Comments on: Because I’m often wrong…

By: tommyrancel

tommyrancel — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:02:32 +0000

I don’t think Hamilton, himself, knew this would happen, but just yesterday Andrew Friedman admitted it was a mistake to leave him unprotected. His comments come as Hamilton will make his Tropicana Field debut this week, just too bad it comes in a Rangers uniform.

By: Jonah

Jonah — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:25:37 +0000

I think the key is isolating whether or not something was a bad move at the time. You’re more plugged into the Rays’ specific situation than I am, Tommy, so you might have a better feel for whether letting Hamilton go, at the time, really seemed like it would come back to bite them. I know Hamilton was totally off my radar screen at the time.

Whereas when the Dbacks gave Eric Byrnes that big contract, then followed by selling low on Quentin, I immediately hated both moves.

By: tommyrancel

tommyrancel — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:17:28 +0000

Quentin, Young, Upton would arguably be the best OF in the game.

Another example of a smart GM making a mistake is the Rays Andrew Friedman leaving Josh Hamilton unprotected in the Rule V draft. Everybody knew Hamilton was extremely talented, but he had never played over Class A and was coming back from years of personal problems. I don’t fault Friedman for making the move because nobody saw Hamilton playing this well this quickly. I’m sure a change of scenary also helped Josh and his family move on. It was probably the best for Hamilton to start fresh somewhere else, but I think an OF of Crawford, B. Upton, Hamilton would be right up there with what Quentin, Young and J. Upton could’ve been.