Cole Hamels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cole Hamels |
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Hamels with the Phillies in 2010
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: December 27, 1983 San Diego, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 12, 2006, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 16, 2020, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 163–122 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.43 | ||
| Strikeouts | 2,560 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Cole Hamels (born December 27, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He was known by the nickname "Hollywood". He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the Philadelphia Phillies (2006–2015), Texas Rangers (2015–2018), Chicago Cubs (2018–2019), and Atlanta Braves (2020).
Hamels grew up in San Diego, California. He was a great student and athlete at Rancho Bernardo High School. The Phillies picked him in the first round of the 2002 MLB Draft. He then started playing in their minor league system. He faced some challenges, including injuries, during his first few minor league seasons. By 2006, he was the top pitcher in the Phillies' minor league system.
In May 2006, Hamels made his big league debut with the Phillies. He quickly became a key part of their starting rotation. In 2007, he became the Phillies' top pitcher. He was the team's best pitcher in 2008, helping them win the 2008 World Series. He was even named the World Series MVP.
After 2008, Hamels signed a new contract. His performance dipped a bit in 2009 but improved in 2010. Over the next few years, he pitched alongside other All-Star pitchers like Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. Hamels played some of his best baseball during this time. He was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2015. He helped them win their division that season. Hamels played for the Rangers for parts of four seasons, including an All-Star year in 2016. He was then traded to the Cubs in 2018. In 2020, he had to stop playing due to injury. He officially announced his retirement in 2023.
Contents
- Early Life and High School Baseball
- Professional Baseball Career
- Scouting Report: Cole Hamels' Pitches
- Personal Life
- See also
Early Life and High School Baseball
Cole Hamels went to Meadowbrook Middle School and Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego. He was a very smart student. Scouts were interested in Hamels because his fastball was very fast. It could reach up to 94 miles per hour. His other pitches were also very good.
However, some teams became less interested when Hamels broke his left arm in his sophomore year. Even so, the Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft. He was the 17th player chosen overall.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Hamels began his professional baseball journey in 2003. He pitched for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. Later that year, he moved up to the Clearwater Threshers. He ended the year by winning the Paul Owens Award. This award goes to the best pitcher in the Phillies' minor league system.
Over the next two seasons, Hamels faced several injuries. He missed most of 2004 with elbow problems. In 2005, he broke his pitching hand. After getting better, he played for Clearwater again. He was then promoted to the Class AA Reading Phillies. He later had back problems, which ended his 2005 season early.
In 2006, a healthy Hamels started strong at Clearwater. After a short time in Reading, he moved up to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. In three games there, he was amazing. He struck out 36 batters and gave up only one walk and one run. His minor league record was 14 wins and 4 losses. He had a very low 1.43 ERA and 273 strikeouts. Because of his great performance, the Phillies called him up to the major league team.
Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies
2006: Rookie Season
Hamels joined the Philadelphia Phillies in May 2006. In his first MLB game on May 12, he pitched five innings without giving up any runs. He allowed only one hit and struck out seven batters. He got his first Major League victory on June 6 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On August 14, he had his best rookie start. He shut out the New York Mets for eight innings, striking out nine. He finished his first season with 9 wins and 8 losses. His earned run average (ERA) was 4.08. He had 145 strikeouts, which was third among new pitchers in the National League.
2007: Becoming an All-Star
Hamels worked hard in the offseason before 2007. On April 21, he pitched his first major league complete game. He allowed only one run and struck out 15 batters. The Phillies then made him their number one starting pitcher. On May 16, he almost pitched a perfect game. He didn't allow anyone to reach base until the seventh inning.
Because of his strong performance, Hamels was chosen for the 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He was the Phillies' most consistent pitcher. He later had a mild elbow strain and was put on the disabled list. When he returned, he helped the Phillies win their division. He struck out 13 batters against the Washington Nationals. The Phillies made the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Hamels finished the regular season with 15 wins and 5 losses. His ERA was 3.39 and he had 177 strikeouts. He won the "Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher" award for the Phillies.
2008: World Series Champion
Hamels was the Phillies' top pitcher in 2008. By the end of April, he led the team in wins, ERA, and innings pitched. On May 15, he pitched his first career complete game shutout against the Atlanta Braves. He finished the season with 14 wins and 10 losses. His ERA was 3.09 and he had 196 strikeouts.
Hamels was amazing in the playoffs. He pitched eight shutout innings in Game 1 of the 2008 National League Division Series. This was his first playoff win. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2008 National League Championship Series. He won two games in that series.
