Staff Blog
The Phillies’ Hard Left Hook
One of the defining stories about Cole Hamels is also one that you dont hear much about anymore: his first big setback on the way to the Show.
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| The guy whose winning? He’s totally Cole Hamels |
| via walkoffwalk |
In January 2005, Hollywood was one of the Phil’s top pitching prospects. He had been their first round pick three years ago and was shooting up through the minor league ranks. In the 2003 season he struck out 115 in 74 2/3 innings and posted a 0.84 ERA for single-A Lakewood before being promoted to Clearwater, where he didn’t allow more than two earned runs in each of his five starts. In 117 minor league innings Hamels had a 1.31 ERA and 171 strikeouts. In short, he was about to be a star … he knew it, the Phils knew it, everyone knew it. But then, like every dumb 21 year old, he entered a bar and probably had too much to drink. The legend goes that he got into an altercation with another patron, left the bar (smart move) had time to calm down (phew, too close) gathered his boys (wait a minute) came back to the bar (uh oh) re-started the altercation (this doesn’t sound good) and then broke (broke?!) his pitching hand (dude …) on the face of some rando (Com’n).
Believe it or not, I’m not telling you this to criticize Hamels – in fact, I’m doing quite the opposite. Don’t get me wrong, punching a irrelevant dode in the middle of a public bar all in the face of a large group of people he had no vested interest in actually impressing is empirically stupid - that is something Hollywood will tell you himself. But the alpha mentality that drove him back to the bar – the impulse to be the biggest, strongest, toughest, most talented, and to have everyone know about it – popped up again yesterday, and after much thought I couldn’t be happier.
Moments after the Phillies defeated the defending world champion Boston Red Sox 8-2 Cole Hamels, their undisputed ace, told reporters that those two teams are going to meet in the World Series.
Now that isn’t offensive to the Red Sox and the Phillies must love it, but for the other 28 major league teams out there – they’re probably not going to like that. His words put a bull’s-eye on the Phillies back and he knew it. He did it because he wants everyone coming at the Phils, he doesn’t just want the Phillies to be the biggest, strongest, toughest and most talented, he wants the world to know about it too.
Now I don’t know if that’s smart. The Mets just axed their manager and this could help just jump start that team back to life, the Cubbies are playing some nice ball (even if they’ll never win anything), the Cardinals have a better record than the Phils and Arizona has two legit aces at the top of their rotation, but I know I love it because it seems to embody these Phils. I read somewhere recently (when I find it I’ll link and I’m sorry if its your thought and I’ve stolen it) that Uncle Cholly is such a good manager of the Phillies because unlike a team like the Mets who don’t have any heart and need to be prodded and fired up, the Phils are full of fire and need a guy like Charlie to slow them down, pull the reins up and steer.
Maybe this is a speed bump, but a broken hand didn’t stop Cole before and its fantastic to see him shedding his skin a little and telling the rest of the rando’s in the national league that he’s got his boys behind him, they’re going back to the bar playoffs and they’re going to break their faces.
