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SALT LAKE CITY — Former American League MVP Josh Hamilton joined the Salt Lake Bees in the middle of an eight-game home stand that includes Thursday's game against the Albuquerque Isotopes.
Hamilton’s life off the diamond has been well-documented.
His struggles with drug and alcohol addiction drew as much attention to his name recently as his five All-Star appearances and 2010 American League MVP award.
But the Angels outfielder has said he’s put all that behind him, and he’s battling back from a thumb injury that landed him on the disabled list — and the Salt Lake Bees' roster.
"I've never been to Utah," Hamilton said Thursday night. "It's awesome."
He’s back — and playing with the Salt Lake Bees in the middle of an eight-game home stand with Thursday's game against Albuquerque at 6:35 p.m.
“He’s probably the most high-profile player we’ve had here,” Bees general manager Marc Amicone said.
In other words, anybody who loves baseball will want to be at Smith’s Ballpark to see the man who is one of 16 players to hold the MLB record for most home runs in a single game with four.
Hamilton is regarded as one of the best hitters in baseball, and one of only nine players to amass more than 1,000 hits, 175 home runs and 600 RBIs since 2007.
The Bees expect plenty of extra fans in the stands with a near-sellout crowd for Hamilton’s first game against the Isotopes. The slugger will feature in his first live game since surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb he suffered April 8 against Seattle.
Hamilton is one of the biggest names to ever don a Bees uniform, and that list includes David Ortiz, Chone Figgins and current Angels phenom Mike Trout.
Amicone has seen all the future major leaguers come to Salt Lake, and even the rounds of current Angels working out injuries and getting back to MLB, but nobody is quite like Hamilton.
“I tell people all the time when you come to a Bees game you get to see the best players in the world that are not in the Major Leagues,” Amicone said. “Well, now you get to see one of the best players in the world, period.”
The line of fans and casual baseball lovers standing outside Smith’s Ballpark as many as six hours in advance of game time attests to that.
“Normally, I have a couple of breaks during the day,” said Austun Sheffer, who sales Bees tickets. “Today has just been non-stop people.”
Sure, a nice day at the ballpark can draw fans, especially as summer approaches, but Sheffer admits most people showed up to see one man.
“Since they announced he’s coming down, it’s just been people after people,” Sheffer added.
Contributing: Rod Zundel
