COLE HAMELS is not what we think

As a longtime Phillie fan I maintain my yearly routine of watching their games and analyzing their play. Every die-hard fan loves to play general manager and coach for their team from a distance, vicariously. And last night I decided to make an assessment of a popular player whom is adored by the fans and media.

Cole Hamels is a California guy with a World Series MVP award, a beautiful wife and family, an honest-to-a-fault tongue and expectations that normal people just can't understand. Since 2006, Hamels has endured the Philadelphia scrutiny and expectations like a true professional should. Although at times Cole is known for putting his foot in his mouth, fans and media really appreciate his honesty and fresh perspective on the game.

Last year in 2009, Hamels experienced an up and down year that frustrated fans and himself to the very end. Coming off of a World Series Championship in '08 and a list of endorsements and public appearances, the excuse we all came up with was Cole was tired and run-down. He admitted to reporters that his off-season conditioning got a very late start after the Phillies brought home the title. Hamels '09 was inconsistent and at times below average. The Media and fans wondered, "When is Cole going to break out of his slump?"

We figured that this past off-season was going to bring out the new and improved Cole Hamels. He would be in shape and his curveball would be sharper. His fastball would be back in the low 90s and his change-up would be as devastating as ever. Now 2010 is not even at the half way point and Cole Hamels is still only 26 years old, but I have a statement to make about him.

Cole Hamels is not a #1 starter. He is not the go-to-guy whom we all thought. And due to extremely high expectations up to this point and time, Hamels is quite honestly underachieving despite the Championship ring and World Series MVP. I think we all have to lower our expectations of Cole and make an honest assessment of what kind of player he is.

Cole Hamels has a career ERA of 3.71 and a win-loss record of 53-38. Those numbers are good but they are certainly not stellar. In 2007, Hamels had a break-out year where he won 14 games and led the Phillies to their first playoff birth since the 1993 team. In the playoff against Colorado, the Phils got swept and Hamels only appearance in game 1 was below average giving up 5 runs and walking quite a few batters in only 5 innings. Of course the next year Hamels dazzled the baseball world with great performances throughout the playoffs. He led the Phils to the Championship and captured all our hearts with his MVP play in the World Series. Looking back though we must realize that Hamels was still a new pitcher to many of his opponents including the Dodgers whom Cole dominated in the NLCS. The Tampa Bay Rays were also completely befuddled by Hamels in both games he pitched in the Fall Classic.

I look at Cole Hamels now and I see the exact same pitcher as I did in 2008. He still relies on his changeup, tries to throw his fastball away and his curveball is quite frankly regressing. Look at the Tampa Bay Rays team now and tell me they would still struggle against Hamels the same way they did in '08.

Bottom Line: Cole Hamels isn't a great pitcher. He is a good pitcher with potential for greatness. We've seen Cole's greatness, but we've also seen a lot of inconsistency and much more of the latter. And that is where my point lies. Hamels performance has been good for his career so far, not great. We should stop wondering when Cole is going to be King Cole again. Hamels should look to a player like Tom Glavine whom also endured great success and then endured some bad years only to overcome his woes and succeed again. Glavine was a very similar pitcher to Cole. Relied on a fastball away, great changeup and curveball. However, Glavine's curveball was a very good pitch. He could locate it and it had sharp enough break to fool hitters. Glavine also had pin point control. His fastball usually topped out at 89 or 90, but he could hit his spot all the time.

Hamels control has been poor half the time he pitches. He leaves his fastball up a lot, his curveball just flutters and stays up. Hitters are beginning to sit on his change up and they have been hitting it hard frequently. Hamels needs to re-evaluate his approach. He needs to do like Glavine did and start pitching inside with his fastball. However Cole must first get his pitch control where it needs to be. Right now Cole Hamels is not at the level of Tom Glavine, a hall of famer. Hamels is a #2 starter and that is exactly what he is. He is not an ace. He is a good pitcher who has much more to learn and develop.

Oh and I don't want to leave out the fact that Hamels is not a 'gamer.' I decided to write this blog after watching the Phillies play a game againt the Braves in which there was a rain delay for 1 hour. Tim Hudson took the ball after the delay and continued to pitch, whereas Cole Hamels was done. In an important division game, having only pitched 1 inning Cole Hamels quit. Tim Hudson didn't quit. That said more to me about Hamels than any statistic ever could. The guy is weak. He is not mentally tough. He has all the ability in the world to be great but his mental make-up will always hold him back . Cole Hamels is a good pitcher, not a great one.