Texas Rangers Roster Rumors: Former No. 1 Pick Matt Bush Agrees on Minor League Deal
The Texas Rangers organization reportedly agreed with former number 1 pick Matt Bush on a minor league contract. But as of this posting, the team or any of its representatives haven't confirmed the deal.
Bush was a top prospect in the 2004 class, who eventually went on to become the first overall pick in that year's Major League Baseball Draft. But after facing several personal, as well as legal, problems, the shortstop/pitcher couldn't manage to show his true potential, eventually winding up in Class AA instead of the major league. He hit rock bottom in 2012 when he was charged and eventually took a plea bargain on two counts of DUI with property damage, one count of DUI with serious bodily injury, and another count of driving with a suspended license. The incident happened in Florida, where a 72-year-old man riding on a motorcycle was hit by Bush's vehicle, putting him in critical condition.
The 29-year-old Bush is finally getting the biggest second chance in his professional baseball career. Before the 2012 incident, he already had several other alcohol-related issues, which caused him to be out of professional baseball since 2011 or almost five years.
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Although he is listed as both a pitcher and a shortstop, the Rangers are expected to use him as a pitcher. Likewise, it looks like he no longer will be relied upon as a hitter.
The Rangers as a franchise are no stranger to giving players with a history of addiction a second chance. One pertinent example is Josh Hamilton, who took a wrong direction in his career and life with drug addiction and alcoholism. Hamilton worked with player development head Roy Silver, who is also expected to play a major role in bringing Bush back to competitive baseball after serving significant time in prison. To Bush's credit, it looks like he's ready to change his ways.
