## Josh Hamilton has been traded back to the Texas Rangers. If you thought A-Rod was the king of drama, the questions surrounding Hamilton puts him in the running for crown prince at least.
* Why didn't MLB impose some kind of penalty on Hamilton for violating the substance abuse program in the MLBPA agreement?
* Why were the Angels upset that that didn't happen?
* Why won't the Angels take him back? Aren't they bound by contractual agreements to do so?
* Why did Texas want him back?
* Supposedly, Texas gives up the infamous "player to be named later" or cash considerations. Hamilton is still owed some $70 million. Who pays that?
* How long will this be a headline event?
And finally, has Josh talked to A-Rod about how to handle the media?
## Speaking of A-Rod (as we always do), this week's focus is on the reaction of the Yankees when A-Rod hits his next homer, which will be number 660, tying him with Willie Mays. Contractually, he is then owed an additional $6 million as a marketing bonus. The Yanks claim it is no longer a marketable event because he has tainted the numbers with his PED situations.
What makes it marketable? In theory, the Yankees thought they could play up the milestone and thus sell many more tickets and add additional souvenir items to their team store. Now they say that can't happen and it's A-Rod's fault. Thus, no bonus. So who decides if the milestone is marketable or not? Not A-Rod and not the Yankees. It's the fans. Listen to the Yankee Stadium fans when A-Rod comes to the plate. Listen to the cheers when he does something with the bat, especially if he hits a homer. Furthermore, listen to the boos that accumulate in rival stadiums. Whether they cheer or boo, the fans are paying money to attend the games to voice their opinion. That makes him marketable.
I'm no huge A-Rod fan and lord knows he doesn't need the money, but I don't see how the Yanks can prevent it.
Side note: it will be very interesting to see how Michael Kay handles it when A-Rod does hit the next one. Kay is paid in part by the Yankees, so will he play it up big or pass it off?
## John Kruk and Curt Schilling can be very interesting, but they talk way too much when the game is on and not always about the game I would love to sit in my favorite pub and listen to these two go at it for hours, but in the booth...? Could they at least mention the game once in a while? Shouldn't Joe Buck TRY to control them? At one point, Schilling tried to make a point that made no sense whatsoever. I had the game on DVR and replayed it a couple of times and there was still not a sensible sentence in the whole tirade. Just to make your week, we will have to listen to them again next Sunday when NY plays in Boston. I can hardly wait. (Well, yes I can)
## Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals #1 starter got hurt while batting last week. It's a season ending injury. Max Scherzer, Washington's $30 million a year man got hurt while batting last week. He will miss at least one start. Scherzer later said that the NL should begin using the DH. "Who'd people rather see hit: Big Papi or me? Who would people rather see, a real hitter hitting home runs or a pitcher swinging a wet newspaper?" I'm old school but I'm not a purist. I'm with Max.
***THEY SAID IT***
" If Bruce Jenner feels he has “always been a woman”, is this a small
twisted revenge on all those East German Olympic women’s medal winners?" -- Janice Hough
"Vancouver
came last in a new ranking of the happiest cities in Canada. Initially
Edmonton was last, but they jumped to first after the NHL draft lottery." -- RJ Currie
" The New York Knicks offered free concession food at Fan Appreciation Night. “Signs you’ve had a disappointing season ..." -- Brad Dickson
"Florida State QB Jameis Winston, who a year ago said he inadvertently
walked out of a Publix market with unpaid-for seafood, now says a store
employee told him he could take it. Sounds like his audibles could use a little speeding up." -- Dwight Perry
"The Boston Celtics shuffled their lineup for Game 4 today against the
Cleveland Cavaliers. Guess this is the NBA version of re-arranging deck
chairs on the Titanic." -- Janice Hough
"There is a Kickstsarter campaign to raise money for a National Bobblehead Hall of Fame. Maybe Pete Rose can get in this one." -- Brad Dickson
"LeBron’s 10-year-old son drops 40 points on Celtics on ‘Take Your Kids to Work Day." -- SportsPickle.com
CP-
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