Hear me out. I will present my arguement in bullet point form

1. He is injury prone. Over the last 3 years he has averaged 126 games a year, and that average will surely drop this year after missing 50-60 games early.
2. He is due for a major bump in salary in 2 years.
3. The Rangers are already near the top end of their salary saftey zone ($92m this year and ownership has said 90-100 is where it wants to be).
4. The Rangers have CJ Wilson, Kinsler, Lewis, and Cruz about to get major bumps in pay. The economics of it all is that they can not afford to keep Hamilton and all those guys (they might not be able to keep all of them without Hamilton either).
5. They have him locked up for 2 more years, which means if they can move him at this year's trade deadline, then they can get a better price for him much like Teixeira fetched.
6. Speaking of Tex...Andrus, Feliz, and Harrison!

So, if the Rangers move Hamilton at the deadline, they shoot for 1 ML ready talent and one high ML talent (similar to the Cliff Lee deal). It would help them restock the minor league cupboard at the price of Josh Hamilton. But I would argue that the price isn't Josh Hamilton. I would argue that the price is something more along the lines of Josh Hamilton - Nelson Cruz. Because chances are high that if you sign Josh, you aren't signing Cruz when he comes up (or exchange Cruz for Wilson or Kinsler). So for the drop off from Hamilton to Cruz, you could get a beavy of prospects, one of who will likely be ML ready from the start.
Another benefit to this move is that the Rangers wouldn't be taking a chance giving a 32 year old injury prone MVP a $100m deal. Josh is dominant when he is healthy, but he will have missed significant time over the last 3 years with a ton of different injuries. When you are looking at that kind of committment, it is hard to overlook the injury history.

Yea, that sounds like a great plan to make a playoff run without your best player, AL MVP, ALCS MVP... I'm sure the rest of the team would get a real shot in the arm and play balls out when the FO trades a guy they all love and the best hitter in the game.

Is Cruz a lock to play 150 games a year?

I'd deal him if I could get pitching...

I think the players would get over it as long as they are winning. I'd be all for trading him. Either pitching or Andrew McCutcheon. I have a man-crush on him.

Trade him for Mike Stanton i got a man crush on him lol

This place is brutal on players ... really?

1.) The Tex trade is a once in a generation type trade.
2.) If we know he's damage goods why would anybody in MLB not know he's damage goods?
3.) See 2. if he's damaged goods who to say he will get a big bump in salary in 2013.
4.)a: See all the butts in seats at the Ball park wearing Ranger stuff? The payroll will be more than a 100 next year
4)b:See huge rating increase on FOX SPORTS = huge annual payday to Rangers w/new contract
5. People want to see Super Stars- D-FW is largest single team market in MLB.
6. Josh isn't going anywhere unless Josh wants to go himself.

I never understand the "this player sucks, let's trade him for awesome!" arguments

Rangers didn't want him past next year and that's the logical point to cut ties with him. No need to deal him now...take what you can get from his risk/reward until then.

Ok, gotta post a little defense of my (possibly terrible) idea. First, I got nothing wrong with Hamilton. I love him. I also love Cruz and Kinsler. I realize that there is very little likelihood that the Rangers can keep all 3 (and Wilson). Josh's injury just triggered the line of thinking in my head. I could make a very similar arguement for Cruz as well (and Kinsler to a lesser degree). Heck, why not add Cruz to the table. So take my initial post to be examining the possibility of trading Hamilton or Cruz.

Onto the damaged goods comment. Yes he is damaged goods, and yes that will reduce his salary potential, but it will likely reduce it from the $26m per year range down to the low 20s. He is one of the top 3 hitters in baseball when healthy, he is an above average fielder, and a speed guy on the bases. The epitome of a 5 tool guy. He will get paid.

The Ranger's salary going forward. I can only go on what the ownership has said, and they said they would like to be in the 90-100 range going forward. You can extrapolate whatever you want, but I am going with what the guys in charge say. And I should remind you that the 90-100 number was after they knew about the new TV contract (which doesn't kick in for a few more years).

And finally, the "this player sucks" comment. Where do I say that Hamilton sucks? He is the reigning MVP for crying out loud.

I can see where Hamilton for Josh Johnson would be a good deal. But for my own selfish reasons, I still wouldn't like it. I LOVE watching Hamilton play and would really miss him. And I think he brings some big intangibles to the clubhouse. I hope we can live this fantasy out, keep all the guys you mention, win a few rings and ride off into the clouds on pink unicorns.

@Pull T~
"Rangers didn't want him(Hamilton)past next year and that's the logical point to cut ties with him".

REALLY?

Does that logic apply to Wilson? Feliz? How 'bout Cruz? etc, etc. I think you get where I'm going.
Short contracts are a better barometer, for the next one, in the very early tenure of a ball player.

I understand everyone being frustrated with the injury-prone nature of Hamilton (as I'm sure Josh is as well). But I can't buy into this argument. I might if he starts dipping below 100 games per year on a yearly basis.

