And this folks, is why I can still be a huge fan of the man long after he's put on another teams uniform.
Quote (Philadelphia Daily News)
OF ALL THE absurdities produced during the seventh inning of Wednesday night's American League playoff game between Texas and Toronto, the most bizarre was this:
Losing pitcher: Cole Hamels.
For those who argue that a pitcher's won-lost record is the most meaningless of all baseball statistics, this should be the all-time Exhibit A.
Approaching and then surpassing his 100th pitch that inning, Hamels induced four consecutive garden-variety ground balls, including a tailor-made doubleplay ball. Yet he left the game with one out recorded and the bases loaded, his club clinging to a 3-2 lead made possible by a previous play I have never seen or even contemplated over 50 years of watching, playing and coaching baseball.
And please don't tell me you have. Because I am certain that if you did see it, the plate umpire would have ruled the play dead the way Dale Scott, a veteran of 30 major league seasons, did.
For those who have not seen it: With the score tied at 2 and Texas second baseman Rougned Odor on third, Toronto catcher Russell Martin's throw back to the pitcher hit the bat of Shin-Soo Choo. The ball dribbled down the third-base line, Odor broke for home, and Scott quickly, if not immediately, ruled the play dead.
Somehow, though, the play came back to life a few minutes later, after Texas manager Jeff Banister - who said later he was involved in a similar play as a minor league catcher - pointed out the rule. The umpires convened and counted the run, even though technically Odor crossed the plate after time was called.
This induced both a protest of the game by the Blue Jays and some impressive littering by the fans in Toronto, who had been littering all game and really didn't need any more reasons.
From the second inning on, these fans repeatedly stopped play by tossing things onto the field, into the Texas bullpen, even harassing the Rangers' dugout. They were repeatedly described as "passionate" by the broadcasters, a phrase repeated in the MLB.com account of the game and several others, and by now you should know where I am going with this.
All together now:
Can you imagine if this occurred in Philly?
You think we'd be described as passionate?
Me neither.
As for Hamels, even the most unforgiving Phillies fan - you know, those ones who so often confused his flakiness with a lack of mettle - would concede that he gave the Rangers everything they bargained for in making that trade in July. Hamels didn't lose over his last 11 starts down the stretch, when the Rangers needed every one of those victories to nail down a playoff berth. He battled a lineup Wednesday that is the most potent in baseball, one that had produced 140 more runs than the Rangers had during the season, and despite three infield errors made consecutively in that seventh inning, walked from the mound still ahead.
A few pitches later, Jose Bautista lasered a home run so hard off the left-centerfield façade that it nearly rolled back to the infield, and that was that. Impressive, yes, but this game was really decided by gloves: Toronto's infield turned several sparking plays to quell rallies, and Texas' infield fueled its demise with an inning that would make a Little League coach cringe.
Throughout it all, though, Hamels battled.
There were no pouts, no histrionics on the mound after his infielders coughed up hairball after hairball. Even after he was relieved, almost mercifully, by Banister, Hamels sat on the bench and watched stoically, the camera zooming in vain for any sign of self-pity or selfishness.
This was no Curt Schilling with a towel over his head as Mitch Williams spray-painted over one of his masterpieces.
Still only 31, it left me wondering if the Rangers may get the best years of his career, his natural maturation coming while his stuff is still A-1.
I remember a conversation I had with David Cone late in his career, when he was beating batters with his guile pitching for Toronto and the Yankees, after much of his dynamic stuff had left him. "I wish I had this head with that arm," he said, referencing his more volatile beginnings with the Mets. The Hamels of Wednesday night and down the stretch appeared to have both.
And when it was over, Hamels spoke only glowingly of his new team, about all it had been through this season, about an exciting future that lay ahead.
If you didn't like the guy before, you should now.
And if you still don't, I would suggest strongly that it's not about what's wrong with him.