Hamels confirms: There’s no problem with Myers

An Internet report early this morning suggested that Hamels and Myers had a clubhouse confrontation after Game 5 on Monday night.

Both Phillies pitchers - and other eyewitnesses - said that reports of tension were greatly exaggerated.

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal witnessed the event, and wrote an account that supported the players' version.

"I saw the whole thing," Rosenthal wrote. "I was standing maybe five feet away. I thought Myers was joking, and did not even consider writing about it in my accompanying column about Hamels."

"There was no confrontation whatsoever," Myers told The Inquirer this morning.

The Phillies' director of baseball communications, Greg Casterioto, said he witnessed the entire nonevent. He called the idea of tension between Myers and Hamels "ludicrous."

Hamels admitted that a Myers comment initially struck a nerve. But Hamels went on to say that he later realized that it was an innocent comment, and there were no hard feelings between the two teammates and friends.

"We're always joking around, always laughing with each other at the field or when we ride in together," Hamels said. "We're a couple of wiseasses. We're having dinner tonight."

Hamels had drawn criticism for a comment that he made after taking the loss in Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday. After that game, he talked about wanting a chance to redeem himself in Game 7, if the Series extended that far. Hamels explained that he was eager for a chance to end a season that had been personally disappointing with a good feeling.

He was then asked: "You talked about the possibility of a Game 7 leaving you with a good feeling. If this ended up being your last start, with the way this whole season has gone, what feeling would you be left with?"

The pitcher answered: "I can't wait for it to end. It's been mentally draining. At year's end, you just can't wait for a fresh start."

Hamels' comments did not play well with the public. He was criticized for giving up on his team in the middle of the World Series.

Hamels later said that he chose his words poorly, that he wished he had answered the question differently. However, he has maintained that his comments related specifically to his personal struggles and were taken out of context. Reporters who witnessed the interview, such as Leslie Gudel of Comcast SportsNet, also have said the comments were taken out of context. Hamels never said he was quitting on the season.

Enter Myers after Game 5. Hamels said he was preparing to meet with manager Charlie Manuel to explain his post-Game 3 comments when Myers walked by and said: "I thought you quit."

That expression, Myers and Hamels said, is Phillies clubhouse code for "I thought you had left for the night."

Hamels, his emotions raw after being criticized for his remarks after Game 3 and not sleeping well after the fallout, said he did not immediately make the right translation.

"He thought I left. He said, 'I thought you quit,' " said Hamels, who responded to Myers with a profanity. "He didn't know what had been in the papers. It was a random coincidence. It's what he says every day, but because of the situation, it hit a nerve. He totally apologized. He said the wrong thing at the wrong time. He had no idea what was going on."

Myers said he was unaware of Hamels' comments two days earlier. "I had no idea there was even a story going around about this," he said. "We're friends. There is no problem."

Moments later, Myers "apologized and we were laughing," Hamels said. "He didn't mean anything by it."

Manuel brushed off the incident today.

"That was Brett being Brett," he said. "He likes throwing that jab. They're friends.'"

Hamels and Myers often share a ride to the ballpark.

"I called him this morning to see if he wanted a ride," Hamels said. "He already had one. I think our wives are going to New York together.

"We're good friends. We understand each other well. We were both young guys who came out of high school and got up here quick. We both had some success and some struggles. We can really relate to each other."

Hamels laughed.

"And we've both been in bar fights," he said.

Hamels said he was not amused by the events of this week.

"It shows you how people will believe whatever they hear," he said. "It's not amusing. I don't want to be the guy who takes away from the team. I don't want to be the guy in the spotlight. We have an amazing team. That's what should be in the spotlight."

Hamels said that the possibility of starting Game 7 did not come up in his chat with Manuel after Game 5. The lefthander said he wanted to explain the remarks he made after Game 3 to his manager.

"It was about my character," Hamels said.

As for the possibility of pitching a seventh game?

"Of course I want it," he said. "It would be a great opportunity. It's something you live for, to be the deciding factor. But first we have to win Game 6. Nobody will be rooting harder than me."

Contact staff writer Andy Martino at 215-854-4874 or amartino@phillynews.com.