CBS baseball writer Jon Heyman is reporting that Josh Hamilton’s meeting with the MLB about a disciplinary issue was about more than your standard performance-enhancing drugs.
Hear hamilton had relapse. Believe occurred a couple months back. Involved at least cocaine. Honorably, he confessed.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) February 26, 2015
Honorably. Nice.
There’s no word of a failed test. Word is, Hamilton told mlb about relapse. He’d be put in program as 1st time offender. — Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) February 26, 2015
Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal also weighed in on the alleged relapse.
Asked a baseball executive if Hamilton’s discipline was for PEDs. His response: “Worse.” The executive declined to elaborate.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 25, 2015
You might remember, since ESPN jammed it down your throat during the 2008 Homerun Derby, that Josh Hamilton had a very serious addiction to cocaine and alcohol. So much so that it kept him out of baseball from 2003-2005.
Hamilton, who is entering his third year of a five-year, $125 million contract, met with MLB officials in New York today to discuss what was originally reported as “disciplinary issues” by the LA Times. If that alleged “discipline” is stemming from a relapse into drug use, then it will be a very long, arduous journey for Hamilton to make it back to the MVP-caliber player he once was.
New MLB commissioner Rob Manfred hasn’t been the head honcho long, but his first potential scandal is a doozy that will put him under the microscope. Hopefully, for Hamilton’s sake, he makes moves that are unilaterally good for Josh Hamilton so he can get the help he so clearly needs.
By the way, do not read this article and think I am giving Josh Hamilton pity. Not the case whatsoever. If all this is true and Hamilton did relapse, then another season-long suspension — worth $25 million this time around — should be the jumping off point for disciplinary discussions, even though Heyman claims he would be considered a first time offender. Which is mind blowing in and of itself.
[deadspin]
