Joey Hamilton

Johns Joseph Hamilton (born September 9, 1970) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played professionally for nine seasons, recording a 74–73 win–loss record, a 4.44 earned run average (ERA) and 894 strikeouts.

He attended Statesboro High School in Georgia.

Following high school, Hamilton attended Georgia Southern University for three years.

Hamilton was born on September 9, 1970, in Statesboro, Georgia, to Jack Hamilton and Helen Mathis.

He attended Statesboro High School before the Baltimore Orioles drafted him in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft.

Hamilton decided against signing with the Orioles, opting instead to play college baseball for Georgia Southern University.

As a sophomore at Georgia Southern in 1990, Hamilton had an 18–4 record with a 3.07 ERA.

He was one of nine finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, and he earned Second Team All-American honors from The Sporting News and Baseball America.

However, at the beginning of his junior season he went 1–3 with a 7.43 ERA after starting five games.

It was soon discovered that Hamilton was suffering from elbow soreness that did not result in surgery.

He started his professional career in 1991 when he was drafted by the San Diego Padres, and pitched for three major league teams during his career.

The San Diego Padres drafted Hamilton eighth overall in the 1991 Major League Baseball draft, making him the highest drafted Atlantic Sun Conference baseball player in the league's history.

He eventually signed a contract with the Padres worth $415,000 after a short period in which Hamilton refused to sign a contract.

He was surprised upon hearing of his selection, saying "It came as a bit of a shock because I really hadn't heard much from the Padres."

According to Hamilton's mother, Hamilton only signed the deal because his father Jack was dying of cancer, and it had been his father's dream to watch his son pitch in the major leagues.

Following the draft, Hamilton joined Team USA in Canada in preparation for the Olympics.

In 1992, Padres general manager Joe McIlvaine stated the Padres would have never selected Hamilton if they knew his agent was Scott Boras.

McIlvaine said of the situation, "Basically, he lied to us. We had no idea. That's why half the time, you don't know who he represents. [Scott Boras is] very good at that. His clients are very good about keeping their mouths shut."

McIlvaine retracted his comments about Hamilton and Boras after Boras threatened to sue McIlvaine.

In 1992, Baseball America ranked him as the top prospect in the San Diego Padres organization and the 36th in Major League Baseball.

The Padres sent Hamilton to their Single-A affiliate, the Charleston Rainbows, who were managed by future Baltimore Orioles manager Dave Trembley.

With the Rainbows he went 2–2, with a 3.38 ERA in seven games and 342⁄3 innings pitched.

He was then called up to the High Desert Mavericks.

With High Desert, Hamilton went 4–3 with a 2.74 ERA in nine appearances.

Hamilton received one more call-up, this time to Double-A.

With the Wichita Wranglers he went 3–0 with a 2.86 ERA in six starts and pitched 342⁄3 innings during his time with the team.

In 1993, Hamilton was ranked as the second best prospect in the Padres organization.

He was sent to the Padres' affiliate, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

One of Hamilton's teammates with the Quakes was 17-year-old and future All-Star Derrek Lee.

During his time with the Quakes, he went 1–0 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 innings during two starts.

The Padres then called him up to their Double-A affiliate, the Wichita Wranglers.

In Wichita, Hamilton had four wins and nine losses with a 3.97 ERA in 15 starts.

As a rookie with San Diego in 1994 he finished fifth in the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award voting for the National League.

Hamilton held the Georgia Southern baseball record for appearances, starts, complete games, innings pitched and strikeouts until 1995.

He was elected to the Georgia Southern University Athletics Department Hall of Fame in 1997.

Following the 1998 season, San Diego traded Hamilton to the Toronto Blue Jays.

In 2001, after two seasons with the Blue Jays, he was released.

Hamilton signed with the Cincinnati Reds shortly afterward.

Hamilton had stints in training camps and the minor leagues with some of the Padres and Reds affiliates.

In March 2005, two days after signing with the New York Mets, the team released him.