THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARLINGTON, Texas — Josh Hamilton was out of the Texas Rangers’ starting lineup for the third straight game Tuesday and could be headed to the disabled list because of bruised ribs that are not feeling any better.
“Extreme pain, no matter what I do,” Hamilton said in the clubhouse before the start of a three-game series against Oakland. “Just standing here, it hurts. Taking deep breaths. Running, throwing, hitting, everything hurts.”
The all-star centre fielder bruised his ribs when he ran into the outfield wall in Toronto a week ago. His elbow folded into the left side of his body and his rib cage while he was feeling for the wall.
X-rays last week showed no cracked ribs. Hamilton was to be examined by team physician Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday night.
“Doctors in Baltimore said he could play to tolerance,” manager Ron Washington said. “We’ll see what Dr. Meister has to say.”
Hamilton wasn’t in the starting lineup at Toronto on Wednesday, the day after slamming into the wall, but appeared in that game as a pinch-hitter. He started Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
He left in the fifth inning Saturday and pinch-hit again Sunday but didn’t play Monday after trying to take batting practice.
“I probably need to rest it and let it heal,” Hamilton said. “I battled through the last four or five days, did everything I could to help it and pain tolerance-wise to get through it.
“If I’m out there, I’m not going to play not to get hurt. I’m going to play full out.”
Marlon Byrd started in centre field Tuesday night for the start of the Rangers’ six-game homestand. Andruw Jones, the 10-time Gold Glove centre fielder with Atlanta, started in left.
Washington expects Byrd to be the centre fielder when Hamilton is out.
“I think Marlon, right now, is best for that,” Washington said. “Marlon has been playing centre field for us the past three years and I think he had been doing a great job. This is my call. I don’t have any explanation otherwise.”
Jones, a five-time all-star for Atlanta who hit only .158 with three home runs last season in his only year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, made the Rangers’ roster after coming to spring training on a minor league deal.
Going into Tuesday night’s game, Jones was hitting .370 with two home runs and five RBIs in nine games. Byrd was hitting .351 with two homers and 13 RBIs.
Hamilton, who led the AL with 130 RBIs while playing 156 games last season, was hitting .242 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 66 at-bats.
