It doesn't take a medical doctor to know that Josh Hamilton clearly isn't right. After the Rangers clinched the ALCS, Hamilton went on the Ben & Skin Show and revealed that he was only playing at 50 percent, thanks to a left groin strain.
↵The injury has caused Hamilton to lose power at the plate. As Jeff Caplan at ESPN Dallas points out, Hamilton hasn't homered since September 23, and he's gone 45 at bats in the playoffs without going deep.
↵I doubt if anybody would suggest dropping Hamilton from the lineup altogether. But if Hamilton truly is hurt that badly, he shouldn't be playing centerfield, where he's forced to cover more ground, and naturally, has to run more than he would in left.
↵Further, Ron Washington should certainly consider dropping Hamilton from the three hole if he can't show the ability to drive the baseball.
↵Hamilton, though, may have done himself and the team a disservice when announcing to the world that he was playing at 50 percent. The Cardinals and Tony La Russa are probably more apt to challenge him, knowing that he concedes he's not healthy.
↵We'll see how Hamilton responds tonight, on another chilly night in St. Louis.
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