Comments on: Whom Can We Trust?

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:03:31 +0000

People have gotten a bit over the top up above, but I think it’s a valid point that Hamels doesn’t have the mental toughness of a real ace. It’s easy to point to the playoffs last year, but I think it’s a general trend with Hamels. Even in his good years, his bad days would be total busts. I just don’t believe that he, unlike every other pitcher with his skills, just loses all his talent every 2nd to 6th game (depending on the year). I think the much likelier explanation is that he’s just not that tough mentally, and when he doesn’t have his best stuff he breaks down mentally and instead of grinding it out and going 6 ugly innings with 4 runs, he goes 4+ innings with 4+ runs.

I hope your call that he’ll end up coming back with a little chip on his shoulder this year is true, but let’s just say I’ll wait and see…

By: Brooks

Brooks — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:30:56 +0000

Cole Hamels, Brad Lidge and Jimmy Rollins having good (yes, we’ll take great) seasons in order for the Phils to be successful this coming year.
Sounds pretty basic doesn’t it? Tally up the years that these 3 key players had in 2009 – can you believe the Phils went to the WS despite of these stats??
The emergence of Werth as a certified slugger, Ibanez as our first half MVP was enough to carry the Phils.
Although we may not be able to count on Raul being as much of an impact, no one doubts what Jason will give to the Phils.
Howard, Utley (even though it was a “down” year for him), Victorino and even Feliz displayed the same consistency this last year.
There you have it. The pitching has improved, the hitting has been fortified (Polanco) and all of a sudden there is a bench that may do more than sniff a hit.
This is it, third year in a row to the WS – this has all the markings of a great 2010. And, bring on the Yanks – guaranteed the results will be different.
Go Phils!

By: Chuck

Chuck — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:32:48 +0000

Uuuuhhhh….I don’t think anybody is “spouting hate” here. All of us are pulling for Cole Hamels to have a good year.

By: NEPA

NEPA — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:37:46 +0000

Wow again…..Most bloogers, who have never experienced the stress or the pressure of actually playing an inning of baseball in Phila,
are spouting their so-called knowledge and hate here .
After reading some of these comments I hope Cole smiles and lights up a cuban with a $100 bill .
How can you say you “hate him”?Thats rediculous.
I for one am rooting like hell for him to have another big year.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:36:18 +0000

Does Cole drink beer?…or is he a….wine connoisseur?

By: Megary

Megary — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:52:03 +0000

Wow. I can’t believe this many posters at Phillies Nation know Cole on such a personal level that they feel comfortable posting their opinions on the man’s character as if they are reading from the gospel.

Pfft.

I’ll take Hamels on my team any day of the week. I blame his very bland 2009 on the need to overextend him in 2008. A little more rest (and a better workout program for sure) will lead to a little more separation between fastball and change, a tighter curve, and a more productive 2010.

No team in baseball wouldn’t want Cole to be one of their “problems”.

By: The Original Chuck P

The Original Chuck P — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:17:42 +0000

Rollins is my favorite player… at the plate, he falls into slumps sometimes but when he’s on, he’s capable of putting together 38 game hitting streaks. He was awesome in the WBC last year but for whatever reason he developed mechanical flaws in Spring Training that he could not kick. I think he’ll have a good year… his best years may be behind him but he’s still very capable of .275, .325, .415 with 20 HR…

Hamels did what all of the experts said he would do coming off of a year when he threw 262 total innings (coupled with a shortened offseason and plenty of WS MVP distractions)… he stunk it up. He has a valid excuse and maybe we would have preferred to hear him say that was the case but he didn’t… he was content blaming tough luck and whatever was the excuse of the day. Nobody likes it when a player is unwilling to “man up” but the reality is that Cole is a fierce competitor and probably did not feel comfortable swallowing his pride and admitting that he’s not He-Man. Listen, he’s not the first person that I would choose to have a beer with (or a skinny latte… since we’re being rude and ignorant and making assumptions about people based on the size of their Adam’s apple) but he’s a huge reason why we won the World Series in 2008 and I expect him to turn it around.

Lidge needs to let time heal his wounds… he can’t rush back. I would love to hear the doctors tell him that he can’t return until the all-star break. I have no doubt that he’ll be fine if he’s healthy… when his slider’s on and he’s throwing his fastball over for strikes, he’s as good as anyone. He’s a head case but most closers are… he just has to get healthy.

