Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Josh Hamilton was one of baseball's best stories. Drafted in the first round, Hamilton proceeded to fall and fall hard. On drugs, forgotten, fragile, Hamilton made a near miraculous recovery to rise to one of baseball's brightest stars. Today, a report surfaced that Hamilton would be meeting with MLB to discuss a "disciplinary issue" and that the team is bracing for a penalty.
First, I hope for his sake that he did not end up on drugs again.
Asked a baseball executive if Hamilton’s discipline was for PEDs. His response: “Worse.” The executive declined to elaborate.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 25, 2015
A drug relapse would be much worse for Hamilton, who was already suspended a season by Major League Baseball for his drug use. If it is, Hamilton could be looking at a lifetime ban.
The MLB drug program calls for harsh penalties, and Hamilton is already far down the list:
According to the rules of baseball's drug program, a major league player must test positive at least twice for drugs of abuse before being suspended, with drugs of abuse subject to suspension defined as a group that includes cocaine, LSD, opiates, Ecstasy, the "date rape" drug GHB and PCP.
Players who fail to comply with their treatment program a second time can be suspended for 25-to-50 days. Players who fail to comply a fourth time can be suspended for at least one year. A fifth failure results in additional discipline by the commissioner.
Hamilton already was suspended the year, so now on to the commissioner's office. The above number was revised; his one-year suspension would have been two years under the joint drug agreement. Hamilton would still be on the fifth step under the current plan.
A report came out the other day from Fox 29's Howard Eskin that the Phillies were talking to a new team. Perhaps that was the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who learned they will likely be without a left-handed bat? It would make sense. Already without a clear designated hitter, the Angels lose Hamilton, who would likely be their designated hitter.
A report on the Angels website from Alden Gonzalez said that from the look of things, Hamilton does not appear to be heading to Spring Training:
Hamilton wasn't assigned a locker during Spring Training and has spent the spring in Houston, working with a physical therapist while rehabbing from surgery to his right AC joint. The Angels haven't been certain when he'll report to Spring Training, and they haven't been able to guarantee that he'd even report to Spring Training at all.
However, for Hamilton's sake, I really hope that it is not drugs. If it was drugs, I hope he is in treatment and will be okay. I have seen too many good people lose their lives to drugs, and I really wish he will not be one of them.
UPDATE: Hamilton did indeed relapse, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:
Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton, who was suspended from baseball from 2004 to 2006 for issues related to cocaine and alcohol abuse, is said to have had a relapse, a source told CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman.
The source told Heyman that Hamilton, who was scheduled to meet with MLB officials on Wednesday, confessed to going on a binge that involved cocaine a couple months ago. There is no indication to this point that Hamilton failed a drug test.
Hamilton's father-in-law asked people for prayers. This is indeed a "disciplinary" issue, as MLB called it, but much more. We wish Hamilton a strong recovery first and foremost.
