Winning the NLCS at Citizens Bank Park on Oct. 21, 2009. ( David Maialetti / Staff Photographer )
- Bill Lyon: Savoring a night of triumph
Video: Phillies advance to World Series- Phillies: More coverage from the Inquirer and Daily News
- Rich Hofmann: Status, stats still growing for Phillies' NLCS MVP Howard
- Paul Hagen: Tipping or not, Phillies starter Hamels still struggles
- Bob Ford: Now comes the real test for the Phillies
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Phillies’ Hamels still seeking ‘08 form
A year ago, the Phillies followed Cole Hamels into the World Series and on to the championship.
So far this postseason, Hamels is mostly along for the ride, still searching for whatever it was that earned him the MVP awards in both the 2008 NL Championship series and World Series. It's a search that's been season-long.
"It's tough," Hamels said. "I made a few mistakes early and gave up those runs."
More than likely, Hamels will be the Game 2 starter against either the Yankees or Angels next Thursday. Manager Charlie Manuel doesn't give up easily on struggling players who have produced on the big stage in the past, and the concern over Hamels was pretty low on the to-do list last night as the Phillies showered one another with champagne after winning the NL Championship Series for the second straight year - a first in club history.
Yet as the postseason evolves, it's become clear there appears to be a big drop-off between the current ace, Cliff Lee, and the former ace, Hamels.
Hamels gave up three home runs in the Phillies' pennant-clinching 10-4 win over the Dodgers last night at Citizens Bank Park, and the best that can be said about it all is there were no Dodgers on base during each of them.
Even though Jayson Werth eased the pressure on Hamels when he ripped a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead, the 25-year-old lefthander never took control of the game.
He was pulled in the fifth inning after Rafael Furcal doubled following Orlando Hudson's pinch-hit homer.
Afterward, Manuel listed the reasons why he removed Hamels. He didn't have command of his pitches. He didn't have good stuff. His pitch count was high.
"Cole already had like 87, 90 pitches, and I was sitting there thinking he didn't have real good command. He didn't have real good stuff," Manuel said. "They were swinging good at him, and we got to a point in the game, especially when we had [J.A.] Happ ready, I was thinking where I wanted to use him. [pitching coach Rich] Dubee said he's ready. I felt like before [Andre] Ethier came up I wanted to put Happ on [Rafael] Belliard. That was my decision to go get him."
So in three postseason starts, Hamels is 1-1 with one no-decision. He has allowed 11 runs and 20 hits in 142/3 innings for a 6.75 ERA, numbers that should give Manuel and Dubee pause when they set up the rotation for the World Series.
Prior to the game, Manuel and reliever Ryan Madson said when Hamels gets into trouble, it's usually because of his inability to locate his pitches.
"It seems like when he has trouble when the game starts, he'll be feeling for his command, the fastball will be up and out of the strike zone," Manuel said. "If he's throwing down and throwing good low fastballs and his change-up is down and he's getting ahead in the count, then he's going to be tough."
Said Madson, "I don't think it's ever stuff-wise for him."
Sure enough, it was Hamels' failure to keep both his fastball and change-up down that led to his short night. On the first of the three solo homers Hamels gave up, Ethier fouled off four consecutive fastballs after falling behind in the count at 1-2. Those four fastballs had more sizzle than the one Ethier put into the seats in right center to give the Dodgers their first run.
Usually reluctant to throw his curveball, Hamels went to the curve more frequently than usual, a possible indication he didn't trust his location and he was trying to give the Dodgers something else to think about.
The second homer hit off Hamels was by James Loney, who caught a high fastball on the barrel of the bat to begin the second inning. When Hudson homered with one out in the fifth, movement began in the Phillies bullpen. Manuel ambled to the mound and called in Happ when Furcal followed Hudson with a double, and that was it for Hamels, who threw 94 pitches, 62 for strikes.
Happ pitched to two batters. He walked Belliard, then put away Ethier on a fly to left. Chad Durbin took over for Happ to pitch to Manny Ramirez with two on and two out. He got Ramirez on a grounder to third to preserve a 6-3 Phillies lead.
As for Hamels, he'll have the World Series to try to salvage a difficult season.
Contact staff writer Ray Parrillo at 215-854-2743 or rparrillo@phillynews.com.
