Los Angeles Angels vs. Josh Hamilton: Round 1

The fight is just beginning. And the Angels threw the first punch. To the gut! Owner Arte Moreno is wasting no time letting the baseball world know how furious he is over the Josh Hamilton situation.

Moreno began by stating that he wasn’t sure if Hamilton would ever play for the Angels again. He then added that Hamilton’s contract contains language that protects the Angels in the event that Josh used drugs and/or alcohol. This could set in motion a path toward voiding the contract.

However, the Major League Baseball Players Association responded by denying that such language exists. The MLBPA even added that such provisions are against the rules set forth in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

So why is lying here? Who is telling the truth?

Honestly, when I hear the MLBPA’s denial of said clause, I immediately think of Bill Clinton going on national television and pleading to the American People: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”.

I think a case can be made that perhaps the MLBPA is just conducting due diligence advised by attorneys. This happens all the time when matters such as this are shoved into the public eye.

Unfortunately, the media has taken a stance against the Angels, and in some ways are painting Josh Hamilton to be some kind of victim, which is he is far from at this point.

Keith Olbermann even chastised the Angels organization for their response to the independent arbitrator hired by Major League Baseball, who ruled in favor of Josh Hamilton. Olbermann took Angels president John Carpino’s words (“… The ruling defies logic”), and made an interesting twist that caught my attention, but many have seemed to forget about, or ignore.

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Olbermann suggested that not having any language in Hamilton’s contract forbidding him to use drugs and alcohol also ‘defies logic’. Well, well, well. You would think Keith Olbermann would know better if there is such a rule against said language in the current CBA.

This is what made me wonder. It’s also what disturbed me.

For anyone to side with Josh Hamilton or the MLBPA in this matter, in my firm belief, would be destructive to the standards of which we should be holding Major League Baseball, its players, and all sports in general. MLB has been trying hard to clean up the game from steroids. But that does not make drugs exempt.

And yet the Angels are being portrayed as the villain in this.

Now C.J. Wilson has added to the discussion by pointing out that if Hamilton was producing the Angels front office would feel different. Perhaps that would be the case. But does it make Hamilton any less accountable? No. Would he deserve another chance?

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Honestly, I would still say no. This man was banned from the game completely for this same exact problem. And it almost feels like he’s getting away with it because of a loop-hole in his drug treatment program, which sounds a bit shady to me to begin with.

And yet another reason I’m behind Arte Moreno on this.

There are those who would argue that this may deter future free agents from coming to the Angels. Yeah, right. Players are not going to want to come to the Angels because they don’t tolerate players using drugs. Even though, as mentioned before, many more players are against the use of steroids and have even condemned those who have and broke Major League records on them. But we don’t want to play for the Angels because they don’t like players using drugs. Sounds ridiculous to me.

And if that was even the case, we’d also be dealing with a league full of hypocrites.

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Yes, the Angels knew of Hamilton’s problems when they signed him. And if there is in fact language that protects the Angels, then Hamilton is clearly in breach of contract. Even if there isn’t a clause, Hamilton is in breach of trust to a lot of people. And in my mind, it’s too late now to say ‘I’m sorry’. It’s time for Josh Hamilton to focus on himself and his family.

Overall, I hope the general public does not fall for this media blitz. Arte Moreno has every right to pursue action against Josh Hamilton. I’ve been pulling for Josh for years. And whether or not Hamilton is breach of contract, there are only so many chances one man can have.

In any case, I can see the Angels and Josh Hamilton reaching a settlement. I doubt he’ll ever put on an Angels uniform again.

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