Josh Hamilton
- Cincinnati Reds (2007)
- Texas Rangers (2008-2012)
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ( since 2013)
- 4x All-Star (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012)
- 2x Silver Slugger Award ( 2008, 2010 )
- American League Batting Champion 2010
- AL Most Valuable Player Award 2010
- ALCS MVP in 2010
- TSN Player of the Year 2010
Joshua " Josh " Holt Hamilton ( born May 21, 1981 in Raleigh, North Carolina) is an American professional baseball player in Major League Baseball. Between 2008 and 2012, he played as an outfielder for the Texas Rangers. For Season 2013 he moved to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Career
Beginning and drug problems
Hamilton was ever selected in the MLB 1999 draft in the first round the first player from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. After signing the contract, he received a bonus of 3.96 million U.S. dollars. He played two years in the farm system of the Devil Rays before injuries and especially a drug addiction his career from 2001 almost ended. In 2001, he only played in 45 games, 2002 56 At the beginning of the 2003 season, he took only sporadically in the training of his team and then took the rest of the season for personal reasons free. Participation in Spring Training in 2004 was prevented by a lock that was Hamilton due to a positive drug test. After another drug incidents, the lock has been extended several times. Between 2004 and 2006, Hamilton played no baseball.
New beginning in 2006 and 2007
It was only in June 2006 allowed the MLB Hamilton to train with the minor league players of the Devil Rays. End of June 2006, he received permission to play for the Minor Leagues.
Because Hamilton did not belong to the 40 -man roster of the Devil Rays, he was elected in 2006 in the Rule 5 Draft by the Chicago Cubs, who transferred him immediately to the Cincinnati Reds. There he was taken after good performances in Spring Training to the 25-man roster and had on 2 April 2007 his debut in the MLB. After the end of the season, the Reds Hamilton transferred to the Texas Rangers.
Since 2008 with the Texas Rangers
After a very good Bled Spring Training Hamilton received a place in the starting line-up as an Outfielder for the Rangers. For his performances during the season, he was named AL Player of the Month in April and May 2007. His good performances stopped and he was elected to the AL All-Star team. In 2009 he was elected despite an injury again in the All-Star team.
In the 2010 season, Hamilton was appointed with a batting average of .359 batting champion of the AL and again into the All-Star team. For his excellent performance during the regular season, he was awarded the Most Valuable Player award in the AL. In the postseason, he played in the ALCS in 2010 against the New York Yankees and also received the Most Valuable Player Award. For his offensive performance throughout the season in the outfield him for the second time Silver Slugger Award was presented. He also won the Sporting News Player of the Year Award, which is awarded by 326 players in the Major League to the best players in the entire MLB.
Season 2012
After Hamilton again defeated the Texas Rangers in the preseason in the World Series, it came at the beginning of 2012, again to an alcohol incident. Hamilton apologized for this public in a press conference and was therefore not blocked by the league.
After a moderate Spring Training, Hamilton helped his team in the regular season to a very good start. During the months of April and May, he was named Player of the Month in each the American League. On May 8, 2012 Hamilton hit in the game at the Baltimore Orioles four home runs in a single game. He was thus only the 16th player in the 140 -year history of MLB, the managed this feat. Hamilton was elected to the all-star team from the American League this season. He received 11,073,744 votes in the election, most of those who got a player in the history of the all-star game. Nevertheless, the season for Hamilton took a more sober end. Although his 43 homers were the second best performance of the season in 2012, but the Texas Rangers could not qualify for the AL Division Series after two World Series defeats in previous years this year. It had been on June 30 still 13 games ahead of second in the AL West. Six games before the end of the season there were still four games ahead. Nevertheless, the Oakland Athletics moved on the last day even past the Rangers. Texas then still lost the wild-card game against the Baltimore Orioles 5-1. After this collapse was especially practiced in Hamilton herbe Single criticism. In the decisive stage of the season he missed a number of games due to self-inflicted eye or vision problems, which were apparently caused by his above-average consumption of energy drinks. He also had the decisive final day dropped a routine fly ball, which led to a run for the Oakland Athletics. This moment was seen in retrospect as a match-winning turn. Shortly after the end of the season, the Texas Rangers and Josh Hamilton agreed that he would first look at the market before the Rangers would make a new contract offer.
Los Angeles Angels
After Hamilton's contract had expired with the Texas Rangers, was officially announced on 15 December 2012 that the Los Angeles Angels and Josh Hamilton have agreed on a new five - year contract for U.S. $ 125 million.
Private life
Hamilton has been married since 2004 and has two daughters with his wife Katie.