The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999. A total of 1474 players were drafted over the course of 50 rounds.

First round selections[link]

Supplemental first round selections[link]

Other notable players[link]

• Carl Crawford, 2nd round, 52nd overall
• Brandon Phillips, 2nd round, 57th overall
• Ryan Ludwick, 2nd round, 60th overall
• John Lackey, 2nd round, 68th overall
• Justin Morneau, 3rd round, 89th overall
• Hank Blalock, 3rd round, 105th overall
• Cody Ross, 4th round, 117th overall
• Ángel Pagán, 4th round, 136th overall
• J.J. Putz, 6th round, 185th overall
• Érik Bédard, 6th round, 187th overall
• Shane Victorino, 6th round, 194th overall
• Aaron Harang, 6th round, 195th overall
• Coco Crisp, 7th round, 222nd overall
• Mark Ellis, 9th round, 271st overall
• Marlon Byrd, 10th round, 306th overall
• Alfredo Amezaga, 13th round, 401st overall
• Albert Pujols, 13th round, 402nd overall
• Jake Peavy, 15th round, 472nd overall
• Reed Johnson, 17th round, 523rd overall
• Lyle Overbay, 18th round, 538th overall
• Mike Jacobs, 38th round, 1156th overall

Future major leaguers Noah Lowry (19th round, 585th overall), Rich Harden (38th round, 1145th overall), and Pat Neshek (45th round, 1337th overall) were also selected during this draft, but did not sign with the teams that selected them. Lowry was subsequently drafted for the last time in 2001, Harden in 2000, and Neshek in 2002.Kevin Tillman the brother of Pat Tillman was drafted by the Anaheim Angels in the 31st round.

See also[link]

• Major League Baseball
• Major League Baseball Draft
• List of MLB first overall draft choices
• Rule 5 Draft

External links[link]

• Complete draft list from The Baseball Cube database
• MLB.com's section on the draft

The First-Year Player Draft, also known as the Rule 4 Draft, is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players, from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs, to its teams.^[1] The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick. In addition, teams which lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded "compensatory" picks.

The first amateur draft was held in 1965. Unlike most sports drafts, the First-Year Player Draft is held mid-season, in June. Another distinguishing feature of this draft in comparison with those of other North American major professional sports leagues is its sheer size: under the new collective bargaining agreement the draft lasts 40 rounds, plus compensatory picks. In contrast, the NHL Entry Draft lasts seven rounds and roughly 215 picks, the NBA Draft lasts for only two rounds (60 selections) and the NFL Draft for only seven rounds (256 selections if no picks are forfeited).

The First-Year Player Draft has historically had far less media exposure than its counterparts in the other leagues for three primary reasons:

• High school and college baseball, the primary sources of MLB draftees, are not nearly as popular as college football, college basketball, and, in Canada and certain parts of the U.S., college and junior hockey. Consequently, most prospective top draft picks were unknown to the casual sports observer at the time of their draft. However, this is slowly changing: NCAA baseball has enjoyed a spike in popularity in the 2000s and top collegiate baseball players have enjoyed greater media exposure, though still far below that of their basketball and football counterparts.
• Unlike top draft picks in the NHL, NBA and NFL, all of whom are expected to make immediate impacts, top MLB draftees are nearly always assigned to the minor leagues for several years to hone their skills. The entire 2007 first round (64 players) totaled one inning of major league playing time as of the end of the 2008 season; as of the 2009 season, the vast majority of 2008 first-rounders were still assigned to minor league organizations. In contrast, every first-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft had played in the league by the end of the 2008 season.
• While many NHL, NBA and NFL draftees will eventually reach their respective leagues, the vast majority of players selected in the First-Year Player Draft will never play in a single MLB game, including many first-rounders. For example, only 31 of 53 first-round draft picks in the 1997 draft eventually made a big-league appearance, and only 13 of those 30 appeared in more than 100 games as of 2009. In 1997's sixth round, only five of the 30 players selected eventually made a big league appearance, and only two of those five (Tim Hudson and Matt Wise) played more than 40 innings in the majors. Further illustrating the unpredictability of the draft's middle and later rounds, none of the 30 players selected in the 18th round ever reached the major leagues, but the 19th round eventually produced an all-star and World Series MVP, David Eckstein.

