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Texas Rangers Say: Nice to See You Again, Josh Hamilton

ARLINGTON – Since Ernie “Let’s Play Two!” Banks retired, finding players who are fond of doubleheaders is a monumental task.

Rangers OF Josh Hamilton might be the exception.

A long day at Rangers Ballpark Tuesday might just have helped him unlock the mysteries of a home run swing that has deserted him for much of this injury-plagued season. After a hitless first at-game, Hamilton homered in consecutive at-bats in the second.

They were his first homers since August 7. He had only two homers since May 25, a span of 57 games.

“I was just happy I remembered how to jog around the bases,” Hamilton said after the second of a pair of 5-2 wins over Toronto. “But really, it was a sense of relief to hit one again. I was kidding around with a lot of teammates afterward.  [Nelson Cruz] asked me if I wanted him to go get the ball for me. Guys had been kidding me about having batting practice pop, but not having any more game pop. As much of a relief as this was for me, I think it was a relief for them, too.”

No kidding.

The one thing that has stood in the way of the Rangers making their playoff run more serious is a ponderous lack of offense. Hamilton has been hurt or ineffective for much of the season. 2B Ian Kinsler endured a three-month slump after a scorching April. 1B Chris Davis never came close to duplicating the impressive second half he had in 2008 during the first half in 2009.

As a result, the Rangers have wallowed around the bottom third of the league in batting average, on-base percentage and runs scored. It’s been the ability to catch the ball in the field and a reduction in walks allowed by the pitching staff that has kept the Rangers in contention.

The doubleheader, however, offered more evidence that there is hope the offense has a late-season run in it.

Hamilton, Davis and Kinsler combined to go 11-for-21 with four homers. They drove in eight of the Rangers 10 runs. And all have been hot at the plate since returning from injury (Hamilton and Kinsler) or the minors (Davis).

Over the last four weeks, each player is hitting better than .330 and slugging better than .540.

The only thing missing, however, has been homers for Hamilton.

On Tuesday, he watched Toronto LHP Marc Rzepcynski throw in on him throughout the first game without much success. In the second, when LHP Brian Tallet tried to do the same thing, Hamilton was able to make the necessary adjustments to get to those inside pitches.

In the fourth, he stayed back on a 77 mph slider long enough to drive it out to right center. In the fifth, he yanked a fastball, the fifth of the at-bat, to right field for a two-run homer.

Manger Ron Washington was thankful for the homers, but isn’t yet ready to sound warning sirens to the rest of the AL.

“If you think that’s what you’re going to be seeing the rest of the way, I don’t know,” Washington said.  ”I certainly hope that it got him locked in.”
Said Kinsler: “Everybody knows we have the potential for a high-powered offense. We just haven’t lived up to it. If we do, we’re capable of having a very good month.”

It certainly started out the right way for the offense, particularly for Hamilton.