Hamels Faces Biggest Test
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Fri, September 12, 2008 02:16 PM | Comments: 22
Posts
Nobody expected Cole Hamels to pitch poorly Sunday night against the Mets. A proverbial “must-win” for Hamels and the Phils, he dropped a stinker (5 IP, 4 ER, 9 H), while Carlos Delgado dropped moonshots into the Flushing twilight.
Rich Dubee spoke about Hamels’ performance, saying he could’ve given a true Cy Young performance Sunday night:
“Cole’s got to understand there’s going to be days when the stadium’s going to be loud, but he’s not going to feel his best. But those guys who win 20, those guys who win the Cy Young, find a way to get it done.”
Instead, Hamels was shelled, knocked around as guys figured out his changeup quickly.
Conversely, Johan Santana — Hamels’ counterpart Sunday night — echoed Dubee’s assertion, but about himself, after his performance (2 ER, 7.1 IP). He could’ve folded early, but pulled it together and beat the Phils pretty well:
“When the game is on the line, you want to do your job. You have to do what it takes to stop those guys and win the game.”
Tonight Hamels faces the Brewers in game two of the Wild Card four-game. Jamie Moyer — as he’s done in big outings all season — took care of business as the gritty veteran stopper (5.1 IP and 3 ER isn’t dominance, but it works). Now Hamels must work as the ultra-talented mound master we know he is. He must define the fastball early, mix his changeup for quick strikes, and use the curveball to baffle hitters into strikeouts and bad ground-out swings. He must go seven, eight innings.
The last time Hamels came up huge in a big game, it was Sept. 28, 2007. He slung a masterpiece against the Nationals in a game most of us saw as his true coming-out party. Tonight, it should be no different.
Posts: 0 Georgie
I wonder if the game will get rained out tonite? It’s been raining here for hours, looks like it’s heading that way.
Posted: 02:29 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
it better not rain tomorrow. of course i might have an extra ticket tomorrow anyway.
Posted: 02:40 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 NC Jason
Rain might be the best thing. Both teams are off Monday and could allow for more days for pitchers to rest…
Posted: 02:56 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Manny
“He thinks he needs to do more, to go out there and create power, when he has to do just the opposite – back off stuff, and pitch a little bit,” Dubee said.
I couldn’t agree more.
Posted: 03:11 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 MetsBlog.com » Read: Today in the NL East
[...] Hamels faces the Brewers tonight and Phillies Nation hopes Cole steps up better than he did against the Mets. His ERA is down over a 1/4 run versus 2007. In 25 more innings [...]
Posted: 03:25 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 James K.
“Nobody expected Cole Hamels to pitch poorly Sunday night”
Nobody did? Really? Nobody? Surely not Met fans, who’ve watched their team dominate the Phils and lefty pitching this season.
Posted: 03:30 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 John from Queens
http://www.joessports.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3281556
Posted: 03:37 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Richie
Rain will definitely not be good NC Jason, that leaves the door open for them to throw Sabathia against us, something I do not think will be in our favor.
Posted: 03:55 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Fred
Hey, I work hard at being a freak.
Posted: 04:20 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
John, those T-Shirts were printed up for the Mets also.
http://www.joessports.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3281553
Posted: 04:39 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
The results of coin flips to determine home-team advantage in the case of any one-game playoffs needed to break ties in the standings at the end of the regular season on Sept. 28.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Playoff for AL East
Tampa Bay at Boston
Playoff for AL Central
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox
Playoff for AL Wild Card
Minnesota at Boston
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Playoff for NL East
New York Mets at Philadelphia
Playoff for NL Central
Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee
Playoff for NL West
Arizona at Los Angeles Dodgers
Playoff for NL Wild Card
Milwaukee at Philadelphia
Milwaukee at Houston
Milwaukee at St. Louis
Houston at Philadelphia
St. Louis at Philadelphia
Houston at St. Louis
Posted: 04:40 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
The Phils won all of the 1 game playoff coin flips.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080912&content_id=3461998&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Posted: 04:41 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
nice…
Posted: 04:42 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
im going tomorrow to see dave bush vs joe blanton….well, lets hope they light up dave bush at least.
they have parra bush suppan coming up…that would be nice and i want to leave it that way. they should be able to crush those three guys, they all suck.
Posted: 04:43 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Metsblog posted the Magic Number for the Mets at 14.
Posted: 04:50 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
Someone told me that the game was getting canceled tonight, and going into a double header series tomorrow..Anyone know if this is true or not?
Posted: 05:29 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Georgie
Dave Murphy just said that if they are rained out tonite, they will try to avoid a double header and play on Monday.He said he’s 99% sure they’d throw Sabathia in that case.
Posted: 05:59 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
Wow that’s a tough pill to swallow
Posted: 06:14 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 mikemike
If Don M is truly a real fan. He would stand on the field with umbrella’s for the players so they avoid cc on, monday
Posted: 06:25 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
There’s an upside and downside to delay til Monday. The obviously downside is facing CC Sabathia. However, you’d still think the Brewers would want to keep Sabathia lined up for the Cubs, whom in the Brewers eyes, can still catch.
The upside obviously would be rest the pitchers and start all on normal rest.
Posted: 06:28 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Let’s Get It On!: Rays begin farewell to Yankee Stadium
[...] matchup to watch: Cole Hamels (12-9, 3.12) can win back a lot of fans tonight with a good performance after last Sunday’s game against the Mets. He’ll face [...]
Posted: 10:36 PM on September 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Richie Allen
How can they be so f—ed up and arrogant as to put up a magic number when its 14?….There’s lots of baseball yet to be played..
Posted: 10:52 PM on September 12, 2008