Angels can now move forward sans Josh Hamilton
If Josh Hamilton had to do it all over again, the slugger says he likely would've stayed in Texas with the Rangers.
Ditto, for the Angels.
The Josh Hamilton era in Anaheim ended Monday with the former American League MVP being shipped back to Texas for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
"It's a decision that we are at peace with," Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said.
The Angels signed Hamilton to a five-year, $125 million deal following the 2012 season. Hamilton has $83 million remaining on that deal and it is believed the Angels will pay the bulk of the salary going forward, although Dipoto wouldn't comment on the cash considerations.
It just didn't work, Dipoto said. The marriage, like many others, wasn't a good match. Emotions tipped over after Hamilton self reported a drug and alcohol relapse to Major League Baseball in February.
An arbitrator ruled Hamilton would not be punished for his actions which didn't sit well with the organization.
Even before the ruling, the organization began looking for places to unload embattled star.
The division rival Rangers made the most since for all parties involved, Dipoto says.
Although Hamilton hit just .255 with 31 home runs in two seasons with the Angels, he leaves a gaping hole in the lineup.
Skipper Mike Sciocia has mentioned many times the difficulty of replacing Howie Kendrick and Hamilton in the lineup. Kendrick was traded to the Dodgers in the offseason. At the time of the trade, the Angels were under the impression Hamilton would be in the lineup. Both are now former Angels.
The good news is the club can now turn the page on the Hamilton saga, no longer worried about receiving questions about if and when Hamilton is returning.
That door has been closed.
The Angels bats have been quiet to start the season but during the last home stand appeared to have come alive thanks to a pair of 15-hit games. The team is now hitting .227 on the year, which is 23rd in Major League Baseball and up six spots from where the team was last week --next to last.
In left field, Scioscia has been relying on a platoon of Collin Cowgill and former Tampa Ray Matt Joyce.
Neither, however, are having their way at the plate.
Cowgill is hitting .184 while Joyce is hitting .140, which makes Hamilton's .255 in two seasons with the club look even more impressive.
Grant Green was recently called up and, perhaps, can give the club some offensive pop in left field. Green was hitting .328 at Triple-A Salt Lake at the time he was called up.
C.J. Cron has gotten the bulk of the starts as the team's designated hitter. Like Joyce and Cowgill, Cron was beneath the Mendoza Line to start the season but raised his average 146 points during the last home stand and appears to have regained the swing that helped him hit over .400 in spring training.
The Angels can now truly do what it's wanted to for the past couple of months and that's move on.
"If I could put my finger on why Josh had a tough time here, we may have been able to help him solve those issues and I'm sure if he could put his finger as to why it was such a struggle here, I'm sure he would have been able to contribute more than he did, but at the end of the day this decision is about our 25-man roster, our organization, (and) the health of this group as we move forward," Dipoto said. "We're going to part ways with Josh Hamilton, let him rejoin the Texas Rangers, and we're going to focus on Angels baseball as we move forward."