Cole Hamels News: Pro Sports Daily

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March 11

Camden Courier-Post

"There was a time, only just last summer, when the Phillies planned for Cole Hamels and Kyle Drabek to someday share a field. But they never expected them to share the mound. That became reality Wednesday when Drabek, a 22-year-old right-hander and former first-round phenom sent to the Toronto Blue Jays in December for Roy Halladay, started against the Phillies and opposed Hamels at Dunedin Stadium. "I've just kind of been able to relate to him, being (drafted) out of high school, being a top-round pick," Hamels said. "I guess I was just fortunate enough I didn't get traded when I was in the minors, and I'm here with the Phillies. Drabek would've been one of those guys." Now, it'll have to ..."

After the fall, Hamels is getting back up

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March 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

"After the 2009 World Series had ended and the noise of an irritated public and his own self-doubt quieted a bit, Cole Hamels went home to his wife and new son. Caleb Hamels was born on the frantic afternoon of Oct. 8, when his father lasted just five innings in a division series loss to Colorado, and spent his first days in the world with a dad facing incessant adversity. In November, when the Phillies pitcher was finally able to exhale and spend time with his first child, he was impressed by Caleb's resilience. The baby stared at unfamiliar objects with fierce interest and approached challenges with a determination that struck his father as admirable. And after enduring the most serious ..."

Hamels tries out cutter, curve

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March 6

Camden Courier-Post

"Cole Hamels could have just thrown a changeup.

In previous years, that's what he would have done, too. But 3 1/2 seasons in the majors have taught him it takes more than a fastball and one of the best changeups in the game to sustain success against hitters who eventually catch on to a two-pitch act. "I need to make guys think more," Hamels said Friday. A few minutes earlier, he had left Joey Gathright's head spinning. Facing the Toronto Blue Jays at Dunedin Stadium in his first Grapefruit League start for the Phillies, Hamels threw an 88-mph first-pitch fastball that showed how much stronger his arm is this spring than last. Then, he got Gathright to swing ..."

Phils' Hamels happy with new pitch

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March 6

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The 31st pitch Cole Hamels threw yesterday was a cutter. It stayed up in the strike zone, and Joey Gathright got a piece of it, fouling the ball off with two strikes. Hamels could have countered with a change-up, his signature pitch through his first four seasons in the majors. But the 26-year-old has come to spring training with the goal of redefining himself as a pitcher. Last year, the batters caught up. And Hamels had no answer. So he threw another cutter to Gathright. "I knew if I got out in front it would do exactly what I wanted to," Hamels said. "And it did." Gathright swung through the cutter, Hamels' 32d and final pitch of his first spring-training start. As minor as victories ..."

Halladay-Hamels era begins for Phils

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March 5

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Roy Halladay viewed yesterday's start against the New York Yankees as a chance to recalibrate his body and mind to the feel of a ball game. In his first spring training appearance, Halladay simply wanted to make sure his arm felt healthy after a five-month hiatus from competition. He was interested in how precise his pitches would be, and eager to practice converting anxious adrenaline into productive energy. Halladay's two-inning blip was successful by all of those measures, and it featured the bonus of impressive results. The Phillies' new ace struck out three, did not allow a hit, and threw 21 of his 24 pitches for strikes. But spring training is about practice and preparation, and ..."

Phils' Hamels tinkering with sinker

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March 4

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist John Smallwood

"So far in his career, Cole Hamels has thrown two pitches - a fastball and a change-up - with consistent effectiveness. He is trying to augment those this spring by improving his curveball and adding a cutter. But Hamels' efforts to diversify go still further. The 26-year-old lefthander is also working on a sinker this month. The sinker, or two-seam fastball, induces ground-ball outs, which in turn can reduce pitch counts and allow Hamels to pitch deeper into games. Hamels actually tinkered with the pitch in several games last summer. "A few games, I would throw it, but it would get hit, and I would say, 'Forget this,' " said Hamels, who is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut ..."

