Just before the Texas Rangers formally announced the signing of Ian Kinsler to a long-term contract extension on Wednesday, Rangers officials reportedly met with the agent of Josh Hamilton, who's set to become a free agent after the 2012 season.
A source cited by the Star-Telegram said Hamilton's agent, Mike Moye, met with Rangers GM Jon Daniels and owner Bob Simpson to start up discussions of a contract extension after the negotiations were tabled before spring training following Hamilton's public alcohol relapse at a popular Dallas bar.
The same article said the Rangers had hoped to extend Hamilton in the off-season, just as they did with left-handed starter Derek Holland, and Kinsler just days after the regular season started. Other players the Rangers have talked about extending are Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz.
"You have to take each and every situation and player, that has to be viewed completely separately," team president Nolan Ryan said Wednesday, according to ESPN Dallas. "So just because what we did with Derek and what we've done with Ian does not mean that we'll do it with some other player. But certain key players we are certainly, are looking at, to try to figure out how we may be able to retain them."