The 2007 Draft was televised live for the first time in the draft's history on Thursday June 17, 2007 from 2:00pm until 6:00pm EDT (1800 - 2200 hrs UTC).^[2] The Draft coverage took place at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida.

Before the draft[link]

Major League Baseball has used a draft to assign minor league players to teams since 1921.^[3][4] In 1936, the National Football League held the first amateur draft in professional sports.^[5] A decade later, the National Basketball Association instituted a similar method of player distribution. However, the player draft was controversial. Congressman Emanuel Celler questioned the legality of drafts during a series of hearings on the business practice of professional sports leagues in the 1950s.^[6] Successful clubs saw the draft as anti-competitive. Yankees executive Johnny Johnson equated it with communism.^[7] At the same time, Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist Arthur Daley compared the system to a "slave market."^[8]

Prior to the implementation of the First-Year Player Draft, amateurs were free to sign with any Major League team that offered them a contract. As a result, wealthier teams such as the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals were able to stockpile young talent, while poorer clubs were left to sign less desirable prospects.^[9]

In 1947, Major League Baseball implemented the bonus rule, a restriction aimed at reducing player salaries, as well as keeping wealthier teams from monopolizing the player market.^[10] In its most restrictive form, it forbade any team which gave an amateur a signing bonus of more than $4,000 from assigning that player to a minor league affiliate for two seasons. If the player was removed from the major league roster, he became a free agent. The controversial legislation was repealed twice, only to be re-instituted.^[11]

The bonus rule was largely ineffective. There were accusations that teams were signing players to smaller bonuses, only to supplement them with under-the-table payments.^[8] In one famous incident, the Kansas City Athletics signed Clete Boyer, kept him on their roster for two years, then traded him to the Yankees just as he became eligible to be sent to the minor leagues. Other clubs accused the Yankees of using the Athletics as a de facto farm team, and the A's later admitted to signing Boyer on their behalf.^[12] Finally, it was the bidding war for Rick Reichardt, who signed with the Los Angeles Angels for the then outrageous bonus of $200,000 that led to the implementation of the draft.

Major League clubs voted on the draft during the 1964 Winter Meetings. Four teams — the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets — attempted to defeat the proposal, but they failed to convince a majority of teams, and in the end only the Cardinals voted against it.^[13]

The draft[link]

Major League Baseball's first amateur draft was held in June 1965. Teams chose players in reverse order of the previous season's standings, with picks alternating between the National and American Leagues.^[14] With the first pick, the Kansas City Athletics took Rick Monday, an outfielder for Arizona State University.

Originally, three separate drafts were held each year. The June draft, which was by far the largest, involved new high school graduates, as well as college seniors who had just finished their seasons. A second draft was held in January for high school and college players who graduated in the winter. Finally, there was a draft in August for players who participated in amateur summer leagues.^[14] The August draft was eliminated after only two years, while the January draft lasted until 1986.^[15]

Early on, the majority of players drafted came directly from high school. Between 1967 and 1971, only seven college players were chosen in the first round of the June draft.^[16] However, the college players who were drafted outperformed their high school counterparts by what statistician Bill James called "a laughably huge margin."^[17] In 1978, a majority of draftees had played college baseball, and by 2002, the number rose above sixty percent.^[16] While the number of high school players drafted has dropped, those picked have been more successful than their predecessors. In a study of drafts from 1984 to 1999, Baseball Prospectus writer Rany Jazayerli concluded that, by the 1990s, the gap in production between the two groups had nearly disappeared.^[18]

Economic impact[link]

Initially, the draft succeeded in reducing the value of signing bonuses. In 1964, a year before the first draft, University of Wisconsin outfielder Rick Reichardt was given a record bonus of $205,000 ($1,536,180 today) by the Los Angeles Angels. Without competition from other clubs, the Athletics were able to sign Rick Monday for a bonus of only $104,000. It would take until 1979 for a drafted player to receive a bonus higher than Reichardt's.^[19]

Player salaries continued to escalate through the 1980s. In 1986, Bo Jackson became the first draftee to sign a total contract (signing bonus and salary) worth over $1 million ($2,120,219 today).^[20] Jackson, a Heisman Trophy-winning football player for Auburn University, was also the first overall choice in the National Football League Draft, and was offered a $7 million ($14,841,530 today) contract to play football for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[21]

