Umm, Josh? Not a Good Idea

Apparently, Josh Hamilton got blasthouse in January during spring training and had an enjoyable time with some ladies. No big deal, right?

Wrong.

Hamilton has been the poster boy for recovering addicts, going from I-can't-function-without-having-coke-and-I-don't-mean-the-soda to dropping 245 home runs in last year's Home Run Derby. It's been a great story, the former #1 overall pick who's been to hell and back; a two-time All-Star selection after throwing away his life, career, and relationships.

Oh yeah, and he's married. With kids.

Basically, once you've been linked to a lot of drugs, a lot of bad decisions, and a train wreck of an existence, your leash is a lot shorter than anyone else's. (It's kind of weird when you think about it logically; the guy who's made more mistakes than anyone else is held to a higher standard of behavior.) Regardless, Hamilton's relapse reveals a frightening moment in his life. For someone with such a horrid past, the slightest screw-up is going to make people think the worst.

The good news is that instead of going Big Papi on us and playing dumb or trying to push it aside, Hamilton has come forth with his explanation, basically saying how stupid it was, how he's not perfect, and how he's working day after day after day to completely defeat his addiction problem but has not yet done so. It's a small reward for fans of his, admittedly. But when something like this happens, as a fan, you hope that he gives a strong, determined response as opposed to a "don't bother me or worry about my business" type response.

Hamilton clearly hasn't gotten past all of the problems that have hurt him in the past. His support system is strong and his heart is in the right place, but at the end of the day, this was a monumental blunder on the path to full recovery. As a person, and as a fan, I'm hopeful that Josh Hamilton continues to put in the effort every day to tackle his problems, and that his friends and family stay as supportive as ever in order to be there for him in such a troubling time.

We've all seen what can happen to someone in this position in the blink of an eye. For Josh's sake, let's hope he catches himself this time before he falls back into the abyss.

~~ Lank