Hamels has solid showing

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February 27

Camden Courier-Post

"As the Phillies opened camp last week, pitching coach Rich Dubee said the refinement of Cole Hamels' curveball would be a higher priority than his development of a new pitch, namely a cutter. But when he faced hitters Friday, Hamels threw more cutters than curves. Of the approximately 40 pitches that he unleashed during live batting practice at the Carpenter Complex, Hamels threw four curveballs and five cutters, in addition to his usual array of fastballs and changeups. Minor league catcher Tuffy Gosewisch, who has caught Hamels during previous springs, was impressed with the cutters, which Hamels only began toying with during bullpen sessions last season. "They were all outstanding," ..."

Phillies Notes: Hamels adds cut fastball to curve

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February 27

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Last week, Rich Dubee said it was counterproductive for Cole Hamels to work on two pitches. The pitching coach wanted to see consistency from Hamels' curveball before experimenting with a cutter. Yesterday, as Hamels faced hitters for the first time during live batting practice, he threw more cutters than curveballs. "He's been playing with it," Dubee said of the cutter. "We played with it last year some. I think he's very comfortable where he is arm-wise. He feels like he's ready to do that stuff. It's all good." So it's official. Hamels has added a fourth pitch. Whether he carries it into the regular season remains to be seen, but he will continue throwing it on the side and in ..."

Hamels ready to start anew

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February 19

Camden Courier-Post

"For 20 minutes, the conversation ping-ponged from details of a modified offseason training regimen to the status of an in-progress curveball. Cut through it all, though, and there was only one, still-unanswerable question. Who is Cole Hamels? Is he the emerging ace who pitched in the All-Star Game in 2007 and dominated the 2008 playoffs, copping World Series MVP honors? Or is he the obsessive perfectionist who fizzled last year when his two-pitch repertoire ceased fooling big-league hitters? Even some of the all-time greats want to know. "(Jim) Kaat called me the other day," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Thursday. "Said he had dinner with Whitey Ford and (Bill) Mazeroski, and they ..."

Hamels getting his arm - and his head - right

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February 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Cole Hamels says he doesn't need to see the video - he remembers what he did. Rich Dubee does, too. He saw the times Hamels snatched the throw back from his catcher and stomped around the mound after something went wrong. When Hamels was at his best in 2008, Dubee said, he never noticed a hitch in Hamels' mound mannerisms. That changed in 2009. And so did the results. "The success won't come back until the demeanor changes - his attitude and his focus," said Dubee, the Phillies' pitching coach. "I think he spent a tremendous amount of work this off-season not only getting himself in shape, but getting his head right, not thinking that he had to carry the world on his shoulders." Consider ..."

Phillies pitcher Hamels confident 2009 woes are over

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February 19

Philadelphia Daily News

"In many ways, it sounded like your typical family road trip, one that 20 years from now will be the subject of reminiscing at many a holiday gathering. The young father at the wheel, his wife to his right, their 4-month-old son strapped into a car seat. There was an hourslong battle with traffic along the Beltway, a freak snowstorm in North Carolina that stranded them for a night south of Rocky Mount, and plenty of breaks to comfort the crying coming from the back. If your last memory of Cole Hamels was a frustrated young pitcher walking off a mound on an unseasonably warm Halloween night, his performance in Game 3 of the World Series finished after only 4 1/3 innings, maybe it is time for ..."

Hamels, Lidge among few insecurities for Phillies

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February 16

Wilmington News Journal

"For the past 3 1/2 months, since that chilly November night in the South Bronx, Ruben Amaro Jr. has been plotting a course to reacquire the World Series trophy wrenched from the Phillies' grasp by the Yankees. Now, it's the players' turn. As spring training dawns under the Florida sun (pitchers and catchers will have their first mandatory workout Thursday on the manicured fields of the Carpenter Complex) and the Phillies endeavor to become the first team to win three straight National League championships since the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals, Amaro can only sit and watch, just like everyone else. "I believe that our club is better going into spring training than it was last year," the ..."