High school players possessed additional leverage, as they had the option of attending college and re-entering the draft the next year. Agent Scott Boras routinely exploited this advantage to increase the contracts of his clients. In 1990, Boras client Todd Van Poppel signed a $1.2 million ($2,134,692 today) contract with Oakland Athletics, after committing to play for the University of Texas. The following year, Boras negotiated a $1.55 million ($2,644,808 today) contract for Yankees first round pick Brien Taylor, who had said he would attend junior college if he didn't receive a contract equal to Van Poppel's.^[22] By June 2009, a figure as high as $15 million was floated for collegian pitcher Stephen Strasburg.^[23]

Increasingly, teams drafted based on whether or not a player was likely to sign for a particular amount of money, rather than on his talent. This became known as a "signability pick." Before the 1992 draft, team owners unilaterally decided to extend the period of time a team retained negotiating rights to a player from one year to five. In effect, the rule prohibited a high school draftee from attending college and re-entering the draft after his junior or senior seasons. The Major League Baseball Players Association filed a legal challenge, but Major League Baseball argued that, since the Players Association did not represent amateur players, it was not necessary for the union to agree to the change.^[24] An arbitrator ultimately decided that any change to draft articles must be negotiated with the Players Association.^[25]

Procedures and rules[link]

Eligibility[link]

To be drafted a player must fit the following criteria:

• Be a resident of the United States, Canada, or a U.S. territory such as Puerto Rico. Players from other countries are not subject to the draft, and can be signed by any team (unless they are current members of college teams in the aforementioned countries).
• Have never signed a major or minor league contract.
• High school players are eligible only after graduation, and if they have not attended college.
• Players at four-year colleges are eligible after completing their junior years, or after their 21st birthdays.
• Junior and community college players are eligible to be drafted at any time.

Draft order[link]

The general draft order is the reverse order of the previous year's standings. If two teams finish with identical records, the previous year's standings of the two teams is the tiebreaker, with the team having a worse record receiving the higher pick.

Negotiating rights[link]

Prior to 2007, a team retained the rights to sign a selected player until one week prior to the next draft, or until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college on a full-time basis. Starting in 2007, the deadline for signing a drafted player is August 15. A selected player who enters a junior college cannot be signed until the conclusion of the school's baseball season. A player who is drafted and does not sign with the club that selected him may be drafted again at a future year's draft, so long as the player is eligible for that year's draft. A club may not select a player again in a subsequent year, unless the player has consented to the re-selection.

A player who is eligible to be selected and is passed over by every club becomes a free agent and may sign with any club, up until one week before the next draft, or until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college full-time or enters, or returns to, a junior college. In the one-week period before any draft, which is called the "closed period", the general rule is that no club may sign a new player.

Compensatory picks[link]

Currently, teams can earn compensatory picks in the draft based on departing free agents. Free Agents are ranked by the Elias Sports Bureau based on their previous two years of playing, and against players of similar positions. Players are categorized as either Class A or Class B, or they fall into the category of all other players. Below is a description of each free agent class and the compensation the free agent's former team received when the player signs with a different team.

• A Class A free agent is ranked in the top 20 percent of players at his position. A team that signs a Type A player gives its top draft pick to the club that the player is leaving; that club also receives a supplemental pick in the "sandwich" round between the first and second rounds.^[26]

• A Class B free agent is ranked below the top 20 percent but in the top 40 percent of players at his position. A team that loses a Type B player receives a supplemental pick, but the signing team does not lose a pick.^[26]

• All other players carry no compensation at all. There had previously been a third class of "Type C" players, but that was eliminated in the most recent CBA.^[26]

To earn a compensatory pick, a free agent must either be signed before the arbitration deadline in early December, or be offered arbitration by their former team but still sign with someone else.

Compensatory picks that one team gives another via this method are the highest available pick that team has, with the exception of picks in the top half of the first round.^[27] These picks are protected from being used as compensation. If a team that picks in the top half of the first draft signs a Type A free agent, they would give up their second round pick. If a team owes two other teams draft picks via Type A free agents, the team whose departing player had a higher score gets the higher ranked pick. A team cannot lose picks it has earned via compensation.

The order of the supplemental round between the first and second rounds is determined by inverse order of the previous year's standings. All the Type A picks are done first, and then the order resets for all the Type B compensation picks.

