The Female Fanbase

By Amy McGinnis

We all know that Phillies fans have a certain reputation that is generally less than favorable and, in my opinion, not an accurate picture of the fanbase as a whole.  It seems to me that Phillies fans are the ones who are able to give you fair illustration of what the fans in this city are like.  Yes, there are some who are over-the-top and belligerent; however, for the most part, we're an intelligent and passionate group of people.  Well, what about female Phils fans? The reaction I get from male fans is sometimes interesting, to say the least.  I've been told to get back in the kitchen on more than one occassion.  I wanted to see how other women in the stands feel about it.  I talked to Karrie Woodruff, Stacey Lucas and Colleen Lucas, three ladies who know their stuff.  (They're all spoken for, by the way, so calm down.)

Before I get ahead of myself, I'd like to note that I am not attempting to criticize any females who enjoy baseball for different reasons.  I know there are plenty of women who enjoy the nice weather and tight pants.  My goal is to shine a light on those of us females who know and love the sport.  That being said ... what is it like being a female Phillies fan?

Stacey says that her favorite part of baseball is the comeback, and Colleen agrees.  The thrill of a rally in the 8th, a walk off homerun ... anyone who says baseball is boring hasn't watched a game with these girls. Karrie enjoys the strategy involved in the game.  Personally, I love that there is no time limit on games.  We've all been to the Vet and CBP into the wee hours, thinking, "Guess I'm just not sleeping tonight.  Oh well."

I love that, among four women, we have four different favorite players.  Karrie likes Jim Thome, explaining, "He doesn't juice, he plays hard, always give it his all and loves the game. Plus, as much as he gives on the field, he gives that much off the field to the community he is in. I also like the way he holds that bat before he settles into his ready stance."  Colleen likes Jimmy Rollins, citing his "cocky confidence" and "total understanding of Phils fans." It seems that Stacey and I are in the same boat: when asked who our favorite players are (Chase Utley and Cole Hamels, respectively), a lot of the time men smile at the answer and say, "Of course he is." I have explained myself more times than I care to admit as to why Hamels is my favorite.  His changeup, the focus and maturity he has acquired over time, the way he pitches rather than just fires the ball, the way he reminds me of a taller Tom Glavine ... I could go on.  Stacey likes Utley because he "plays the game like it should be played." She describes his fielding as "old school," and she loves that he hustles everything out, "even a clean shot to the second baseman."  As much as I love talking about baseball, I almost dislike being asked who my favorite player is, because I feel the need to qualify my answer.

I wondered if Karrie, Stacey and Colleen got similar reactions from men when it became apparent that they know what they're talking about.  I will say that, generally speaking, our answers are the same.  Guys seem surprised that when we open our mouths "Ohmygawd he's so hot" doesn't come out.  I think that when I was younger, I felt the need to try to prove myself in conversations; I got over that.  It seems that it doesn't occur to some men that girls know baseball (Colleen says, "I don't think it should be that big of surprise").  In all of our experiences, that initial amazement usually diminishes rather quickly.  It seems that most men think it's cool when a woman can enjoy sports with him.

I love raising my three daughters to be Phillies fans.  I love watching games with them, answering their questions about everything that's going on in the game, and knowing that they're likely to fall in love with baseball the same way I did.

Of course, especially with a winning team like the Phillies, fandom can become very trendy.  I think all four of us agree that we don't care if other people, male or female, enjoy baseball for different reasons than we do.  Every single one of us knows, appreciates, and loves different things about the sport.  That's what makes for good conversation and even debate.  Everyone brings something unique to the table.  Just don't bring a condescending attitude, because someone with a uterus just might run circles around you with her knowledge.

Getting Antsy

By Amy McCormick

Well, gang, I haven't written so much as one word since we signed Thome. This has seemed like an endless offseason thus far.  I'm getting very eager for things to get underway in Clearwater.  There's not much to report, really; I'll put my two cents in on some things that have happened, though.

Ryan Howard seems to be healing in an expected timeframe.  No one expected him to start at first in April, and if you're like me, you'd much rather he take his time getting fully rehabilitated this time.  The timing of his injury is probably the only silver lining to the whole incident.  At least it didn't happen in August, right?

