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ARLINGTON, Texas -- You knew the fans would forgive Josh Hamilton for the wretched end of the 2012 season, when they booed him like none other. And you knew they would forget about any sarcastic comments he has made over the past couple of years, whether it was directed at the Texas Rangers or Dallas-Fort Worth. And the reality is, you knew they'd give him a standing ovation in his first at-bat back at Globe Life Park on Thursday night since the Rangers acquired him from the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations last month. This is America, a country that hands out second chances like Halloween candy. We love redemption stories, and that's why Hamilton has an opportunity to write in his return to Texas. Hamilton rewarded the fans, many of whom wore red, white or blue Rangers jerseys with Hamilton's familiar No. 32 stitched on the back. He swung at the first pitch he saw -- imagine that -- and hammered a double to right field.  "It'll be a game I remember forever," Hamilton said. "Coming back and getting a warm reception all through the game. It just makes you feel good.
"I didn't know what to expect. It was better not knowing what to expect. It just makes you smile." He grounded out weakly in his next two at-bats, before driving in the Rangers' only run with a two-out single in the ninth as some Boston Red Sox dude named Eduardo Rodriguez shut down the Rangers in his major league debut. Boston 5, Texas 1. This day, however, was all about the prodigal son's return. Hamilton spent the morning playing with his four daughters and signing autographs for fans waiting for him when he arrived. He mingled with a few of the faithful after batting practice before delivering more signatures for a throng in the stands along the first-base line. "I've always enjoyed spending time with the fans," Hamilton said, "because if they weren't buying tickets, we wouldn't have a job." The last time Hamilton played in this stadium for the Rangers, fans booed him loudly after he struck out in a wild-card game against the Baltimore Orioles. Whether it was Double-A Frisco or Triple-A Round Rock, Hamilton has spent considerable time signing baseballs and such and trying to rebuild his relationship with the fan base as he prepared to reunite with the Rangers. When he sprinted out to left field at the start of the game, Hamilton waved quickly to the fans in the left-field bleachers as they cheered. Then he turned toward those down the third-base line and acknowledged them. More than most professional athletes, Hamilton yearns to please the fans. He needs their adulation. It fuels him like no other athlete I have ever seen. Obviously, no athlete wants to be booed. Some stars, Barry Bonds comes to mind, could not care less about being booed. They embrace being the villain. Others, such as Alex Rodriguez, have seemingly accepted the fickle nature of sports fans. Hamilton, though, appeared genuinely hurt when he was serenaded by boos during his first game in Texas as a member of the Angels in 2013. It sent him into a funk, one from which he might never really has escaped. His relationship with the fans here will allow him to extract whatever talent remains in his body. When he made a nice running catch on a flair in the first inning and the fans gave him a rousing ovation, it was pretty clear they had decided to forgive and forget. When he stepped to the plate in the second inning, Hamilton waved quickly to the crowd and stepped into the batter's box. After lashing the ball to right, he stood on second base and pounded his hands. Then he pointed toward the Rangers' dugout, a huge smile covering his face. "It's a good feeling, man. I'm appreciative. I appreciate it a lot. You don't know what to expect," Hamilton said of the reception. "You hear fans cheering in the stands, and it means a lot. "When you get support from the fans as a player, it makes you want to give everything you've got for them." Hamilton helped the Rangers avoid a shutout in the ninth, delivering a two-out RBI single to right that had the smattering of fans still in the stadium give him yet another standing ovation. So what if the Rangers still trailed by four runs? Hamilton's presence gives devotees hope for the summer. What if he can still hit for power? What if he can still be a difference-maker? What if he can be a star again? What if he can make the Rangers a playoff contender? The days of Hamilton being a superstar are probably over. But the best moments of his nine-year career all occurred during his five seasons as a member of the Rangers, which he led to the World Series in 2010 and 2011. He signed a five-year, $125 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels and struggled in two seasons. He had shoulder surgery in early February and a relapse in his sobriety at the end of that month, leading the Angels to trade him to the Rangers. He's hitting .200 (3-for-15) through four games, but he has no doubt he'll eventually produce the numbers that made him a star. "What player isn't going to have confidence that he can do what he's always done? When that happens, you need to retire," Hamilton said before the game. "When you don't get nervous before you go play, or before your first at-bat or when you're in the field for the first time, you don't need to do it. "I still have all of those things, so yeah, I think I can do what I've done in the past." Playing in front of a fan base that has welcomed him back gives Hamilton a chance to be a difference-maker again.
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