Halladay praises Hamels in interview

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February 11

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Roy Halladay is now the Phillies' ace, and is probably the preeminent pitcher in the National League. But in a Sporting News interview to be released this week, the righthander made a point to compliment his new No. 2, Cole Hamels, as well as his competition. "I'd never vote for myself," Halladay, 32, told the magazine when asked whether he was the best pitcher in the NL East. He said New York Mets lefthander Johan Santana "has always been fun to watch. The way Cole pitched in the playoffs a couple of years ago and at times last year, I think he's up there. Some of the Marlins' younger guys are scary - Josh Johnson. There's a lot of talent." Halladay's high opinion of Hamels was a reminder ..."

Phils' faith in Hamels key to Lee trade

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December 20

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Scott Lauber

"Next Page1| 2Previous PageA year ago, when acquiring Roy Halladay still was Ruben Amaro Jr.'s whimsy and Cliff Lee got traded only in fantasy leagues, the Phillies had another ace. Remember Cole Hamels? Last year, Hamels was everywhere. He tossed the coin at the 50-yard line before the Eagles-Giants game at the Linc, danced with Ellen DeGeneres, read the Top 10 List for David Letterman. Then, he signed a three-year, $20.5 million contract extension, moved to a 2,700-square-foot condo high atop Two Liberty Place and became the pitch man in a half-dozen commercials. Life was good. In 2009, Hamels got flattened by reality. Only 25, with just two above-average pitches and having slacked in his ..."

Hamels a big factor in Amaro's plans

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December 15

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Phil Sheridan

"As you try to get your head around the Phillies' reported plan to add Roy Halladay at the expense of postseason ace Cliff Lee, the important name to remember is: Cole Hamels. For a couple of very different reasons, Hamels is the key to understanding what's going on here. First and most obvious, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is demonstrating tremendous - and likely season-determining - faith in Hamels' ability to move beyond his perplexing and disappointing season and pick up where he left off after the 2008 World Series. But there is a deeper lesson in Hamels' 2009 struggles that has to factor into the thinking here. A year ago, in the hearts and minds of Phillies fans, Hamels ..."

A different look at Hamels' struggles

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November 23

Camden Courier-Post

"Upon winning the American League Cy Young Award last week, gifted Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke endeared himself to new-age statistical analysts everywhere. Indirectly, he also may have explained Cole Hamels' struggles. During a conference call Tuesday with members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, the group that bestows and presents the Cy Young Award, Greinke said the metric he values above all others -- more than innings pitched, earned-run average, even wins -- is FIP. Short for Fielding Independent Pitching, FIP was invented by sabermetrics expert Tom Tango and is defined by Baseball Prospectus as a "measure of all those things for which a pitcher is specifically ..."

Amaro denies Hamels trade speculation

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November 11

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The rumored trade of Cole Hamels to somewhere for something has gotten back to Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.In short: It's not happening."We have no thoughts of trading Cole Hamels," Amaro said at baseball's general managers meetings yesterday. "I don't know where those rumors are coming from, but that's exactly what they are. Cole Hamels is our pitcher and we're keeping him, and I'm glad to have him."Amaro envisions Hamels bouncing back from this year's disappointing season and being a top-of-the-rotation twin with Cliff Lee next season.As for adding Toronto's Roy Halladay in a trade, Amaro predictably shot down speculation that it could happen, even though industry sources say ..."

Hamels, Lidge look forward to next season

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November 8

Camden Courier-Post

"Once the Phillies had clinched the National League East title and secured a playoff berth, Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge told each other it was their time for redemption after dismal individual performances in the regular season. It didn't work out that way. Hamels never came close to fulfilling the big-game reputation he made for himself in 2008. Cliff Lee replaced him as the Phillies' postseason ace, and with a 7.58 ERA in four starts, Hamels wasn't even as effective as a No. 2 starter as Brett Myers one year earlier. Lidge, placed in situations where his success might best be maximized, retired 12 of 15 batters and went 3-for-3 in save chances during the Division Series and NLCS. But in ..."

Surgery for Lidge, Ibanez, Eyre

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November 8

Camden Courier-Post

"A few medical updates, courtesy of the Phillies: -Brad Lidge does, in fact, have a "loose body" floating in his right elbow, possibly a cause of his dreadful season. Lidge will have that obstruction removed Wednesday in a procedure performed by team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti. At the same time, Lidge will have his right flexor/pronator tendon evaluated. If there isn't any damage to the tendon, Lidge is expected to be ready by spring training. If there is, he could miss the start of camp. -Raul Ibanez will have surgery Monday to repair a sports hernia. Like Chase Utley's hip injury last season, Ibanez's groin/abdominal problem was the worst-kept secret in the Phillies' clubhouse during ..."

