Cole Hamels has clarified his headline-grabbing quotes about wanting the season to be over and last night's incident with Brett Myers may have just been an attempt at humor, but the left-hander's 7.58 ERA this postseason still has Phillies fans questioning if he's the right choice for a potential Game 7 start against CC Sabathia.
Charlie Manuel has already picked Pedro Martinez to start tomorrow, but an alternative would have been to give J.A. Happ the Game 6 nod and save Martinez for Game 7. While the notion of a World Series-deciding Martinez-Sabathia matchup is exciting, the Phillies obviously need to win Game 6 before there can be a Game 7 and holding Pedro back for a start that may never arrive would leave Manuel open to tons of criticism.
In other words, worry first about forcing a Game 7 and then worry about how to win a Game 7. If the Phillies win tomorrow night behind a strong outing from Martinez they can go with either Happ or Hamels in Game 7 while also having basically everyone on the pitching staff available in an all-hands-on-deck situation. That wouldn't have been true with Happ starting Game 6 and Martinez reserved for Game 7.
Of course, the choice between Hamels or Happ is another issue entirely. Back in spring training the notion of going with Happ over Hamels in a World Series-deciding start would have seemed absolutely absurd, but it's certainly a legitimate question at this point. During the regular season Happ was 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA compared to Hamels going 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA, and Hamels has allowed 16 runs in 19 postseason innings.
On the other hand Happ hasn't started since Game 3 of the NLDS way back on October 11, when he gave up three runs while lasting just three innings against the Rockies. Since then he's been used strictly as a reliever and has pitched sparingly while not being particularly effective, serving up a homer to Nick Swisher in relief of Hamels in Game 3 and allowing four of 11 batters to reach base.
There are certainly reasonable arguments to be made on all sides. However, like Manuel my choice would be Martinez starting Game 6 with everyone available for a possible Game 7 rather than the other way around, and I'd still go with Hamels over Happ with the season on the line against Sabathia. Hamels started the Phillies' final playoff game last season and he should get a chance to do the same this year.
Yes, for Hammels will pull a 180 just as AJ did last night, only in the opposite direction. AJ went from being an ace to a bum, Hammels will go from being a bum to an ace! PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
in one word: NO
They would be just as well as sending the Phanatic out there for Game 7.
Hope and pray Pedro's arm doesn't fall off and their bullpen can eek out a Game 6 win and then start a rested Happ in Game 7, with the rest of the pen and rotation on stand by.
If there is a gme 7, PLEASE start Hamels! JOHN IS WRONG!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
There will be a game seven which Hammels will start and Lee will close and afterward the Phillies will be the 2009 WS Champs! PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
There will be NO game 7, the bombers WANTED to lose game 5 to go home and win it in front of their own fans. NO game 7, Yankees 4 Phillies 2 all done.
I agree Rob - Yankees wanted to go back home to finish it off. Besides, the Phillies better wake up and play much better to win game 5, which they worked hard to blow, but then the Yankees realized, "wait, don't take advantage of the Phillies....let them win this one." Seemed obvious to me.
yea sure looks like they wanted to lose last night, give me a break buddy....lets not make up excuses for losses on either side, it is 3-2 and we will see what happens tomorrow night - LET'S GO PHILS!
Hey lets stop with the excuses. The Yankees wanted to win badly last night. They don't need to extend this series further, and give any more chances to Philly. What do they care if they win on the road or at home. It is old hat to them. Besides it is one less game to play if they had won last night. They might want to go home and relax as soon as they can. I do agree, that there will be NO game 7. Yankees in 6 as I predicted last week. All the other stuff is silly.
The Cincinnati Pro.
KimG I'm so glad to see I wasn't the only one to be able to read between the bases and see what the Yankees were really doing. Thanks
Shely, is it really "old hat" to the Yankees? Aside from Posada, Jeter, Mo, and Andy, how much World Series experience does this team really have? The Yankees as an organization have been the most successful in all of sports with 26 (and hopefully soon, 27) championships, but that certainly doesn't comfort ARod, Tex, Matsui, Swisher, Cano, CC, etc. Because for those guys, the only number of World Series championships they are familiar with to this point is 0. Having said that... I expect the Yanks to slam pedro tomorrow night and send him out of baseball for good with a night-to-forget. But I look forward to his post game remarks where he will act as if he just threw a perfect game and Yankee fans actually love him. Go Yanks!
