Angels owner Arte Moreno told reporters soon after Josh Hamilton’s introductory press conference on Saturday at Downtown Disney that there was “no special language” in the outfielder’s five-year, $125 million contract laying out consequences for a potential drug or alcohol relapse. But that doesn’t mean Anaheim’s higher-ups aren’t taking measures to ensure that Hamilton remains on the right path.
According to beat writer Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, the Angels have hired Hamilton’s accountability partner, Shayne Kelley, away from the Rangers. He will technically serve as a major league staff assistant for the Halos, but Kelley’s primary objective will be to ensure that Hamilton makes good decisions at home and on the road. That presumably involves regular check-ins and drug tests.
Hamilton had two known relapses during his time with Texas -- most recently in February 2012.
The Angels are obviously hoping for five seasons of healthy, incident-free production from the former No. 1 overall pick, who told USA Today in 2006 that he had “literally tried every drug on the street.”
