Report: Hamilton Will Command About $30 Mil. A Year On Open Market

Josh Hamilton is set to become a free agent after the 2012 season

If the Texas Rangers want to keep Josh Hamilton, who is set to be the biggest name in free agency this offseason (and, for that matter, in recent history), they’ll have to break out their checkbook in a major way--at least, according to a man who knows a thing or two about this sort of thing.

CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman recently spoke to an MLB executive who chose to remain anonymous, and according to said unnamed executive, Hamilton will likely command around $30 million a year on the open market. The exec went on to say that he imagined Hamilton’s deal this offseason could get done for about $150 million over five seasons.

"That $30-million-a-year guarantee would represent a record, eclipsing Alex Rodriguez's $275 million, 10-year contract (though A-Rod also has $30 million in historic homer bonuses)," Heyman wrote this week, via the Dallas Morning News. "Considering the talent, that guess may not be too far off. Hamilton is said to want to be paid like an elite player, and he probably will be, though it's hard to imagine him getting the length of the Joey Votto, Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder deals considering Hamilton's history.

“Even in another brilliant year (42 home runs, 123 RBI), he's had bouts with a sinus headache and chewing tobacco."
 

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