Rangers OF Josh Hamilton: 'I'm trying to grow up a bit'

Josh Hamilton has been tearing it up at Double-A Frisco with nine hits in his last 16 at-bats as his return to the Rangers could be less than a week away. But he understands that it's not all about baseball for him. He seeks to be a smarter player and a more patient person.

"I'm trying to grow up a bit," he told the Dallas Morning News.

Hamilton was referring to not rushing himself back to the majors. The recovering drug addict was traded back to Texas from the Angels after admitting he had relapsed.

The slugger hit his first home run in 10 rehab games Wednesday. He admitted that it took a different approach at the plate.

"The at-bat before, the first two I swung at off-speed, I was trying to kill them, trying to hit a home run, then I got a heater and grounded out to first," he explained. "The next at-bats I was like, 'You know what, I'm going to take a nice easy swing if it's a pitch in the zone.'"

Hamilton is headed to Triple-A Round Rock to continue his rehab. He could return to the Rangers as early as May 25 in Cleveland, but he's not about to force the issue.

"(We're) talking together," he said. "Them obviously asking how I feel and me being honest with them and telling them how it is, with them at the same time understanding that they don't need to rush me back for anything.”