Praising Josh Hamilton While Solving the Claw

A nod to old Dallas wrestler Fritz Von Erich? A psychological ploy by hitting coach Clint Hurdle? Fallout from last year's swine flu? After seeing two more Texas Rangers smack extra-base hits last week and then make bizarre hand gestures -- Ian Kinsler did a wide-arm double claw and Josh...

By Richie Whitt

June 28, 2010

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A nod to old Dallas wrestler Fritz Von Erich?

A psychological ploy by hitting coach Clint Hurdle?

Fallout from last year's swine flu?

After seeing two more Texas Rangers smack extra-base hits last week and then make bizarre hand gestures -- Ian Kinsler did a wide-arm double claw and Josh Hamilton did a hands-over-his-helmet "nanna nanna boo boo" motion -- toward their dugout, I wanted answers.

But everyone had the same question: What the heck?

Talked to several insiders including Jamey Newberg and Chuck Morgan and even Jon Daniels and Kinsler and they were all very "it's an internal thing."

Finally -- on with Newy Scruggs last Friday on 105.3 The Fan -- manager Ron Washington spilled the beans.

"It's just a fun thing for those guys," Washington said. "It's about locking hands from a distance. If I can't be there to touch you and congratulate you, I'll do it from a distance."

Makes sense. Sorta.

In other news, Josh Hamilton is as hot as any hitter has ever been in the history of the franchise. A 21-game hitting streak. And Sunday he mashed a 468-foot homer, second-longest at Rangers Ballpark behind only Jose Canseco's 480-foot bomb in '94.

Lotta things going right for this team. And a chance to validate them all starting Tuesday night in Anaheim.

Are you ready to believe in the Rangers yet?

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