Cole_hamels_photos
Cole Hamels appreciates your boos. Or at least understands them.

Great story in today's Daily Times about Cole Hamels and booing. The whiny voice, the long hair, the flowing locks- they all help to explain why Cole was always the girl in our reader submitted Photoshops. He sticks his foot in his mouth at times, but he gets it: [Delco Times]

“I booed Adam Eaton,” Hamels said with a laugh. “And now I’m good friends with him. I was in high school when he was in his first two seasons. He had a bad game.

“You don’t catch yourself or understand when you’re booing. It’s just that you know (the target) is a very good player and you expect him to go out and be perfect. At the same time, you know nobody is perfect.”

 

Yes, inconsistent, grating, and easily flustered can all be used as descriptors for Cole. He can be erratic with his fastball and often lacks control on his secondary pitches. His changeup, at times, is predictable. He's not Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee. But with all of that being said, Hamels, when he does locate his fastball, is one of the top pitchers in the game. Yet he always seems to find himself in the "Maligned Prima Donna" pantheon of Philly athletes, a group which typically sports leashes shorter than the one used for Cole's Maltese. 

But why?

He's easy to pick on- yes. I'm guilty of it. However, he's a good pitcher, who, if re-signed, will likely be here longer than any of the other Four Aces. Maybe we should give him some room to roam and a longer leash. Perhaps even an electric fence (heyyo)?

Now, about being friends with Adam Eaton…