Angels Trade Josh Hamilton To Rangers

[key2win]

Los Angeles Angels prepared to part with Josh Hamilton

Thank goodness. Horrible signing from the get go. Considering they didnt have to pay 100% of his contract to buy him out is a victory.

Josh Hamilton likely is headed back to the Texas Rangers.

The Los Angeles Angels are "very close" to finalizing a deal to send Hamilton to the Rangers, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN.com on Friday. Hamilton would be rejoining the franchise with which he made five straight All-Star teams and won the American League MVP award in 2010. He also helped lead the Rangers to back-to-back AL pennants in 2010 and '11.

MLB.com earlier reported the deal, with sources telling the website a trade likely will be announced Monday after legal work between the teams is completed.

The Angels owe Hamilton $83 million through 2017. Yahoo! Sports reported that the Rangers are expected to pay about $15 million, with Los Angeles paying the difference.

Hamilton, 33, has been a major disappointment since signing a five-year, $125 million contract with the Angels in December 2012. He hit .255 with a .741 OPS in his first two seasons in Anaheim and has missed the start of this season with a shoulder injury.

He also suffered a substance-abuse relapse during the offseason and did not report to Angels spring camp in Arizona as he rehabbed his shoulder. Three weeks ago, an arbitration panel ruled that he would not be suspended -- paving the way for him to return in May once his shoulder has healed.

The Angels made it clear through their public comments that they were unhappy with the panel's decision and resistant to having the outfielder rejoin the team. General manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement that the Angels had "serious concerns about Josh's conduct, health and behavior,'' and club president John Carpino told reporters that it "defies logic" that Hamilton wasn't suspended under MLB's drug program.

Earlier this month, owner Arte Moreno said he wasn't sure whether Hamilton ever would play again for the Angels. Moreno said Hamilton's contract contained language protecting the team against a relapse by the outfielder. The Major League Baseball Players Association later denied Moreno's assertion.

Angels players and coaches have supported Hamilton since his relapse. Manager Mike Scioscia and several teammates had dinner with him during the team's recent series in Houston.

Even as he has struggled with the Angels the past two seasons, Hamilton still has hit well in Texas. In 70 plate appearances at Globe Life Park since 2013, he has hit .339 (21-of-62). Only Seattle Mariners second baseman Kyle Seager (.395) has posted a better average there over that span.

The Rangers, meanwhile, could use outfield help.

Their outfield ranks 29th and 28th this season in batting average (.194) and OPS (.576), respectively, entering Friday night.

[tex27]

i'll be curious to see how this plays out. a lot of people here are not thrilled with this considering how he left. if rangers struggle this year (which seems very likely) and hamilton doesn't play well (which also seems likely), this could be the end for Jon Daniels (GM)

[key2win]

Josh Hamilton traded from Los Angeles Angels to Texas Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Josh Hamilton is back with the Texas Rangers after two troublesome years with the Los Angeles Angels.

Less than halfway through a five-year, $125 million contract, Hamilton was traded to American League West rival Texas on Monday for a player to be named or cash.

Hamilton returns to the team he helped reach consecutive World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011. He was the 2010 AL MVP and an All-Star each of his five seasons with Texas (2008-12).

"Over the course of the last few weeks, it became clear that Josh wanted to return to Texas," Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. "After several discussions with the Rangers, we were able to complete a trade that in the end is the right decision for everyone involved."

Los Angeles is expected to pay most of the remaining $80.2 million Hamilton is owed: $20,234,973 this year and $30 million in each of the final two seasons. As part of the trade, Hamilton agreed to give up some of the money he was due, a person familiar with the trade said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that was not announced.

Hamilton, on the 15-day disabled list recovering from offseason right shoulder surgery, is expected to report this week to the Rangers' complex in Surprise, Arizona. He is still a few weeks away from playing for Texas.

He will be re-introduced as a member of the Rangers in a news conference at 4:30 p.m. ET Monday at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Texas moved right-handed pitcher Nick Tepesch to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Hamilton on the roster.

The deal, which had to be approved by Major League Baseball and the players' association, came more than two weeks after Angels owner Arte Moreno strongly indicated that Hamilton would never play again for Los Angeles.

Hamilton never reported to the Angels this season after surgery in early February and his self-reported relapse into alcohol and cocaine use. Arbitrator Roberta Golick ruled MLB could not discipline Hamilton.

In his first stint with Texas, Hamilton hit .305 with 142 homers and 506 RBIs in 647 games. He led the majors with a .359 batting average in 2010, the season he was also the MVP of the AL Championship Series.

He never came close to duplicating that during his time with the Angels.

In 240 games the past two seasons in Los Angeles, Hamilton had 31 homers and 123 RBIs. He was limited to 89 games because of injuries last year, which ended with him going hitless in 13 at-bats as the Angels were swept in three games by Kansas City in the AL Division Series.

Hamilton, who turns 34 on May 21, always felt comfortable with the Rangers, a team prepared for and experienced in dealing with his unique situation.

Hamilton's major league debut came with Cincinnati in 2007, when he had 19 homers and 47 RBIs. That was eight years after he was the No. 1 overall pick by Tampa Bay and before falling into cocaine and alcohol addictions in the minors that derailed his career.

He acknowledged a relapse in early 2009 after he was photographed getting drunk in a bar in Arizona. He held a news conference in 2012 to apologize for another night of drinking.