Josh Hamilton looks to break out of slump by restoring swing

April 21, 4:06 PMTexas Rangers ExaminerRand Huguely

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Josh Hamilton altered his swing this Spring. Photo: AP/Tony Gutierrez

Let's say you're Roy Hobbs. Not everyone can be, and almost no one really is. But let's say that you are. The baseball gods bestowed upon you a talent so extraordinary it can survive everything from a serious drug addition to Barbara Hershey in a black dress. If that's you...would you "tweak" your swing?

For Rangers OF Josh Hamilton, the closest thing to a real life Natural since Clint Hartung, the answer was apparently "yes." Appearing as a guest today on XM Radio's Power Allley, GM Jon Daniels said that Hamilton decided to alter his swing during Spring Training. According to Daniels, Hamilton eliminated a "toe tap" at the beginning of his swing, which serves as a timing mechanism to start his swing. By making the change, Daniels said Hamilton was seeking "more consistency," although he added jokingly that he had to ask Hamilton if a change was really necessary.

Unfortunately, the early results have not been good. Although the Rangers are leading all of baseball by scoring 6.67 runs a game, Hamilton has not been part of the fun. Through the first two weeks, he is hitting just .229 with 1 HR and 8 RBI while striking out in 25% of his at bats. Worse yet, he is hitting just .200 with runners in scoring position, and went 0-for-this-weekend against the Royals.

Daniels said that about 10 days into the season, Hamilton approached hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo about returning back to his old swing. Hamilton re-incorporated the toe tap against the Royals, and Daniels feels that his current troubles are the product of adjusting back to his prior swing, prediciting that the old Josh is about to return "in a big way." Hamilton will try to begin that return to form tonight in Toronto against Jays' ace Roy Halladay, not the best recipe for a slump-breaker.  

Still, with his Spring flirtation now discarded like a daliance with Kim Basinger, and with Glenn Close ready to stand up in the bleachers and catch the sunlight in her hair, the Rangers are hoping to see Hamilton's fireworks again soon.