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Big League Stew - MLB

Big League Stew

Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:18 am EDT

Cole Hamels is World Series MVP and could get paid like it, too

By David Brown

Cole Hamels worried a lot about No. 1 — himself — way back when in spring training.

Eight months later, Hamels can take pride in being the No. 1 player on the top team in the majors.

With his contract squabble long since minimized and team goals paramount, Hamels was named MVP of the World Series on Wednesday night after the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 in Game Five.

"I feel like a winner now," said Hamels, who also took home a 2010 Chevy Camaro.

He was a winner in more ways than one on Wednesday because he gave his wife the car for her birthday.

And this is his wife!

Hamels went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the playoffs, including 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two World Series starts. Hamels beat Scott Kazmir in Game One and went six strong innings in Game Five on Monday before it was suspended by bad weather and delayed two days.

The 50-hour wait appears to be worth it, as should the time Hamels has waited to get paid the bucks befitting an ace. In February, the 24-year-old Hamels called the Phillies renewing his contract for $500,000 "a low blow." He later called his own comment immature and put all of it behind him long before Game Five, when Hamels probably could not get any higher. The Phils hadn't won a World Series since 1980, when Hamels and several teammates weren't even born yet.

Hamels, nicknamed "Hollywood" by teammates because of handsome looks and the ambition to be an ace, won 14 games in the regular season, his third in the majors. He got the victory in the postseason opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, Philly's first playoff win since 1993. He also won the deciding game of the NLCS against the Dodgers.

Now, he's a World Series MVP.

Think that's something he can take to arbitration?

Related: 2008 MLB playoffs, 2008 Fall Classic - Phils vs. Rays

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54 Comments

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  1. Corky
    1. Posted by Corky Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    Sign him, and Howard and Burrell too. Don't break up this team. Let's repeat!
  2. Ed E.
    2. Posted by Ed E. Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

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    Congrats to our boy from RB!
  3. The R
    3. Posted by The R Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:53 pm EDT

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    Lock up Hamels, Howard, and Victorino to go along with Rollins, Utley and Lidge and you're looking at a series contender for the next 5 years.
  4. hardice44
    4. Posted by hardice44 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:16 pm EDT

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    So did not deserve MVP Werth .474 in series is MVP
  5. John Klunk
    5. Posted by John Klunk Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

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    Hey hardice44 you have to be kidding saying Werth is series MVP. He had 3 RBI's the whole series. And Werth got picked off second base - because he wasn't paying attention. You don't just look at Batting Average, an individual statistic. The MVP helped the team win the most.
  6. kaahn0626
    6. Posted by kaahn0626 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

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    duh! yes sign Hamels! Keep the whole team and replace Pat the bat (sorry bud) with either Holliday or Manny. NO ONE will touch us!
  7. Jonny
    7. Posted by Jonny Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

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    Eheh, not that I would condone something silly like nominating Werth for Series MVP, but all players contribute individually to the game. A team is made up of individuals whose collectively aggregated contributions form the basis for winning or losing. You can't throw out something just because it's an "individual statistic." Technically, they're all individual statistics (perhaps with an exception to team interactions within a particular defensive instance). Batting average is not a good measure of a player's offensive capabilities for so many reasons, but not contributing to the team effort is not one of them. Since when did getting a base hit not help a team to win? The alternatives would be not changing the team's outlook for a game at all--a ridiculous postulation at best, since by definition an action by a player changes the probability of potential outcomes--or contributing negatively, which I would personally find very difficult to prove.
  8. soledadliu
    8. Posted by soledadliu Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:32 pm EDT

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    let the yankees sign him.
  9. trey a
    9. Posted by trey a Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

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    This team doesn't have the starting pitching to repeat.
  10. undrlz10
    10. Posted by undrlz10 Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:52 am EDT

