Baseball

November 4, 2009

Hamels looking forward to a title shot

Pitcher says his comments after Game 3 didn’t mean he was giving up on the Phillies defending their title.

By Paul Sokoloski psokoloski@timesleader.com
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PHILADELPHIA - Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels really is looking forward to the end of the season.

But he doesn’t want it to finish without the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series, or without him getting a chance to pitch one more time in 2009.

Hamels made that clear Monday, after the Phillies pulled within a game of evening the series with the New York Yankees at three games apiece with an 8-6 victory at Citizens Bank Park.

That’s where Hamels said he can’t wait for this season to end, following his Game 3 loss Saturday.

Some people took that to mean Hamels didn’t really care what happened during the rest of the World Series and may have been ready to give up on himself and his Phillies team.

Not so, Hamels said.

“What I really want to say sometimes, it’s hard for me (to articulate),” Hamels said. “It’s hard to talk and pitch at the same time. To rephrase that, it’s a situation where after every season, when that season ends - and hopefully it ends with a (world championship) parade - then I sit down and consider what happened. I never really had time after last year to sit down and go over what I did. After this season is over, I’m looking forward to going over everything about this year. That’s all I was trying to say.”

While he was speaking in the corner of the Phillies clubhouse near an exit, Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino shouted, “You better rephrase that, I’ll whip your (butt),” before heading out.

“How are you going to do that? You’ve got one arm,” Hamels laughed.

He was referring to Victorino’s bruised hand, which the outfielder incurred while being hit by a pitch from Yankees starter A.J. Burnett in the first inning of Philadelphia’s Game 5 victory Monday.

In-game X-rays proved negative, although Victorino was removed from the lineup late in that game - a rarity for the Phillies strong defensive outfielder who also hits second. But Victorino said it wasn’t his decision to leave the game and that his hand will be fine for Game 6 today in New York.

“It’s feeling better already,” Victorino said following the game.

So is Hamels, who exchanged words with fellow Phillies pitcher Brett Myers in the clubhouse Monday over his earlier comments, but cleared the air with manager Charlie Manuel following Game 5.

“Brett was being Brett, “Manuel said. “Sometimes he throws a jab at you, it doesn’t matter who’s around. I think it was just Brett playing around, messing with him (Hamels).”

But Hamels believes he prevented a real mess by reassuring his manager he’ll be ready to work in a potential series-deciding Game 7 on Wednesday.

“I told him I want us to win Game 6 first,” said Hamels, who struggled to a 10-11 record during the regular season and is 1-2 in the postseason after Saturday’s loss to the Yankees. “Who wouldn’t want the ball in Game 7? It’s the ultimate dream. Even though I might not have the best results lately, I’m up to it. I have it in me to pitch the best I can.”

That pitch was good enough for Manuel.

“I know Hamels. I never, ever questioned his mental toughness,” Manuel said. “He’s just as tough as anybody on our team. There’s no quit in him. He’s a gamer, a fighter. When I talked to him, you could tell he definitely wants to win. He definitely wants us to win the World Series. And he wants to play a big part in it.”

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