Teams can also earn compensation for unsigned picks from the previous year's draft. If a team doesn't sign a first or second round pick, they will get to pick at the same slot plus one the following year. For example, if the team with the #5 pick does not sign that player, they would have the #6 pick the following year. The regular draft order would continue around those picks. For compensation for not signing a third round pick, teams would get a pick in a supplemental round between the third and fourth rounds. If a team fails to sign a player with one of these compensated picks, there is no compensation the following year.

Changes for 2012[link]

The adoption of a new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and its players union, starting with the 2012 season, will result in significant changes to the draft.

Free agent compensation[link]

For the 2012 draft, the current "Type A" and "Type B" designations remain in place, but the CBA included special provisions that modified the statuses of 11 players who were Type A free agents under the old CBA. Six of these will be "Modified Type A"—meaning that the signing team does not forfeit a draft pick, but the player's former team will receive a compensatory pick in the same position it would have earned under regular Type A rules. The remaining five will be "Modified Type B", with compensation identical to that for other Type B free agents.^[28]

After the 2012 draft, free agents will no longer be classified by "type". Instead, a team will only be able to receive compensation if it makes its former player an offer at least equal to the average of the 125 richest contracts.^[29] However, if a player is traded during the final season of his contract, his new team will be ineligible to receive any compensation.^[30]

Bonus pool[link]

Starting in 2012, each team will be allocated a "bonus pool" from which it can offer initial contracts to its drafted players. Each team's pool will be based on its draft position and number of picks, plus the amount spent in the previous year's draft. For the 2012 draft, these pools will range from $4.5 million to $11.5 million. If a team goes over its threshold by 5 percent or less, it must pay a "luxury tax" of 75% on the amount over the threshold. Teams that go 5 to 10 percent over must pay a 100% tax on the excess, and will lose their next first-round pick. A team that goes 15 percent over can lose its next two first-round picks, in addition to the "luxury tax".^[29] These excess picks will go to smaller-revenue teams via a yet-to-be-reported formula. Uniquely, these compensatory picks can be traded—marking the first time MLB has allowed trading of draft picks. However, the current rules against trading of regular picks, or picks awarded as free agent compensation, will remain in force.^[30]

Other changes[link]

Teams will no longer be able to offer major league contracts to their draft choices—only minor league contracts will be available. The only exception will be for drafted players who have scholarships in other sports.^[30] Also, the date for signing new picks moves from mid-August to mid-July.^[30]

See also[link]

• List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks
• Rule 5 Draft

References[link]

External links[link]

• MLB.com official website
• MLB.com - Draft History
• MLB.com - Draft Rules

Josh Hamilton
Hamilton at bat for the Rangers
Texas Rangers – No. 32
Outfielder
Born: (1981-05-21) May 21, 1981 (age 31) Raleigh, North Carolina
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 3, 2007 for the Cincinnati Reds
Career statistics (through May 30, 2012)
Batting average	.313
Home runs	139
Runs batted in	482
Hits	765
Teams
Cincinnati Reds (2007) Texas Rangers (2008–present)
Career highlights and awards
AL MVP (2010) 4× All-Star (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) AL Players Choice Award for Outstanding Player (2010) USA Today American League MVP (2010) 2× Silver Slugger Award (2008, 2010) 2× AL Player of the Week AL RBI champion (2008) AL batting champion (2010) AL Championship Series MVP (2010) Hit 4 home runs in one game (2012)

Joshua Holt Hamilton (born May 21, 1981) is an American professional baseball player. An outfielder, Hamilton has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) since 2007. A member of the Texas Rangers (2008–present), he also played for the Cincinnati Reds (2007). He is a four-time MLB All Star and American League Most Valuable Player in 2010.

He was the first overall pick in the 1999 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.^[1] He was considered a blue chip prospect until injuries and a drug addiction derailed his career, beginning in 2001. Prior to the 2007 season, Hamilton was selected by the Chicago Cubs (picking for the Cincinnati Reds) in the Rule 5 Draft.^[2] He made his MLB debut in 2007 with the Reds and had a successful rookie season. During the off-season he was traded to the Texas Rangers for Edinson Volquez and Daniel Ray Herrera.^[3]

