Hamilton Signs Five-Year Deal With Angels

Josh Hamilton will be hitting home runs for the Los Angeles Angels, rather than against them beginning next season. (Jim Cowsert)

Josh Hamilton has been a brute force in the AL West for the past five seasons. He will continue to be one for at least the next five seasons as well. The only change will be the uniform he is wearing. Hamilton has left the Texas Rangers to sign with their division rivals, the Los Angeles Angeles. The contract is a five-year deal worth $125 million.

According to the Rangers, they never got an opportunity to match the Angels offer. However, they made it clear from the very beginning that re-signing Hamilton wasn't a priority. Now, they will have to pay the price when they face the Angels each season. The answer on how to fill Hamilton's spot in the lineup isn't clear either. Craig Gentry will likely fill in defensively in center field, but doesn't have the bat to make up for Hamiliton's power bat at all. The Rangers will also be in the market for a designated hitter. Adam LaRoche and Nick Swisher are potential free agent options.

The Angels make another huge free agent signing here. Hamilton will now be paired with Pujols to give the Halos a 1-2 punch of former MVPs in the heart of their linuep. Add that to likes of Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales and the Angels have one of the best power lineups in baseball in the short term. Pair that with a solid rotation and they have positioned themselves for a run at the postseason. However, nothing is guaranteed as we found out with last season's Angels.

The other concern for the Angels is the length of these contracts they are giving out. While Pujols and Hamilton have been two of the best hitters in baseball, both have shown signs of declining as they get older. Health concerns are always there with Hamilton as well. He is leaving an evironment he had grown comfortable in. The Angels must work to quickly build trust and integrity between themselves and their new star.

It will be interesting to see how Hamilton does with a change in scenery. It is yet to be seen how much of an impact the slugger will have on the success of the Angels. Also, the reaction of the Rangers is still uncertain as well. We will have to wait and see how this affects the face of baseball over the next several seasons.