Hamilton Should Improve Some in 2014

Since Josh Hamilton is now playing for the Los Angeles Angels, fans of the Texas Rangers certainly don't want to ever see him put up years like he did in 2010 or 2012, and chances are, they won't have to worry about that.

But if they're expecting Hamilton to have another painfully mediocre season like he did in 2013 — his first year with the Angels — they might be disappointed as well.

Hamilton hit .250 with 21 homers and 79 RBIs last year after signing his mega contract worth $133 million over five years. Prior to last season, Hamilton had dropped 20 pounds with the thought it would make him less injury prone and more healthy all-around. No matter the case, his production suffered.

Now, he's 20 pounds heavier than he was last year, and he's hoping to regain his form from 2012 when he hit .285 with 43 homers and 128 RBIs after getting off to a scorching start that basically had folks handing him the MVP award on June 1. Then, he started a decline that carried through most of the 2013 season with his new team.

Hamilton was so bad last year, he was dropped as low as seventh in the Angels' lineup, but he had a solid end to the year. He hit .323 with a .484 slugging percentage in September and hit more fly balls than ground balls. So yeah, it wasn't much, but when you are as bad as Hamilton was, you look for any positive sign.

Don't expect a season worth $25 million from Hamilton, but expect a bit of a turnaround.

Hamilton put together a solid finish last season, as he hit .323 with a .484 slugging percentage in September, and he hit more fly balls (39.5 percent) and line drives (24.9 percent) during the second half of the season than he did in the first half (38.4 percent and 20.4 percent respectively). As expected he also hit fewer ground balls over that stretch (35.6 percent vs. 41.2 percent in the first half), but his home run power (seven home runs after the All-Star break) did not resurface.
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