Phillies 2015 Report Card: Starting Pitchers
By Matt Veasey
Jul 31, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;
Hamels speaks with the media at Citizens Bank Park after being traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Texas Rangers.
(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
Cole Hamels – A: while some might argue that Hamels pitched more closely to a ‘B’ level during his time with the Phillies in 2015, his final grade must also reflect his overall value to the team. That value included the 5-player package the Phils received in return from Texas at the trade deadline.
That package included pitchers Eickhoff and Asher, as well as three of the team’s current top prospects in pitcher Jake Thompson, outfielder Nick Williams, and catcher Jorge Alfaro. Veteran lefty Matt Harrison also came in the deal, and if he can get healthy there is a good chance that he will factor into the 2016 rotation plans.
On the mound, the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP finished his Phillies career with a 6-7 record over the 20 starts. He allowed 113 hits in 128.2 innings, with a typically excellent 137/39 K:BB ratio.
Hamels is a notoriously slow starter, and that was again the case in 2015. Three of his first half-dozen starts were poor, and he was 1-3 and scuffling after his first start of May. Then the big lefty kicked it into gear, rolling off four straight wins, and lasting at least seven innings in 10 of his next 11 outings.
In his final start in a Phillies uniform, Hamels gave the fans something both he and they will always remember. He tossed a no-hitter at Wrigley Field to beat the host and playoff-bound Chicago Cubs, striking out 13 in as dominant a performance as he ever put on over his decade-long big league career with the Phillies.
Hamels is gone now, but far from finished. He went 7-1 for Texas after the trade, helping the Rangers rally to the AL West crown. He should spend the next 3-4 seasons helping the Rangers remain a contender in the American League. Meanwhile, the Phillies hope that the return they received for him helps them contend during that same time frame, and then long after he retires.
Next: 21 Starts: Williams