Hamilton receives expected reception in Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Boos, as anticipated, greeted Josh Hamilton as he made his first plate appearance against the Rangers, his former club, in an Angels uniform.

Leading off the second inning, wearing his familiar No. 32, Hamilton looked at a strike from Derek Holland, bringing cheers from the crowd. The cheers grew louder as he flailed at a slider, missing. After he took a ball, the fans roared -- intermixed with boos -- as he swung through another slider and struck out.

Hamilton went into the game hitting .083 after collecting one single in the team's first three games in Cincinnati.

His second at-bat, in the fourth inning, was a repeat of the first. He again fell behind, 0-2, before swinging through a pitch. Once again a roar went up from the big crowd attending the Rangers' home opener. The score was tied at 1.

Hamilton, who signed a five-year, $125 million free-agent deal with the Angels, said before the game that he expected the reaction to be unpleasant. A few fans cheered and held signs of support, but more prevalent were the boos.