Ryan Madson agreed to a one-year deal with the Reds.  As much as I don't like to see him go, I'm not surprised.  Acquiring Papelbon was a clear indication that Amaro was making other plans; for a short while, though, Mad Dog was just sitting at home, waiting for his phone to ring.  While I would have loved to see him stay in Philadelphia, I would have hated to watch him sitting in the bullpen, waiting for the phone to ring.  It didn't make sense to have Madson and Papelbon, even if the money allowed it, and I wish Ryan the very best.  It's hard not to like a dude who kicks chairs. 

Jamie Moyer signed a minor league deal with Colorado.  Minor league? At 49 years old? C'mon, Jamie, you really want to go out like that? He's one former Phillie who will undoubtedly always be well-received in this city, and I would love to see him in a pitching coach position in the future.  I hate, hate, hate that he signed a minor league deal.  I hate it.

Say what you want about Wilson Valdez ... "He's no Chase Utley." No shit.  He's a substitute infielder with a mediocre bat.  That being said, he has proven to be extremely dependable, filling in at second, short, and third (not to mention his stint as a relief pitcher last May).  The Phils signed a $930,000 contract for one year in an effort to avoid arbitration.  There's not much to argue about here - it was a smart move.  Valdez will never be an All-Star, but his "I'll do whatever my team needs" attitude is pretty priceless.  I'm glad to see him sticking around.

Jimmy Rollins and his wife Johari are expecting their first child.  Let's hope this pregnancy is not a distraction (I'm looking at you, Heidi Hamels, circa 2009).  Best wishes to JRoll and his family ... I'm hoping for a boy with a big gap-toothed smile and some swagger. 

Something that needed to be addressed this off-season was Cole Hamels.  He'll be a free agent after this season, and I'd say it's a safe bet that a team or two might be after my favorite LHP.  At 28 years old, he surely has years ahead of him in his career; Philadelphia would be stupid if they let him walk away.  Some people were upset when they learned that he agreed to a one-year, $15M deal, but it was purely to avoid arbitration.  Hopefully, a long-term deal will be taken care of during Spring Training.  I wouldn't want to see our rotation without him.

On a non-Phils note, Yu Darvish and Texas signed a ridiculous deal of $60M over 6 years.  Sure, the kid has sick numbers in Japan.  We all know that MLB is (pardon the obnoxious pun) a whole new ballgame.  I think it 's foolish to throw so much money at a pitcher who hasn't proven a single thing yet.  Most of you know that I think contracts in general have become a joke.  (I don't care if you're Albert Pujols.  Ten year contracts are ridiculous, and I only see agents inflating the issue over time.)

Well, kids, that's it for now.  I'm counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report (30, if you're wondering).  I'm ready to get this season underway already.  Let's do this.

God's speed, Mad Dog.

Should Jimmy Stay or Should He Go?

By Amy McCormick

Since the untimely demise of the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies, there’s not much to talk about.  Sure, we’re watching the league championship series, and we’ll watch the World Series, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll do it bitterly.  I predicted a Rangers-Phils series and I’m not going to get it.  Sigh.  I suppose it’s time to start thinking about next season.

A big question that has been on the minds of Phillies fans all season has been: will Jimmy Rollins return once he is a free agent?  There are a few things to consider here, and as always, I’ll throw in my two cents along the way.

J-Roll has only ever known baseball in Philadelphia.  He’s just three months older than I am (so please save the “but he’s so old” comments) and came in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft.  He and I weren’t even old enough to vote then; he’s been with the organization a long time.  He has spent the last decade in the bigs, serving as the team’s leader, whether you like to admit that or not.  Jimmy’s charisma alone is enough to make fans optimistic.

Jimmy likes being here.  I have no doubt that he wants the Phils to meet his salary requirements.  "I look good in red, I think," Rollins has said. "You go back to when I got drafted, I didn't know much about the Phillies. But when I put that hat on, looking at those first pictures when I got drafted, holding a bat, you know, and a Phillies T-shirt on, it started to look real good on me. I think I've worn it pretty well over the years. I really haven't thought about putting on any other colors other than the red-and-white pinstripes."

