A very positive outing by Cole Hamels
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A very positive outing by Cole Hamels
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
At the beginning of spring training, I was pretty skeptical about the prospect of Cole Hamels' incorporating a cutter into his repertoire in time for the start of the season. When Hamels first reported, pitching coach Rich Dubee and manager Charlie Manuel both expressed some doubt about whether the pitch would become a regular part of the lefty's arsenal this year. But after Hamels showed decent command of the pitch in a strong two-inning performance against the Blue Jays Friday afternoon, it might be time to take his new weapon seriously.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, the most important thing Hamels displayed in his outing was a strong arm. He admitted to taking a peek at the radar readings at the scoreboard at Dunedin Stadium, and if they are to believed, he was consistently throwing 89-90 miles per hour, never dipping below 88. Keep in mind that last season, Hamels was sitting 86-88 in his first start of the regular season. Although he allowed Jose Bautista to homer off him in his first at-bat, results are secondary to process at this point, and you had to be impressed with how he fared.
"It's a lot nicer knowing that I'm somewhat around what I normally throw during the season," said Hamels, who allowed two hits and struck out two while walking one in his first outing of the spring. "I think that's kind of nice to really show that my body and my arm feel up to par and I can only go up."
While plenty of attention has been paid to Hamels' need to develop a consistent third pitch, particularly for his at-bats against left-handed hitters, much of his struggles last season stemmed from him inability to consistently throw his fastball with ease. Both his velocity and his location were inconsistent, which both he and the Phillies trace back to an offseason in which he did not throw regularly.
Yesterday, however, Hamels looked much closer to the form that Roy Halladay displayed in his first spring outing, consistently hitting his spots with both his fastball and his change-up, while mixing in his curveball and his work-in-progress cutter.
Hamels said he threw six cutters -- I marked down five on my pitch count. He got Lyle Overbay to ground out to second base in the first inning on his cutter, which to the naked eye looks a lot like his fastball, except with a quick, tight break on it. He also got Joey Gathright to swing and miss on a cutter in the second inning. Both players are left-handed hitters, and Hamels said afterward he views the cutter as a weapon primarily on that side of the plate.
He threw a couple of cutters in the dirt, and got Gathright to foul one off before getting him to swing and miss at one.
Overall, Hamels threw 32 pitches, 20 of them for strikes. According to my count, he threw
- four change-ups, all of them for strikes
- four curveballs -- two in the dirt, one that just missed low, and one that prompted a swing and a miss.
- five cutters, three of them for strikes
- 18 fastballs -- 11 for strikes, including two hits.
As for the cutter, Hamels said he is optimistic that he will have enough confidence in the pitch to bring it into the regular season, even saying that he envisioned a day when it becomes his third pitch.
More from Hamels. . .
On his rough debut in Colorado last season: "I don't think that will happen anymore. Obviously, not everybody is Jamie Moyer, but if you aren't able to get the movement, you can't pitch in that sort of (velocity) range with the sort of stuff that I have."
On the home run he allowed: "It was just adding to the mandatory spring training trend. I'm glad I got it out of the way early. It was just a fastball. It was the second pitch I've thrown to a hitter competitively without a screen around and I left it down the middle. The first pitch I really executed and was able to hit it, and that one I was just trying to go back there again and threw it down the middle and Bautista hit it. That's what happens when you throw pitches down the pipe."
On the cutter: "I threw it a lot more than I anticipated, just because I was going toward the swings. It's nice to know because I'm working on it. I easily could have thrown my change-up in any of those situations, but I'm really trying to stray from it and throw the curveball and throw the cutter more so, and that's what I was able to do. I know there were a couple of counts where I could have gone straight to the change-up. That's kind of what I normally would always favor. But now to add in the curveball, the cutter, I just think it makes a little harder for the hitters."
On feeling comfortable with the cutter by the end of spring training: "I think it's something that if I'm really able to execute it then I can really take it out there and use it more than I anticipated. But I really do know in spring training that I have to establish the fastball. All of those hits were off fastballs, and that's kind of where the first game, I know I'm not going to hit all my spots every time out, but just getting the reps with my fastball first and foremost is key. But when I'm able to get myself in a strikeout situations and I have three pitches now I can throw to really get a guy out, I think that makes it more of a challenge for them to go up and battle."
threw not through. just saying.— GAflyer- That HR "hit the bull." Hope Bautista gets a steak.— PhillyPhantastico
- If Hamels can't break 90 miles per hour with his fast ball--it will be another long year.— msantell
Repertoire not repetoire. I'm also saying.- Hey, GAflyer, PhillyNews should pay us for copyediting Murph.
- eehhhhhh.... -not bob levy— remyy
- it's hard to tell without actually facing the pitcher....but on tv Hamels curveball has always looked pretty good to me. He threw it too high or down the middle a lot last year...so i guess he has command issues. It is nice to know his cutter shows promise...but i hope he keeps working on the command of his curveball and uses it too. If he added a bit of weight i bet he could add a mile or two to his fastball and probably a bit to his durability. Both would be a huge help for not much work on his part.
- Small mistakes like those spelling errors are to be expected in spring training games. When the season starts and the games are for real, I expect the kid to be a solid professional. And while those mistakes are small now, they will not be tolerated by the Editor when (and IF) he heads North with the Big Club. If he's experimenting with showing us parts of the dictionary he doesn't command yet, he MUST bring them under control now, or forget them and just return to his usual haunts between the A's and K's. I wish him good luck, as we can use all the good write arms we can find.— TBear
- Hamels is still a sissy, but if he pitches with some authority this year, it's totally possible that he and Halladay pour in 40 wins between the two of them.— Philth
- Glad to hear he was around 89-90 mph with his fastball. But wasn't he hitting 92-93 consistently a couple of years back? Movement, location, velocity -- you need at least 2 out of 3 to get major league hitters out.— jrw723
- much of his struggles last season stemmed from him inability to consistently throw his fastball with ease. His inability..... another edit needed. It isn't just Murphy this entire site could use and editor. I know times are tough but for Pete's sake...edit your work.— mjsmith403
- I'm at the game in Dunedin right now. Hamels NEVER hit 90mph. He got as high as 89 a couple times. Most of his pitches were low 80's and he through a couple in the 70's. Don't know where you get your info.