After his torrid start to the 2008 season, Hamilton was named to the American League All Star team, and made the All-Star team the next three seasons as well. He also participated in the Home Run Derby, where he hit a record 28 home runs in the opening round and finished with 35 home runs, which was second-most all-time in derby history.^[4][5] Hamilton won the AL batting title in 2010. On October 22, 2010, Hamilton was selected as MVP of the 2010 ALCS. On November 23, 2010, Hamilton was named the 2010 AL MVP, earning 22 of 28 first-place votes.^[6] On May 8, 2012 Hamilton became the 16th player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a game, and set an AL record for total bases in a game with 18.^[7]

Hamilton is known for exemplifying Muscular Christianity through the public expression of his Christian faith.^[8][9]

Early career[link]

Hamilton attended Athens Drive High School, in Raleigh, North Carolina, and later, was the first overall selection (by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays) in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. Shortly after the draft, Hamilton signed with Tampa Bay, receiving a $3.96 million signing bonus, and joined their minor league system.^[1][10] His first stop in the minors was the rookie level Princeton Devil Rays of the Appalachian League where he played 56 games. He later joined the Hudson Valley Renegades, and helped lead them to their first New York-Penn League championship. After this successful debut in professional baseball, he spent the 2000 season with the Charleston RiverDogs in the South Atlantic League.^[11] At the start of his pro career, Hamilton's parents quit their jobs so they could travel with their son.^[12]

Prior to the 2001 season, Hamilton was involved in an automobile accident. His mother and father were also injured in the accident, but they recuperated from their injuries. The 2001 season also marked the beginning of his drug and alcohol use, and he made his first attempt at rehab.^[12] Hamilton only played 45 games in the 2001 season, split between Charleston (A-Ball) and the Orlando Rays, a AA team in the Southern League. Hamilton began the 2002 season with the Bakersfield Blaze, batting .303 with 9 home runs and 44 RBIs in 56 games before his season came to an end due to lingering toe and neck injuries.^[11]

At the start of the 2003 season, Hamilton showed up late several times during spring training and was reassigned to the team's minor league camp. He left the team and resurfaced several times, but eventually took the rest of the season off for personal reasons. Hamilton was hoping to return to spring training with the Devil Rays in 2004, but he was suspended 30 days and fined for violating the drug policy put in place by MLB. Because of the length of his suspension, and the terms of the drug policy, Hamilton could have failed two or more drug tests after being put into the program. A "failed" test is one in which there is a positive result for a drug more severe than marijuana.^[13] The suspension was increased several times, after repeated violations of the terms of the program.^[14]

From 2004 until 2006, Hamilton did not play baseball at all. He made several attempts at rehab, and started off the 2005 season with hopes of being a star major league outfielder.^[15] His return to baseball was helped along by former minor league outfielder and manager Roy Silver, who owns a baseball academy in Florida. After hearing about Hamilton's desire to return to baseball, Silver offered the use of his facility if Hamilton agreed to work there. After several months there, Hamilton attempted to play with an independent minor league team, but MLB stepped in and disallowed it.

Hamilton was allowed to work out with the Devil Rays minor league players starting on June 2, 2006. By the end of the month, he was allowed to participate in minor league games.^[10][14] He played 15 games with the Hudson Valley Renegades at the end of the 2006 season.^[11][16] In addition to returning to baseball, Hamilton also served as a cautionary tale for his young teammates with the Renegades.

Rule 5 Draft[link]

Left off the Rays' 40-man roster, Hamilton was selected third overall^[2] in the 2006 Rule 5 Draft by the Chicago Cubs, who immediately traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for $100,000 ($50,000 for his rights, and $50,000 to cover the cost of the Rule 5 selection).^[16][17] In their coverage of the draft, Chris Kline and John Manuel of Baseball America called Hamilton "the biggest name in the Rule 5 in many years."^[18] Best baseball player alive

Cincinnati Reds (2007)[link]

Hamilton with the Reds in 2007.

In order to retain the rights to Hamilton, the Reds had to keep him on their Major League 25-man roster for the entire 2007 season. He was one of the Reds' best hitters in spring training, leaving camp with a .403 batting average. The Reds planned to use him as a fourth outfielder.^[19] Hamilton started most of the time in center field after an injury to Ryan Freel.