It seems that the Phillies would like to keep Jimmy as well.  "There's no question we want Jimmy back and be in our uniform and play shortstop for us for the next several years," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "Whether that happens kind of depends on if we get to the finish line on it. But Jimmy knows where we stand. Those things will be private."  As usual, don’t expect RAJ to spill any details; we’ll have to wait until the deal is signed (or not signed) to hear what went on in negotiations.

So, if Jimmy was 2007 NL MVP and a Silver Slugger, and he’s a three-time All-Star, why is there even a debate about whether or not he should stay? Well, to begin with, he hasn’t put up numbers anywhere near his MVP season since, well, 2007.  It could be that he’s not getting any younger.  It could be that injuries have kept him from playing full seasons.  Whatever the reason, 2007 Jimmy and 2011 Jimmy are hard to even compare.  It’s symptomatic of those respective teams, as well.  In 2007, the Phils fought like hell (and were thrilled to have won) the NL East.  In 2011, complacency took over.  In 2007, Rollins hit .296.  In 2011, he posted a .268 batting average.  His defense has been fine, but the “take a shot every time Jimmy pops up on the first pitch” drinking game got old awhile ago.  Personally, I don’t like change just for the sake of change.  But sometimes, things get static; sometimes, they gradually slide downhill.  For me, it’s a toss-up: Jimmy’s leadership / personality / swagger or some new, younger (yes, I said it) blood at shortstop?  Rollins has made it very clear that he wants five years.  With his downhill trend, I don’t know that I’d sign him for five.  He’ll be 38 right after that fifth season, and I don’t care how much yoga his wife has him do … his speed, reflexes and range of motion will gradually decline. 

The Phillies’ payroll is expected to mimic this past season’s pretty closely.  That being said, we’re looking at a potentially large chunk of change being saved if we unload a few players whose contracts will be up.  Madson, Ibanez, Hamels and Lidge are signed through 2011, and Oswalt has a $16 million option.  As much as I love Little Roy, I see Hamels as the only must-sign in that group.  If that’s the case, then maybe the Phils could afford to pick up a new shortstop while they’re shopping for closers. 

I like Jimmy Rollins.  I always have.  He’ll be the first to tell you, though, that this is a business.  He’s not the only one in a Phillies uniform that I think should move on, but Charlie Manuel is another post for another day.  It doesn’t make me happy to say it, but my vote (sometimes I like to pretend that I actually get one) is to not break our backs to meet Jimmy’s salary demands.  As usual, we’ll have to wait and see.  In the meantime, let’s watch Phillies-less baseball with total disdain and wish for quick, easy recoveries for our injured and surgery-bound … including, but not limited to, but especially Cole Hamels.

NLDS Game 3 in St. Louis

By Amy McCormick

This evening will be Game 3 of the NLDS in St. Louis.  Although I’d consider any postseason game to be “must win,” this one is especially important.  The series is tied at one win apiece, it’s just a five game series, and the Phils will be playing as visitors.  No pressure, Cole.

I have confidence in this team and this game is winnable. We need to see a couple things.

Jaime Garcia, the starting pitcher for St. Louis, finished the regular season 13-7 with a 3.56 ERA.  He has been successful against the Phillies in the past; in general, Philadelphia’s offense is better when facing a right handed pitcher (Garcia is a lefty).  He did pitch two complete games this past season, but he has no postseason experience.  Our offense needs to take advantage and get him rattled early.  I want Rollins and Utley to look at a lot of pitches.  I want aggressive base stealing.  I want momentum from the first inning, and I want the Phils to sustain it through the ninth.  Garcia pitches well at home; the Phils need to tire him out, rack up the pitch count, and work him.

Busch Stadium is a “hitter’s park,” but that might be due to the Cardinals’ offense.  Theriot, Jay and Furcal are no joke.  Pujols is limping around and still went 2 for 5 on Sunday.  We need to take these batters seriously.  Cliff Lee, my second favorite lefty, got a little bit roughed up by St. Louis on Sunday.  I want to see Hamels use his changeup effectively.  His offspeed pitches will keep batters swinging at what they think is a fastball.  You may recall Cole going 4-0 in the 2008 postseason.  This kid has what it takes to shut down even an aggressive offense.  Hopefully he locates his pitches well and retires batters with a quick tempo. 

