Josh Hamilton’s first home game a reminder of return of Juan Gonzalez.
It was hard to watch Josh Hamilton’s first home game with the Texas Rangers and not think of Juan Gonzalez.
Let me explain.
Back in 2002 I was covering the Rangers’ opening-day game at home against Anaheim, the first home game for Gonzalez with the Rangers since he left the team after the 1999 season. Gonzalez spent a year with the Detroit Tigers and a year with the Cleveland Indians before he returned to the Rangers.
Gonzalez left town abruptly. Just after the New York Yankees swept the Rangers in the ALDS, Texas traded him to Detroit. The Rangers said the current team wouldn’t get them to a World Series. So, naturally, they jettisoned their best power hitter. Gonzalez and the team didn’t always have the best relationship, though, and Gonzalez seemingly slammed the door shut on any return a few months later when, during Spring Training with the Tigers, he told reporters that the Rangers didn’t treat Latin players well. Two years later Gonzalez went 1-for-4 in his return to the Ballpark as a Ranger against the Angels.
So just about anything can be forgiven in sports.
Which brings us to Josh Hamilton.
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