At least one of Josh Hamilton’s numbers with the Angels in 2014 will resemble his prime with the Texas Rangers: his weight.
Hamilton has gained about 20 pounds this winter, up to 230 pounds at the last report to General Manager Jerry Dipoto.
“I do believe it’s a positive,” Dipoto said via text Tuesday morning. “He’s played much of his career in the 230-240 range. It’s a comfortable weight for him.”
Late in Hamilton’s first season with the Angels – in which he batted .250 with 21 homers and 79 RBI – he acknowledged that he might have gone too far with last winter’s plan to lose weight.
Hamilton said last spring he wanted to lose weight before the season because he didn’t think he’d lose as much during the season as he used to while playing in the Texas heat. However, the performance convinced him that he needed to be heavier.
So this winter, that’s just what he’s done.
“He has worked with a nutritionist this offseason with the goal of adding good weight,” Dipoto said.
Hamilton, 32, is entering the second year of a five-year, $125-million deal with the Angels. Although his numbers below expectations last year, he did hit an encouraging .329 with a .909 OPS over the final 45 games of the season.
PUJOLS SUIT UPDATE
Jack Clark asked a St. Louis court Monday to dismiss the defamation lawsuit filed last year by Albert Pujols, according to The Associated Press.
Pujols filed suit against Clark in October, two months after the former major leaguer said on a radio show that Pujols had used steroids. Pujols denied the claims and, in his lawsuit, said that Clark had defamed him.
In Clark’s response, his attorney said that Pujols had not proved defamation in his complaint.
ARBITRATION FILING
Four eligible Angels players filed for arbitration by Tuesday’s deadline, setting the stage for the exchange of figures on Friday. David Freese, Ernesto Frieri, Kevin Jepsen and Fernando Salas are all arbitration eligible.
Freese, who was acquired in a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, is expected to get the highest salary, somewhere between $4 million and $5 million. Frieri, the Angels closer, is expected to see his salary jump to around $4 million.
Arbitration eligible players and clubs exchange salary figures this week, and the teams then have until their hearing date in February to reach a settlement. If not, an arbitration panel will pick either the player’s figure or the club’s figure, with nothing in between.
SPRING TRAINING INVITES
Most of the Angels top prospects, including 2013 draftee Hunter Green, have been included in the club’s list of 19 non-roster players who will be invited to major league spring training.
Green, the Angels’ second round pick out of a Kentucky high school last year, is only 18.
The Angels also invited pitchers Yeiper Castillo, Jarrett Grube, Wade LeBlanc, Michael Morin, Mark Mulder, Clay Rapada, Mark Sappington and Justin Thomas; catchers Jett Bandy and Luis Martinez; infielders Kaleb Cowart, C.J. Cron, Taylor Lindsey, Shawn O’Malley, Eric Stamets and Alex Yarbrough; and outfielders Zach Borenstein and Matt Long.
Mulder, Rapada and LeBlanc have appeared in the majors.
Along with the players on the 40-man roster, the Angels will have 59 players in camp. Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 13, with the first workout Feb. 14.
Contact the writer: jlfletcher@ocregister.com