A lot of us are nervous and excited about this evening’s game.  This is what October is all about.  This is what we’ve waited all year for.  Enjoy it.

Ten Musical Suggestions

By Amy McCormick

This five game losing streak is a depressing slump for Phillies fans.  Maybe it’s time to change some of the players’ intro songs in order to get their mojo back.  Here are ten of my suggestions. 

1. Jimmy Rollins.  Jimmy has three at-bat songs, apparently; they are “Bright Lights, Bigger City” by Cee-lo Green, “Play Your Part” by Wale, and “The Show Goes On” by Lupo Fiasco.  They’re all decent choices, but I would love to hear J-Roll come out to “Rollout” by Ludacris.  I think the reasoning behind my choice is obvious.
2. Placido Polanco.  Polly left the club years ago, and returned as a third baseman.  He came back with outstanding range of motion, instincts, and batting.  For my favorite large-headed infielder, I’d choose “Look at Me Now” by Lil Boosie and Big Head. (His current song is “I Know You Want Me” by Pitbull.)
3. Shane Victorino.  It bothers me every single time I hear “Buffalo Soldier” played at Citizens Bank Park, and for one reason: Vic is Hawaiin.  “Buffalo Soldier” is performed by Bob Marley … from Jamaica.  It’s not even the same ocean, people.  I’m a sucker for “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. I know it’s kind of mellow, but so is “Buffalo Soldier.”
4. Hunter Pence.  I was so tempted to pick something from New Kids on the Block, but I resisted.  When I think of Pence, I think of three things: “Good game, let’s go eat,” a huge kid-in-a-candy-store grin, and red socks that look as though they’re probably tucked into his underwear.  I love the high socks, so I went with “Taylor Gang” by Wiz Khalifa. 
5. Ryan Madson.  Can we discuss the Journey song, please? From my understanding, it started as a joke, in reference to the headache-inducing YouTube video that Giants fans made last year.  Joke’s over.  Now you just look like a pansy running from the bullpen to a Journey song.  I’d quickly change it to “Shut ‘Em Down” by Public Enemy.
6. Carlos Ruiz.  Chooch has a case of Ryan Madsonitis when it comes to song choice.  Phil Collins? Really?  I’d get rid of that in a hurry.  I’d rather hear Ruiz come out to “Panama” by Van Halen … because he’s from Panama.  See what I did there?
7. Cole Hamels.  I couldn’t think of any songs about having dreamy dimples, so I think he should come out to 45,000 fans singing “Cole and Amy sittin’ in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g …”.  His AC/DC song, “Thunderstruck,” is fine, too … I guess.
8. John Mayberry, Jr.  Follow me on this one.  Out of laziness/cuteness, I have always called Mayberry “JMJ.” I started to refer to him as “Jam Master Jay” because that’s what my friend James calls him.  That nickname is the reason I’d choose “My Adidas” by Run DMC for John Mayberry, Jr.
9. Pete Orr.  I know we rarely see Orr bat, but I’m a big fan of watching him sprint to first.  I’d love to hear the vintage version of the theme to “Speed Racer” when he is up to bat.
10. Michael Schwimer.  I think it would be appropriate to hear “Creep” by Radiohead when Schwimer runs out to the mound, for one reason: the lyric “I don’t belong here.” Sorry, kid.

I don’t know what it will take to snap this funk that the Phils are in.  Maybe hiring me as Musical Director at Citizens Bank Park would help.  I’m available to start immediately.



Cole Hamels is pictured in this post because, well, I get to choose what goes here.



My Two-Minute Date With Cole Hamels

By Amy McCormick

Well, the day I had been waiting for finally came yesterday.  I met Cole Hamels.  Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself just a little.

Back in March, a friend of mine told me that Cole would be doing a signing in May.  My reaction to the news was pretty obvious: acquire a ticket immediately and explain the $130 to my husband later (he wasn't thrilled, by the way).  As it turned out, Cole was scheduled to pitch when that Saturday rolled around, and it got rescheduled for June ... and July ... and finally, my first date with him (um, I mean ... his autograph signing event) was set for August 14th. 

