Not Another Josh Hamilton Story: A Reds' fan's point of view.

I sit around and watch the Rangers-Yankees play in order to grasp a shot at the World Series.  The futility of the Rangers franchise which almost fell into bankrupt this season and one playoff series win (the Rays, this year) versus the hated Yankees with their hundreds of millions in salaries and billion dollar stadium...not to mention their 27 World Series Titles, but there is something that I wish the Reds had more than anything the Yankees have or have had.....Josh Hamilton.  Every time Hamilton comes to the plate, I instinctively wipe away the tear that always begins to trickle down.  Cincy began the Hamilton comeback when he took him in the Rule 5 Draft.  We were destined to have the story everyone talked about, the best hitter in the league, they say.  Unfortunately, it never happened.  When I saw the headline on the front page of the Cincinnati Enquirer about Hamilton being traded, I could not believe it.  Along came Edison Volquez, our prize in the trade.  Volquez was an all-star his first season, starting 8-2, and finishing 17-6 with an era of 3.21, nothing to shake a stick at...Hamilton?  He hit 32 home runs and batted in 130.  Most talked about how the trade would work out for both teams equally, oh how we Cincinnatians laugh at that notion now.  Hamilton continues to slug away, hitting another 32 bombs and knocking in 100 RBI's this year.  What about 2010?  In only 89 games he hit 10 homers and knocked in 54 homers, equivalent to 18 home runs and 98 RBI's in a 162 games, a sub-par season by Hamilton's standards.  Oh, woe, how the Reds' have once again doomed us to misery.  Rumors are ripe that Hamilton was picked for the trade over Jay Bruce.  At the time, it was not the worst choice, but looking back, even then Hamilton was the keeper.  You can look at Hamilton's stats in his rookie season with the Reds and see he was better.  I mean you look at it as "He is a druggie, why risk it?"....ummmmmmm wasn't that the point of picking him in the first place?  Hamilton had already proven he had kicked the stuff by making it back in the first place.  The idea of risk-reward is what drives the American investor.  I guess Hamilton's talent wasn't worth the risk...I mean the fact that he was completely clean and proven he was the five-tool player everyone thought he was....wait, shit.  I mean Hamilton's stats for a rookie are astounding.  In 90 games he hit 19 homers and 47 RBI's batting a lowly .292.  It probably didn't help that this season occurred when the Reds were still bad.  Hamilton was a guy who people wanted, he brought fans to the ballpark, called for national attention, and was a great guy.  Everything he has accomplished proves he is better than most, not just as a baseball player but he rests in the 99th percentile in courage and determination.  Now, a Reds fan who can only watch as Hamilton proves himself the best talent in baseball, Hamilton makes me sniffle.

In Conclusion:  Can you imagine the Reds with a viable #4 hitter that Hamilton would provide....Continue to be great, Josh, because that's what Cincinnati needs, more pain and agony knowing we let go of the most talented player in the MLB today...sorry Albert.