Hamilton made his long-awaited Major League debut on April 2 against the Chicago Cubs in a pinch-hit appearance, receiving a 22-second standing ovation. After he lined out, Hamilton stayed in the game to play left field.^[20] As he was waiting to bat, Cubs catcher Michael Barrett said, "You deserve it, Josh. Take it all in, brother. I'm happy for you."^[1][21] He made his first start on April 10 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, batting lead off. In that game, he recorded his first Major League hit, a home run off Edgar Gonzalez. The next night, he hit another. Hamilton was named the National League Rookie of the Month for April.

On May 22, the Reds placed Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list with gastroenteritis; they activated him on June 5 after he batted .333 (8-for-24) with four home runs and six RBI in a six-game Minor League rehabilitation assignment.^[22] Hamilton went back on the DL on July 12 with a sprained wrist.^[23]

He was shut out in the voting for the Rookie of the Year, which was won by Ryan Braun.^[24]

Texas Rangers (2008–present)[link]

On December 21, 2007, the Reds traded Hamilton to the Texas Rangers for Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera.^[3][25]

2008[link]

In 2008, Hamilton locked up the Rangers starting center fielder job with a stellar spring training.^[26] His spring training performance continued into the regular season. Hamilton, usually slotted fourth in the Texas batting order, led all major league players in RBIs for the month of April. He was named American League (AL) Player of the Month after hitting .330 with 32 RBIs during the month. Hamilton then went on to win player of the month for the second straight month in May, becoming the first AL player in baseball history to be awarded Player of the Month for the first two months of the season.^[27] Hamilton was featured on the cover of the June 2, 2008 issue of Sports Illustrated, in a story chronicling his comeback.^[1] On July 9, 2008, Hamilton hit the first walk-off home run of his career, against Francisco Rodríguez.^[28][29]

Fans selected Hamilton as one of the starting outfielders for the AL at the MLB All Star Game at Yankee Stadium. He finished first in voting among outfielders.^[30] He was one of seven first-time starters in the game. Along with Kosuke Fukudome, Geovany Soto, and Ryan Braun, he was one of four who had made their MLB debut in 2007 or 2008.^[31] He was selected to participate in the 2008 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby the evening before the game. Hamilton selected 71-year-old Clay Council to throw to him during the Derby. Council^[32] was a volunteer who threw batting practice for him as a child in Raleigh, North Carolina.^[33] In the first round of the event Hamilton hit 28 home runs, breaking the single-round record of 24 set by Bobby Abreu in 2005.^[34][5] Hamilton ended up hitting the most total home runs in the contest with 35, but lost in the final round to Justin Morneau, as the scores were reset.^[35] His record-setting first round included 13 straight home runs at one point, and 7 that went further than 500 feet (150 m). His longest home run was 518 feet.^[5][35] In 2006, when Hamilton was trying to get back into baseball, he had a dream in which he participated in a Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium, but he could not remember how many home runs he had hit. After the Derby, Hamilton said: "This was like living the dream out, because like I've said, I didn't know the ending to that dream."^[36]

On August 17, he was intentionally walked with the bases loaded against the Rays in the bottom of the ninth, with the Rays leading 7–3, to bring Marlon Byrd to the plate. The Rays went on to win the game 7–4. Hamilton thus became the sixth player in history to receive an intentional walk with the bases loaded.^[37] Joe Maddon said after the game, "We didn't want Hamilton to hit a home run. He's got 28, and Marlon Byrd's got 8." Hamilton finished seventh in the balloting for AL MVP, behind Dustin Pedroia, Justin Morneau, Kevin Youkilis, Joe Mauer, Carlos Quentin, and Francisco Rodríguez.^[38]

2009[link]

In spring training, Hamilton led all players in RBIs, with 27, and total bases, with 59, in 81 at bats. He hit a 460 ft (140 m) home run into the right field home run porch off Angels reliever Shane Loux in the bottom of the eighth inning on May 15 in Arlington. Then, in the same series against the Angels, on May 17 Hamilton leaped at the wall in center field and slammed into it, robbing Howie Kendrick of a possible home run.^[39]

Hamilton spent a portion of 2009 on the disabled list, with a bruised rib cage and an abdominal strain. After visiting doctors in Philadelphia on June 8, 2009, they found a slight abdominal tear, and he underwent a successful surgical operation to repair it the next day. He was expected to be out 4–6 weeks.

Though injured, he was selected by fan voting to play in the 2009 All-Star game,^[40][41] where he was joined by teammates Michael Young and Nelson Cruz. Hamilton finished batting .268 with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs in 2009.

