Phillies Notes: Cole Hamels comments in context
Phillies lefthander Cole Hamels instigated a talk-radio firestorm with his postgame comments Saturday after an 8-5 loss to the Yankees in Game 3 - although the full context revealed a more complicated meaning than the interpretation that incensed some.
"I can't wait for it to end," Hamels said of his difficult season. "It's been mentally draining. At year's end, you just can't wait for a fresh start."
Some commentators who heard those words in isolation took them to mean that Hamels did not want to pitch again this season. But he delivered those thoughts after spending several minutes insisting he would like to pitch a potential Game 7.
Yesterday, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel offered his take. "I was totally surprised with what he said," the manager said. "I don't know exactly what he meant by that. I don't know exactly his meaning of what he was talking about, really. But at the same time, I understand his frustration.
"When I look at him sometimes, he was the MVP of the World Series last year. This guy's been a good pitcher ever since he came up. If you stop and look at it, he's been a top-rated pitcher ever since he's come up. This year has been tough on him. He's kind of had a weird year. You've heard me say that over and over. What he's going through right now, it's going to be an experience, because he's going through the part where he's failed."
Hamels would be in line to start Game 7, but Manuel refused to discuss anything beyond last night's game.
"That's kind of going to be between him and I," Manuel said, when asked if he felt the need to speak with Hamels and assess his state of mind.
Add Park to the sick
Manuel revealed yesterday that pitcher Chan Ho Park was afflicted by the flulike illness that has affected Brad Lidge and Greg Dobbs, among other Phillies.In Saturday's game, Manuel replaced Hamels with lefthander J.A. Happ to face righty slugger Alex Rodriguez. He said yesterday that, had Park been healthy, he probably would have been used in that situation.
Phillies Notes:
World Series Comebacks from 3-1
Teams that have rebounded from a three-games-to-one deficit to win the World Series:1985–Kansas City (AL) 4, St. Louis (NL) 3
1979–Pittsburgh (NL) 4, Baltimore (AL) 3
1968–Detroit (AL) 4, St. Louis (NL) 3
1958–New York (AL) 4, Milwaukee (NL) 3
1925–Pittsburgh (NL) 4, Washington (AL) 3
1903–Boston (AL) 5, Pittsburgh (NL) 3
Most Career Postseason RBIs
(x-active)80 – Bernie Williams, N.Y. Yankees
78 – x-Manny Ramirez, Cleveland-Boston-L.A. Dodgers
63 – David Justice, Atlanta-Cleveland-N.Y. Yankees-Oakland