Now, you have to understand that I watch baseball, I love the game, and I understand the sport.  I'm not one of those females who follows a team because she likes the colors the players wear.  I don't care what Chase Utley looks like; as long as he's doing his job at the plate and on the field, I'm happy.  And as far as Cole Hamels goes, let me get one thing straight.  He is an incredibly skilled and talented pitcher, and I appreciate his athleticism.  It doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes, though.  And some of you may know that Cole and I have been in a pretty serious romantic relationship since 2007.  He just doesn't know about it.

So, I dragged my husband (no longer bitter about the $130) to Delaware County so that we could stand in line for an hour for an autograph.  There are very few other people (ok, no one) I would wait an hour in line to meet for two minutes.  I went over friends' advice in my head: Don't scream.  Don't cry.  Don't faint.  Don't act in a way that would cause security to escort me out.  As we got close, a dad carried his four-year-old son out of the store, kicking and screaming, "I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE!!!" My husband looked at me and said, "Don't make me do that."

We got to the front of the line, and I was greeted by a less-than-friendly woman who barked at me, "Have your item ready for Mr. Hamels to sign.  Take a picture WHILE he's signing it.  He will not pose."  I confidently (not at all true) stepped up to the table and was greeted by Cole's smile and "Hi!" I'm pretty sure I said hello back to him, but I can't be certain.  I handed him the picture for him to autograph, and while he was signing it, per the boss lady's instructions, I attempted to take a picture.  It turns out that when you're that nervous, you fumble with things.  He finished signing, handed me the picture, and realized that I had my camera in my hand.  I am pleased to announce that he disobeyed the warden ... he waited patiently for me to get my camera ready, and he grinned for me.  (I have already ordered the print in poster size.  My husband, again, not happy.)  I managed to squeak out, "Thank you," and he said, "Rockin'.  You're welcome." I don't really know what "rockin'" is supposed to mean, but I love it.  He couldn't have been friendlier.  I left the store with a huge grin ... and an 8x10 autographed picture of Cole Hamels (he also wrote "08 WS MVP"). 

So, my date with Cole lasted about two minutes, but I'll certainly never forget it.  Until next time, Mr. Hamels ....

Phils Don't Sweep, But They Take Out the Trash

By Amy McCormick

Thursday, August 4^th began a four game series against the Giants in San Francisco.  Aside from the late start times, the series promised to be a good one.  Here’s a rundown of what happened.

Thursday.  Cliff Lee was matched up with Madison “My Parents Clearly Wanted a Girl” Bumgarner.  Lee pitched well; half of his eight strikeouts belonged to Cody Ross.  “That’s probably the best game I’ve had as far as commanding the ball,” Lee said.  “I was getting ahead of the hitters and staying away from the middle of the plate.  I felt like I could throw any pitch at any time to any location.” Can you ask anything more of a pitcher?  Phils took the first game with a score of 3-0, which is Lee’s fifth shutout of the season.  Hunter Pence and John Mayberry, Jr. had back-to-back homers in the 2^nd inning.  Bumgarner stated, “That second inning cost me I guess.  The way he [Lee] was throwing, he looked like he could throw about fourteen innings out there.” After the end of the game, of course, tragedy stuck not far from AT&T Park.  Ryan White, 9, of Yardley, had attended the game to cheer on the Phillies.  A drunken jerk of a Giants fan managed to mow White down with a car, putting him in critical condition.  Luckily, the suspect was caught not much later. 

Friday.  Wonder why fans in San Francisco act like reckless criminals? Well, the top of the sixth inning in Friday’s game is an indication of what the fanbase seems to aspire to.  Vance Worley and Jonathan Sanchez were the starting pitchers, and the Phils won 9-2; not a whole lot else matters, considering all anyone has been talking about is the brawl that ensued on the field.  In the top of the sixth, Ramon Ramirez quite obviously hit Shane Victorino in the back intentionally with a pitch.  When asked if he thought Ramirez hit him deliberately, Victorino said, “Yeah, absolutely, I think he did.”  Vic started toward the mound, which caused Giants’ catcher Eli Whiteside to jump around like a lunatic.  Placido Polanco came to back up Victorino, and Whiteside tackled him.  Benches cleared; teammates and coaches from both sides poured onto the field.  The bullpens emptied.  It was one of those fights you can’t wait to see again in the highlights after the game.  Bruce Bochy remarked, “It’s baseball and things happen fast.  Tempers flare.  It’s part of the game … it’s competition.  Things aren’t going well for us.  It happens and you deal with it … I thought it was fairly clean out there.” Um, I assume he was talking about the Phillies’ involvement, because the Giants instigated the brawl from the get-go.  The Phils merely reacted.  Whiteside, Ramirez, and Victorino were ejected.  Charlie defends Victorino, because his reaction was pretty appropriate.  Ramirez wasn’t pitching well and it looked as if he just wanted to nail a batter with a pitch.  The Giants’ lowly tactics couldn’t land them a win.

