The complicated question of Josh Hamilton's open-market value

third time in his six-year career, helping the Rangers to a 10-9 win over the Red Sox that stretched their lead in the American League West to seven games. Hamilton, who made history earlier this year by hitting four of those homers in one game, leads the AL in runs batted in and is among the leaders in homers, slugging average and OPS. Notoriously fragile, he's yet to visit the DL this season and is on his way to his second-highest total of games played and plate appearances.

It's a heck of a launch year. Hamilton, the top pick in the 1999 draft who lost three years of his career to drug and alcohol abuse and didn't reach the majors until age 26, is set to hit the free market for the first time this winter. He may be the most complicated, fascinating, dangerous free agent in baseball history. Supremely talented, Hamilton has at times been the best player in baseball, a package of natural hitting ability and raw power whose highlight reel can stretch for days. At the same time, Hamilton has just one full, healthy and effective season on his resume (injury data courtesy of Baseball Prospectus):

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