Josh Hamilton Traded to Texas

Hamilton will never wear Angel red again. Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

  
Hamilton's day's with the Angels are officially over.


By: Michael Hanley (@Magic20099)
 Josh Hamilton is officially going back to the Rangers as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports has just reported.  He had some of hsi best seasons of his career down in Arlington and will look to recapture some of that past glory in this second stint with the team.

This trade is a very straight forward one as the Angels will send the slugger back to Texas  for cash considerations or  a player to be named later and that is it. Both teams come out of this trade as winners in their own ways.

For the Angels they are able to move forward and turn the page on what has been a troubling last couple of months as they learned of Hamilton's relapse during the off season. They can now sue his roster spot to try and upgrade  the production that was lacking with Hamilton who was struggling to come close to his former great playing ways.

For the Rangers, they get to bring back a player who seems to be very focused and determined to prove people wrong that he is at the end of the line in terms of his career. He will be in a ballpark has treated him well over the years and can be in a city where their are not be as many temptations to distract him.

Southern California is a great place to play baseball  but it also has allot of temptations that also are featured there.For a ballplayer like Hamilton, who has struggled with addiction in the past, is too overwhelming to be around for any longer.

The Rangers do not have a huge obligation in terms of paying the rest of Hamilton's remaining salary from his Angels contract. As reported, it is said that Texas will only have to pay less than $7 million over the next three years. A deal that will not effect the salary cap and flexibility of the franchise whatsoever.Hamilton has the option to opt out of his remaining deal after two years.

The Angels will hope that Hamilton does not opt out as that option would trigger them having to pay for the entire buyout of him from his contract, which could get very pricy for them with the amount of money left for him to still collect.

This resolution is best for all three parties in the long run. All of them now make a clean break, can start fresh after this deal and go about their business, knowing they did right by one another in getting Hamilton into the best environment to thrive and succeed on and off the field.