ARLINGTON, Texas — Give Josh Hamilton credit for being able to keep his focus.
The Texas Rangers superstar made his appearance at the club's FanFest Saturday, signed autographs and checked on his wife Katie's booth at the event.
It was another busy day in what's already been a busy offseason for Hamilton.
He's already had surgery for a sports hernia as well as to repair three abductors in his left leg. He's also gone through the process of adding a new accountability partner for the 2012 season. That man just happens to be his father-in-law Michael Chadwick.
He's entering the final year of a two-year contract with the club, clouding his future.
Hamilton said if a contract extension is to be talked about, he wants it
done before spring training or after the season ends because he doesn't
want any distractions.
He said he wants a long-term deal but doesn't necessarily look at his next contract as his final one.
"You
want to know you'll be in a place for a while and set roots there," he
said. "You want to play the game and have an impact on the
organization."
Hamilton has also been keeping a watchful eye on what the club has done as it's trying to sign Yu Darvish and spent Friday talking to free agent first baseman Prince Fielder.
With all of that going on, it would be easy to lose sight of the big goal — winning an elusive World Series for the club. Hamilton isn't having that.
"There's nothing to worry about," Hamilton said. "I'm focused on this year and doing what I need to do to get everything feeling great, which is right on track for that. The focus on this year is to win the World Series. We've come so close twice. That's really all I'm focused on especially during my workouts. Especially when you're acquiring new players and things like that to make the team the best you can or better so we can get that last out."
A lineup with Prince Fielder in it could do that. If the Rangers do sign Fielder, that could complicate things with Hamilton following the 2012 season. Hamilton doesn't seem too concerned about that and instead envisions what a Texas lineup with Fielder in it would look like.
"I think it's great," he said. "I really do. To imagine our lineup having Prince Fielder in it is pretty ridiculous looking. It's crazy looking anyway. Prince has been very consistent in the way he plays the game. He's very durable. You know short porch in right and my man can hit bombs."
He said he's feeling food following the surgery. He began swinging a bat last week and is right where he needs to be.
Now he wants to see what he could do in an injury-free season.
"I just can't wait to play a whole season, man," Hamilton said. "If I play 162 games, I might hit 50 home runs and have 140 RBI. But even missing six weeks, I still have numbers as good as anyone else."
