A Cole Hamels Career Timeline
Cole Hamels, left, answers questions alongside Mike Arbuckle, then the Phillies’ assistant general manager for scouting and player development, during a news conference Wednesday, May 10, 2006, in Philadelphia. Hamels was about to be called up and would make his Major League debut two days later.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights and lowlights of Cole Hamels‘ career in Philadelphia.
2002
June 4th: Hamels was picked by the Phillies with the 17th overall selection in the first round of the MLB Draft. Zack Greinke and Prince Fielder are the two most notable names taken before him; behind him in the first round, only Matt Cain made an All-Star team. (Future Phillies Joe Blanton and John Mayberry Jr. were also picked behind Hamels in the first round.)
Early August: The Phillies took a while to sign him, with the pitcher wanting a signing bonus the same as Scott Kazmir (who was picked two spots ahead of him). Hamels, then 18, met with the Phillies at a game in his hometown of San Diego. “I got to see some places and some faces I haven’t seen before,” he told the Inquirer. “It was fun to go onto the field and meet some of the players.”
August 23rd: Hamels and the Phillies agreed to terms for a $2 million signing bonus.
2003
Hamels began his career as a 19-year-old in single A Lakewood. He started 13 games, going 6-1 with a 0.84 ERA and was eventually promoted to high-A ball, in Clearwater. He pitched 5 games there, finishing 0-2 with a 2.73 ERA.
2004
February: Hamels was named the 17th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America.
March 5th: Hamels wowed scouts and fans in spring training when he struck out Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez in a spring training game.
Unfortunately for Hamels, he was injured for most of the season. He pitched just four games in Clearwater, going 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA.
2005
January 29th: Hamels broke his throwing hand in a bar fight at a Florida bar, Razzel’s Lounge, in Clearwater. “We got attacked from behind,” Hamels told reporters. “Some of the guys who did it were really drunk. We were just trying to protect ourselves.” Hamels, now 21, said he was the designated driver for the group. The bar says it lost business due to the (incorrect, Razzel’s says) perception of it as a hole in the wall.
The bar fight was not as much of a setback as the team feared, though it kept him out for a long stretch of the season. Hamels pitched three games in Clearwater before being promoted to AA Reading, going 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts there. He plummeted to the No. 71 prospect in Baseball America’s rankings.
2006
Now baseball’s 68th-ranked prospect per Baseball America, Hamels pitched just eight games in the minor leagues this season before being called up to the big leagues. In his first start at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (RIP, Red Barons) on April 27th, Hamels struck out 14.
May 12th: Hamels makes his first major league start, throwing five innings of one-hit ball against the Reds in Cincinnati. He strikes out 7, including two Ks of Ken Griffey Jr.
June 6th: Hamels gets his first win, going 5.2 innings and allowing one run in a 10-1 win over the Diamondbacks.
July 9th: After four straight losses, Hamels earns his first win at Citizens Bank Park. He gave up three runs in six innings.
August 14th: Hamels has the best outing of his young career, an 8-inning, 4-hit, 9-strikeout performance in a 13-0 win over Pedro Martinez and the Mets.
2007
April 21st: In his first career complete game, Hamels strikes out 15 in a 4-1 win over the Reds. He gave up just one run on a solo homer.
June 2nd: Hamels throws his first complete game at home, striking out 5 and giving up 2 runs in a win over the Giants.
June 10th: Selected to his first All-Star game, Hamels throws 1 scoreless inning, giving up two hits but avoiding a run when Alex Rodriguez is thrown out at home plate.
September 28th: In his final regular season start, Hamels improves to 15-5 with an eight-inning scoreless performance against the Nationals. The Phillies would wrap up the division, completing an improbable comeback from 7 games back with 17 left to play, two days later on the final day of the season.
2008
May 15th: Hamels records the first complete-game shutout of his career in a 5-0 win over the Braves. He scatters just four hits in a 120-pitch outing.
October 1st: He gets his first postseason win in the NLDS opener against the Brewers, throwing eight innings of scoreless ball and striking out 9.
October 15th: Hamels wins his third straight postseason game, going 7 innings and giving up just 1 run against the Dodgers as the Phillies clinch the National League pennant for the first time since 1993. Hamels is named National League Championship Series MVP.
October 22nd: Going 7 innings and giving up two runs, Hamels wins the opener of the 2008 World Series, a 3-2 Phillies victory.
October 27th: Hamels gives up 2 runs in five innings before the game is suspended. The Phillies finish off the Rays to win the World Series. Hamels wins World Series MVP.
