So this spring training, pitching coach Rich Dubee has addressed whether or not Cole Hamels will add a "fourth" pitch to his repitoire. I have a problem with this. Cole Hamels doesn't even have a third pitch. He can throw a fastball and a nasty changeup. However, calling his curveball his third pitch would be like saying I can throw a curveball at the major league level. His curveball is so hittable that Andy Pettite knocked it for a base hit forcing the scene depicted below of Hamels being pulled from game 3 of the World Series after being spotted a 3-0 lead.
Hamels needs to work on his curveball before he starts "developing" a fourth pitch. You cannot succeed as a starting pitcher in the majors with just two pitches. It's ok for a reliever to only have two pitches as he would usually only pitch one inning, so the entire lineup doesn't get to see him 3 times with such a limited arsenal. He also needs to work on his mental toughness. Things were not going his way last year and instead of fighting through it, he crumbled at the worst possible moments in the playoffs. Not only did he fail to protect the 3 run game three lead in the world series, he failed to fight through game 1 adversity in the NLCS when Chase Utley was unable to turn a double play. Angering fans even more was this long haired prima donna had the gaul to stare down Utley, the guy who gives 110% every play of every game.
Cole Hamels needs to shed his "hollywood" Hamels reputation and step up and to be an ace again. Roy Halladay will carry the staff but Hamels needs to toughen up and be a legit number 2. Philly likes their athletes tough, both physically and mentally. Hamels would do well to embrace this instead of succumbing to the moment when things don't go his way during the course of a ball game.
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