The Angels yesterday traded LF Josh Hamilton back to the Rangers, who will pay him "less than" $7M over three years, though he "can opt out after two seasons," according to a source cited by Jeff Wilson of the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. The Angels are paying more than $60M to make Hamilton "go away after they said he reneged" on a five-year, $125M contract they "used to lure him away from the Rangers" in December '12. Hamilton said of Angels Owner Arte Moreno's handling of his recent drug relapse, "He knew what the deal was when he signed me, hands down. He knew what he was getting. He knew what the risks were. He knew all those things." Hamilton will have Shayne Kelley "return as his 'accountability partner'" with the Rangers. Kelley's "primary duty is to make sure Hamilton continues to do the things that keep him from falling into the trap of addiction." Hamilton is back in an organization that "dedicated resources to keep him from going astray." Some of that support system, beginning with former manager Ron Washington, "is no longer in place, but much of it is" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/28). ESPN.com noted Hamilton is owed $80.2M "for the remainder of his contract," including $20.2M of his $23M salary for '15 and $30M "in each of the final two seasons." A source said that Hamilton "agreed to give up some of the money he was due under the contract." Hamilton moves from California, which has a 13.3% "top income tax rate," to Texas, with no income tax (ESPN.com, 4/27).
TEXAS TWO-STEPPING: Rangers President of Baseball Operations & GM Jon Daniels said that ownership "did not instigate the move to acquire Hamilton," but his battle with addiction is something the organization "was well-equipped to deal with during his previous stint." Daniels said, "In this particular case, as we viewed it, the reward outweighs the risk. It’s pretty simple" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/28). A DALLAS MORNING NEWS editorial states if Hamilton helps the Rangers "put more fans in the seats at Globe Life Park and maybe even win a few more games, it will indeed have been a sports marriage worth saving" (DALLASNEWS.com, 4/28).
THE REAL L.A. STORY? In L.A., Mike DiGiovanna notes Hamilton "took strong exception" to Moreno’s comments suggesting that Hamilton "lacked 'accountability.'" Hamilton said, "I have no clue what he’s talking about. I showed up every day and played hard when I was there. I hadn’t been the player they wanted me to be, I know I haven’t been, but I worked my butt off this winter to be that player." Angels GM Jerry Dipoto said of whether Moreno ordered him to trade Hamilton, "We have made our decision, one that is in the best interest of the organization. This was not an order to do anything other than the right thing as an organization" (L.A. TIMES, 4/28). In California, Jeff Miller writes there is "nothing really constructive in continuing to bury Moreno here." The trade is "evidence enough that he's acknowledging what a miserable choice he made" by signing Hamilton, even as he "dares to double down on his mistake" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/28). YAHOO SPORTS' Tim Brown wrote all the Angels get from the trade is the "satisfaction of knowing they put Hamilton out." Moreno "is not a man to be crossed." He "will not stand" for other people making him "look like a gullible fool" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/27). The N.Y. Post's Joel Sherman said the "key thing here was that Arte Moreno … probably wanted to make a point, ‘If you cross me, I’m going to get rid of you’” ("MLB Now," MLB Network, 4/27).
STAIN ON ANGELS' ORGANIZATION: In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes before "praising the Angels for making the best of a bad situation, understand that they put themselves in this situation in the first place." They were "admittedly out of touch with their investment." MLB would not do Moreno's "dirty work," so he paid about $60M "to have it done." Yet, now it is Moreno's organization, "once renowned for being so inclusive and family friendly, that carries the stain." The Angels "chose to burn maybe the most mad money in baseball history." Plaschke: "Moreno made his bed, and then he dumped it when the sheets became itchy, and if that doesn't scare away prospective Angels free-agent prospects, nothing will." Hamilton "is in good hands," but it is "questionable whether the same can be said for the Angels" (L.A. TIMES, 4/28). FOXSPORTS.com's Ken Rosenthal wrote Moreno "embarrassed himself with his treatment" of Hamilton, a "recovering addict." Also, he and other team officials "showed disregard for the confidentiality provisions of the Joint Drug Agreement by publicly referencing Hamilton's status" (FOXSPORTS.com, 4/27). MLB Network's Carlos Pena said, "It’s outrageous the way the Angels have reacted to this. Moreno, obviously we saw what he had said in the past. He made some statements and maybe he’s acting out of emotion here but I cannot believe he didn’t do his homework." MLB Network’s Brian Kenny: “It’s kind of a disaster for an organization, isn’t it?” ("MLB Now," MLB Network, 4/27).
