Hamilton out for season

Personal problems crop up again for the Rays' former No. 1 pick, who is given leave less than two weeks after his return.

Troubled Devil Rays prospect Josh Hamilton's promising future is in doubt after an announcement Monday he will miss the season because of unspecified personal problems.

Hamilton rejoined the organization May 3 after a mysterious six-week absence and said he looked forward to resuming his career with hopes of making it to the big leagues in September.

But he barely made it through a week before leaving again. The Rays issued a statement Monday night saying the outfielder, 21, "has requested and been granted a personal leave for the remainder of the season. The purpose of the leave is to provide Josh an opportunity to address certain private non-baseball matters." Rays officials were not available for additional comment. Agent Casey Close did not return telephone calls.

Josh's mother, Linda Hamilton, said Monday night from her North Carolina home that "he's just taking some personal time, like everyone else. He's fine. It's just some personal time."

Hamilton joined Double-A Orlando on May 3 without fully explaining where he had been, saying that his absence was not related to drug, alcohol or legal problems and that he had received counseling for what "you could say" was a form of depression caused by family issues and professional pressures. Because he was treated under the employee assistance program, Rays officials were not allowed to comment.

Hamilton was supposed to work out with Orlando for about a week and start playing last weekend. When he showed up in Lake Buena Vista, he said he was excited to resume playing: "I don't think I've ever been this mentally ready to play ball."

Asked if he still could be the player projected for stardom, he said, "I still am that player."

Hamilton spoke freely but provided few specifics. He wouldn't say where he was ("home, here and there") and what the specific problem was, only that it was due to several issues: a serious illness to a family member he did not want to discuss, pressure he put on himself to catch up with former minor-league teammates who were in the majors and continued problems in dealing mentally with the setbacks caused by repeated injuries. He said he received counseling but wasn't scheduled for any further sessions and was not taking medication.

"I'll put it this way to you," Hamilton said. "I got some help I needed because I was in a bad place, not with any kind of substances or anything like that, just as far as mentally, the mental part of the game. I went with my family and got some help, too, as far as understanding things and what's going on there."

The continuing problems and extended absence raise significant questions about Hamilton ever fulfilling the promise that led the Rays to make him the No. 1 pick in the 1999 draft (and give him a $3.96-million signing bonus) and Baseball America to name him the game's top prospect in 2001. Asked how the absence would affect her son's career, Linda Hamilton said, "I really don't know. Ask the Devil Rays. Thanks for the call."

Because of injuries Hamilton never has played more than 96 games in a season. He is considered one of the most, if not the most, talented players in the organization, yet he has been surpassed by several players drafted after him, prominently Carl Crawford (second pick in 1999) and Rocco Baldelli (first pick in 2000).