Hamilton acknowledges setback with alcohol
Once again, Josh Hamilton has lost one of his daily battles for sobriety.
On Feb. 3, Hamilton confirmed reports that he was drinking in a Dallas bar earlier in the week. He also said he had deceived teammate Ian Kinsler, who had joined him to keep him company.
Hamilton, who also had a slipup in January 2009, said he was in Dallas to attend to a family issue. He went out by himself for dinner and ordered a drink, then called Kinsler to join him. He said he did not drink in front of Kinsler, and Kinsler was unaware Hamilton had been drinking. Hamilton said Kinsler took him back to where he was staying and asked him if he needed to be accompanied upstairs. Hamilton said he told Kinsler he was fine, but when Kinsler left, he snuck back to the bar.
"When I talk about being sneaky, nobody saw me actually with a beer or drink in my hand. I can find ways where people don't see it," Hamilton said in a 12-minute statement to the media. "That doesn't excuse the fact that I was doing something that doesn't work for me. No drugs were used at all. I've had two drug tests since Monday, so I have no concerns there at all. But anytime I drink, there is a point that comes where the switch flips and you never know when that point will be reached. It might be first three or four, or the 15th, and that's what's so dangerous about it. Things happen to me personally that I'm not proud of after I drink, they are personal and being handled as that.
"There were no pictures of me having a beer with somebody or anything like that. I did take pictures with people, and it was just wrong. That's all it comes down to. I needed to be in a different place. I need to be responsible, period. And I was not responsible. Those actions of mine hurt a lot of people who are very close to me."
Hamilton acknowledged the incident to the Rangers on Jan. 31, and the sides put any talks about a contract extension on hold for the foreseeable future. It's unlikely those talks will be resumed before he can become a free agent at the end of the season.
The Rangers took the same approach in 2009 when Hamilton had a setback while he was involved in an offseason training program in Arizona. At the time, the club was trying to tie Hamilton up to a long-term deal that would have run through his arbitration years and extended into free agency. But when Hamilton slipped away from his hotel -- and "accountability partner" Johnny Narron -- one night and drank to excess, all talks stopped. The Rangers put Hamilton's sobriety first and figured they'd have more opportunity to discuss a long-term deal down the road.
"This is real," general manager Jon Daniels said Feb. 3. "This is something Josh deals with. It affects him and the people around him, and that's where our head is at right now."
A week after Hamilton's relapse was revealed, the Rangers hired Shayne Kelley to help keep Hamilton on track. Kelley will also assist hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh in addition to filling other roles.
Daniels also said that he does not like terms like "babysitter" or "accountability partner" to describe the role Kelley will have while overseeing Hamilton.
"The only person accountable for Josh is Josh, and he understands that," Daniels said. "We'll support him, just like we do for all of our players."
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