In this parting of ways between the Angels and Josh Hamilton, some one was bound to have their feelings hurt.
Angel’s manager Mike Scioscia has come out and expressed disappointment in the lack of professionalism and class in which Hamilton left the organization. There was no heartfelt goodbye to his teammates whom he played with, or to the coaches, including Scioscia, that he interacted and learned from. It was a clean break for him and one that he will not be looking back on it seems anytime soon as he prepares for his second stint as a Texas Ranger. Here is what Scioscia had to say about Hamilton post trade (via AP):
“For him not to show at least a little remorse toward his teammates I just think is wrong,” Scioscia said. “It’s unfortunate he had his relapse but I know we supported him in every aspect whatever his needs were. Just in hearing some of his comments, the one thing I think is sad and I’m a little bit disappointed is the fact that there wasn’t any accountability most importantly to his teammates.”
It is very understandable why Scioscia would be upset and disappointed in Hamilton. The Angels organization bent over backwards to help Hamilton stay on the right track when he initially arrived in Anaheim and also was there for him when he relapsed and gave him support to lean on. That is not even mentioning the very generous contract they gave him to come to California in the first place, away from his established home base in Texas.
From his teammates to his coaches, they had to adjust and be more than just an associate and friend of his, they had to be like family to him. Knowing the very complex and difficult path Hamilton has put himself on and traveled, it was going to take everyone in that clubhouse to unite and make it a priority to make sure he was involved and felt like one of the guys.
This worked for the beginning of Hamilton’s tenure with the team. as it looked like he was getting along well with everyone and was on the path, just focusing on his game. Even with the off season news of him relapsing, his teammates and everyone with the Angels was expecting him to return and have this whole thing be past them.
Then the buzz of him wanting to go back to Texas started and everything went bust from there. The Angels were nice and courteous enough to do the work and due diligence of finding a way to satisfy Hamilton’s want in parting with the club and finding a suitable new home for him. They could have easily have done just nothing and made Hamilton stay an Angel and serve out the life of his contract, refusing to meet any sort of request by him.
For all the work the front office did to get this trade done, Hamilton could have, at the very least, apologized in person to everyone there and said thank you for all the time and days they spent trying to make him happy and keep him from going to some other place. If he would have done that, I think Scioscia and the whole franchise would have had a more sympathetic and caring reaction to his departure, instead of the muted and nearly non-existent reaction that was described when the trade was made official.
I love the fact that Scioscia came out and expressed his feelings on this situation, Hamilton should have been more thankful and more sincere in how he left the club entirely. Though the word sorry is a very simple one, when you use it in the right way, it can make a lasting impact. The situation called for at least one apology said by Hamilton, and this would have shown at least a little class. Better than showing none and having your previous employer call you “a disappointment.”
