MLB Player Profile: Josh Hamilton
Josh Hamilton is tremendous All-Star outfielder in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Texas Rangers. He has a roller coaster career which includes amazing on field performances and some issues of drug addiction.
He was a talented youngster that was motivated to play baseball by his parents who had the desire to see their son play in the Major Leagues. While he was young, he used to use wooden bats and heavy balls to build up his hand and arm strength.
Hamilton was the first pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. He was assigned to their Minor League and had a brilliant performance. However, during the start of 2001, Hamilton had issues of alcohol and drug addiction. He was
under rehabilitation for his addictions which found him in and out of baseball for a few years.
In 2002 he managed to bat with an average of .303 with 44 RBIs and nine home-runs for the Bakersfield Blaze. He could play 56 games as he suffered from injuries which kept him out of action for the rest of the season.
However, during 2004 to 2006 Hamilton did not play any baseball as he again was having issues with drug and alcohol abuse. It looked like the player was on a devastating spiraling downward trend which could eventually destroy his baseball career.
Hamilton managed to get it together and went for drug rehabilitation to help solve his addiction issues.
In 2006 the Chicago Cubs picked him up and then traded him off to the Cincinnati Reds. In 2007 Hamilton had a decent season with Reds. He managed to bat with a .403 average. Hamilton’s MLB debut was officially in April 2. He managed to hit a home-run in
his first official start for the Reds on April 10.
However at the end of the 2007, the Reds traded Hamilton to the Texas Rangers. In 2008 Hamilton had a brilliant performance during Spring Training with the Rangers. The team was impressed by his efforts and put in the line-up. He had a very good April as
he managed to get 32 RBIs with a batting average at .330. The 2008 season with the Rangers was filled with many highlights as he participated in the Home Run Derby and was also voted as the top American League outfielder that year.
2009 was also a decent year for Hamilton as he had a tremendous Spring Training session with the Rangers. He did get injured and was out for a few weeks. Hamilton hit 10 home-run with 54 RBIs and a batting average of .268 in 2009.
It was 2010 where the true talents of Hamilton shined through. He had a brilliant season as he led the league in batting. He was nominated for the AL MVP Award and he also managed to win the Outstanding Player in 2010 and the AL Players Choice Award.
His greatest feat was when the Rangers won the 2010 American League Championship Series to make it into the World Series for the first time in their franchise history. Hamilton had seven RBIs and four home-runs. Hamilton ended up winning the ALCS MVP Award.
Hamilton is a true comeback star in baseball. He managed to conquer his drug and alcohol addiction to make a comeback in the sport and become an All-Star.
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