Josh Hamilton: The Super-Natural

The Texas Rangers are an unsuccessful franchise. Though their infamy does not stretch to the proportions of the Chicago Cubs, who have not won the World Series in a hundred years, D/FW's boys of summer have trudged out more mediocrity than internet bloggers. (Note: The author includes himself in that category) For thirty plus years, the Rangers have won only two division championships and have never advanced to the World Series. In fact, they have yet to win a playoff series of any kind.

As a result of the perpetual procession of suck, it doesn't require much for Rangers fans to get excited. Josh Hamilton was an off season acquisition with a checkered past and boatload of unrealized talent. To call his story inspirational is equivalent to summarizing this franchises' last three decades of baseball as a slump. Redeemed from a frightening addiction to drugs and booze through a loving community and a recommitment to faith in Jesus, he has turned a life that was careening out of control into a testimony that could include one of the most impressive single seasons in Rangers history. If you're not familiar with his story, I can't encourage you too strongly to read a couple of articles which have surfaced in the last two years since his reinstatement to baseball.

A summary of Josh's story by Rangers beat writer, Evan Grant
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/012708dnspowebrangersz.218a1b6.html

A personal testimony by Josh of God's hand in his life
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2926447

Keep in mind that both of these stories were published before this season began. In which, Josh has made as compelling a story to be named "Sportsman of the Year" as anyone not named Michael Phelps. The baseball writers across the country award "Player of the Month" honors to the most valuable player in each league for a particular month.

Josh's torrid start in the first month of the season earned him the accolade for the American League as he topped virtually every statistical category in April. His fans, which seemed to increase with each new city he visited, enjoyed an offensive display that would have been the highlight of many Hall of Famers' career, let alone a second year player who was facing most of the league's pitchers for the first time. The problem is that most of his supporters, even die-hard Ranger fans, don't give that month its due praise. Because in May, he was BETTER! Not in the history of the "Player of the Month" award in the American League had someone won it in both April and May. The award was first presented in 1974.

Needless to say, "Josh-fever" has hit the metroplex in a big way. Homemade signs from the Ballpark in Arlington read "Hamilton is my homeboy" or ""Superman wears Josh Hamilton." In fact, with his 95 RBIs before the All-Star Break, Hamilton has established himself as the heart of a Rangers nine that statistically ranks among the best in the league offensively. Honestly, "Superman's" most difficult task this summer is how to stay humble while standing in an ever brightening spotlight.

Yet the reports from across baseball say he has handled the whole experience unbelievably well. Swarmed by autograph seekers, Josh is usually the last Ranger, sometimes the only one, signing outside the clubhouse before and after games. At every stop, people ask him the same questions and detractors hurl the same insults, but Hamilton's humble demeanor has remained as fixed as his message: without Jesus, he would probably be dead.

Josh Hamilton is my favorite baseball player ever, and I have only been following him for two years. This past winter, when I heard the announcement of his trade to the Rangers, I was excited and nervous for him and my team. The Rangers paid dearly for their MVP-caliber center fielder, as they sent one of their best young pitchers to the Cincinnati Reds in the exchange. The sports commentators, not known for their graciousness or their faith in humanity or God, voiced strong concern over the deal, and I knew that the trade's potential to blow up in the Rangers face was very strong. If Josh relapsed, he would be banned from baseball, maybe, permanently, and no one knew if the toil from the addiction was so much that he would not be able to hold up physically as the season wore on. However, I believed in Josh's testimony of redemption (the story he wrote for ESPN came out when he was with the Reds). Additionally, if it turned out he combined his great story with the talent he possesses in spades, he will go down as the most beloved Ranger in the history of the franchise, no matter how bleak that has been. I am an optimist when it comes to God working, and so disagreeing with the talking heads from the radio, I believed Hamilton would live up to the promise.

Understatement of the year: He met my expectations.

Next blog post: The night I felt most proud to be a Ranger this year.