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    They also have to sign Werth...He was only signed to a 1 year deal. He played a big role all year...I agree on Pat the Bat played his last game for the Phils. I would only sign him if he took a huge pay cut. The Phils need all the money they can get for Victorino, Ryno and Cole.
  11. pumped_cobra
    11. Posted by pumped_cobra Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    It's great to see a no class, dirty ball club get it in the nads. They are a reflection of today's society with the crap on their chins that look like they tripped and fell and their chins stuck in a clump of cow crap, their crew cut mohawks and crap stuck in their heads. They are a dirty ball club.
    I read the lips on one of their players saying to another they would back. The fact is most teams do not make it back especially the loser. In fact, the loser doesn't even make it back in the playoffs the next year. Even more, dome teams are even more less likely to repeat at anything. All said, enjoy your season ray fans because you aint going back for a long time unless you move to another division. You got what you deserved. Oh, by the way, take that fat, suasage chewing Don Zimmer, stick plugs in his a$$ and his big mouth, blow up his ass with about 30 psi and push him out witht he outgoing tide.
  12. cybermedical b
    12. Posted by cybermedical b Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:03 pm EDT

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    Give Hamels what he wants. Cheap Phillies is the reason why WS wins are 28 years apart. Don't let Victorino, Utley, Rollins and Werth get away either. Make Blanton happy and keep Lidge on board. Let's try to cut the time between wins a little in the future.
  13. domenick2x
    13. Posted by domenick2x Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:46 pm EDT

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    Phils had a 98 million payroll - not exactly cheap.
    Cole is due for a big payday, so is Ryan Howard. Burrell will have to take a huge paycut to stay (and he might do so, though he's more likely to go to the AL as a DH), use that money on the big two.
    Everyone else can be worked out.
  14. italianstallionnyc04
    14. Posted by italianstallionnyc04 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    phills still sucks can't even win a world series the right way lol
  15. Orlando-Where Magic Happens
    15. Posted by Orlando-Where Magic Happens Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:37 pm EDT

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    Hey, Pumped_Retard Cobra
    There is class in tampa bay. The rays had a great year, The philly fanbase does not know sportsmanship if it hits them right in the head. What about the yanks huh? What if the red sox played the championships? Yeah, they have a great closer too. You retard ass (profane). What if we had one the championships instead?
    Yes, retard cobra
  16. ya gotta believe
    16. Posted by ya gotta believe Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    there's not enough cheese for all the wine here
    Phils #1...get used to it....
  17. chillyfromphilly
    17. Posted by chillyfromphilly Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    gotta lock up hamels, would love to get cc sabathia also next year
  18. Vegas
    18. Posted by Vegas Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:26 pm EDT

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    he is 24
    wife is 30
  19. Mike B
    19. Posted by Mike B Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    Cole Hamels won the MVP by default. He started 2 games, went 13 innings, gives up 4 runs (3 legitimate), and the Phils won both. Truth is that there was no MVP on this team in the World Series. They got valuable contributions from nearly everyone on the staff. Every at bat is important when they won 3 of the 4 games by 1 run. Every run counts. You could have just as easily argued for Eric Bruntlett (2 winning runs scored) or JC Romero (2-0, 0.00 ERA) as MVP, but they're never going to give the trophy to them. So they give it to the 24 year old ace who contributed just as much as anyone else. Can't argue that one. I'll be getting my Hamels World Series jersey as soon as I can find one.
  20. Cochise
    20. Posted by Cochise Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

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    I'm just curious if the Umpires get World Series rings too, seeing as how they sure helped Philadelphia with the wins.
  21. John D
    21. Posted by John D Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

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    The umps helped us? Did you watch any of the world series? They gave us one call that we shouldnt have had. Rollins was out at third. If anything the umps were working against us.
    Honestly, if your on here being a prick you need to get a life. The phillies are the world champions for 2008 theres' always next season. Stop being so bitter.
  22. domenick2x
    22. Posted by domenick2x Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:46 pm EDT

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    Umps sucked, but I don't think a single decision actually affected the outcome of a game directly - unlike the Eagles-Falcons game on Sunday.
  23. Diane P
    23. Posted by Diane P Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

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    Congrats to Phillie fans. Hamels is dangerous. Watched him with the Brewers. You're lucky to have him. We're hoping to keep Sabbathia in Milw.
  24. DodgerRay
    24. Posted by DodgerRay Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm EDT

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    OK Philly won, Who freakin cares. Still bunch of losers. You guys already talking bout repeat. Enjoy the moment D-bags. Hamels is like Zito, once he gets that big contract, he is done.
  25. jimmy69mac
    25. Posted by jimmy69mac Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    I'd give her a car also and furs, and jewels and anything else she wanted she's 6 years older ummn boy!

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