2010: An MVP season[link]

Hamilton would finish as the AL batting champion, make his third All-Star game, and win the ALCS MVP in 2010

In 2010, Hamilton was moved to left field to put young outfielder Julio Borbon in center field. As in his prior two seasons with the Rangers, Hamilton was again selected to start in the 2010 All-Star Game, as one of six members of the Rangers to represent the franchise at the All-Star Game. Hamilton entered the All-Star Break with a .346 batting average, second in the AL to Miguel Cabrera's .346 batting average.

On August 27, he set a Ranger record with his 24th three-hit game of the season.^[42] On September 4, Hamilton bruised his rib cage after making a leaping catch into the outfield wall. He was sidelined for almost a month and returned to play with only three games left in the regular season. He hit a home run the next day.

His talent and popularity have earned him a litany of nicknames including "The Hammer"; "Hambino", referencing to the great Babe Ruth; "The Natural";^[43] and "Hambone" his high school nickname tattooed on his arm.

Hamilton hit for a league-leading .359 average in 2010, winning his first batting title. This was the fourth-best batting average since the end of the 2004 season. He also finished fourth in Major League Baseball in On-Base Percentage (.411), first in Slugging Percentage (.633) and On-Base Plus Slugging (1.044), and tied for tenth in home runs (32), despite missing 29 games due to an injury. He was also one of just 25 players to have 100 RBIs.^[44] His performance in 2010 made him a front-runner for the AL MVP Award. Hamilton won the AL Players Choice Award for Outstanding Player in 2010.^[45]

On October 22, Hamilton and the Rangers won the 2010 ALCS. It was the first time in Rangers history they had gone to a World Series. To get there they had to beat the defending Champions the New York Yankees.^[46] With four home runs, 7 RBIs, and the recipient of several intentional walks in the AL Championship Series win against the Yankees, he won the ALCS MVP Award.^[47] On November 23, 2010 Hamilton was voted the AL MVP.^[48]

2011[link]

Hamilton avoided arbitration by signing for 2 years and $24 million on February 10, 2011, with the Texas Rangers. On April 12, in Detroit, he suffered a fracture to his right humerus on a play at home plate. On May 18, he began a rehab assignment at the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders. He returned to the Rangers' lineup on May 23, and went 2–4 against Chicago White Sox pitcher John Danks, hitting his first home run of the season on the second pitch he saw during his first at bat.^[49] He was an All Star in 2011.^[50]

On July 7, during a home game at Rangers Ballpark, a fan died while catching a foul ball tossed into the stands by Hamilton. The fan, Shannon Stone, leaned over the rail to catch the ball and fell 20 feet behind the scoreboard. He was transported to a hospital, but died on the way. After learning the news after the game, Hamilton was said to be distraught. It was the third incident in which a fan fell out of the stands at Rangers Ballpark.^[51]. On September 30, the son of the fallen firefighter and his mother returned to Rangers Ballpark for the first time after the incident. The son, eight-year-old Cooper Stone, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Hamilton to start the American League Division Series. Hamilton proceeded to exchange multiple hugs with the family.

In 2011, Hamilton batted .298 with 25 home runs.^[50] He was 3rd in the American League in sacrifice flies (10), 6th in intentional walks (13), and 8th in slugging percentage (.536).^[50]

2012[link]

Hamilton hit .395 with 9 home runs and 25 RBI during the month of April and was named the league's AL Player of the Month.^[52] His home run total for the month tied a franchise record for April with four other Rangers. Hamilton is out with a break out season batting for the triple crown and mvp.^[53] On May 8, 2012, Hamilton went 5-for-5 with four home runs and a double for a total of 8 RBI against the Baltimore Orioles. In doing this, he not only became just the 16th player in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in one game and first since Carlos Delgado in 2003, but also now holds the AL record for most total bases in a game at 18.^[7][54]

Personal life[link]

Family[link]

Hamilton is of Scottish descent and is married to Katie (née Chadwick), the daughter of one of the men (Michael Chadwick) who helped him in his quest to get clean. They started dating in 2002 when Hamilton returned to Raleigh, and married in 2004.^[55][56] Katie has a daughter, Julia, from a previous relationship, and together she and Hamilton have three daughters, Sierra, Michaela Grace, and Stella Faith.^[57]

Drug addiction and alcoholism[link]