Saturday. Cole Hamels started for the Phils, and the Giants sent Matt Cain to the hill.  A lot of fans expected a repeat of the previous night’s fight.  Not only did we not see such action, the game didn’t last much more than two hours.  Phils won, 2-1.  Hamels said, “I was one out away from a shutout.” It was 2-0 going into the bottom of the ninth, but Pablo “I Shouldn’t Be Playing in This Game Because I Choked Chooch Last Night” Sandoval hit a two-out homer.  Bochy, when asked about the Giants’ lethargic offense, said, “You don’t win the World Series unless you can beat good pitching.  Right now, we’re not doing that.” Yeah, no kidding.  Even your fans agree.  Aubrey Huff, a fan favorite in San Francisco, was booed when he grounded out to Ryan Howard.  Like I said, the fans in San Francisco are suitable for their classless team.

Sunday. Today’s broadcast began with Tim Lincecum on the mound, the breeze flowing through his long (and disgusting) hair.  I hate to say it, but Lincecum pitched well.  He kept the Phils’ offense at one run; the Giants ruined Philadelphia’s attempt at a sweep and won 3-1.  It was “Little” Roy Oswalt’s return to the bigs after being absent more than six weeks.  He looked healthy, and his velocity was fine.  He just seemed a little rusty.  He let up twelve hits in six innings, getting himself into jams and working his way out of them.  Oswalt scored the Phils’ only run, and said, “It’s good to be on the field.  It’s good to be well again.” Though Philly suffered the loss, it is nice to have #44 back in the rotation.  The Phillies played a great series, and I hated to see it end on a Brian Wilson note. 

Here’s what the series means to me: the Giants aren’t the contender they might think they are.  We are 74-40 (34 games above .500).  San Francisco is 63-52 (11 games above .500).  I used to view them as a tough team to beat, but they’re hanging onto the lead in the West by a thread.  (Meanwhile, the Phils are up 8 ½ games over Atlanta in the East.)   I used to see San Francisco as just a team with terrible hair (facial and otherwise) and a bunch of girls’ first names.  Now, thanks to poor behavior and poor sportsmanship, I see them for what they are: a team with trashy players and a trashy fanbase.  This I know: we will be seeing Phillies baseball well into October.  If the Giants would like to join us in the postseason, they’ll need to get their act together.

Kendrick Records Only Win in Braves Series

By Amy McCormick

The Braves came into town on Friday, May 6 for a three game series in Philadelphia.  That evening, we saw Cliff Lee strike out sixteen – breaking his own record – and still get the loss.  How does that happen?  He let up three runs in the third inning, but it was our offense that just couldn’t generate any runs.  The Phils didn’t record a hit until the bottom of the seventh when Shane Victorino hit a single to left field.  To add insult to the 5-0 injury, Placido Polanco ended up leaving the game early with an injured toe (x-rays were negative).  Atlanta’s Derek Lowe earned the win. 

Saturday night brought us Kyle Kendrick, filling in for Roy Oswalt, who is now on the DL.  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about this start.  The funny thing is, Kendrick (with the help of JC Romero, Mike Stutes, Antonio Bastardo and Ryan Madson) recorded a win.  It wasn’t just a win; the Phils shut out Atlanta, 3-0.  It didn’t hurt that the Braves introduced rookie Julio Teheran, who was up past his bedtime and got pulled after 4 2/3 innings.  The series was now tied, 1-1. 