2009
April 10th: Hamels struggles in his first start after winning World Series MVP. He goes just 3 2/3 innings, gives up 7 runs and the Phillies lose to the Rockies.
June 4th: Things weren’t all bad for Hamels in 2009. In a complete-game shutout of the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Hamels strikes out 5 and scatters 5 hits in a 3-0 win.
July 1st: The second-worst start of Hamels’ season takes place against the Braves. He goes just 4 innings and gives up 7 runs.
October 8th: Hamels lose Game 2 of the series against the Rockies, giving up four runs on seven hits in 5 innings.
October 15th: Hamels goes 5 1/3 innings against the Dodgers, giving up four runs and two homers. The Phillies bail him out by scoring eight runs. Hamels gets the win.
October 31st: In Game 3 of the World Series, the first that year in Philadelphia, the Phillies’ offensive gives Hamels a 3-0 lead. He gives up 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings and the Phillies take the loss. The Phils end up losing the series in six games.
2010
May 21st: After struggling to open the season, Hamels begins to turn it around with this start. He goes 7 innings, gives up 1 run and strikes out 8 in a 5-1 win over the Red Sox.
June 1: Rain halts play after Hamels gives up a three-run homer in the first. Hamels doesn’t return when play resumes and takes the loss, going just 2/3 of an inning.
July 22nd: In his best start of the regular season, Hamels goes 8 shutout innings and strikes out 7, surrendering just 1 hit.
October 10th: Hamels pitches a complete-game shutout to close out a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, striking out 9 and surrendering just 5 hits.
2011
April 5th: Now part of a rotation that includes Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt, Hamels struggles in his first start. He gives up 6 runs in 2 and 2/3rd innings. It would be his worst start of the year.
May 3rd: Hamels throws a complete game, giving up 1 run on a solo homer, to improve to 4-1. His ERA drops to 2.66, where it would hover around for most of the season.
July 10th: For the second straight Cole Hamels start, the Phillies score 14 runs. Hamels goes 8 innings in this one, giving up just 1 run.
September 8th: Hamels pitches a complete game in a 7-2 win over the Marlins. It’s his last win of the regular season.
October 4th: Hamels gets the win in Game 3 against the Cardinals. He throws five scoreless innings in the 3-2 win, his final postseason start for the Phillies.
2012
May 28th: Hamels improves to 8-1 with a 2.43 ERA after an 8-inning, 4-run performance against the Mets.
July 24th: Hamels signs a six-year, $144 million contract with the Phillies — the second-largest contract ever given a pitcher.
August 7th: It’s a complete-game shutout for Hamels, as he gives up 5 hits and strikes out 7 in a win over the Braves.
August 13th: Hamels throws his second consecutive complete-game shutout, this time against the Marlins.
September 30th: In his final start of the season, Hamels throws 7-innings of 1-run ball and improves to 17-6 on the year. He finishes the season with a 3.05 ERA.
2013
April 23rd: It’s a long start to the season for Cole Hamels in 2013. In his fifth start, he falls to 0-3 despite giving up just 2 runs over 8 innings.
May 31st: Hamels is now 1-9 after giving up 12 hits and 6 runs in a loss to the Brewers. His ERA is 4.86.
August 12th: In his only complete game of the year, Hamels fans 9 and gives up just 1 run. His record improves to 5-13.
2014
February 12th: Hamels announces he is behind schedule due to tendinitis in his right shoulder.
April 23rd: After missing a few starts at the beginning of the year, Hamels gives up 2 runs in 6 innings — but the Phillies lose to the Dodgers.
June 11th: Hamels gets a no-decision, but goes eight scoreless innings in a 3-0 Phillies win against San Diego. He strikes out 11.
July 29th: Hamels’ longest outing of the season is a scoreless 8-inning start in a 6-0 win against the Mets.
2015
April 27th: Hamels wins his first game of the year, going 7 innings and giving up just 1 run.
May 23rd: Hamels actually wins his fourth start in a row – improving to 5-3 — with an 8 inning, 1-run outing against the Nationals.
June 14th: Despite striking out 12 in 7 innings, Hamels gets a no-decision. The Phillies end up losing, 1-0.
July 25th: In his final start as a Phillie, Hamels strikes out 13 and no-hits the Cubs in Chicago.
July 29th: The Phillies agree to trade Hamels to the Texas Rangers for five minor league prospects and a major league pitcher. Hamels finishes his Phillies career with a 114-90 record and a 3.30 ERA. He struck out 1,844 batters in a Phillies uniform.
