Ham-Bone Back To His Old Ways

Josh Hamilton (above), an American League MVP candidate for the Rangers just two years ago, appears to have regained his old form with recent hot streak. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

After a disappointing 2009 season and a slow start to 2010, Texas Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton seems to have finally turned things around. After an April in which he batted only .265 with 11 RBI, Hamilton has seen his numbers increase significantly in each of the past two months.

In May he saw his batting average climb nearly 30 points to .294. He clobbered six homers in the month, doubling the total for April (3) and knocked in 16 RBI.

June has seen an even larger increase in production.

Hamilton is batting .412 so far this month, has more RBI (19) already in 13 June games than he had all of last month (26 games) with just as many home runs (6).

"He's swinging the bat as well as I've seen him swing it," said manager Ron Washington.

With home runs in four of the past five games and 10 RBI in that span, Hamilton has vaulted himself into a tie for fifth place in the American League in both home runs (15) and RBI (46). It seems as though the change (removing the toe-tap) to his approach at the plate has Hamilton resembling the 2008 form that had him in the MVP discussion all-season long that year.

It's no coincidence that the Rangers as a team have gotten hot just as Hamilton has rounded back into form. A 9-4 record in the month of June reflects Hamilton's sweet swing, he leads the Majors in RBI for the month with 19.

Hamilton was also named the American League Co-Player of the Week for the last week, along with teammate Colby Lewis and is in the midst of a career-high 10-game hitting streak.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)