Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is feeling good enough about his game right now that he can do some dancing.
That was on display Wednesday as Hamilton displayed his salsa moves in the dugout during an 8-1 RoughRiders victory. Hamilton also displayed his power moves, ripping a homer into the pool in right field at Dr Pepper Park to cap a 1-for-4 day.
Hamilton is 9-for-16 in his four games for Frisco but won't be adding to those stats. Texas is sending him back to Triple A Round Rock for three games starting Thursday in what will likely be his final rehab stint before joining the Rangers.
Hamilton has no issues with more rehab time.
"I'm just glad to be back playing," said Hamilton, who swung at all six pitches he saw Wednesday. "I don't care where I play. Eventually I'll be where I want to be. I can do some work in the outfield (in Round Rock), take some balls of the bat in BP. Hopefully it doesn't rain. I'll be good to go."
Hamilton has only played in 10 rehab games, going a combined 13 for 35 between Round Rock and Frisco. He's using the stint like his spring training since he didn't have one with the Los Angeles Angels before was traded because of his off-season shoulder surgery and being left in limbo by the Angels because of his substance-abuse relapse.
He has to treat these games like they're more important than spring training though.
"I think spring training is more mental because you're toned way back," he said. "You're playing but you're not where you would be right now. I've been going at it every day pretty much, just mentally wrapping myself up because you know it's got to get done. Spring training you have a little more time to get there. I'm about where I would be with a week and half left in spring training."
And now he has a homer in his stats column too. Hamilton hit one in extended spring but after two one-pitch outs Wednesday and then a three-pitch at-bat that ended with a grounder, he smacked the first pitch his saw from Jake Sanchez in the seventh over the wall in right.
"The at-bat before, the first two I swung at I was trying to kill them because I was trying to hit a home run," he said. "Then I got a heater and grounded out to first. In the next at-bat I said 'You know what I'm going to take a nice easy swing. It was a pitch in the zone and he hung a slider. It felt good. I'm not worried about results but how I felt."
Briefly
The Rangers may have cleared what will be Hamilton's roster spot Wednesday by designating outfielder Carlos Peguero for assignment. The Rangers made the move for now to clear a roster spot for Wednesday starter Phil Klein. Peguero was batting .186 with four homers and nine RBI in 30 games for the Rangers.
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