Josh Hamilton makes 'amends' with Rays about past

While playing outfield for the Rangers, Josh Hamilton said he spent some of Monday's Division Series Game 3 against Tampa Bay thinking about what could have been with the Rays.

"I was thinking about it in the outfield last night," Hamilton said Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Jane Lee. "With all of the stress and everything of that game yesterday (a 4-3 Rangers win), thinking about and actually made some amends with trainers and with staff from the other side, from the Rays' side, because I don't think I ever had, as far as what I did and when I was here and my time. And they put a lot of time and effort into me, so just made an apology, a few yesterday."

Once upon a time (in 1999), the then-name Tampa Bay Devil Rays made Hamilton the first overall draft pick out of Athens Drive High in Raleigh, N.C. He shined in the Devil Rays system for a couple of years before he hurt his elbow and shoulder and then was derailed by a drug addiction. He has since spoken openly about his addiction and has made a career resurgence, first with the Reds and then the Rangers. The Cubs had chosen him from the Devil Rays in the 2006 Rule 5 draft, then sold him to the Reds, who traded him to Texas in December 2007.

He was named the AL MVP and helped lead the Rangers to the World Series in 2010, his team going through Tampa Bay in the first round. The Rangers eliminated the Rays from the Division Series again Tuesday.

He says he thought about Rays fans while in St. Petersburg, Fla.

"They were all expecting to see me with the Rays in Tropicana (Field), in the outfield," he said. "But it doesn't work out that way all the time.

"So you know what? Would I have liked to have done it? Absolutely. Did it happen? No. But I just have to do what I can with my team I am with now. But I enjoy coming back, and the whole newness and weird feeling is over with. You know, now it just feels like another stadium. But I enjoy seeing familiar faces in the stands."

Hamilton, 30, didn't say which Rays officials he met with Monday. According to Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News, vice president of communications Rick Vaughn, head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield and assistant athletic trainer Kevin Harker were with the Rays at the same time as Hamilton and were at Tropicana Field for Monday's game.