Phils downplay 'spat' between Cole & Myers

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November 4

New York Post

"They don't call them the Fightin' Phils for nothing. Phillies pitchers Cole Hamels and Brett Myers had a verbal altercation after Game 5 of the World Series on Monday, according to an Internet report. Now the Phillies are dealing with the fallout while trying to prepare for tonight's Game 6. The Phillies deny there was any altercation, saying Myers was joking with Hamels. But according to a Yahoo Sports report, Myers walked past Hamels and said, "What are you doing here? I thought you quit." A witness told Yahoo that Hamels then responded with an expletive, and that a team official ushered Myers away."

Myers mocks Hamels after Game 5

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November 3

Yahoo! Sports

"Phillies pitchers Brett Myers and Cole Hamels had a short but tense confrontation in the team's clubhouse following Game 5 of the World Series, according to one witness, words that stemmed from Hamels' recent statement that he was eager for his season to end. As Myers walked past Hamels near Hamels' locker he said, mocking, "What are you doing here? I thought you quit." Hamels, the witness said, responded with an expletive. Before the situation escalated, Myers was guided away by a team official. In an otherwise happy Phillies clubhouse – they beat the Yankees, 8-6, on Monday night to force Game 6 – Myers poked at a sore topic for Hamels. The 25-year-old left-hander has had a difficult ..."

If necessary, Phillies' Hamels wants to start Game 7

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November 3

Philadelphia Inquirer

"After the game last night, Cole Hamels stood at his locker and smiled sheepishly and said, "I've said some dumb things. I think everybody has . . . It's hard. It's hard to play baseball and talk sometimes." After his loss in Game 3 of the World Series, the latest in a run of frustrating outings for the 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player, Hamels was quoted in an interview as saying, "I can't wait for it to end. It's been mentally draining. But, you know what, it's one of those things, a year in, you just can't wait for a fresh start . . . " The effect in the town would have been seismic, if not for Game 4 taking the spotlight the next day. Still, in black and white, the words called ..."

Shaken Cole has seen enough

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November 2

New York Post

"The fallout from Cole Hamels' horrific Game 3 start Saturday lingered into yesterday for the Phillies. That fallout was so great, in fact, that it could alter Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel's thoughts of keeping Hamels in his turn if the Phillies extend the World Series to a Game 7. What prompted the concern about Hamels yesterday was as much what he said after the Phillies' 8-5 loss to the Yankees in Game 3 as it was his dreadful performance during it. Showing his frustration after giving up five runs in just 4 1/3 innings, Hamels told reporters in the Phillies' clubhouse that he "can't wait for [the season] to end." "It's been mentally draining," the lanky left-hander said. "It's ..."

Hamels' comments surprise Manuel

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November 2

Camden Courier-Post

"In Charlie Manuel's office, on the wall to the right of the desk, there is a framed photo of Manuel accepting the National League championship trophy last October in Los Angeles. Standing next to him, cradling the NLCS MVP trophy, is Cole Hamels. Those were happier times for Hamels. One year later, the Phillies' once-unflappable playoff ace is nearing the finish of a terribly frustrating season. And after coming unglued Saturday night in Game 3 of the World Series, Hamels said, "I can't wait for it to end. It's been mentally draining. At year's end, you just can't wait for a fresh start." First, some context: Hamels had just gotten through saying he'd relish a chance to start a potential ..."

Phillies' Hamels hammered

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November 1

New York Post

"Cole Hamels' puzzling postseason meltdown continues. The lanky left-hander is still searching for answers after another abysmal playoff outing last night in the Phillies' 8-5 loss to the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series. After a promising beginning that had the Citizens Bank Park crowd in a towel-waving frenzy, Hamels came unglued in stunningly quick fashion. Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP who came in sporting a 6.75 ERA in three postseason starts this year, couldn't hold a 3-0 lead and exited the game to boos after lasting just 4 1/3 innings. Hamels' playoff ERA is now 10.38, and he has yet to make it to the seventh inning this postseason. "That's been the story of my whole ..."

