Josh Hamilton collects single in 'jumpy' 1st rehab start at Triple-A

Josh Hamilton's oft-traveled road back to the big leagues began with a bloop single and ended with two strikeouts, but it was still a step in the right direction.

The Texas Rangers' Triple-A affiliate Round Rock Express were downed 7-0 by Nashville, the Oakland Athletics' Triple-A squad, with the win awarded to fellow veteran Barry Zito.

After singling in the first, Hamilton, who made his first rehab start of the season, struck out twice against Zito, once looking and once swinging.

"I was a little jumpy at the plate, which is to be expected," Hamilton said to reporters after the game, adding that he feels good, given this is his version of spring training.

"I could find it as early as tomorrow or a week from now. And that's what the fun and frustrating part of the game is," he said. "Any given year you can come to spring training and feel really good right off the bat. Then there's some other years it takes a little longer."

Before coming over to the Los Angeles Angels in 2013, Hamilton strung together five consecutive All-Star seasons in which he was named a silver slugger in three of them and the MVP in 2010.

But in two seasons with the Angels, his career was riddled with off-field issues, which translated negatively to the diamond. In 240 games, he batted .255/.316/.426 with 31 home runs, 123 RBIs and 53 doubles.

It's not often a player is ecstatic about being in the minors, but Hamilton was beaming ahead of the game as reporters flooded the visitors dugout to dissect what was going through his head.

"I'm back in a situation where I've had some success and we've won ballgames, so it is a good place to come back to," he said. "No expectations other than to have fun, and if I do that with a smile on my face the results are going to be there."