Josh Hamilton: A Baseball Reference

Josh Hamilton is a American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball He has also played for the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He is a five-time MLB All-Star and was the American League Most Valuable Player in 2010.

Hamilton’s Early Years

Josh Hamilton was born on May 21, 1981, in Raleigh, North Carolina He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the first round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his Major League debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007.

Hamilton was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2008. He helped lead the Rangers to the World Series in 2010 and 2012. He was named the American League Most Valuable Player in 2010.

In 2013, Hamilton signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was traded back to the Rangers in 2015.

Hamilton’s Time with the Rangers

Josh Hamilton played for the Texas Rangers from 2008 to 2012. During that time, he was one of the most productive players in baseball He was a five-time All-Star, won the American League MVP Award in 2010, and led the Rangers to two World Series appearances.

Hamilton’s time with the Rangers was not without its challenges, however. He struggled with injuries and substance abuse, and his personal life was often tumultuous. Despite all of that, he was one of the most popular players on the team, and his fans will always remember his time in Texas fondly.

Hamilton’s Time with the Angels

In his five seasons with the Angels, Josh Hamilton was one of the best hitters in baseball. He made the All-Star team in each of those seasons, and he won the American League MVP award in 2010.

Hamilton was never able to replicate his success from his time with the Rangers, however. In Los Angeles he batted .255/.316/.426, which are all pretty significant drop-offs from his career numbers. He also struggled with injuries, appearing in only 380 games over those five seasons.

Hamilton’s Time with the Reds

Josh Hamilton made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007. He played for the Reds for three years before being traded to the Texas Rangers in 2010.

Hamilton was an immediate impact player for the Reds. In his rookie season, he hit .292 with 19 home runs and 47 RBIs in 298 plate appearances. He followed that up with a strong sophomore campaign, hitting .280 with 21 homers and 95 RBIs in 583 plate appearances.

However, Hamilton struggled mightily in his third and final season with the Reds. He hit just .260 with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs in 486 plate appearances. The Reds ultimately decided to trade him to the Rangers during the 2010 offseason.

Hamilton’s Time with the Rangers (again)

Josh Hamilton was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the first-round of the 1999 MLB Draft He made his Major League debut with the Devil Rays in 2007, and was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in December of 2007. He would play four seasons with the Reds, before being traded to the Texas Rangers in mid-season of 2008. Hamilton would play parts of five seasons with the Rangers, winning an AL MVP Award in 2010. In 2012, however, he was traded back to the Angels (now his current team) in a five-player deal.

Hamilton’s Time with the Angels (again)

Josh Hamilton played for the Angels from 2013 to 2015. He was traded to the Texas Rangers in December 2015.

During his time with the Angels, Hamilton had some great moments. In 2013, he hit four home runs in one game against the Rangers. The following season, he was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player

However, Hamilton also struggled during his time with the Angels. He battled injuries and drug addiction and was released by the team in April 2015.

Hamilton’s Time with the Rangers (again)

Josh Hamilton played for the Texas Rangers from 2008 to 2012, then was traded to the Los Angeles Angels He played for the Angels for two seasons before returning to the Rangers in 2015. Hamilton was a five-time All-Star with the Rangers, and won the American League MVP award in 2010.

Hamilton’s Retirement

Josh Hamilton announced his retirement from baseball on Friday. The former AL MVP was unable to latch on with a team this offseason after struggling mightily in 2018.

Hamilton, who turns 38 in May, was a five-time All-Star and won the AL MVP award in 2010. He was also the centerpiece of the Texas Rangers’ back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.

Hamilton’s career will be defined by his battle with drug and alcohol addiction. He first entered rehab in 2001 and had several relapses over the years. He last played in the majors in 2015 and has been out of baseball since.

Hamilton’s Legacy

Josh Hamilton is a former Professional Baseball outfielder who played for the Cincinnati Reds Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was a five-time MLB All-Star and won the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award in 2010.

Hamilton is considered one of the best pure hitters in baseball history He has a career .304 batting average and .549 Slugging percentage and he is one of only 17 members of the 300–300 club (300 Home Runs and 300 stolen bases). He is also one of only four major leaguers to hit at least 40 home runs in a season while batting .300 or better three times.

Hamilton’s story off the field has been well-documented and publicized. He overcame drug addiction and alcoholism after being drafted first overall in 1999, but his relapse in 2012 led to his eventual retirement from baseball.

Despite his well-publicized struggles, Hamilton’s on-field play was consistently excellent throughout his career. He will go down as one of the best players of his generation and one of the best pure hitters in baseball history

Josh Hamilton: A Baseball Reference