Before Game 2 of the World Series last night, Josh Hamilton admitted to reporters how serious his groin injury was:
Hamilton said he will play with the groin injury throughout the remainder of the World Series with the problem but that "if this were the regular season, I'd probably be on the DL."
"It has for a while," he said. "I haven't been able to create the kind of torque I'd like to. I'm doing what I need to do. If that's move a runner up or hit a double, that's what I will do. There have been some pitches to drive that I've ended up popping up because I can't create that torque. I don't feel any pressure to hit homers.
Hamilton, the 2010 AL MVP, has yet to hit a home run in these playoffs. He is hitless so far through the World Series, though his sacrifice fly in the ninth inning scored the tying run and was crucial to the Rangers improbable 2-1 comeback.
By revealing the extent of the injury, Hamilton seems to have invited the St. Louis pitchers to challenge him. But last night, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa pulled his hard-throwing closer Jason Motte and inserted soft-tossing lefty Arthur Rhodes to face Hamilton in the game's most pivotal at-bat.
WIth Hamilton firmly entrenched in the No. 3 spot in the Rangers line-up, it's something both teams will be keeping a close eye on through the rest of the World Series.