Obviously, there is a big difference between drinking and shooting up.

That said, Hamilton took his “relapse” very seriously, and immediately reported it to the Rangers — because he believes that it’s a slippery slope, and that by getting drunk, he put himself in a position where he’d start asking for cocaine.

As for the use of the term “hero” – well, he’s just a baseball player. And even though he brought the evils he’s overcome upon himself, he has kicked a very serious drug habit and rebuilt his life, and saved his marriage and his family, which is pretty “heroic” by any standard.

The Cubs would have paid a small sum for Hamilton, and he started hitting from the get-go.

You bring him to spring training, where, as we all know, he hit .410 with power, and you go from there. If he had failed, he would have been Tampa’s problem.

Besides, didn’t we break camp with Angel Pagan or some such that year? We had spots on the 25-man roster being taken up by Murton, Craig Monroe, Pagan, and a host of other useless players throughout that season. The Cubs could have easily found room for Josh Hamilton.

It was a totally zero-risk move. And as we’ve seen, the reward was remarkably high. Hendry should have taken the opportunity, but he passed. And it was the Cubs’ loss.

When Al says

 "I might have to (add the “true story” to the sidebar) if people keep saying “we could have had Josh Hamilton”, someone has to set the record straight.

The Cubs could have had Josh Hamilton. No one can know what would have happened to Hamilton’s career if we’d kept him, but to say that the Cubs never could have had him is simply 100% false.

is somewhat understandable as I saw him win two games recently against the D’Backs with his wheels – both were games he didn’t start. But, he changed the games nonetheless.

But, hey, people make mistakes…like saying Lugo has only been with the Cardinals for a month. Sheesh yourself.

has only led off 35 games this year for the Cubs. So, no, we don’t cross the Cubs off our no speed list.

The 6 teams I listed (I could’ve listed more) were only meant to illustrate that there is a correlation between teams that struggle offensively and the lack of a true speed threat at the top of the order – just as it is demonstrable that teams that make the playoffs do have such a threat.

This is intuitively obvious, even if you can’t see it.

but since you don’t seem to get it, I’ll point it out. I’m not saying that having a speed guy leading off makes you a good team. But, as looking at the playoff teams from this year, and from past years show, it clearly is a key component of a successful team.

And just as clearly, a lot of bad teams are at least partly bad because of the lack of same.

actually, I think he has led the majors in bunt hits something like 4 of the past 5 years. But, the 37 he had in 2007 was, by far, his high water mark.

The main reason his OBP has plummeted in that his batting average fell. From 2007 to 2008 he went from .321 to .251. This year it dropped to .235, plus his BB total is half what it was in 2008. I don’t get to see Taveres that much, but first of all, he has only played in 98 games this year, so I am guessing he has been hurt. Secondly, it sounds like teams have adjusted to him and he needs to also adjust. Plus, we know Dusty Baker is not a big fan of the Base on Balls, not even from his leadoff man.

I was just saying Theriot would probably move to second base if asked. As I mention (somewhere) above, putting young at second base would probably be the ideal solution. Given the fact that he can play third base, too, he wouldn’t be all that different from…hey…Mark DeRosa.

I’m not: I was just saying Theriot would probably move to second base if asked. As I mention (somewhere) above, putting Young at second base would probably be the ideal solution. Given the fact that he can play third base, too, he wouldn’t be all that different from…hey…Mark DeRosa.