An Open Letter to Josh Hamilton

I really haven’t had much to say about Josh Hamilton leaving the Rangers. The writing was pretty much on the wall in September, knowing Hamilton wouldn’t take a hometown discount and appeared more than ready to move on. But after Josh Hamilton’s latest comments, I have to say something and thought a nice open letter to him (he will probably never read) would at least make me feel better.

Dear Josh,

I want to start off by telling you thank you for some really great moments during your stay in Arlington.  While your work at the plate was more than inspiring, I think it was running into a wall with wild abandon that gave me the most thrills as a baseball fan. You always gave 150%. Well at least until that sunny day in Oakland when I would put it at more like 25%. You made some remarks the other day about Dallas fans. First, I think that kind of puts you a little out-of-touch. I think most of the makeup at the Ballpark would be Ft. Worth and mid-cities. Dallas has never really supported baseball blowing an awesome opportunity to land the Astros in the 60’s (before they were the Astros of course).  I’m from Dallas and I know there are a lot of folks there who would never make that drive. I know you liked to party in Dallas and maybe those folks made you feel good but that night you were boo’d let me tell you, it was such a large group, there were some die-hard fans in there booing away.  You say they don’t get it but a fair-weather fan doesn’t fill the joint when it’s 108 outside. They weren’t really booing at your awful 0-fer thing at the plate. It was the culmination of frustration that started with that fly-ball. But I’ll do you one better. It wasn’t the fly-ball. It was your arrogant reaction to Wash in the dugout. Man that guy had your back the whole second half of the season when you were having problems “quitting tobacco”. Then you can’t give the man enough respect to take him being a little miffed at your effort.

Josh Hamilton

(courtesy: Wall Street Journal)

Josh you are in trouble because you say we don’t get it. That’s just it, we do. They were booing you because it appeared you had already moved on. Then you give us the lame excuse that it was quitting tobacco. I smoke Josh. I have quit multiple times. I know it’s tough. I know I can’t hit a curve ball anyway so I know it had to have been very hard while you were adjusting to life without tobacco.  But we’re talking three months here. I quit for six weeks once and by week three I was fine. Not even going to give you my lame answer as to why I started back, but for you to blame what appeared to be an “I don’t really give a crap” attitude, there is something else going on. I won’t speak for other fans here, but since you are now an Angel, I don’t really care.

Focus on that last sentence. You are an Angel now. We are moving on, why don’t you. And when you come back to Arlington, get ready, because these fans will boo you again and it will be a might louder than what you heard in October. Texans (from Dallas or anywhere) don’t appreciate someone not giving the effort, but we like when they play for someone else even less.

Just ask A-Rod.