Western Front

When the Time is Right

by Geoff Young

Once upon a time, Josh Hamilton was going to hit .400 and Albert Pujols was washed up. Then magic (well, regression) happened and it no longer was so.

When last we checked, Hamilton and Pujols were headed in opposite directions. After beginning the season at .404/.458/.838 through 35 games, Hamilton slumped. Pujols hit .213/.248/.307 during that same stretch (May 16, to be precise) and then caught fire. Not literally, of course—that would be painful.

Hamilton, the toast of baseball for the season's first six weeks, struggled to remain above the Mendoza line. Then he started saying weird things:

I'm cool, man. I'm really good. The frustrating part is this [dealing with the media] and not being able to share everything with you guys. When the time is right, I'll be honest with you, you'll be right in the loop.

And although “When the Time Is Right, I'll Be Honest With You” sounds like the title of some undiscovered Hank Williams song (which Patsy Cline would manage to make sound even better), Hamilton's cryptic words don't ease the sting of his performance even as his Rangers are trying to stave off the Angels and A's in the American League West.

With the Rangers and Angels squaring off in Arlington for a four-game showdown last week, here is how Hamilton and Pujols had performed between the former's fall from .400 through said showdown:

Hamilton and Pujols, May 17 – July 29

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