Pettitte's stare made impression on a young Hamels

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October 31

Los Angeles Times

"Andy Pettitte may not be the face of the Yankees. Yet, there's little dispute that Pettitte's has been the most ubiquitous face of postseason baseball the last 14 seasons.The television cameras love to hone in on a pitcher's face, sometimes offering revealing shots of tension, anxiety, excitement, confidence or poise. In Pettitte's case, it reveals intense concentration.When the Yankees' 37-year-old lefthander looks for a sign from his catcher as he prepares to deliver a pitch, all that's visible from the camera shot are his coal-black eyes because he holds his glove high and the bill of his cap is pulled low.It's become such a familiar postseason stare because Pettitte has more postseason ..."

Hard to crack mystery that is Hamels in '09

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October 31

New York Post

"The Phillies are back in the World Series, but that's about the only similarity between last year and this year for Cole Hamels. This time a year ago, the left-hander was the toast of Philadelphia and baseball after complementing the Phillies' title with a no-brainer selection as World Series MVP. A year later, Hamels' dizzying plunge to the third spot in manager Charlie Manuel's World Series rotation has everyone wondering where the 25-year-old went wrong. "In baseball, you always strive to be perfect," Hamels said yesterday as he prepared to start Game 3 of a Fall Classic knotted 1-1 tonight against the Yankees. "It's an unrealistic expectation." Hamels has learned that the hard way this ..."

Manuel not saying who will follow Lee in Phillies' rotation for World Series

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October 26

Philadelphia Daily News

"Cliff Lee will start Game 1 of the World Series. Manager Charlie Manuel stated the obvious yesterday, saying he will send the lefthander with the 0.74 postseason ERA to the mound on Wednesday when the Phillies meet the Yankees. Beyond that, however, the rotation remains unsettled. The last time the Phillies had the luxury of setting up all four spots of their rotation was the National League Division Series, when Lee started Game 1 and lefthander Cole Hamels started Game 2. At the time, there was some thought that Manuel would tap Hamels to be the Game 1 starter, given his success last October, when he went 4-0 and allowed seven runs in 35 innings over five starts. Three weeks later, at ..."

Manuel won't commit to Hamels in Game 2

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October 26

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Phillies manager Charlie Manuel confirmed today that Cliff Lee would start Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday, but he would not commit to using Cole Hamels in Game 2 on Thursday. "I ain't answering that," Manuel said when asked about Hamels. "I'm not trying to be a smart [aleck]. I'm not ready to answer it yet." The Phillies will start the World Series at the home of the American League champion, either the New York Yankees or Anaheim Angels. Those teams were scheduled to play tonight in Game 6 of their series. Manuel seemingly was allowing for the possibility that Pedro Martinez will pitch Game 2. Just to add another twist, Martinez was hit on the lower right shin by a ball of the ..."

Tipping or not, Phillies starter Hamels still struggles

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October 22

Philadelphia Daily News

"THERE HAVE been plenty of theories about why Cole Hamels hasn't been as dominant this October as he was a year ago. That he isn't throwing enough curveballs. That the birth of his first child has disrupted his routine. That he never completely bounced back from logging more than 260 innings last season. Here's one more: Sources indicated that the Phillies were concerned that the lefthander has been tipping his pitches by the placement of his wrist. As a result, he was supposed to use a larger model of his black TPK glove for his start in Game 5 last night. The idea was that it would help disguise the telltale sign. Phillies personnel wouldn't confirm the switch. "But that would make ..."

Can Hamels pull off repeat performance in Game 5 for Phillies?

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October 21

Philadelphia Daily News

"THE PHILLIES are playing the Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. Just like last year. They are coming off a stirring comeback win. Just like last year. They have a chance to eliminate the Dodgers and advance to the World Series. Just like last year. Cole Hamels will be their starting pitcher tonight. Just like last year. And that, honestly, is where the similarities start to peel away. Last year, Hamels was a postseason darling. Telegenic and quotable. Outrageously talented. Eight shutout innings in the National League Division Series. Voted MVP of the National League Championship Series with a 1.93 earned run average. Putting an exclamation on the whole thing by ..."

