Sherrington: Josh Hamilton’s comments were ‘fair and accurate,’ but he violated a code by saying anything at all

Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer
Fans react as Los Angeles' Josh Hamilton strikes out in the second inning during the Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels MLB baseball game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Friday, April 5, 2013.
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SportsDay columnist Kevin Sherrington answered reader questions during a live chat on Wednesday. Here are some higlights:

Is it now more important to dislike an athlete than watch a game? Surprised there was that much vitriol against one of the best Rangers of all time who chose to make more money somewhere else when his old team didn't try that hard to retain him.

Kevin Sherrington: Manny, there aren't many fans as rational as you. Here's my take: What Josh said was largely fair and accurate. It's not a baseball town. It's getting better, and Jerry Jones is trying his hardest to make it happen, but it's not yet. Hamilton violated a code by saying anything at all. He's just honest, at least with everyone but himself. He couldn't admit that he played poorly at times last year, and it sometimes looked like he wasn't hustling, and that's the greatest sin of all. How much of that was the result of his problems in day games? Well, he had two awful games against the Rangers, both day games. The first night game, he got three hits. The infamous pop fly in Oakland was a day game. He struggles mightily in those. But the bottom line is this: He was a great Ranger, one of the best ever, and the club wouldn't have gotten to the World Series without him, warts and all. The club made very little effort to bring him back, and there's even some feeling that the majority didn't want him back. He went where somebody wanted him. Loyalty is not a phrase that should be used in sports. Teams are loyal to their philosophy, not players. Should Hamilton have just said it was great, and he wishes the club well? Yes. Should his wife have said nothing? Yes. Should the fans boo? It's not what I teach my kids, but everyone's got their own set of priorities. After three games, though, they should have it out of their systems.


What do you hear on Harrison's back? Since his retroactive DL designation, it's hoped he'll lose only a couple of starts. But with his physical problems early in spring camp (toe?) and now this back thing, what's u with that?

Kevin Sherrington: Dizzy Dean, remember, had a bad toe that affected his delivery and, ultimately, ruined him. Relax. I'm not saying that's going to happen with Harrison. They're being overly cautious with him now, and for good reason. But one thing being off can often affect another. I expect he'll be fine.


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