The only valid excuse not to start Hamels would be an injury. He's the best option they have, it's not rocket science.
You are probably right about W-S experience, but these guys are quite used to winning. To win the W-S is new to many of them. Good point!
We play today,we win today !!!
Ohhhhh so the Yankees lost on purpose last night, man only if I had known that beforehand I could've made killing at the sports book. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
If you reverse the time back 15 years ago, I was sitting under a mango tree without 50 cents to actually pay for a bus.
charlie should consider starting my myers. he has the fire it takes. he could get you a few innings to start game 7.
John , why don't you go sit under a mango tree with Pedro.......
So John, how many games do you think it will take for the Phillies
to..............
John - you're such a bold guy, picking phillies in 7 with 2 games to go, wow...gutsy call man. You might as well wait to see if there is a game 7 and then call phillies in 7.
Historically, teams down 2-3 in the WS are 35-22 in game 6, and then 17-18 in game 7. Phillies do have a chance.
For those of you who are new here (Jackson) originally I said Phillies in six but what is one game in the whole scheme of things for the main point is Philadelphia will be the 2009 WS Champs! And comeonman (stolen from ESPN's NFL Countdown crew no doubt) unfotunately there are no mango trees in my neck of the woods. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
The Yankees did their job in Philly taking 2 out of 3. Now it's on to NY for one last game. Howard can head back home with two things on his mind - setting an all-time record for strikeouts and hearing Sinatra's voice ringing in his ears.
I'm absolutely amazed at the idiotic comments about the Phillies standing a chance. With a one-man pitching rotation, a choker for a closer, their #4 man helplessly flailing at pitches like a old woman swatting at porch flies, they stand no chance to beat the Yankees.
NO CHANCE.
I'm absolutely amazed at the idiotic comments about the Phillies standing a chance. With a one-man pitching rotation, a choker for a closer, their #4 man helplessly flailing at pitches like a old woman swatting at porch flies, they stand no chance to beat the Yankees.
NO CHANCE.
John...AJ is not a bum, but you ARE an idiot.
You're right LMM technically AJ isn't a bum... he just pitched like one last night. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
Yankees threw game five? That has to be one of the more foolish statements in a world full of fools. This is not 1919. No professional team takes the field without intending to win. They may give up after a while, but, last night, they had a legitimate chance to win until Jeter bounced into a db. He did that intentionally? Jeter?
Mike D - with your bad self runnin things
With your bad breath onion rings
"Well I'm Mike D and I get respect your cash and your jewlery is what I expect!" PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!"
All of this is meaningless. The only thing that counts is game 6. Remember the chant: Pedro Whose your DADDY! It is all over then.
MCA was wid it and he's my ace
So I grabbed the piano player and I punched him the face
Quit living in the past Shely... oh wait wasn't the year (2004) the "Who's your daddy?" chant became famous the same year the Yankees laid the biggest egg ever in the history of sport thus giving Pedro the last laugh? ;-) PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
"Mike D. grabbed the money M.C.A. snatched the gold I grabbed two girlies and a beer that's cold!" Damn Mo now I'm gonna have to dust off my Licensed to Ill cd and jam it... not that it's a bad thing but still. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
Start Cliff Lee if there is a game 7...
Start John - he has more confidence than Hamels!
Hey John, are you available Thursday? I need a starte - oh, wait. We are going to lose game six to the Yankees. Nevermind...
If the Phillies sucked so bad, nobody would be talking about Game 6 and a possible Game 7. It's been a good match-up. As for the question posted, Hamels should probably start a Game 7, but I'd have someone warming up at the start of the 4th! :)
Wow, Charlie Manuel actually wrote to me asking for advice on... err... hey wait a minute... is someone messing with me? *waves index finger at the cpu* PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
Hye John, it's really me, Charlie. Because you have been so resilient (just like my boys), I am going to leave tickets for games 6 & - err, for game 6 at will call. Hope to see you after the ame, so we can watch the Yankee celebration together. Start spreadin' the news...
Game 7? Ask the Angels if Pettite is tough. Arod is hot, Damon also
and Cano, Swisher and Tex broke out of their slumps against phillys
best pitcher. Also Gardner covers even more ground in center than Victorino. Victorino may have problems throwing and batting, sometimes
a bad contusion is worse than a break. Yankees in 6.
