And The Beat Goes On: Feb. 5th

I'm getting started a bit late on this today, and I suppose I was really late yesterday, but I suppose it's never really too late:

Randy Galloway's column leads with a passing reference to the closeness of spring training, but segues into some Josh Hamilton talk (which includes a mention of several people shopping photos of Hamilton at Sherlock's to the press for anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000), some contract talk, and some Roy Oswalt talk (apparently the Rangers have offered him a deal, but haven't been inclined to guarantee him a rotation spot to this point).

Oswalt, by the way, now seems all but out of the picture, as the Rangers want Oswalt to work to some degree in relief, and Oswalt isn't cool with that.

Somewhere behind the paywall, Evan Grant writes that letting Hamilton walk in free agency would leave the Rangers with "few options." Jean-Jacques Taylor writes that Hamilton just lost "all of his leverage" because now he can't be trusted.

Drew Davison's notes include some talk about Fort Worth native Brad Hawpe being happy about being so close to home, and Craig Gentry trying to establish himself as the Rangers' starting center fielder this year.

And Richard Durrett has some Super Bowl picks from the Rangers players.