MINNEAPOLIS – The latest contractual trend in baseball is to lock up players with less than two years' experience to deals that extend well past eventual free agency.

In the wake of several recent deals, the Rangers have started exploring the possibility with Josh Hamilton. Hamilton, who has one year and nearly two months of major league service time, is at the forefront of the AL Triple Crown chase.

There have been some internal discussions and at least one casual conversation with his agent.

"What's meant to happen is going to happen," Hamilton said after acknowledging some conversation. "The more I read the Bible, the more I realize it doesn't make any sense to worry. I'm not going to be able to add one day to my life by worrying. I know God will provide for my family.

"I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be. I feel like I mix well with these guys and have felt that way since the first day at spring training. Since I started playing baseball, this is the most comfortable I've ever felt."

Hamilton's twisting path to major league stardom makes doing a deal more complicated than the ones recently signed by Evan Longoria with Tampa Bay and Ryan Braun with Milwaukee. Longoria signed a deal that could keep him with the Rays for nine seasons; Braun signed an eight-year, $45 million deal. But both players are younger than 25 while Hamilton turned 27 on Wednesday.

The sides would probably also have to consider Hamilton's difficult past, which included three years out of baseball because of drug-addiction issues.

"I couldn't be happier with how Josh has performed and how he's fit into the community," general manager Jon Daniels said from Texas. He declined to address contract talks directly.

"You can't necessarily say he's put his past behind him, because he would be the first to say it's part of what drives him. But he's just one of the guys now; it's not a topic of conversation. He's an important part of this team."

Pace of game: Manager Ron Washington expressed no concerns over Major League Baseball's edict that umpires start enforcing pace of game rules to speed up games. The average time for a nine-inning game this season is up to 2:51.42, 29 seconds longer than last year but 5 ½ minutes longer than five seasons ago. The Rangers averaged 2:55 for their nine-inning games going into Thursday.

Washington and assistant general manager Thad Levine participated in a mass conference call with MLB and other team officials.

"They are just going to follow the rules that are on the books about making sure a pitcher delivers the ball in 12 seconds when there is nobody on base and about having guys stop stepping out and so forth," Washington said. "They just wanted to give us a heads up that they were going to start enforcing them."

Briefly: 1B Hank Blalock will join the team today in Cleveland. 1B Chris Shelton is the likely odd man out, though the Rangers have not finalized a decision partly because of 1B Frank Catalanotto's recent back stiffness. ... DH Milton Bradley's ejection for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Jeff Nelson on Wednesday night was the 13th of his career. Washington also was ejected for arguing with Nelson about Bradley's ejection. "I thought he had a short fuse," Washington said. "But I thought it was too short with Milton. I reacted to how quickly he reacted to Milton. I thought he would just take off his mask and yell at Milton, 'That's enough.' But he went ahead and ejected him." ... RHP Kevin Millwood will throw a simulated game Saturday, but it's uncertain if he will make a rehab assignment start before coming back from the disabled list. Washington said he'd like Millwood to pitch once in the minors to ensure his groin can handle game-speed action.