Cole returns to same role

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October 21

Camden Courier-Post

"Cole Hamels has been in this situation before. A year ago, after the Phillies staged an improbable last at-bat rally to shock the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, Hamels took the mound and tossed a series-clinching masterpiece. He'll be in the same position tonight, even if nothing about it feels the same."

Big bats save Phils after Hamels' poor outing

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October 16

Florida Today

columnist Martin Frank

"All the Phillies wanted from Cole Hamels was a decent performance. They weren't asking for an ace-like performance that they got from Hamels time after time in the postseason in 2008. They just wanted something good enough to hold a four-run lead in the fifth inning. Hamels couldn't do it. He gave back three of those runs in the fifth. Then he couldn't get out of the sixth. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had to use two relievers to bail out Hamels that inning. Even then, they had to survive a tense at-bat with Jim Thome facing J.A. Happ and a bases-loaded, full-count situation with Rafael Furcal. That the Phillies hung on to beat the Dodgers 8-6 in Game 1 of the NLCS on Thursday is a ..."

Hamels lined up to start NLCS Game 1

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October 13

MLB.com

"Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels will not be needed to pitch Game 5 of the National League Division Series. The Phillies clinched the NLDS on Monday night with a dramatic 5-4 comeback victory over the Rockies in Game 4. But Hamels lines up to start Game 1 of the best-of-seven NL Championship Series on Thursday against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, although Phillies manager Charlie Manuel made no announcement about his rotation. Hamels, who shut out the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 4, went 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts against them in last year's NLCS. He earned NLCS MVP honors for his performances. How the Phillies set up their rotation the rest of the series remains to be seen, ..."

Hamels preparing at home for Game 5

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October 12

Philadelphia Inquirer

"If the National League division series between the Phillies and Colorado Rockies lasts five games, Cole Hamels will likely start the deciding game tomorrow night at Citizens Bank Park. So while the Phillies compete in Denver, the former World Series MVP is working out at home.Hamels memorably rushed from the dugout Thursday following his unsuccessful Game 2 outing, when team staff informed him that his wife, Heidi, was in labor with the couple's first child.Caleb Michael Hamels was born the next morning. Since then, Hamels has balanced fatherhood with efforts to prepare for a potentially crucial start. "We have a guy that's supposed to be catching him some," said manager Charlie Manuel. ..."

Hamels will be ready to deliver for Phillies in possible Game 5

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October 12

Philadelphia Daily News

"The last the Phillies saw of Cole Hamels, he was shaking off the frustration of a mediocre outing in Game 2 of this NLDS and hurrying out of the dugout en route to Lankenau Hospital, where his wife, Heidi, was preparing to deliver the couple's first child.They won't see him again until tomorrow at the earliest, when he will either take the mound for Game 5 or greet the team following the conclusion of the series.Instead of rejoining the team in Denver, Hamels has spent the last 3 days in Philadelphia preparing for a potential start tomorrow."We have a guy that's supposed to be catching him some," manager Charlie Manuel said before the start of Game 3 last night. "He's going to throw long ..."

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels leaves playoff game; wife is expecting baby

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October 9

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Phillies starter Cole Hamels left the ballpark during Game 2 of the National League Division Series with his wife, a former "Survivor" contestant, who was in labor with the couple's first child. Hamels gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings against the Rockies in Game 2 on Thursday. He left after throwing 82 pitches and rushed out of the dugout when he was pinch hit for in the fifth inning. Hamels said this week his wife was due "any day." Hamels' wife, Heidi, also posed for Playboy. The Rockies evened the series with a 5-4 win."

