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Josh Hamilton meets with Angels' teammates and manager Mike Scioscia
With the Los Angeles Angels traveling to Houston for a weekend series against the Astros, many Angels players were finally able to touch base with teammate Josh Hamilton, who's been staying in Houston since undergoing surgery on his right shoulder on Feb. 4.
Of course, it's well known that Hamilton has been kept separated from his teammates since admitting to a drug and alcohol relapse just prior to the operation. Hamilton was not brought in to spring training to continue his rehab. He doesn't even have his own locker at Angel Stadium, which is notable considering he's on the disabled list but not suspended. It's also reported he won't be making any appearances at Minute Maid Park.
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With that said and with owner Arte Moreno's comments on Hamilton's relapse still fresh in our minds, Hamilton's future with the Angels is anything but clear at this point. However, what is clear is that guys like C.J. Wilson, David Freese and Cole Kalhoun, all of whom met with Hamilton this week, say he's ready to resume his baseball career and that they're anxious to get him back on the field.
Here's more from MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez:
Based on their conversation, Wilson believes Hamilton’s latest relapse — which occurred late in the offseason and reportedly involved cocaine — was a “tame scenario” compared to what he went through as a Minor League player in the Rays organization. He said Hamilton is “100 percent functional,” “in the right place” and “ready to go.”
“It’s my 100-percent opinion that Josh is not a risk to himself or anybody else,” Wilson added. “That’s what I feel having known him for 8 years. That’s the closest thing I can get to a factual opinion.”
Added Freese:
“It was good to see him. I thought he was good in really good spirits. The fact is he wants to play some baseball. And he’s ready to roll.”
The conscensus, at least among the teammates, is that Hamilton is in playing shape from both a mental and physical standpoint and could return to the field in short order if allowed by the team.
After meeting Hamilton for dinner on Wednesday, manager Mike Scioscia agreed that Hamilton is coming along just fine physically. However, he noted there's a "major concern" about whether or not Hamilton is truly getting the help he needs, which indicates a return to the field is neither imminent nor an option that's being taken under consideration.
“It’s a unique situation,” Scioscia said. “First and foremost, we want to make sure Josh is getting the help and support he needs. It’s important to Josh getting back to where he needs to be and getting on the field and playing baseball.”
The circumstances of Hamilton's relapse and the Angels response so far has put a lot of people in awkward positions. Perhaps no one more so than Scioscia, who's caught between the players and upper management.
Still, it's odd to hear anyone from the Angels say they're concerned about the support Hamilton is getting when the Angels as an organization have been perhaps the most lacking in that department. That's not necessarily Scioscia's fault, of course, it's just odd. Or unique, as Scioscia himself put it, or yes, awkward.
Regardless of who's saying what now, this story obviously has several more layers that will be developing in the coming weeks and months. It's anybody's guess how it will all play out, but it ultimately begins and ends with Hamilton's health and happiness. We're all hoping he finds and sustains both.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
