is not risky at all. He has up to 23 teammates who drink, yet no one is worried about the risk of them possibly drinking and driving.

By: kappy32

kappy32 — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 01:46:14 +0000

I’ve been sober 3.5 years & I don’t need a damn babysitter. It’s all within myself to stay sober. I have a support network, I have a sponsor, but a friggen babysitter? I’m sorry but there are thousands of recovering addicts & alcoholics who don’t need the attention & precautions that Josh does. He gives all those in recovery a bad name, seen as though we are all mentally weak & unable to say no. My willpower is strong enough. This guy’s sobriety act is getting tired, real quick, especially amongst those who live it.

By: miketreedy

miketreedy — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:47:10 +0000

It’s not me that needs to grow up. It’s Josh Hamilton. Seriously, if you are paying that much money to a player you shouldn’t need to hire a person to travel with them to make sure they don’t go get high. Thanks though for being such a good blog samaritan though. I’m sure you are the expert on all addictions.

By: reeggss

reeggss — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:22:05 +0000

This is a big risk for health reasons, not addiction reasons. He played with “health” issues last year, and injuries have plagued him in year’s past. One could argue he has yet to play a full year in the mlb, maybe 2008. He has cried about tobacco issues that he chose to give up during the season as opposed to the off season then used it as a crutch. He cried about caffiene, his eye color, night games, etc. Dropped a routine fly ball and struck more times than A-rod in the clutch and dogged it in the field and down the base paths. Then you decide to pay him $25 mil a year for 5 years at the ripe and tender age of 31? Another good business move by Nolan. Texas is not happy to see him leave because past drug abuse or even his play, it is his attitude. The Rangers did a great job of keeping it in the clubhouse, hopefully the Angels dont. Winning has a way of hiding your flaws.

By: jimbo75025

jimbo75025 — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 22:36:59 +0000

Hmm, well you’ve just invested $125 million in the guy so might as well kick in an extra 80K a year for someone Hamilton feels comfortable with.

That being said, very risky move by the Angels in sinking that nuch money and length of contract to a guy who has to have someone else carry his cash/credit cards for him in fear that he will run out and buy drugs. On the bright side, guess Hamilton kicked caffeine and tobacco this year, so not many drugs out there for him to have to recover from. Wonder if his accountability partner jumps on him if he sees him with a bottle of Diet Coke?

By: theduuuuuuuuuude

theduuuuuuuuuude — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 20:00:43 +0000

This is an hilariously absurd opinion. What exactly are you basing it on? The Dodgers were 5th in attendance this year, selling just 300,000 more tickets than the Angels in a city with over 10,000,000 compared to the population of OC with is just about at 3,000,000. Yeah the Angels are a “wannabe team”. Remind me again which team has a world series championship in more recent history? The Dodger’s last championship was in 1988. You’ve got no room to talk $hit as a Dodger’s fan when your team has done exactly nothing in 24 years. Granted, it’s been a decade since the Angels won the world series, but let’s not start dubbing competitive franchises as “wanna teams”.

By: Kevin Gillman

Kevin Gillman — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:59:35 +0000

It’s wasted money if neither team makes the playoffs, and let’s face it, it’s a very real possibility.

By: Jeremiah Graves

Jeremiah Graves — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:45:33 +0000

Those numbers are a little skewed. It’s showing 22 players for the Dodgers and just 10 for the Angels. I assume it’s not accounting for anyone who will be arbitration eligible or anything, just the guys under guaranteed contracts for 2013.

By: bchapman2011

bchapman2011 — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:44:51 +0000

Rayfeathers I am a Dodgers fan but that is a ridiculous comment. The Dodgers have made more questionable decisions over the past year than any other orginization. Carl Crawford???? The guy has not played in two years and LA is on the hook for over 100 million. Josh Beckett???? The guys arm has not been the same for years and he is a locker room cancer. Bulding a championship team is all about having great chemistry and taking a chance on a big free agent when you feel you are close to having a championship caliber team. You cannot buy a ring. Just ask the Yankees.

By: bchapman2011

bchapman2011 — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:39:31 +0000

I love when people try to talk smack and they do not even have a grasp on spelling and grammar.

By: sisqsage

sisqsage — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:36:15 +0000

Don’t call him coke boy.
He said he tried everything.

By: ThisIsBaseball

ThisIsBaseball — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:26:49 +0000

If he fails one of the accountability-partner’s drug tests, does it get reported to MLB?

By: dawgpoundmember

dawgpoundmember — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:13:44 +0000

Congratulations! You are now be promoted to head burger flipper at Burger King.

By: tashkalucy

tashkalucy — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:35:40 +0000

1. The Dodgers are putting a lot of money into pitching.

2. The Dodgers are not giving all their long-term contracts to players past 30 that have peaked and are slowly beginning their downward glide.

The Dodgers are the future of SoCal baseball. They must be jumping up and down in the Dodger PR offices and the financial suite. The Angels are reverting to what they were in SoCal for decades – a wannabe baseball team that hope the fans will love them more then the Dodgers. It’s going back to what it was before Fox and McCourt – if the Angel game starts first we watch that. Once the Dodger game starts we switch over to their game, maybe checking into the Anglel game for updates….maybe not.

Hamilton at 3 years $75M was a little rich, but what the heck at a time when power hitters are in short supply. But 5 years at $125M? One of the dumbest moves I’ve seen in MLB in years.

By: rayfeathers

rayfeathers — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:33:16 +0000

the angels are the poor man’ s dodgers. even trying to steal our city for their name. have fun with coke boy.

By: beerjunkie69

beerjunkie69 — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:32:59 +0000

A babysitter.

By: kkkershaw22

kkkershaw22 — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:31:29 +0000

Yeah maybe they should have just kept there payroll at 90mil just so the other teams can be happy

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:23:28 +0000

So nice to see on this forum compassionate people who clearly know everything there is to know about addiction…grow up, please.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:15:21 +0000

Kelley is no “babysitter.” He prefers the term “passive restraint system,” thank you.

By: miketreedy

miketreedy — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:00:10 +0000

So you pay this guy $125m and you need to hire him a babysitter. Of all the sports headcases in the history of sports I have ever heard of such a thing. The Rangers are much better off without this knucklehead.

By: willclarkgameface

willclarkgameface — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 15:53:22 +0000

I so want a babysitter too. I’d do this Portlandia style.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 15:51:07 +0000

I’m not sure what Shayne Kelley makes, but I’m inclined to believe it’s not enough anyway.

By: sbmcintosh36

sbmcintosh36 — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 15:44:09 +0000

Why does anyone care what they spend???
These guys obviously know a little more than we do about running a baseball team…..well most of them do.