Josh Hamilton

Hamilton's struggles with drugs and alcohol are well documented. He finally got clean after being confronted by his grandmother, Mary Holt.^[58] In May 2008 Hamilton said he had not used drugs or alcohol since October 6, 2005.^[1]

When giving a brief summary of his recovery, Hamilton says simply: "It's a God thing."^[21] He does not shy away from telling his story, speaking to community groups and fans at many functions.^[59] He frequently publicly tells stories of how Jesus brought him back from the brink and that faith is what keeps him going. Hamilton also wrote an autobiography called Beyond Belief which explains how he quit drugs and alcohol and found a relationship with God.^[56] His wife Katie sometimes accompanies him, offering her perspective on his struggles as well.^[25]

To comply with the provisions of MLB's drug policy, Hamilton provides urine samples for drug testing at least three times per week.^[60] Rangers' coach Johnny Narron says of the frequent testing: "I think he looks forward to the tests. He knows he's an addict. He knows he has to be accountable. He looks at those tests as a way to reassure people around him who had faith."^[56]

In late 2008 Hamilton, among other celebrities such as Brian Welch and Greg Ellis, appeared in testimonial videos called "I Am Second", in which he shares his story of recovering from drug use with the help of his faith.^[61][62]

A portion of his return to sobriety was shown on The Learning Channel's reality show "The Real Deal". “A Home Run for Trademark” aired March 31, 2007, and chronicled the renovation of Shoeless Joe Jackson's house during 2006. Richard C. Davis, the owner of Trademark Properties hired Hamilton as the construction foreman. Davis was negotiating the purchase of a minor league baseball team and entertaining the idea of giving him a chance to join the team.^[63]

Hamilton's teammates – mindful of his past struggles – have chosen to celebrate major events (such as the Rangers wins over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 of the 2010 American League Division Series, and again when they beat the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the 2010 American League Championship Series) with ginger ale instead of champagne.^[64] The Rangers repeated the celebrations with ginger ale the following postseason when they won their second consecutive pennant and reached the 2011 World Series.

Nightclub incidents[link]

Hamilton confirmed he suffered a slip in early 2009 after photos were released in August 2009. Sports blog Deadspin.com posted photos of Hamilton shirtless in a bar in Tempe, Arizona, with several women. According to reports, witnesses saw Hamilton drinking, heard him asking where he could obtain cocaine, and heard him reveal his plans to go to a strip club later that evening. The photos do not show Hamilton drinking or taking any illegal drugs.^[65]

Prior to Hamilton's public admission Johnny Narron, a Rangers special assignment coach and Hamilton's mentor, said he doubted the validity of the photos, telling Deadspin.com, "I'm sure, in the depths of his drug addiction, he was in a lot of bars. He was in and out of bars, "crackhouses", everything. There are probably photographs of him in all kinds of places."^[66] When responding, Narron had not seen the photos and was told they were taken during March 2009, not two months prior when the incident took place.^[67]

Although this news did not break until August 2009, Hamilton revealed that he had informed his wife, the Texas Rangers, and Major League Baseball the day after the incident occurred. Hamilton called a press conference on August 8 to discuss the photos.^[68] Regarding the incident Hamilton said

"Obviously it was one those things that reinforce that I can't have alcohol. I got away from the one thing that kept me on the straight and narrow and that was my relationship with the Lord. That should always come first. Hopefully some good will come out of this. It just crossed my mind that night, 'Can I have a drink?' Obviously I can't and this reinforces that. Since that night, I have not had another thought like that. I know it's something I shouldn't do because it leads to other things."

Hamilton also admitted he had very little memory of the night after getting drunk, and did not know about the contents of the photos. Hamilton did not see the photos after their release, but listened on the phone as his wife described them to him. After the press conference Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said "My first reaction in January was one of concern. Since then I've talked to a lot of people and they say it was significant that he came forward immediately and was honest about it." Major League Baseball tested Hamilton for illegal drugs two days after the incident and he passed that test.^[69]

On February 2, 2012 it was reported that Hamilton had suffered a second slip with alcohol. He claims to have had 2 or 3 drinks before inviting his friend and teammate, Ian Kinsler, to talk at the bar. ^[70] Hamilton held a press conference on February 3, 2012, to apologize for his actions.^[71]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal

• List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
• List of Major League Baseball batting champions
• List of Major League Baseball Most Valuable Players

References[link]