Hamels started Game 1 of the 2008 World Series. The Phillies won, and he earned his fourth win of the postseason. He also started Game 5, which the Phillies won to clinch the World Series. Overall, Hamels started five playoff games in 2008. He had 4 wins and 0 losses with a very low 1.80 ERA. He was named the 2008 World Series MVP. He won the "Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher" award again.
2009: A Challenging Season
Hamels signed a new three-year contract in 2009. He was expected to be the Opening Day starter. However, he had to miss time in spring training due to elbow tightness. He also had other injuries early in the season. He struggled at first, but improved later in the year. He pitched two complete-game shutouts. He also had a 21-inning scoreless streak. The Phillies added Cliff Lee and Pedro Martínez to their pitching staff. Hamels finished the regular season with 10 wins and 11 losses. His ERA was 4.32.
In the playoffs, Hamels started Game 2 of the 2009 National League Division Series. He took a loss in that game. He won Game 1 of the 2009 National League Championship Series. He started Game 3 of the 2009 World Series against the New York Yankees. The Phillies lost the series to the Yankees in six games.
2010: Bouncing Back
In 2010, the Phillies traded Cliff Lee but got Roy Halladay. Halladay became the Opening Day starter. Hamels had a good season. He pitched 6+1⁄3 innings of no-hit baseball against the San Diego Padres. He also won five straight starts, including three straight scoreless games. He struck out 13 batters in one game against the Florida Marlins.
The Phillies had the best record in MLB. Hamels pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 3 of the 2010 National League Division Series. This was his first career playoff shutout. The Phillies moved on to the 2010 National League Championship Series. They lost to the San Francisco Giants in six games. Hamels finished the season with 12 wins and 11 losses. His ERA was 3.06, which was his best at the time. He also had a career-high 211 strikeouts.
2011: The "Phantastic Phour"
In 2011, Cliff Lee returned to the Phillies. This made their starting pitchers incredibly strong. The group included Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels. Fans and media called them the "Phantastic Phour".
Hamels had a lot of excitement around him in 2011. He was chosen for the 2011 MLB All-Star Game. However, he could not play because he had pitched too recently. The Phillies again finished with the best record in MLB. In the playoffs, Hamels started Game 3 of the 2011 National League Division Series. The Phillies won that game, but later lost the series to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hamels ended the 2011 season with 14 wins and 9 losses. He had 194 strikeouts and a great ERA of 2.79. He finished fifth in the voting for the Cy Young Award, which goes to the best pitcher.
2012: Career Highs
Before the 2012 season, Hamels had elbow and hernia surgeries. He was ready to pitch by spring training. In January, he signed a one-year contract for $15 million. This was a very high salary for a pitcher before becoming a free agent.
On July 21, 2012, Hamels hit his first career home run. He stayed with the Phillies by signing a six-year, $144 million contract on July 24. This was one of the biggest contracts ever for a pitcher.
Hamels had career highs in wins (17) and strikeouts (216) in 2012. His 3.05 ERA was his second-best. He finished eighth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He also won the "Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher" award again.
2013: Tough Luck
In 2013, manager Charlie Manuel named Hamels the Opening Day starter. This was a big honor for him. However, Hamels often struggled with a lack of run support. This means his team didn't score many runs when he was pitching. For example, he lost his eighth start on May 27, making his record 1 win and 8 losses. This was mainly due to the Phillies' poor offense.
Despite his team's struggles, Hamels kept a positive attitude. He pitched much better towards the end of the season. He allowed three or fewer runs in 25 of his 33 starts. This means he gave his team a chance to win many times. He finished with 8 wins and 14 losses, a 3.60 ERA, and 202 strikeouts.
2014: A No-Hitter and Trade Talks
Before the 2014 season, Hamels had tendinitis in his arm. He wasn't ready for Opening Day. He made his first start on April 23.
Even with little run support, Hamels was one of the best pitchers in the National League. On September 1, Hamels pitched six innings of a combined no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves. This means he and other pitchers together did not allow any hits. Hamels was the only consistent star on the Phillies that year. He was often mentioned as a player who might be traded.
2015: Final Phillies No-Hitter
At the start of the 2015 season, many teams were interested in trading for Hamels. These included the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers.
On July 25, 2015, Hamels pitched his last game for the Phillies. He threw a no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He struck out 13 batters and allowed only two walks. It was the first no-hitter against the Cubs at Wrigley Field since 1972.
Playing for the Texas Rangers
Remainder of 2015: Sparking a Playoff Run
On July 31, 2015, Hamels was traded to the Texas Rangers. He became the first pitcher to be traded after pitching a no-hitter in his final start for his old team.
