Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels: 2008 World Series MVP and Phillies ace.

Cole Hamels is an American former professional baseball pitcher nicknamed "Hollywood," born December 27, 1983. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2006 to 2015 before moving to other teams. After making his major league debut in May 2006, he secured a long-term spot in the starting rotation. His defining year came in 2008 when he led the Phillies to a World Series title over the Tampa Bay Rays. Hamels won both the National League Championship Series MVP and the World Series Most Valuable Player Award during that postseason run. He was also selected to his first All-Star team in 2007 and received the "Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher" award from the Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Quick Facts

Position: Pitcher
Bats: Left
Born: 27 December 1983
Birthplace: San Diego, California, U.S.
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: May 12
Debut year: 2006
Debut team: Philadelphia Phillies

Lore & Background

Hamels arrived as a first-round pick out of Rancho Bernardo High School, where he scored a 1510 on the SAT and threw a fastball clocked at 94 mph. His path to the majors was not smooth; injuries plagued his early minor league seasons, including elbow tendinitis in 2004 and a broken hand from a bar fight in 2005. By 2006, a healthy Hamels dominated Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with a 1.43 ERA and 273 strikeouts before his promotion. In the majors, he faced early hurdles like a shoulder injury but returned to post strong rookie numbers. The following year, 2007, saw him become the team's number one starter after Brett Myers moved to the bullpen. He pitched his first complete game on April 21, setting a career high with 15 strikeouts, and earned an All-Star selection despite missing time with a mild left elbow strain.

Reader's Guide

For fans tracking Cole Hamels' time with Philadelphia, the key metrics revolve around his ascent from rookie to ace. He debuted on May 12, 2006, against the Cincinnati Reds, pitching five scoreless innings. His rookie season concluded with a 9–8 record and a 4.08 ERA. By 2007, he improved significantly, finishing 15–5 with a 3.39 ERA and 177 strikeouts. The 2008 campaign saw him post a 14–10 record with a 3.09 ERA in over 227 innings, holding the lowest on-base percentage against (.272) in the majors. He formed a formidable rotation alongside Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Roy Oswalt, though run support was an issue in 2013. Hamels remained a consistent star for the Phillies until his trade to the Texas Rangers in 2015, where he helped spark their AL West title run.

Did You Know?

Hamels scored a 1510 out of 1600 on the SAT, excelling academically as well as athletically in high school.
In 2006 at Triple-A, he struck out 36 batters in just three games while allowing only one walk and one run.
Hamels was paid $500,000 in 2008, barely above the minimum salary, which led him to call it a "low blow."
He carried a perfect game into the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 16, 2007, before walking Rickie Weeks.