I marked your words when you said this in regards to the Angels.....how did that work out? Give me a break.
A plague on both your houses! Philly fans are arrogant and clueless.
(those in-game cries of "Yankees Suck", "CC Sucks", and yes, "Mariano Sucks" were just ridiculous.)
Yankee fans are only arrogant, but they expect every other team to roll over and play dead for them and have no respect for good players if they're not in their dugout. The Pinstripes will win, most likely in six (I'm astounded Pedro did as well as he did in Game 2, but even if he duplicates it, the Phils would have to have like an 8-run lead to hold it with that bullpen). Since I have to live with Yankee fans and only put up with Philly fans 18 times a season, I'll hope for a miracle. I'm sure you can guess what team I really root for... but let's not talk about that.
Did you really mark my words Evente (what kind of name is that?)for I have a strong feeling you didn't, so quit lying. But as far as Philly goes you can defintely mark my words. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
Thanks, you just proved what kind of person you are. Attacking my name?! How old are you? You act like a 15 year old with nothing better to do than sit in your parent's basement ridiculing people.
I smell a rat for the real Charlie Manuel would never misspell "Hey" as "Hye" and "game" as "ame." But just in case it is the real you I will be waiting at the Will Call booth for those tickets. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
I was thinking John was more on the line of 35 years old in his parents' basement, alternatively posting here and bidding on "action figures" on ebay. But he does have spirit. He's gutsy. He posts with heart. You go, John! Run with your passion! Run like the wind! JOHN IS WRONG!!! YANKEES IN SIX!!!
Attacked your name... by asking what kind of name that is? Somebody has anger management issues. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
You may be on to something there!
As far as my name, John, you would have to ask my mother what kind of name it is; she is the one who chose to give it to me. I'll tell her you find it intriguing!
Action figures indeed... by the way have you seen the Iron Man Repulsor Power Figure? It's top notch!!! PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
Sorry, John. I am getting kinda old. Sometimes I have as much trouble typing as I do pissing (my prostate is the size of a grapefruit!). Gettin' old is tough, but not as tough as the Yankees. Game 6 tickets at will call. I will leave them for Inigo Montoya.
Well seeing as to how I don't know your mother I suppose I will forever be left hanging in suspense as to the meaning of your name. *sigh* PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
Good one Charlie... I'm assuming I can call you Charlie as it feels as though we are on a first name basis. And instead of showing my ID I can simply say to the ticket agent, "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!" PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!
John, I would prefer you called me Mr. Manuel, coach, or skipper. You must only accept the tickets from the six-fingered man. And, unfortunately, it is inconceivable that the Phils will beat the Yankees. I am just glad they haven't figured out that I don't have a clue when it comes to managing anything other than a five & dime store.
No predictions whether there will be a game 7 or not. Simply, the Phillies must focus, quit making those little miscues, as when they do, the Yankees capitalize. IF and I say IF they can play good basic baseball and get some decent pitching, there just may be a game 7. Unfortunately the series ends here in Yankee Stadium. Just playing there takes athletes to a lesser step in winning. It's basically the worst place to be and it does do something to any foe that plays there. We'll just have to see if they've matured since last week.
The Phillies better have Sandy Koufax waiting in the bullpen if they want to make it to a game 7. No way does Pedro pitch a complete game - it'll be a good game for him if he makes it through 6 innings. They couldn't hold an 8-2 lead last night, that's pathetic.
Speaking from my endowed chair of baseball history up here in the ivory tower, Hamels was definitely not his old self against the Marlins this past season. I don't recall exactly what his record against them was but in prior seasons he could tip his cap to the Feesh and giggle "who's your Daddy" and they would all prostrate themselves like imams facing Mecca and drone, "You are, oh Divine Cole Hamels." They couldn't hit him if he were Mister Creosote and they were firing shotguns at him from twenty paces. This year, they pounded him on several occasions, and I do mean pounded him. Even their outs were hit like photons. Hamels used to be the iceman but this year you got the distinct impression that he was succumbing to global warming. If I were Eddie Sawyer...heh heh, sorry, I mean Charlie Manuel, I would definitely find someone else to start a hypothetical game 7.
Couldn't hold the lead in game five, so did the Phillies lose? No they won which means they did hold the lead, silly Ava. PHILLIES IN SEVEN!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!