Streak comes to end for laboring Hamels, Phillies

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October 9

Washington Times

"Every key element of the Philadelphia Phillies' run to the 2008 World Series championship was available to them in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Thursday - a raucous crowd at Citizens Bank Park, last year's World Series MVP on the mound and the chance to pad a series lead at home, which they did so well last October. The path to a two-game lead on the Colorado Rockies was so obvious, it seemed almost automatic that the Phillies would do it. And yet, it didn't happen. Behind an opportunistic offense and five solid innings from starter Aaron Cook, the Rockies beat the Phillies 5-4, evening the series at 1-1 and sending it back to Coors Field with a snowy forecast for ..."

As Hamels pitches, wife goes into labor As Hamels pitches, wife goes into labor

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October 9

Philadelphia Inquirer

"With Cole Hamels still on the mound yesterday, Frank Coppenbarger, the Phillies' director of team travel and clubhouse services, spotted a text message on his own cell phone.The text had come in at 4:07 p.m. - from Hamels' wife, Heidi.The full text: "I'm in the hospital going into labor. Could you please tell Cole as soon as he is done pitching."Maybe this was the only way Hamels, last season's World Series MVP, could make this postseason more memorable - leaving Game 2 of the National League division series, a game he had started, after being told his wife was in labor with their first child.While Hamels was pitching, Coppenbarger had followed instructions and kept the information to ..."

Rockies were ready for Hamels

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October 9

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The big difference between winning Game 1 and losing Game 2?Starting pitching.Cliff Lee chewed up the Colorado Rockies in a 5-1 win Wednesday. Cole Hamels struggled against them in a 5-4 loss yesterday.And so the Phillies and Rockies head to Denver tied at a game apiece in the National League division series.Manager Charlie Manuel's decision to use potential Game 3 starters Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ in relief is covered elsewhere. Here's a look at some other fine points from yesterday's game."

For Phillies' Hamels, it was a day of expectations

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October 9

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Rich Hofmann

"WHEN Grantland Rice was writing this stuff - before baseball had the need to keep day-night stats for pitchers because, you know, there were no nights - it would have been so much simpler. Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, Cole Hamels would have pitched a shutout, gotten a call in the clubhouse that his wife had gone into labor, and rushed to the hospital to await the birth of his first child. They could have made it into a movie. Alas.Last year was that kind of fairy tale for Hamels. This year, not so much. On a human level, everyone hopes for the best as Hamels and his wife Heidi await the birth of their son. On a baseball level, the emotions are more complicated. Because Hamels ..."

Cook, Hamels take different routes to Game 2 start

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October 8

Philadelphia Daily News

"Cole Hamels has known for weeks that he would be the Phillies' starting pitcher early in the Division Series. Aaron Cook couldn't be sure he'd be pitching at all.For one thing, the Rockies righthander had to wait and see if Colorado could come back from a sluggish start to make it into the postseason at all. Then he landed on the disabled list late in the year with a strained right shoulder.Once he got positive answers to the first two questions, it still seemed unlikely he'd be ahead of Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge De La Rosa in the rotation . . . until De La Rosa suffered a left groin strain Saturday night at Dodger Stadium and was eventually ruled out of the Division Series by Colorado's ..."

Rockies again, but a different Hamels

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October 6

Philadelphia Inquirer

"No Phillie better symbolizes the team's growth since October 2007 than Cole Hamels. From promising to accomplished, overwhelmed to supremely confident, relatively unknown to celebrity, the pitcher and his team bring an overhauled persona to their playoff rematch against the Colorado Rockies.The last time the two clubs met in a National League division series - their second square-off begins tomorrow afternoon at Citizens Bank Park - the Phillies were young and hungry. In Game 1 of a series the Phils lost in a sweep to a blazing-hot Colorado team that reached the World Series, Hamels lasted 62/3 innings, but a three-run second cost him the game. Young Rockies lefthander Jeff Francis ..."

Hamels outshines Nats' Detwiler

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September 18

Washington Times

"Ross Detwiler has miles to go before he can claim to be lumped into the same class of pitchers as Cole Hamels. At 25, Hamels already owns a World Series ring, MVP awards from the World Series and National League Championship Series and 48 big league wins. At 23, Detwiler would settle for one win in the majors at this point. That milestone didn't come Thursday night for the Washington Nationals' rookie left-hander. Hamels was far superior, carrying a perfect game into the sixth and surrendering just one run in eight sterling innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-2 victory. Detwiler, though, wasn't to blame for this loss. In his return to the Washington rotation, the former ..."