Sunday night, Mother’s Day, I attended the game.  I was beyond excited to see Hamels pitch, and I was ready for the Phils to salvage the series with another win.  We mothers didn’t get the gift we wanted.  Jair Jurrjens pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed one run.  Atlanta had won seven of their last eight, and Philadelphia was just no match for them last night.  Alex Gonzalez, Freddie Freeman and Eric Hinske each homered, while the Phils stranded runners, grounded into double plays, and couldn’t produce.  Hamels ended his four game winning streak and is now 4-2. 

On a sidenote, Dan Uggla’s little sister would like her jersey back.

What worries me about this disappointing series is that the Phils will soon be facing far better teams on a long road trip.  Offense needs to pull itself together in a hurry, because the Phils are losing games in which their pitchers are striking out double digits.  No pressure, Utley, but we could use you up here. 

The Once and Future King

By Amy McCormick

I’d like to begin this post by clarifying that I cannot stand females who watch baseball or choose a favorite player because someone is attractive.  It’s a huge pet peeve of mine.  For those of you who know me, you know that I know a little bit about Phillies baseball.  That being said, I’ve been having a love affair with Cole Hamels since 2007.  He just doesn’t know about it.

Fans seem to go back and forth when it comes to Hamels, but I’ve always had faith in him.  I’ll group his seasons the way that a lot of us group fans: pre-2008 and 2008 – present. 

2006 – 2007  Cole made his Major League debut with the Phillies on May 12, 2006.  He posted 9 wins and 8 losses that season with a 4.08 ERA.  Not exactly stellar, but for a rookie, those are respectable numbers.  In 2007, Cole won 15 games and lost 5, with an ERA of 3.39.  It was then that people started to take notice of the lefty. 

2008  Hamels posted a 14-10 season with a 3.09 ERA in 2008.  In the National League, he was first in WHIP (Walks and Hits per Innings Pitched) with 1.082.  He won the National League Babe Ruth Award and became an instant fan favorite.  Suddenly, everyone loved Cole.  He was our ace, and we all had confidence each time he took the mound.  In the postseason, he won four games and lost none.  This earned him the MVP awards for both the NLCS and the World Series.

2009  This was the year that fans dropped Hamels like a hot potato.  He seemed to be in a funk all season, winning 10 games and losing 11.  His ERA was a career-high 4.32.  “Fans” wanted him to be traded.  A lot of people didn’t realize that a) he was only 25 years old, and b) the skills he had shown the three previous seasons were not a fluke.  I don’t have a scientific reason for why he had a season-long slump; however, I knew he would rebound.  People tried to make sense of his bad season.  “He has a 2008 hangover.” “His head’s not in the game because his wife is pregnant.” I heard a lot of off-the-wall reasoning.  Truth be told, none of us knows what happened with him in 2009.  Even with two postseason wins, Philadelphians wanted Cole gone.

2010  I hoped that Hamels would re-emerge last season as the ace that I know he is.  His pitching was on point, although his win-loss record doesn’t reflect it.  Offense gave Cole no run support, so even with a 3.06 ERA and a new pitch – a nasty cutter – there were games that he should have won.  He tweaked his mechanics, and right-handed batters suddenly didn’t have him all figured out.  His average WHIP over five seasons is 1.176, and in 2010 it was 1.179.  It was last season that the Hamels Bandwagon loaded up again, and people came out of the woodwork to cheer him on.  The best way to sum up Cole’s 2010 season is to say that he did his job, but the offense fell short.  He won one game in the NLDS against the Reds, assisting the team in their advance to the NLCS.

2011  What can we expect from Mr. Hamels in 2011?  I’ll admit that this is mostly my opinion.  I think we’ll see batters guessing, because Cole will use all four of his pitches.  He has improved the velocity of his fastball; it used to be around 90 mph and now is consistently 92 mph (sometimes getting to 96 mph).  His curveball needs some improvement, but of course, there’s his cutter and change-up.  I think he’ll continue to be more and more unhittable.  I predict an ERA between 3.00 and 3.25 and 14 wins.

As part of such an outstanding rotation, Cole Hamels will surely attract more and more fans this season, even in such great company.  I look forward to seeing him pitch well into October.  As the youngest of the five starters, Hamels has a bright future ahead.  I plan to enjoy being his biggest fan (and girlfriend) for years to come.