- Hamels threw three miles an hour faster than he started the year last year, and that's a Great sign considering he has a couple of new pitches to add in the mix. He threw with enough authority before and should do it again this year. He is putting in the work to get better which is all we can ask of the kid.— charladan
- Hamels' first 10 fastballs: 88, 89, 89, 90, 89, 89, 89, 90, 89, 89.
- TBear, you are the man! Good stuff by Hamels, he will get on track this year and is good for 15-19 wins this year. He has a great curveball, but he does not trust in it like he should. If he can add the cutter and maybe keep the curve has a surprise pitch, then more power to him. Dont tread too much on the outing by Rameriez today, he is a work in progress. Vogelsong who had an outside shot at the 5th starter spot probably ruined that chance.— ESFjellin
- and lets stop on the Murphy bashing with the editing. I am pretty sure he is doing most of this on the fly.— ESFjellin
- @msantell It's normal for Velocity to be down at the beginning of the season. It just takes time for pitchers to strengthen their arms and stretch out to get up to their max velocity.— jlevine22
- David--On Hamels' changeups, were they swinging strikes?— billinseattle
- I post a comment. It shows up. I click on "post another comment" and the first one disappears. What's up with that?— billinseattle
- Hamels became too easy to hit last year with lack of command. By October if a batter just went up looking for a high change-up in the middle of the plate every pitch he was surely going to see one or two and crush them.— jtj06
- Cliff Lee's first 10 fastballs: 89,90,90,91,90,90,90,91,90,90.— dragoon6
Great stuff, TBear. Man, am I psyched for this season to begin.— 1980- "Both players are left-handed hitters, and Hamels said afterward he views the cutter as a weapon primarily on that side of the plate." Someone needs to explain to Hamels that a cutter for him that breaks in on RH hitters would be deadly. Look at how effective Lee's cutter is to RH hitters...he jams them constantly with it. Hamels could get the RH hitters off his change up which he throws away to them if he could establish a cutter inside to RH hitters.— JimG
- how can anybody be impressed with a home run in the 1st inning?? give me a break!!!— mightyonk
- how can this many people really not understand that a pitcher needs to build up his velocity in spring training? He may be throwing 89 mph in 50 degree whether on March 5th, but he'll be back up to 93 come game time. Surely everybody doesn't assume Halladay was throwing 95 mph heaters the other day
- All you "smart" baseball fans here, this was his FIRST OUTING. If he's hitting 88-90 now, he'll be throwing around 92-93 during the season. Pitchers build arm strength in the spring. He wasn't even hitting 90 early last season, so he's already ahead of last years pace.— bigstabile
Sounds like he can't wait to drop the curve.— KINGOFZED- Overall, Hamels threw 32 pitches, 20 of them for strikes. According to my count, he threw •four change-ups, all of them for strikes •four curveballs -- two in the dirt, one that just missed low, and one that prompted a swing and a miss. •five cutters, three of them for strikes •18 fastballs -- 11 for strikes, including two hits." WHAT WAS THE 32nd pitch? This adds up to 31 pitches lol— Dan C
- The guy hits 90 the first few pitches of the season and the idiots are already complaining. He couldn't hit 90 half of last season. Then another loser says the World Series MVP is a sissy. If you accomplished 1% of what that guy did your mother wouldn't be supporting you right now. Dope.— Bob1
- Bastardo also impressed with his command and control in a clean 8th inning striking out two. I had him at 14 pitches with his fastball sitting at 92 and his off speed stuff at 79-82.— Dull
- 17 wins— EndTheDrought
- I watched Game 5 of the 2008 World Series last night where Hamels gutted out the first 6 innings in the cold and rain. We need that Hamels back.— Phillies2008WSChamps
- It's spring training, don't get your undies in a twist. Let's see what happens when the big boys play for real.— atp2007
- It is Spring Training people. Pitchers are not going to be in top form now. Some of you are ignorant. I've got more to worry about than how players perform in these games. Wait until the season starts then you can complain, and I know you will.— simplefreedom
- OK my mistake as you're only counting fastballs (didn't make that clear in the article). I was watching the speed on the scoreboard myself and never saw 90, but I'll take your word for it.
Yes, please let's all relax. 89-90 in his firstouting means he's right on schedule. He'll be 90+ soon and 93-95 during the season...as will the rest of the pitchers. This ain't no video game, no one is going to top out in their first taste of action.- at-bats by left-handed hitters, not at-bats against left-handed hitters. You're not referring to Hamels' own at-bats. (Just saying.)— Bartleby
- TBear is da man.— mick314
- Murph, Assuming Hamels stays healthy (please!), can one reasonably project that his fastball may pick up another 3-5 mph by his first regular season start? What's realistic here? Do you see him throwing enough curves and cutters to keep batters more off-balance this year? As good and clutch as he was in 2008, he doesn't seem to have enough life on his fastball to be a 90% fastball/change-up guy. Where would you, and the Phils for that matter, like to see his pitch breakdown look like?— MG44
...and imagine Lee in that rotation! Still makes me weep.— Mr. Underhill- jrw, when was Hamels throwing 92-93 in his first spring training game? mjsmith403, you might need "and" editor as well.— mbphilly
