Catching Up With the Natural

Josh Hamilton spent 5 star-crossed years in Texas: 1 batting title, 1 RBI title, an MVP award, 500+ RBI, a .305 average, a .549 slugging average, a .912 OPS, ascended to the level of best player in baseball in 2010, had a 4-homer game, hit a 10th-inning homer that should have won a World Series, hit 25 homers in one round of the home run derby, made spectacular plays in center field, and generally wowed the baseball world with his talent.

Catching up to "the Natural" now, there is good new for the Angels: he has hit 31 homers and driven in 123 runs for them; the bad news: it's taken him over 1,000 at-bats and 2 seasons to get there!  Since leaving his support system in Texas, he has forgotten how to hit, hit for power, make contact, or give a crap.  The Angels owe him about $100 million dollars and his OPS of about .740 equates to Elvis Andrus.  I've seldom been more baffled about a player losing his skills overnight at an early age.  It happens.  Josh never learned discipline, relied on talent, abused his body, and at 33 looks completely done.  His contract will likely stack up against the worst ever (Chan Ho Park anyone?)

I'm incredibly sad about it.  He was as fun to watch as anyone I ever saw.  He should have been an all-timer but will instead be a footnote to baseball history.  I went on record as saying I didn't think the Rangers should spend that kind of money on him.  So, at least I'm glad I don't have to turn on Fox Sports every night and watch the decline of the most talented player of his generation.

S