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Hamilton's Comeback In Life Is Worth Applauding

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By JOE HENDERSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 27, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - At a quarter past seven Monday night, Josh Hamilton walked to home plate at Tropicana Field for the first time as a major-league baseball player. He had wondered what that moment would be like. He got his answer as fans began to rise from their seats, just a few at first, and then more and more - applauding, saluting and, yes, forgiving.

There were also a few boos, which was unfortunate but predictable, human nature being what it is.

Good as these days are for the Rays, they would no doubt be even better if Hamilton still was a member of the organization. We all know why he isn't though, and we know how the Rays became the foil in a developing comeback story that could be one for the ages.

"There's a lot of history here with me," Hamilton said, "but at the same time it's a different team."

And it's a different man from the coked-out Josh who lost nearly four full seasons to drugs before getting clean and winning reinstatement. This Josh emerged from the shadow of death last season when the Rays lost him in the Rule V draft to Cincinnati, where he was comeback player of the year. He was traded on Dec. 21 to Texas, and his play has been stunning.

His 53 RBIs lead the majors. He is among the league leaders in home runs and batting average. He is a threat to win the Triple Crown. If the story ended tonight it would still be remarkable.

"It's like God let me get to this level, this platform, not for baseball," he said. "It's to share with people what I've been through and how he brought me out of it."

What Might Have Been

We mentioned forgiveness earlier.

There's no way around the fact Josh Hamilton let the Rays and the Tampa Bay area down with his descent into drug addiction. He has accepted that. When the Rays took him with their top draft pick in 1999 and gave him a $3.96 million signing bonus, he was supposed to be the once and future face of the franchise.

We know what happened though. He was going through a bottle of Crown Royal nearly every day and was introduced to crack cocaine during a trip to Bradenton and became addicted. He was suspended from 2002 until late in 2006, when he was reinstated long enough to play 15 games for Class A Hudson Valley.

The Rays left Hamilton unprotected that winter, believing no club would dare take him. Even if that happened, they felt sure he wouldn't stick and would have to be offered back to the Rays.

Instead, he hit 19 home runs with the Reds and became an inspiration. Even now, it's impossible not to wonder what the Rays' lineup would look like with his bat in the middle and his glove in right or center field.

But there is an explanation. Josh sure thinks so.

"I was where I needed to be last year. How I got there was God at work. I have no resentments toward the Rays for anything," he said.

They Have His Back

He is 27 years old now and on his way. You're never cured of drug addiction, though, so Hamilton still follows the same precautions he did last year in Cincinnati. He shared his story with all his teammates so there were no doubts, and the Rangers hired Johnny Narron as a special assignments coach in charge of watching Hamilton's back.

Narron, who coached Hamilton in youth-league ball back in North Carolina, filled a similar role last year with the Reds.

Josh still turns his meal money on the road over to the staff for safekeeping, to be doled out in small increments when it's time to eat.

"Why walk around with eight or nine hundred dollars in your pocket?" he said.

That much cash can lead to temptation, which is best avoided. Not that his teammates are worried he will slip.

"He has his life in order and knows what he wants to do. He wants to be a good dad, a good husband, and off the field I don't think anyone is worried about him any more," Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler said.

"It's a tribute to his personality and his character that he could get out of something like that. I guess you could call it a miracle."

I guess you could. Plenty of people thought Josh Hamilton would be dead by now. Certainly they never thought they'd have the chance to cheer - or boo - when he stepped to home plate at Tropicana Field. He thought about all that Sunday night when he went for a walk near the Rangers' hotel after they flew into town.

"Feeling the warm breeze hit me, it was just relaxing and it gave me a sense of peace of where I've been, where I've come from, and how I got through it," he said.

We can only guess if he could have played like this here, but it doesn't matter. His comeback in baseball has been remarkable, but his comeback in life is what the people stood and cheered Monday night. He won his life back. If you can find a better reason to cheer than that, just let me know.

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