With the Rangers, Hamels had 7 wins and 1 loss in 12 starts. His ERA was 3.66. The Rangers were struggling in early August. But with Hamels, they started winning. They eventually won the American League West division title. Hamels helped them clinch the title on the last day of the season. He pitched a complete-game win over the Los Angeles Angels.
The Rangers lost to the Blue Jays in the playoffs. Hamels started Game 5. He was charged with the loss, even though only two of the runs against him were earned.
2016: Another All-Star Season
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Hamels was the Opening Day starter for the Rangers in 2016. On June 12, he got his 2,000th career strikeout. He was the 77th player in MLB history to reach this milestone. He was also named to the 2016 MLB All-Star Game. On September 28, he got his 200th strikeout of the season.
Hamels finished the 2016 season with 15 wins and 5 losses. His ERA was 3.32 in 32 starts.
2017 Season
On May 3, 2017, Hamels was placed on the disabled list due to a muscle strain. He was out for about eight weeks. In 24 starts for the 2017 season, he had 11 wins and 6 losses. His ERA was 4.20.
2018 Season
Hamels started the 2018 season as the Rangers' top pitcher. In 20 starts, he had 5 wins and 9 losses. His ERA was 4.72.
Playing for the Chicago Cubs
On July 27, 2018, Hamels was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He made his first appearance as a Cub on August 1. He struck out nine batters and earned the win. On August 23, Hamels pitched a complete game against the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed only one run. Through his first five starts with the Cubs, he had 4 wins and 0 losses with a very low 0.79 ERA. The Cubs won all five of those games.
For the 2018 season, playing for both teams, he had 9 wins and 12 losses. His ERA was 3.78.
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Hamels pitched in relief in the Cubs’ 2018 Wild Card loss. For the 2019 season, he had 7 wins and 7 losses with a 3.81 ERA in 27 starts.
Playing for the Atlanta Braves
On December 4, 2019, Hamels signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.
During spring training, Hamels hurt his shoulder. He was not expected to pitch at the start of the 2020 season. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the season. This allowed Hamels to be ready for Opening Day.
In 2020, he made only one start. He pitched 3+1⁄3 innings and gave up three runs against the Baltimore Orioles on September 16.
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
On August 4, 2021, Hamels signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he felt arm pain while practicing. He was placed on the injured list, ending his attempt to return to play.
Playing for the San Diego Padres
After his time with the Dodgers, Hamels had three surgeries to try and prepare for another comeback. On February 16, 2023, Hamels signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He planned to pitch for their Triple-A team. However, he had shoulder inflammation and could not continue his comeback.
Retirement from Baseball
On August 4, 2023, Cole Hamels announced he was retiring from professional baseball. On June 21, 2024, the Phillies held a special ceremony. Hamels officially retired as a member of the team. Even though his number has not been officially retired, Phillies player David Dahl changed his jersey number from #35 to #31 to show respect for Hamels.
Scouting Report: Cole Hamels' Pitches
Cole Hamels was known for having one of the best changeups in baseball. Experts ranked his changeup as one of the top pitches in the game. It was especially effective against right-handed hitters. His high school pitching coach said that breaking his arm in high school helped him develop his changeup. He had to focus on that pitch while his arm healed.
Chipper Jones, a famous player for the Atlanta Braves, said Hamels was the "best left hander in the National League." He said Hamels' fastball was good, but his changeup was "devastating." It looked like a fastball but then dropped, making hitters swing too early.
Besides his changeup, Hamels threw a four-seam fastball that reached 94-96 miles per hour. He also threw a cutter at 87-89 miles per hour. His curveball was sometimes inconsistent but could be sharp. It was usually around 73-77 miles per hour. He started throwing his cutter in 2010. This pitch helped him get more ground balls, meaning hitters hit the ball on the ground more often.
Personal Life
Cole Hamels is of Dutch descent. He is the oldest of three children. He grew up in San Diego, where his parents still live. He married reality television personality Heidi Strobel on December 31, 2006.
The Hamels family built a home in Branson, Missouri. They later decided to move to Texas. They then donated their large Missouri home, valued at about $10 million, to Camp Barnabas. This is a Christian charity that runs camps for children with special needs and chronic illnesses. Hamels said they felt "called to help them in a big way."
The Hamels formed the Hamels Foundation in 2009. This non-profit group aimed to help children, families, and communities through education. The foundation supported programs in Philadelphia and Africa. After Cole Hamels left the organization in 2021, it was renamed "Uplift Malawi." It now focuses on building schools in Malawi.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
- List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have thrown an immaculate inning
- List of Philadelphia Phillies award winners and league leaders
- List of Philadelphia Phillies no-hitters
- List of World Series starting pitchers
