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About Last Night: Rangers Josh Hamilton Says He’s Feeling Like It Is 2008 At The Plate

Posted on July 8th, 2009 1:41pm by Evan Grant
Filed under AL West race, Baseball, Lineup, Notebooks, Texas Rangers

ANAHEIM, Calif. – It hasn’t been just the injuries that have hampered Rangers CF Josh Hamilton this season, it’s been the search for his swing.

He thinks he’s finally found it. And if the results from his first two games back from the DL are any indication, he has.

“I feel like I did last year,” Hamilton said after going 3-for-4 against the Angels in Tuesday’s 8-5 win. “That’s a good feeling. Believe me, it’s a good feeling.”

In his first two games back after missing five weeks, Hamilton was 5-for-8. He didn’t have a homer, but was hitting the ball to center and left field, indications that his timing has returned. Hamilton credits a long road back to the trigger he had to his swing last year, the “toe-tap.” That swing, which begins with a quick tap of the front toe, is what he used for almost all of last year. But after a power outage in the second half of the season and a sub-par August, he tried to switch to something he thought would be a little more consistent.

He tried a more traditional swing for the final two weeks of the season and then worked with it during the winter and the first part of spring training. But, Hamilton said, he never felt comfortable with it. Then he went to a more open stance, but felt just as uncomfortable. And so before the end of spring training, he went back to the traditional swing. It wasn’t until mid-May that Hamilton decided to junk it all and go back to the toe-tap. In his last active week before going on the DL and in his first two games back, Hamilton went 12-for-36 (.333) with a homer and five RBIs. He also has three walks for a .385 on-base percentage.

“It’s always good for the confidence to get results,” Hamilton said. “It’s good to just be able to see the ball and hit the ball again without having to think too much about anything.”

8 Comments to “About Last Night: Rangers Josh Hamilton Says He’s Feeling Like It Is 2008 At The Plate”

t ball @ July 8th, 2009 at 2:24 pm

Thank heavens the experiment is over. Why mess with success? After years of bashing the living daylights out of the ball he makes a change after a slump? Silly.
jcouch @ July 8th, 2009 at 2:46 pm

I have been wondering all season why Rudy hasn’t been getting the blame for screwing with Josh…
overrated @ July 8th, 2009 at 2:58 pm

Rudy f’s up Josh, can’t get through to Kinsler, can’t get Davis going, couldn’t get Cruz going (they had to send him down to fix his swing – ie, get him away from Rudy).

When is he going to be fairly evaluated by the media? Talk about the bad with the good.
Tom B @ July 8th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

Teaching hitters is like teaching your teenager to drive a car. They know what to do but revert to the same bad habits and defy all that you say. All you can do is assume that white knuckle death grip and hope for the best each time. Swearing and cursing also help from time to time as long it is under the breath and with a smile. Jack Daniels will listen to your pleas. Treat him kind.
Juboon @ July 8th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

Nonetheless, TomB, Hamilton’s found his swing again… riiiight where he left it. I’m with t ball — why mess w/ what works?
Rodney @ July 8th, 2009 at 4:21 pm

Tom B, sounds like what one might hear from a pitching coasch, as well.
The Specter of Seasons Past @ July 8th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

that will probably change now that he’s talked to you
JustSaying @ July 8th, 2009 at 6:49 pm

geez he can tap his toe, slap his leg or flick his nose as long as he hits like he did last year…….if it ain’t broke why tweak it?

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