Josh Hamilton: Angels wouldn't let me talk to owner Arte Moreno
Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton told reporters that the Los Angeles Angels did not allow him to talk to owner Arte Moreno despite multiple requests, according to ESPN.
The Angels traded Hamilton to the Rangers last month. After MLB announced it would not suspend Hamilton for a drug and alcohol relapse, the Angels released a statement noting that they had serious concerns about Hamilton's health and behavior, and were disappointed that he had broken what the team termed an "important commitment which he has made to himself, his family, his teammates and our fans."
"I told everybody from MLB to [manager] Mike Scioscia, even when I was there and wasn't playing in 2013, I wasn't being the guy that I was supposed to be," Hamilton said. "In 2014, same thing. I tried to reach out to the owner, Arte, and talk to him and tell him, 'You know what? I'm working my butt off, and I want to be the guy that played against you for all these years.' I was always turned down by the general manager and team president. They said they would let him know."
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Hamilton said even after his relapse and after undergoing shoulder surgery, his request to talk to Moreno and "reassure him that things are OK" was turned down by general manager Jerry DiPoto.
"I did what I needed to do to be a responsible man and employee and reach out to him, and I was always denied that opportunity, so my hands are clean," said Hamilton.
Hamilton, who has yet to play this season as he recovers from the surgery, is currently on a minor league rehab assignment. After spending a week with the Rangers' Triple A team, he's now with Double A Frisco.
- Molly Geary
