"Bye, Josh.

It's too bad because Josh Hamilton might be the most talented baseball player who has ever run around Arlington. Josh Hamilton's relationship with baseball is as pure as anybody ever born.

It his relationship, however, with some other stuff that muddies everything. That puts the Rangers in the no-win position of having to say, "No, thanks" when the money gets stupid, which it will when some ambitious owner gives Hamilton the years and the money he, his agent and his union collectively seek.

It has been much theorized and debated that Hamilton's next contract will be one of the most unique in baseball history because of his well-documented substance abuse problems.

One of baseball's best players is an admitted crackhead, and he is going to be a free agent in the prime of his career. Have fun with that, Nolan.

I have no interest in standing behind my Hypocrite Pulpit to judge and condemn Josh the man and his latest incident. I don't know him, and really don't care what he did at a Dallas bar on Monday night, because it's really none of my business.

The reason the Rangers should pass on the crazy bidding war has little to do with why we are talking about Josh today, even though incidents such as this will be used as leverage in the negotiations.

If we are just talking about Josh the Addict, sign me up. Since he has become a major-leaguer, Josh has never missed a game to addiction.

Since he has become a major leaguer, Josh has missed plenty of games because of various ailments.

Statistics show that not only will addicts use again but also that players who get hurt will get hurt again and again.

But Hamilton probably cost himself a few more million with this latest relapse with alcohol."