Josh Hamilton back on the sauce?

[marmar]

DALLAS (AP) — Rangers outfielder and recovering drug addict Josh Hamilton had a relapse this week when he drank alcohol at a bar, The Dallas Morning News reported Thursday night.

The newspaper, citing unidentified ``individuals familiar with the episode,'' reported Hamilton was drinking at a Dallas-area bar on Monday.

In a statement to the newspaper, the Rangers said they were ``aware of a situation, but we don't have further comment at this time.''

Hamilton, 30, was suspended for more than three years for drug and alcohol use while in the Tampa Bay organization. He missed the entire 2004 and 2005 seasons. He won the AL MVP in 2010. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/sports-mlb/20120203/Rangers-Hamilton/

[seabeyond]

1. my son was so sad. 14. he feels such empathy, for everyone. for a while now,

he has been telling me about this man, and his life and all he is going thru. he told me this, this morning, and just broke my heart. cause it made my son so sad. and all the man has gone thru.

[joeybee12]

2. Any addiction is tough to kick...I hope this report is wrong...nt

[bluedigger]

3. Recovery is a process, not a destination.

I hope he gets better. He has a lot of people pulling for him.

[TBF]

6. Agree, I hope he makes it. nt

[joeybee12]

4. He spoke to the media about this...here's an account...

Josh Hamilton just spoke to the media about his falling off the wagon on Monday night in Dallas.

Hamilton said he had “a weak moment” Monday night. Brought on by “personal reasons, with a family member.” He said he walked to a restaurant and had three or four drinks. He said he called Ian Kinsler. Kinsler joined him at the restaurant, but he did not know Hamilton had been drinking. “I can be sneaky and deceptive,” Hamilton said.

After the restaurant closed, he and Kinsler went to another location where Hamilton said he didn’t drink in Kinsler’s presence, but resumed doing so after Kinsler left. He said that there were pictures taken by people and that he assumes that they’ll leak out eventually, though there wasn’t any suggestion that they’re going to be particularly interesting or salacious.

Hamilton said that he he had two drug tests since Monday and says he is clean. He said alcohol is a different thing for him and “a switch flips.” He made no excuses. “It was just wrong,” Hamilton said. He said “90 percent of the time I’m fine,” but that not everyone is fine all the time. He said he’s going “to lean on some shoulders and, hopefully, we’ll get to a point where people can lean on mine again.”

All-in-all, Hamilton sounds contrite and accountable. He plans on meeting with the league and the union in New York and to consult doctors who have dealt with his addiction in the past. I’m not sure that there is anything else he could say or do at this point. It’s, as far as anyone not close to the situation can tell, all he can do and all you’d hope to hear from him.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/03/josh-hamilton-i-had-a-weak-moment-it-was-just-wrong/related/

[TBF]

5. Those weak moments are going to kill him if he keeps it up -

I used to work in rehab many years ago (short term psych hospital). It is a very cruel disease and unfortunately the more well-off and famous you are the harder it seems to be. He needs to be terrified that he is going to relapse, and his attitude certainly does not sound like he is. He needs a good secure facility to check himself into for a few months.