DES MOINES, Iowa — The search for the missing piece from the Texas Rangers’ lineup resumed in a state where the best-known ballpark is carved out of a cornfield.
But Josh Hamilton was some three hours southwest of the Field of Dreams on Thursday night, instead playing center field for Triple A Oklahoma City at the 11,000-seat Principal Park.

But his field of dreams is Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The All-Star, who is on the disabled list after having surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle, hopes to resume patrolling center field there and batting third as soon as Saturday.
The Rangers will gladly welcome the return of their best run producer, who hit 32 homers last season, drove in 130 runs and has the ability to turn around a slumping offense.
Just his presence, teammates say, can affect a game.
While Hamilton is the first to caution that he probably isn’t the cure-all for the Rangers’ lineup, it is widely expected that he should offer plenty of help when he returns.
“There’s no guarantee that we’re going to do any better when I do get back,” he said. “I’m only human, but at the same time, I hope I can come back and help out the lineup.”
A Saturday return is not a certainty. Hamilton went 0-for-4 Thursday against the Iowa Cubs and is only 1-for-11 in two games here. He handled outfield duties for the first time on his rehab assignment without difficulty and will be back in center on Friday night.
It was suggested that Hamilton get 30 at-bats before being activated from the DL, where he landed June 1.
Including a game Monday for Double A Frisco, Hamilton has two hits in 15 at-bats. Though the results are missing, he sees progress.
“My timing’s there,” said Hamilton, who swung at the first pitch in all four at-bats against Iowa. “I’m still a little too aggressive, trying to make something happen, but that happens at every level.”
Hamilton, who was also on the DL from April 27 to May 12 with a strained rib cage, is hitting only .240 with six homers for the Rangers. He flirted with swing changes in spring training, then went back to the swing he used last season.
He never found a groove early in the season, and he appeared to be starting to swing the bat well when he suffered the abdominal injury May 17 while making a leaping catch that sent him into the center-field wall at Rangers Ballpark.
Hamilton sees his return as a fresh start, but he also wants to be right before he is activated. If that doesn’t happen by Saturday, he’ll go to Oklahoma City and work on timing.
“That’s all hitting is, anyway,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who’s throwing or who’s hitting. It’s quite simple, really.”
There’s no doubt the Rangers missed his bat in June.
They hit an American League-low .225, and only one team scored fewer runs. Players pressed to make up for Hamilton’s absence.
“I think so, and that’s the wrong thing to do,” said leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler, who saw his average slide 16 points in June without Hamilton hitting two spots behind him. “We need to take care of what we can control. If we do that, we’ll be fine. It’s when we try to do too much when we get in trouble.”
Manager Ron Washington said Kinsler and No. 2 hitter Michael Young will benefit the most from Hamilton’s return. Pitchers will be around the strike zone more to avoid walks in front of Hamilton.
That’s where his presence and his ability affect a game.
“It gives us a different dynamic,” Washington said. “He gets them different pitches. Pitchers don’t want to put those guys on the bag with Ham coming and have to go after him.”
But while fans might have high expectations that Hamilton will be the offense’s savior, the Rangers know they can’t rely solely on him.
“He’s one of our best players, and we’ve seen what he can do,” outfielder David Murphy said. “But there are no guarantees that he’s going to hit .350. You can’t expect that of him. At the same time, his return could be the factor that makes everyone better.”