April 18--Several Angels players came away from meetings with Josh Hamilton on Thursday convinced that the outfielder has recovered from both a substance-abuse relapse and right-shoulder surgery and is ready, willing and eager to return to the team.
"The story he gave me about the incident seemed like a very tame scenario compared to reading his book and some of the scenarios that got him [banned] from baseball 12 years ago," said Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson, who met Hamilton on the team's off day in the Houston area, where Hamilton has been rehabilitating from surgery since early February.
"In that regard, I'd say he's 100% functional in terms of that stuff. I feel like he's in a good place and is doing the right things. He's going through counseling, and I think that's good for him. ... It's my 100% opinion that Josh is not a risk to himself or anybody else. That's what I feel having known him for eight years."
Hamilton, who has a long and well-chronicled addiction to cocaine and alcohol, reported a relapse to Major League Baseball in early February, but an arbitrator ruled April 3 that Hamilton did not violate baseball's drug treatment program and could not be suspended.
Angels owner Arte Moreno has taken a hard-line stance toward Hamilton, claiming the team included language in Hamilton's contract that forbade him from drinking or using drugs and that the club might challenge Hamilton's ability to collect some of the $83 million left on his contract.
Hamilton, 33, was not issued a locker in the Angel Stadium clubhouse, and merchandise bearing his name and number has been pulled from stadium team stores.
Asked if Hamilton still wants to return to the Angels in light of Moreno's sentiments, David Freese, who along with outfielders Kole Calhoun and Collin Cowgill had lunch with Hamilton on Thursday, said: "For sure. From what I hear and what I see, he's kind of ready to go. He's running, he's hitting, he's doing well. He's ready to go physically."
So what's the holdup?
"I have no idea," Freese said. "That's the stuff we don't know. That's between the Angels and him. I didn't ask. Maybe I don't want to know the answer to that."
Freese said Hamilton "is huge" physically and is in "good spirits." He described their lunch as "a good time with a buddy" more than an inquisition into what was happening between Hamilton, the Angels, MLB and the players' union. "I think it was a nice change of routine for him to see some teammates," Freese said.
Manager Mike Scioscia and bench coach Dino Ebel had dinner with Hamilton on Wednesday, and Scioscia told MLB Network Radio on Friday morning that he came away from the meeting with a feeling of "frustration" that the outfielder may not be getting enough help and support.
"We feel that there's really no clarity that he's getting the help he needs," Scioscia told the radio network. "That's a major concern. Hopefully the frustration will start to evaporate as Josh gets through his first physical rehab of getting his shoulder where he needs to be."
But Scioscia backed off those comments by the time he met with reporters at Minute Maid Park before Friday night's game against the Houston Astros.
"I don't want to talk about things we talked about," Scioscia said. "We've talked for awhile about wanting to make sure Josh gets the support and help he needs and that's still something we want to keep at the forefront.
"We're still searching for some clarity on the situation, and only time will give that to us. It was good to see him. There's nothing we need to expand on."
Some have questioned Hamilton's desire to play, but when asked if Hamilton is in a state of mind to play baseball, Wilson said, "100%. He's a baseballer. He really wants to play. He's feeling that momentum and energy internally."
