Earlier this season, Josh Hamilton was batting over .400, and Albert Pujols was batting .190. Pujols passed Josh in batting average last night. Unbelievable.

And last week, Josh offered this veiled explanation of his recent struggles.

“There’s so much more involved. I don’t know,” he told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I’m cool, man. I’m really good. The frustrating part is this [dealing with the media] and not being able to share everything with you guys. When the time is right, I’ll be honest with you, you’ll be right in the loop.”

“I’ve been shown a lot of things over the past week,” he said. ”There’s disobedience and there’s obedience to God. I’ve been being disobedient. It may be a small thing to you, but it’s a big thing to him. There’s consequences. It’s like a father and a kid. There are disciplines. You guys can chew on that and think about it.”

Some think this is about a divorce, but Josh tweeted last night about his "wonderful wife" and a great dinner of lasagna they had. He and his wife both go on and on about each other on Twitter. That doesn't seem to be it.

Ron Washington followed with this quote:

“The issue is something that I think Josh would definitely have to be the one to expose, ” Washington told ESPN Radio. It’s certainly not physical. It has nothing to do with injuries. Josh is the one that made the statement and got all the inquiries going, and I think Josh is the one that has to put a rest to the inquiries, not Ron Washington. I can just tell you one thing: It is not because he’s hurt.”

So what is it? And perhaps more importantly, why is he teasing the media with this instead of just keeping it to himself? Is he attempting to preach to us by piquing our curiosity?

I never understand why athletes think God is that concerned with their athletic careers, but Josh certainly is. And it grows so tiresome to hear him spouting this stuff constantly in between slip-ups of the highest order. I believe in God, too, but I've never had sex with a woman in a restroom at a bar, and I don't expect to be commended for it. Most importantly, I don't expect you to care.

Josh is about to sign a huge contract this offseason. More and more, I'm hoping it won't be here. I just want to watch baseball, and the ups and downs that go with this nutcase aren't worth it, especially when his performance waxes and wanes so dramatically.

If he keeps struggling, I'm sure whatever "it" is will come out in the media. But at the end of the day, most fans only care what he's doing on the field. If his bat comes around, it will all go away and we'll probably never know what "it" is, nor care. In the end, that's just fine with me.

To many people let Religion run their lives. They become brainwashed and lose the ability to think for themselves

Josh is falling into that category

This isn't the place for this, but there is a huge difference between religion and faith. And church is a haven for the addictive personality because it allows addicts to find something to be obsessed with that will meet social approval.

However, there's a reason people of faith tend to be much happier, vastly more successful financially and professionally, and much more productive and responsible in all areas of their life.

Josh has an extreme personality that hints of severe, manic depression, almost to a semi-psychotic level. The two things that help him control his life are his faith and baseball.

I honestly wish him the best, but if it were me, I wouldn't commit the $150+ million it would take to keep him here. Too many variables, and this isn't a home for wayward boys, it's a major league franchise.

Hamilton and Tebow scare far more people away from faith than they bring to it. They just preach to the choir. I call them Hollywood Christians.

It's the understated, stable, consistent, reliable person of faith that brings people to God, because they put forth an image others look up to and want to emulate.

Then you must have no faith because you don't have a clue what is going on.

Watching Hamilton's performance plummet, while he and his manager say it's not physical, and Josh gives these cryptic comments, I realize, it's just not worth it.

I am happy that Hamilton has pulled himself out of his death spiral. He has realized tremendous accomplishments in a short period of time, when statistically, he should have been six feet under by now.

And I don't worry about his financial future, even if his underperformance lowers his value on the market*. He is making more this year than I could ever hope to make in a lifetime.

But he has become a drama queen for God.

Now he's "disobedient." We know about the body shots off the co-eds in Arizona, the make-out session in the bathroom of some bar. Sneaking drinks and lying to Ian Kinsler.** So now there's something else? And it's not physical? But it's absolutely 86'd in offensive performance?

Can't be alchol or drugs because that would've caused a suspension, rehab, etc.

HIV or hepatitus C positive? Perhaps, but supposedly it's not physical.

Say his family is fine and they are together, so not that.

Not being sued because we'd know about a public case such as that.

Some little cutie running around getting heavy with a Josh Hamilton proginy?

He's struggling with the realization that he's a homosexual?

The theological debate between salvation by faith versus salvation by faith and works is driving him to distraction?

Ultimately, who cares? If he can't get his head into the game, he's not worth the investment. He is a highly paid athlete, he's not hot house flower. Man up, stay out of bars, get your male member out of strangers' pants, be grateful for what you have, lay off the first pitches and balls low and away and play baseball.

And if it's in New York, so be it.

There's a great comment I heard once: no matter how beautiful a woman may be, she is still a pain in the ash to some guy.

Josh, stop being a pain in the ash.

* But since the San Diego Padre are being purchased for something like 800 million dollars, there is no financal sense in baseball. Someone may give Josh a ten year 250 million contract for all I know.

** I am convinced that Hamilton is covering for Kinsler on this one, by saying that Ian didn't know Hamilton was drinking. I think Josh began drinking, panicked and called Ian for assistance. Kinsler came out and babysat Josh until Josh said he was okay, and after Ian left, Hamilton went back out again. Hamilton says that he just wanted company and hid the drinking from Ian.

We actually agree on this.

Bingo, Nate, good post.

I, too, agree...good post.

What in the name of Sam Hill is happening on the forum today?!??

If I were a psychologist, I'd say, "It's obvious - when the team does something good, good feelings abound; when the team plays badly, negativity abounds." I think this is true for everyone. The only difference is the threshold.

I bet he retires.

Who? Hamilton?

What and become a TV envangilist?

I bet he becomes a preacher.

He's already a preacher....

Look for his wife to have a big payday, ala Elin Nordegren.

Anyone who could put up with Josh deserves instant sainthood.

Pastor?

Possibly but, not till he finishes making his millions playing baseball. It still costs money to spread the word on a large scale.