By: ryan

ryan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:32:39 +0000

I fully expect lidge to bounce back. he was genuinely hurt all year last year and pitched through it. he also pitched into some exceptionally bad luck in some of those blown saves. I really truthfully think he will be a top flight closer this season. hamels and rollins I’m not sold on. Rollins I’m worried may be in decline in his overall career. he may never again reach the numbers he put up just a few seasons ago. and hamels is never going to be able to dominate on just fastball changeup. he needs to seriously learn his curveball and get it over for strikes. his curve is a complete joke. there is no reason why any pitcher in the big leagues shouldn’t be able to thrown some sort of breaking pitch at least better than what he has. it’s a disgrace.

By: WFC010

WFC010 — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:47:22 +0000

Figures that a Wankees fan would also be a Faux News fan. They go hand and hand like the bank bailouts and greedy fatcats.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:26:37 +0000

Because the Yankees exude “team” so much…

…Please.

Most pitiful on-field celebration of a championship I have ever seen…What??…your players were afraid to jump all over each other because they were afraid of getting hurt??

Go back to Fox News and your miserable life.

By: SpankyYankee

SpankyYankee — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:08:16 +0000

Cole “get me a tissue” Hamels….a stat man…not team man= loser
Brad”I’ll blow it” Lidge….a stat man…not a team player=loser
Jimmie”front-runner” Rollins…stat man….not a team player=loser

Don’t look for another season like you’ve had the past 2 years….the run is over….short and sweet.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:41:28 +0000

Exactly…I really have no problem with Hamels’ personality….as long as he produces on the field. He can be as “off” as he wants…

BUT…I DO think that maybe developing a little more “fire” or a little more of an “edge” might be good….. couple that with his talent and who knows…??

Will he ever be like us??…probably not….but that’s ok.

By: Don M

Don M — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:52:15 +0000

We all wish Hamels had more “fight” in him… to make him more like us

That is exactly why we all wanted Myers to be great here, because he was as “Philly” as you get.. . but give me the more talented player, and i’ll worry about his personality later.

Rollins had a down-year in what will actually be the start of his leveling-off as a player, I wouldn’t say that he’ll start declining anytime soon, but he’s not going to keep getting better as he did in ’06, ’07, and ’08…

Who knows about Lidge.. If healthy, he should be reliable again

Hamels should be back, Cy Young? Probably not yet… but his arm was dead last year, and he’ll be back to form in 2009 .. 15 wins, and a sub 3.50 ERA are definite possibilites

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:18:11 +0000

Cole totally walks to the beat of a different drum…sometimes people have a hard time with that.

He’s a good guy…just weird at times.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:57:33 +0000

Plus, ya just gotta admit that Comcast commercial he did was totally….uh…..strange.

The Dipsy

By: ActuallyChilled

ActuallyChilled — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:57:36 +0000

All of you complaining about these guys are demonstrating the same strand of nagging mentality that you claim to want to see different in Cole Hamels, someone who you don’t even know. Progressing in performance ability and the social ramifications of the resulting limelight is a challenge within itself. If one on the outside reacts with an anger, what does this really accomplish? Project what you want to see good in someone, instead of moaning about the person.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:47:36 +0000

Cole is our kid and the kid strayed a bit but this year he’ll be back.
Go Phils!

By: Vernon Dozier

Vernon Dozier — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:38:39 +0000

Lidge and Hamels are the guys to worry about. Jimmy will continue to be Jimmy (low OBP, swing for the fences on every pitch, no matter the score or situation), but the Phils have been able to win with him playing that way. Lidge flat out scares me…

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:24:12 +0000

I want Cole to pitch well. He has a world of talent. But what did I write that was not true????

The Dipsy

By: PhxPhilly

PhxPhilly — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:47:26 +0000

What players on the Phillies are true
…”blue-collar”…”hard-working”…..”gritty”….”throwback”….
players? Does that mean they get more love from the phans?

Utley: Absolutely
Werth: Nope
Ibanez: Seems like it to me, worked himself into an all-star player
Victorino: The Flying Hawaiian, Nope
Happ and Kendrick: tough with guys on base as a rookie, Yes
Rollins: I’ll show up when I want and run to first when I want, Nope
Howard: Maybe, his extra off-season work is a bonus
Blanton: Not sure but seems like a hard worker, who doesn’t complain
Moyer: Also not sure, Works hard, maximizes his talent, but gets by on guile
Ruiz: Yes
Halladay: Seems like it so far
Bullpen: Probably not any of them, maybe Durbin

Honorable Mentions
Aaron Rowand: Yes
Cliff Lee: Yes

I think good players who tend to keep their mouth shut are liked on most teams, including the Phillies.