Cole Hamels News

We waited nearly three decades to celebrate a winner in Philadelphia. A quarter century of tormenting couldaa TMs, maddening wouldaa TMs, and hopeless shouldaa TMs.

At the annual general managers meeting on Monday, Ruben Amaro Jr. told our colleague Jim Salisbury that the Phillies' priorities this off-season are upgrading third base, the bullpen, and the bench.

Charlie Manuel knows how quickly the window for success can close on a team. Manuel was the Cleveland Indians hitting coach from 1994-99, a span when the team seemed destined to reach great heights with sluggers like Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Albert Belle.

Just another day at baseball's general managers' meetings but now there is a bigger wrinkle.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro will have a 12 p.m. press conference to discuss potential changes to the Philliesa roster next season.

It has been a World Series of misunderstandings for Cole Hamels. First, after his dismal Game 3 performance, the Phillies' embattled left-hander chose his words poorly while explaining his eagerness to end a season that has been personally disappointing.

I wrote an article last week arguing that J.A. Happ doesn't deserve the National League Rookie of the Year.

The Phillies' 2009 season has been over for less than a week, but the questions already are pouring in.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla is recovering from a bullet wound in his leg after a target shooting instructor accidentally shot him.

Brett Myers, the pitcher who was sometimes loved and other times loathed during an eight-year run with the Phillies, filed for free agency yesterday after being told he was no longer in the team's plans.

If the Phillies are going to get back to the World Series in 2010, they will need Cole Hamels to pitch like Cole Hamels and quit channeling his inner Tyler Green.

Follow Morning Call Sports Reporter Mandy Housenick as she follows the Fightins in the 2009 MLB Playoffs in the Phillies Files blog... Visit the Phillies Files blog More Baseball News Manuel surprised by Hamels' comments Cole Hamels made a strong statement after Saturday's World Series Game 3 loss to the Yankees.

There's been much talk of who might start a possible game seven for Philadelphia should we get to that point.

After eight seasons with the Phillies, Brett Myers will be moving on. In a phone conversation this afternoon, Myers' agent confirmed a report that the Phillies have informed the 29-year-old right-hander that they don't intend to re-sign him.

A World Series Game 6 doesn't normally need much to embellish it. The stakes are clear and they are high enough that the individual storylines usually pale in comparison to the champagne on ice outside one team's locker room.

Pedro Martinez has won three Cy Young awards and made eight All-Star game appearances since being traded by the Dodgers in 1993.

If the New York Yankees have any money left over after the World Series, they might consider buying a bunch of earplugs.

The Philadelphia Phillies entered this postseason with two major concerns. And in the end it was those two concerns that ultimately cost them another victory parade down Broad Street.

Now that it's over, now that the parade has been canceled and there is no championship left to defend, the Phillies have to be honest with themselves.

In 2007 Cole Hamels established himself as an ace starting pitcher with the Phillies going 15-5 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.124 WHIP to go with his 177 strikeouts in 183 innings.