Random observations

Having been on the opposite side of the reportorial process as a PR person, I do have some amount of sympathy for those who are the subject of media attention.

So I enjoyed a throwaway comment by Chicago White Sox general manager Ken Williams, whom I interviewed when he spent a few days in Charlotte visiting the Knights recently. I asked him about his itinerary on his swings through the minor leagues, and he volunteered that the thing he enjoyed most was "not having to read the Chicago papers or listen to Chicago radio stations."

COMING BACK FROM HELL: It was an interesting experience to interview Josh Hamilton, rookie outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds, yesterday before the Knights' game with the Louisville Bats.


Hamilton is on a major league rehab assigment with Louisville as he recovers from gastroenteritis.

The word "rehab" has had other connotations in recent years for the 26-year-old Hamilton. The native of Raleigh was the No. 1 pick in baseball's amateur draft in 1999. He's the "feel-good" story of the year so far in MLB, finally making his major league debut after four years of a hard battle with cocaine addiction which resulted in his suspension from baseball.

He spoke frankly with reporters about his comeback and about the toll that his drug habits has taken on his body and his family, and about people's reactions to his comeback at ballparks around the country.

As I've talked with readers over the years, I know some of them think that sports reporters have biases. But I think those biases tend to be for or against individuals rather than teams. Like most people, we divide these folks into "good guys" or "bad guys" camps depending on how they interact with us.

Hamilton seems like a good guy and you can't help but pull for him to stay recovered and to have a good career.

GOOD DAY, BAD DAY: Knights third baseman Josh Fields had an interesting day Tuesday. He was named the International League's Player of the Week for May 21-27, then struck out four times Tuesday night in Charlotte's 4-3 loss to Louisville.