Hamels hopes to defeat idol Pettitte
October 31, 2009
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Cole Hamels(notes) grew up watching Andy Pettitte(notes) pitchimportant playoff games and still tries to imitate his icy glare on the mound.
When the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees play Game 3 of the WorldSeries on Saturday night, Hamels will try to beat one of his boyhood heroes.
The young kid vs. the old October pro could be another classic pitchingmatchup.
“Andy Pettitte and Tom Glavine(notes), those were the guys I emulated growing upwhen I was a little kid,” the 25-year-old Hamels said of two fellowleft-handers Friday. “They were always in the playoffs. I always got to watchthem. They always pitched big games and they won.
“Andy Pettitte has been very effective for a long time, and he’s always thekind of guy I’ve looked at and hoped to be one day in his shoes. Now I’m hereand I’m going to be able to face him in the World Series and he’s on the Yankeesagain. So it’s just kind of a big game.”
It’s important for plenty of reasons. The defending champion Phillies splitthe first two games with New York at Yankee Stadium. There’s a chance they’llface Yankees ace CC Sabathia(notes) again in Game 4. That puts more pressure on Hamelsto win Game 3. Pettitte, obviously, is no slouch.
Pettitte has more postseason victories than any pitcher in major leaguehistory. He has four championship rings. The 37-year-old earned his 16thpostseason win in the ALCS clincher against the Los Angeles Angels, breaking atie with John Smoltz(notes). It was his fifth victory to close out a postseason series— another major league record.
Overall, Pettitte was 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA this year. He’s 2-0 with a 2.37ERA in three postseason starts.
Last October, Hamels looked like a young Pettitte. He went 4-0 with a 1.80ERA in five postseason starts, helping the Phillies win the second World Seriestitle in franchise history. Hamels earned MVP honors in the NLCS and the WorldSeries. Those awards and his dominant performance raised expectations.
The tall, slender Hamels never was shy about discussing his lofty goals. Histo-do list includes winning Cy Young Awards, starting All-Star games andpitching no-hitters. Hamels didn’t check any of those off this season.
Instead, he struggled from the start. A minor elbow injury slowed him downin spring training and he wasn’t ready to go on Opening Day. Hamels then raninto some bad luck in April when he was forced to leave early in two straightstarts because of freak injuries.
Hamels finished 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA, numbers that resemble a journeymanpitcher; not someone who hopes to end up in Cooperstown. He hasn’t come close toduplicating his postseason success this year, going 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in threestarts.
“I think that some of it was I wasn’t able to locate as well earlier in theseason,” Hamels said. “Then it’s the mental burden which can kind of wear youdown week after week of not being able to go out there and do what you’reexpecting yourself to do. And then what everybody else expects you to do, too.So it’s been a growing process.”
Outsiders look at Hamels and think he’s pitching hurt. After all, he’s tootalented to struggle, right? But he’s not injured. Hamels wouldn’t hesitate topull himself from a game for health reasons. His problems are more mental andsystematic. Hamels breezed through his first three seasons, relying on a sharpfastball and an outstanding changeup. Hitters have figured that out. Pitchingcoach Rich Dubee stressed to Hamels the importance of throwing a curveball. He’sworked it into his repertoire, and his success often depends on how well he’sthrowing the hook.
“You need to be able to throw quite a few pitches in the big leagues,”Hamels said. “I know I can throw my fastball and changeup for strikes any dayof the week. But being able to throw a curveball and mixing that in changes theeye level, and with that, it’s a different speed than my other two pitches.”
Recently, Hamels has looked visibly frustrated when things don’t go right.In Game 1 of the NLCS at Los Angeles, Hamels showed up teammates Jimmy Rollins(notes)and Chase Utley(notes) when they failed to turn what should have been an inning-endingdouble play.
Perhaps Hamels could take a page from Pettitte, who doesn’t let anythingbother him. Pettitte pulls his cap low over his eyes, blocks everything out andhas tunnel vision with the catcher.
“I just wanted to try to simplify it as much as I can and just see the mittand try to see my ball going to where I want it, almost visualizing the pitchesbefore I throw them and stuff like that,” Pettitte said.
