Josh Hamilton, Alcohol, And The Texas Rangers' Policy

Read More: Josh Hamilton (CF - TEX), Texas Rangers

So by now we all know that Josh Hamilton recently relapsed by having a few alcoholic drinks. A large part of me thinks it's regrettable that we all know about Josh Hamilton's relapse, but celebrity is celebrity and this is our world. Josh Hamilton had a few drinks. This is the big Friday story. Maybe this is the big Friday story. I understand there's a football game on Sunday but I'm pretty sure they already played that football game a few years ago.

This is the second time that Hamilton has relapsed since October 2005. At least, we think this is the second time that Hamilton has relapsed since October 2005. I don't mean to insinuate that Hamilton is a liar or anything but we can't completely dismiss the possibility that there have been other instances. Anyway, from last time, a thing:

The Rangers announced a "zero tolerance" policy toward drinking when they acquired Hamilton from the Cincinnati Reds in December 2007.

"I'd hesitate to say it's something we're going to put behind us, but we're not going to allow this to become a distraction the rest of the season," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said.

The Rangers had a zero tolerance policy. The Rangers might still have a zero tolerance policy. It's just hard to know what that policy means. The policy clearly doesn't state that Hamilton will be removed from the team in the event of a relapse. It probably says that, in the event of a relapse, Hamilton must immediately seek treatment. Which he did, and which he's going to do.

Josh Hamilton: two fleeting relapses, years apart. It's such a big story. It's such a not-big story. I wish that we didn't have this story.