Hamels Rules Nats As Phillies Sweep

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September 18

Washington Post

"The Washington Nationals lost on Thursday night because Cole Hamels decided they would. For eight innings and 109 pitches, he did on a mound what others do from thrones. Toeing the rubber, 10 inches above the playing field, Hamels showed why great pitching is baseball's most imperial weapon. Few of the Nationals that dug into the batter's box against Hamels looked like batters; instead, they were observers, obeying his commands, watching the 91 mph heat, waving at the 80 mph change-up and leaving when told. In one of the most commanding pitching performances against Washington this season, Hamels permitted a single run in eight five-hit innings, leading the Phillies to a 4-2 victory at ..."

Hamels' struggles mount

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August 22

Camden Courier-Post

"Steady rain fell over Citi Field on Friday, forcing the Phillies to move batting practice indoors and leaving Charlie Manuel idle time to sit in his office, relax, and discuss his struggling World Series MVP. "I've got all the confidence in the world in Cole Hamels," he said. "I'm telling you, this guy, as long as he stays healthy and everything, he's going to have a bright future. He's going to be a big-time pitcher." Translation: He isn't there yet. It all has happened so quickly for Hamels. He made his major-league debut when he was only 22. At age 23, he pitched in the All-Star Game. Then, last October, two months short of his 25th birthday, he had a postseason for the ages, lifting ..."

Hamels explodes, Phils implode against Mets

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August 22

Philadelphia Daily News

"It is easy to forget that Cole Hamels is only 25, that he deals with the same issues other 25-year-olds deal with, that despite his immense athletic gifts and the shiny, red Corvette in his garage, he feels pressure and faces insecurities and strives for the consistency that many adult American men do not discover until their 30s.Listening to him talk, though, is a good reminder: how he acknowledges that he has always been one step ahead of his peer group, that pitching has always come easy to him, that the struggles he has dealt with this season are unlike any he has faced.Granted, the Phillies are in no position to be captivated by the beautiful struggle of metamorphosis, nor the ..."

Mets hold off Phillies, Hamels

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August 22

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Phillies-Mets game at Citi Field last night began 76 minutes late because of rain. That still was too soon for Cole Hamels. Hamels, who was extraordinary while leading the Phillies to the World Series championship last season, continued his less-than-ordinary season as the Mets roughed him up early to hand the Phils a 4-2 loss. It was only the second defeat in the last 10 games for the Phillies. The Mets scored their four runs in the first three innings as Hamels rarely looked comfortable, taking long pauses between pitches as he persistently dug at the mound with his shoes, trying to loosen the dirt from his soles. He went five innings, gave up 10 hits, and hit two batters, including ..."

Hamels falters for Phils

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August 9

Camden Courier-Post

"From his seat on the bench, Jamie Moyer has watched each of Cole Hamels' 22 starts this season. And even with his discerning eye -- and 23 years in the majors -- Moyer hasn't been able to pinpoint why Hamels has lacked his usual effectiveness. The best Moyer can do is this: Hamels is still young. "I think we all forget," Moyer said, "Cole only has what, two-plus, three years of experience? In some ways, he's very mature. But, in some ways, he's still a little bit young." So, after the 25-year-old lefty labored through 5 1/3 innings Saturday night, struggling to control his fastball and allowing the go-ahead homer on his 112th pitch in a 6-4 loss to the Marlins, Hamels' relative ..."

Despite success, Hamels still learning

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August 9

Philadelphia Inquirer

"It was a hot night in Atlanta, or more precisely, the morning after, when Cole Hamels finally realized it. For a second straight start, he had failed to last five innings, failed to look in any way like an ace, failed to retain his composure or locate his pitches. It was time to admit to himself that he was still learning.Last year had brought early-career success and a World Series most valuable player award. Those achievements introduced celebrity, distraction, praise, and the assumption that Hamels had matured into an ace. But after two straight games that lifted his season earned run average near 5.00 - one in Toronto on June 26 in which he allowed four runs in 42/3 innings, the other ..."