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Hamilton feeling blessed as he returns to field

 
Josh Hamilton goes 1-for-3 in his first rehab start.
Josh Hamilton goes 1-for-3 in his first rehab start.
Published May 11, 2015

NASHVILLE — Josh Hamilton is starting over, calling his return to baseball a "small miracle."

The former American League MVP spoke Sunday before starting his rehab stint with Triple-A Round Rock (Texas) against Nashville. He's recovering from shoulder surgery Feb. 4 and had been working in the Rangers' extended spring program in Arizona since April 28.

"It's really a small miracle that I got back here because it was a whole, big, long, ugly process," said Hamilton, who self-reported a cocaine and alcohol relapse this winter that led the Angels to trade him back to the Rangers on April 27. "I feel like the Lord had his hand on it to get me back here. I feel like I'm in the place I'm supposed to be in now."

He played in three extended spring training games last week before Texas stepped up his rehabilitation.

Hamilton, 33, went 1-for-3 with a single and two strikeouts before being pulled after five innings. Facing a 2-and-1 count in the first, Hamilton slapped a hit into shallow left. Former Cy Young winner Barry Zito struck out Hamilton twice.

"I was a little jumpy at the plate, which is to be expected," said Hamilton.

The former MVP had to play only one ball in leftfield, a line-drive roller to the corner.

COACH JOINS BOSOX: Joining the struggling Red Sox in May is "a bit of an uncomfortable situation" for new pitching coach Carl Willis.

Willis, hired Saturday to replace the fired Juan Nieves, joined his new team in Toronto and spoke to the pitchers before the game. He acknowledged being more familiar with Boston's coaching staff than he is with the pitchers.

"It's going to take a little while for me to get up to speed," Willis said. "Obviously I'll be watching them in a whole different perspective now. I've asked them for a little bit of patience to allow me that time and I will connect with them."

Also, the Red Sox shook up their roster, recalling OF Jackie Bradley and RHP Steven Wright from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioning OF Allen Craig and RHP Robbie Ross to the minor-league team. Late Saturday, they traded RH reliever Edward Mujica to the Athletics for a player to be named or cash.

SNOW DAY: Coors Field was shoveled out from a May snowstorm in time for the Rockies to play the Dodgers. An overnight storm dropped up to 5 inches in parts of the Denver area. The grounds crew spent the morning shoveling the outfield and taking the snow out of the stadium.

BABY ON BALL: The best catch at Citizens Bank Park on Mother's Day came from a daring dad — with a baby strapped to his chest. Phillies fan Mike Capko snagged a hard foul ball off the bat of the Mets' Daniel Murphy with his left hand while sitting in the second deck behind home plate. Capko, 30, made the play with 71/2-month-old son Kolton cradled in a baby carrier.

BLUE JAYS: OF Michael Saunders went on the 15-day disabled list with left knee inflammation. Utility player Steve Tolleson was called up from Triple-A Buffalo.

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CARDINALS: 3B Matt Carpenter, who didn't travel with the team to Pittsburgh this weekend because of an accelerated heart rate and extreme fatigue, is expected to rejoin the lineup Tuesday.

DODGERS: RF Yasiel Puig was set to have an MRI exam after reaggravating his left hamstring strain during a rehab game Friday.

TIGERS: LHP David Price's next start was pushed back two days to Saturday to help him recover from a right hamstring strain.