with the acumen of bunting and getting more balls hit on the ground and

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Russell Wilson has enjoyed spending time with the Texas Rangers. Yet the Seattle Seahawks are never far from the young quarterbacks mind. While Wilson sat in the Texas Rangers dugout Monday, fans yelling "Seahawks" filled the spring training stadium. "I couldnt expect anything less," Wilson said. "The 12th man fans were unbelievable today. Theyre everywhere. The 12th man fans are out in the outfield, theyre on third-base line, first-base line, chanting Seahawks the whole way. Hopefully the Dallas fans didnt get too mad." Wilson threw for 3,357 yards and 26 touchdowns and helped the Seattle Seahawks rout the Denver Broncos 43-8 in the Super Bowl last month. He also happens to be a pretty good baseball player, drafted three times and hitting .229 with a .350 on-base percentage in 93 games in 2010-11 in the low minors in the Colorado Rockies system. But hes had instant success in the NFL. "You never say never," Wilson said. "Ive always had the dream of playing two sports. If somehow it was a miracle that it could work out, Id consider it. At the same time, my focus is winning the championship with the Seattle Seahawks and hope to be playing for a long time. "For me, it only being my second year, yeah I won a Super Bowl and all that, but thats not enough for me. It really isnt. My goal is to be one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, if not the best. Ive got a long ways to go. I make sure I get up earlier than Tom Brady and Drew Brees and theyre on the East Coast." The Rangers picked Wilson for $12,000 in the Rule 5 minor league draft in December. He was in the Rangers camp Monday, took ground balls in morning drills and brought the Rangers lineup to the umpires before the game, but did not play in the 6-5 loss to Cleveland. "How much did I want to play an inning?" Wilson said. "How much did I want to play the whole game is the question." He spoke at a Rangers dinner on Sunday night for sponsors, suite holders and players and addressed the minor leaguers Monday night. He said he would leave Tuesday for Seattle and "turn my focus back to football." So what is most difficult, hitting a curveball or being hit by a 300-pound defensive end? "Hitting a curveball," Wilson said. "The ball is so small. It looks like a pea." Wilson worked on throws and pivots at second base in a group with young infielders Jurickson Profar, Luis Sardinas and Rougned Odor. "He surprised me for not being out on the baseball field for a while," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I might have burned his legs up a little bit, but he made it through all the drills and did a fantastic job. Hes got tremendous aptitude. Thats why he is who he is. You give him something and he knows how to apply it." Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said Wilson is athletic enough to make it in baseball. "Hes got pretty good hands," Andrus said. "Ive got to see him hit so I can answer that, but so far what I saw today it was pretty impressive." The Surprise Stadium shops selling official Major League gear, predominantly displayed Wilsons Rangers No. 3 jersey. The one on Wilsons back, however, will not be sold. "The uniform, man, Im definitely hanging this up," Wilson said. "Im gonna get a few of these and put them up around the house." Ivan Provorov Jersey . Wayne and Cindy Tuck of Ilderton, Ont., closed out round-robin play earlier in the day with a 7-3 win over Finland but needed a win over Austria to reach the final eight. Brian Propp Flyers Jersey . 15-23, the Ottawa Senators will by hoping to avoid going five straight games without a victory for the first time since a 0-3-2 drought from Oct. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/claude-giroux-hockey-jersey/ . -- Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew practiced in a limited capacity Friday, a positive sign he might be able to play against the Tennessee Titans. Travis Sanheim Jersey . Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Fiorentina levelled on aggregate in the 14th minute when Joaquin Sanchez Rodriguez headed back a long ball from David Pizarro and Pasqual smashed home an angled volley. Brian Elliott Jersey . Maximilian Arnold put Wolfsburg ahead in the eighth minute, when the stationary Fallou Diagne allowed him to guide Patrick Ochs cross beyond the helpless Freiburg goalkeeper, and Ivica Olic doubled the lead three minutes later after Luiz Gustavo did well to set him up.CINCINNATI - Billy Hamilton set a Reds rookie record by stealing 56 bases last season, tied for second-most overall in the major leagues. He also wore down as the months wore on, with his hitting and stealing showing a big drop-off.So the 6-foot, 160-pound outfielder is on a weight-lifting regimen this off-season, trying to make his body ready for the extra wear-and-tear of a major league season.This off-season Ive had a chance to do stuff like that, Hamilton said on Thursday, before the start of the teams annual media caravan to nearby cities. Ive been getting in the weight room. Im not a power hitter, but I want to be stronger than last year.He took the National League by surprise during his first promotion in September 2013, batting .368 for the month and stealing 13 bases while getting caught only once. Hes so fast that pitchers and catchers got rattled.The 24-year-old was the starting centre fielder last season and quickly recognized that teams were better prepared to stop him the second time around. He was caught stealing 23 times, the most in the National League, and repeatedly got nabbed when pitchers threw over to first in anticipation that he was running.Lesson learned.The thing about being a young, confident player is feeling theres not a situation where you cant be successful, manager Bryan Price said on Thursday. Even though the percentages are always in his favour, theres going to be better opportunities to run, better pitcher-and-catcher combinations to run against.That will be part of his learning curve.Hes showing that hes a quick study.Hamilton was overmatched at the start of last season, going only 6 for 43. Once he relaxed, he got much better. Hamilton batted .dddddddddddd250 overall in 152 games with 25 doubles, eight triples, six homers and 48 RBIs.He wound up leading NL rookies in runs, hits, total bases, doubles, steals, extra-base hits and multi-hit games despite a second-half fade. Hamilton batted only .200 after the All-Star break with one homer and 18 steals.All we can do is speculate that the second half (slump) was just getting used to playing a full season in the big leagues, Price said. We want him getting stronger and getting reacquainted with the acumen of bunting and getting more balls hit on the ground and hard line drives instead of balls hit in the air.Were seeing the development of a young player.Hamilton finished second to the Mets Jacob deGrom in voting for NL rookie of the year. Even though the season wasnt quite what hed hoped, it gave Hamilton more confidence.Especially the way the season started, I felt like it was going to be a tough, tough season, Hamilton said. But I started relaxing and getting myself into it. Going into this season, I feel way better than last year. Im way calmer and feel like Im supposed to be here where last year it was, Oh, oh, I dont know if Im ready. But right now, Im ready.Hamilton has been working out in Atlanta with Delino DeShields, manager of Triple-A Louisville this season, in order to hone his bunting and get stronger. The major league season lasts about a month longer than the Triple-A season.I did get a little draggy, Hamilton said. I wouldnt say I completely tired out. Ive got to do better than I did last year. Ive been taking care of my body this off-season and getting prepared for that extra month.___Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay ' ' '