But if you get at least 100 games from this guy, at his healthiest he is a Pujols-level player. So, the market says a healthy Pujols should get $30M/yr. You got Hamilton at $12M this year and next. You ride him out, and then there's a chance that you get another bargain contract should he continue his injury woes.

Of course, if someone wants to offer an ace for Hamilton, jump on it. But to deal him for a moderate package would not play well with the players or fans. Think about it, you think Texas beats the Yankees last year in the ALCS without him?

I'm sure Josh's run in Texas isn't going to be long and successful. I absolutely love the guy, but he's simply not going to be able to stay healthy. However, as long as he's affordable and the Rangers are in contention, he's not going ANYWHERE. The Rangers FO know he is a difference maker, a pennant winner. They'll ride this out to the end, which may not be too long, but hopefully it all works out great.

The probable outcome is that at some point in the next 2 or 3 yrs, he'll turn into Ken Griffey, Jr, and not ever be on the field. Hopefully, it won't be an expensive loss for us, and I don't think it will be. If the injuries are infrequent enough to allow him to post great numbers in 2011 and/or 2012, he probably won't be affordable for us as a free agent -- would you give him $125M? Not me, but somebody will, and he'll be gone.

The only way we could afford to keep him is if he's limited to something like 200 games over this season and next -- and in that case we will probably keep him because the price will be lower and we know just what the great things are that can happen if he can stay healthy for 130 games.

Hamilton: That's why 2-3 year contracts are good choices

Exactly, HubZ. If we have learned anything, it's that he is going to need to go by 2 or 3 years at a time. I cannot recall any player, that has been as injury prone in his career as Hamilton, that has gotten a 5 year deal...teams simply cannot take that risk when it is such a large portion of their payroll. If he gets 20 mil per year, you're talking about at least 20% of the payroll going to one guy that cant be trusted to play in more than 130 games... in a good year.

Ya in theory trading him for an awesome package sounds great, but I highly doubt that any team is going to give you the type of package you want for a guy of his caliber BECAUSE of the same reasons you would be willing to move him in the first place--his injuries. His skill set, and especially the current price of those skills probably make him one of the best bargains in the league.... but if you're willing to trade that, there is obviously something wrong, and any team negotiating with the Rangers would know that more so than any of us on here. Thus, might as well just ride it out and take the awesome innings he does give you (unless a can't miss deal presents itself).

We may be able to afford him. I can't see him ever being a Jason Worth kind of Free Agent OF who signs a huge multi-year deal. A team would be absolutely nuts to do it. I doubt the Yankees we'll even be a player with all the $ they've got locked up to mid 30s guys already. He'll either get a short term big $ deal, or a long-term not-so-big $ deal. And based on his other "issue", I think he's going to want to want to limit his choices of where he wants to play. I'll bet he's going to either stay here or play somewhere close to North Carolina.

If you could trade Hamilton for Josh Johnson - you do it all day long. I think that Florida rejects that deal, though.

Still - it could happen. Hamilton + Harrison for JJ?

Hamilton was amazing last year - but I think that was an anomaly. He is good but not that good. Like mentioned above, it's going to be hard to move Hamilton b/c everyone else knows of his injury history. I still would find out what, in addition to Hamilton, it would take to get JJ and make it happen.

Good but not that good? When healthy, he's a once in a generation type talent. Best in the bigs type player. He is that good. WHEN HEALTHY

Frankly, I get tired of all the fans Rubics Cube mentality.
Everytime a semi-drama comes around, there's always
a move to remake or major adjust.The Rangers may be
the Best Team in Baseball, because of the "sum of the parts".

Hamilton's hurt. Seen it before and probably will again.
Get over it. Daniels will call you... NOT!

Today we start the Yankee series, with our "Back End".
I'm pretty pumped-up with the scenario of our young arms.
If it's not perfect, I'm sure we'll see the Ranger Rubics Cube
brought out, once more... Pretty damn twisted

@HubZ

Yet when I suggested there's no need to deal him now, you mocked that, too...

Must be hard to keep all those alter egos straight, eh Joe?

@Adam

No, he probably isn't a "once in a generation" player when healthy. Was he in 2010? Absolutely. Was he in 2009? Nowhere close. 2008? Nope. Was he so far in 2011? Nope. He has a sub-800 OPS against lefties for his career (including .789 in his MVP year). Hamilton is average against lefties, has had one amazing year and one good year (sandwiched around a very poor year) and he doesn't play a premiere defensive position. That is not a "once in a generation" type player, IMO.

Don't get me wrong, he is a very, very good player but saying that he is good "when healthy" is like saying that Rich Harden is good "when he's on." IOW, it doesn't happen very often.

If Hamilton didn't have injury issues, he would have top 10-15 value (but still not top 5). Because he simply cannot stay on the field, I think he is closer to the top 25 or top 30 area. That is still a damn good player, though.

@Pull T
Soo Joe is HubZ AND John Rhadagan?????

Josh Hamilton is NOT a once a generation player. He is not Albert Pujols, or Vlad, or ARod, or Longoria, or maybe even Manny. He's great. Not good, great. But there are a number who have been better over the last decade, and I submit that Nellie Cruz is still rising and will surpass Josh soon enough.