For all of you talking heads that were claiming that the Rangers should be shopping Hamilton at the trade deadline, 19-4 says loud and clear that we are on a completely different level with him in the lineup. Don't get me wrong, the guy drives me insane with the head-first slides, but overall this guy has got to be the Most Valuable Player in baseball (i know he wont get the actual award this year, because of injury, but what i am saying is that when in the lineup he HAS to be as valuable or more valuable than any other player in the game.)

All in all, I feel like when we are completely healthy we are by far and away the best team in the
West, if not the AL. If the pitching and health can hold steady, LOOK OUT! This team can do it all! Go Rangers!

They should hold onto Josh Hamilton until his FA comes up. He's too good when healthy. He's truly a game changer.

Who said we should be shopping Hamilton?

In fairness, the people who were/are looking to shop Hamilton couldn't have guessed that our pitching would be doing this well this far into the season. Joey hit on the point yesterday of how incredible it is that have no starting pitching depth, and only having 3 starts by someone other than The Fab 5.

Also, it isn't realistic to believe that Texas will continue on a nearly 5:1 run with Hamilton in the lineup for the rest of the season. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we aren't a much better team with him in the lineup, just simply saying that this is a small sample size and this hot team will cool down as the summer drags on.

When he got hurt, there was a long discussion on here (forum) about moving him before his contract is up. I said then, and I say now - Hamilton is more valuable than even his numbers suggest...he makes everyone in the lineup better, he gives the entire team more confidence, I think he's the heart and soul of this team. He's my favorite player since Pudge...I hope he retires a Ranger

Sorry - It may have been someone else (Durrett maybe?) who brought up the pitching stats yesterday. I can't find it anywhere.

I think this obvoiusly has more to do with the bullpen struggles that the Rangers had while Josh was out than it has to do with Josh's presence in the lineup. When Josh got hurt the Rangers were coming off their hot start and pitching injuries caused the audition of a few minor league pitchers while he was out. Also, Darren Oliver lost a few games in that stretch because he was being over taxed as well as pushed into the closer's role because Feliz was hurt. Cruz was also hurt during some of that time.

Anyways, I love Hamilton but it seems a little silly in light of the circumstances to assume that he was some awesome factor in the winning percetage when he is playing. Just when he got back the bullpen started to come around in addition to getting Cruz and Feliz back, not to mention the fact that since he has been back the starting pitching has been rediculous good giving rest to the bullpen and allowing them to get their mojo back.

Not taking anything away from Josh, but what's the record when both Josh and Nellie are in the line up? What's the record when Nellie's in the line up?

I beliieve the record is 25-18 when Cruz is in the lineup..

Trey - It seems that you can find this info better than I. Could you find these?

Record
With Hamilton, without Cruz
Without Hamilton, with Cruz
With Neither
With Both

Adam,

The Rangers are 19-4 in the 23 games Hamilton has played, and 25-18 in 43 games when Cruz is in the lineup. When they both play i would assume the record is 19-4 because Cruz has been healthy and a regular in the lineup when Josh has beern in there (Cruz got hurt and went to DL when Hamilton was on DL and they both returned on the same day). When neither is in the lineup, not suprisingly the Rangers are only 7-9 if my counting is accurate.

Well of course your going to win more games when your best player is in the line-up the problem is HES ALWAYS GETTING HURT. Rangers should let him go during FA and get two draft picks for him, too much risk in his britle bones.

I don't know why most just don't judge Hamvp for his pure baseball ability,
rather than money, numbers, injuries and the balance of left criticisms.
Things don't always balance out to be a pragmatic & correct choice. IF so;
When your left foot is in a bucket of Ice Water and your right foot is in Boiling Water...
you ought to be perfectly comfortable, right?

The question of trading Hamilton has to do with a variety of factors, including signability, health, the wisdom of a long-term deal given price and health, and, perhaps more than anything else, how much you can get by trading him and how much more that's worth than a pair of comp picks if he walks via FA. I still say that if you can't sign him long term after this season at what the FO thinks is a viable long-term price, you have to put out feelers to the rich clubs of the world about what he would yield in return in a trade. If the Yankees are going to sign him in 2013 anyway, and they'll pony up Montero ans 2 premium pitching prospects to acquire him a year ealry, I think you have to do it. Then maybe you fill his lineup spot by moving Moreland to the OF and signing Pujols with the money you just saved dealing Josh, and you have Montero and 2 premium pitching prospects to build your future around. It's something that at least needs to be explored.

Agree with HubZ and Scooby's last posts here. I agree that if you aren't going to be able to resign him, you'd be foolish not to explore what you could get in return. Hamilton in pinstripes is quite possibly the worst mental image I've ever had. Thanks for that.

What about Hamilton in pinstripes on the DL at 20+ MIll a year while Montero is the next Miguel Cabrera for the Rangers?