Historical Hamilton

By now you've probably heard that Josh Hamilton belted 4 home runs in the Rangers vs. Orioles game on Tuesday night. By doing so, he put himself in rare company.

Overall Hamilton went 5-5 with a double, 4 home runs, 8 RBI, and 18 total bases. The 4 dingers ties a major league record, and the 18 total bases sets a new AL record. Yeah, this is kind of a big deal. Think about it this way; if you read my post on why I love baseball so much, you're familiar with how rare a perfect game is. There have been 21 perfect games in MLB history, BUT THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN 15 GAMES IN WHICH A PLAYER HAS HIT 4 HOME RUNS!!!!! (Prior to Tuesday that is, it's now 16.)  The last player to crank 4 homers was Carlos Delgado back in September of 2003 and before that Shawn Green in 2002.  Think about that for a second. Major League Baseball has been around for over a century, and this has only happened 16 times.  It has to be the most difficult/impressive feat a baseball player can accomplish in a single game. I sure can't think of another one.

The biggest continuing story with Hamilton this season is his impending free agency. Supposedly there are talks going on with the Rangers, Hamilton, and his agent, but there is nothing concrete on the horizon. While I'm not a Rangers fan, I do think Hamilton and Texas are the perfect match for each other. The fans love him and the team gave him a second and third chance at baseball after all of his drug and alcohol issues.  He's a good defensive outfielder, he's got a cannon for an arm, and obviously he's got a bat. What worries me is that if the Rangers don't sign him before the end of the season, is he'll end up a Yankee. If he's available, they're going to throw a ton of cash at him. I don't want him to go to New York for two reasons; one, I hate the Yankees and I like Josh Hamilton. But secondly, and more importantly, the pressure, and therefore temptations, for him would be much higher in NYC than they are in Arlington. The other club I could see making a serious push for him is the Dodgers. While the new ownership has said they are going to spend money, and I think he'd be  great fit in LA, I don't think he's going to want to play in the National League.

Hamilton's main concern going forward should be his health. He's never played all 162 games in a season and he does seem to be bit injury prone. Yes this comes from his all out play in the outfield, but at the same time, if you're going to spend money on a guy you think is going to produce, you need him on the field. All in all, Tuesday was a historical night for baseball, and one that Josh Hamilton will never forget. Not only that, but we've now had a perfect game and a player his 4 home runs in a game, and it's not even Memorial Day. The 2012 season is shaping up to be quite exciting.

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ESPN Dallas story and video of Hamilton's 4 home runs.