Good Riddance to Mike Hamstring

HOUSTON -- Braves oft injured left hander Mike Hampton turned down a more lucrative deal from Atlanta to sign with the Houston Astros. Mike had some prosperous seasons in Houston, and remains close friends with many former Astros who reside in the area. This move also allows him to be closer to his family in Arizona. Due to a divorce, he cannot relocate his family, thus, he has to be close to them in Arizona. Atlanta spent millions upon millions of dollars on Mike, who was basically injured throughout the latter stages of his contract. It became a comical scene to see Mike's latest injury. One time he was a few warmup pitches away from making his first start in years, and out of nowhere he tears a pectoral muscle. I recall Braves Hall of Fame announcer Pete Van Wieren publicly asking Mike "when is enough, enough?" and begging for Mike to call it quits.

Mike's stint with Atlanta, and his career for that matter, reminds me of Rocky. For awhile there, I pictured him as Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. Before the bout against the genetically jacked Russian, Apollo demanded that Rocky not throw in the towel, under any circumstances, on his behalf. The Russian went on to murder Creed in the ring. I pictured this as Mike's fate, re-habbing his injuries until an arm fell off, or he spontaneously combusted. With the never quit attitude of Rocky and Apollo.

But now, he's suddenly Rocky, not Apollo. Rocky came out of retirement in Rocky IV to take on the Russian and to avenge the death of his friend Apollo. Despite the bone chilling words, "I veel break you," Ivan Drago whispered to Rocky, his competitive spirit and drive to win brought him victory. Mike is a former top pitcher with one of the first lucrative pitching contracts of this era; he turned into mediocrity, and then near retirement. But a late surge in 2008 where he showed flashes of his former self, made him a fairly marketable free agent pitcher. So what will Mike's final chapter be? Will he, like Rocky, have the drive to pitch until no one offers him a contract? I believe so. Mike is a bulldog and a competitor, and while I loathed his existence for a few years in Atlanta, his departure left a bittersweet feeling.

Mike Hampton will never retire; he will never throw in the towel. His departure from the game will be the day no one offers him a contract. While I picture his career ending in a less than Hollywood fashion, part of me feels he has a great run somewhere still ahead of him. While I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the headache that is Mike Hampton will no longer be there, a cloud of disappointment also fell over me. The Braves will not be along for the ride when Mike begins to knockout the opposition, however short of time that may be.

Balboa
Left handed
Ht - 5'11"
Wt - 190 lbs

Hampton
Left handed
Ht - 5'10"
Wt - 195 lbs