	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PHILLIES v DODGERS

October 14, 2009

Cole Hamels

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Workout Day

Q. You came in here last year having, I think, it was the Milwaukee game, a two-hitter or something. It was kind of an answer to the question from the year before where you said you had lost some sleep the night before Colorado and such. Compare this year coming into this spot as compared to the previous years.
COLE HAMELS: You know, I think coming into a more experienced team, I think they definitely are the type of team that has a chip on their shoulder just because of the fact that we did defeat them and we went onto the World Series, and I think they want that opportunity just like we did. They're out to win. Because we're the ones that took it away from them, they definitely want to prove something.
In knowing that, they definitely have all the experience in the world with the type of players. They've got great young players, great veterans. I think it's just going out there and -- I know what to do. I know what I'm capable of doing. I know I've faced this team before during the regular season this year. It's just being able to go out there and really execute. If I'm able to go out and execute strikes and really get ahead of them, I can definitely make this a better game for my pitching.
I think it's just kind of getting back into the same scenario. I love pitching in California. It's been nice, nice weather, except for today. But it's just a nice field to play at. I'm fortunate enough to be able to pitch here for Game 1.

Q. Can you take us through a little bit what that experience was like for you from the time you came off the mound I guess it was on Thursday, and Frank (Coppenbarger) told you what was going on, and you went to the hospital? Obviously it was a crazy day for you, and we haven't heard from you about it yet.
COLE HAMELS: Yeah, I think I was more disappointed just for the fact that I wasn't able to go out there. I felt like I pitched a great game. Unfortunately I made one mistake, and that kind of cost me, and I think that's kind of -- in the postseason you make that one mistake, that one home run can kill you. I think Jonathan Lester learned that with that three run homer he gave up to Hunter.
It's just something where when I'm on the field I'm all about baseball. And then being able to after the game or obviously after I was done, getting that call, you know, the excitement level starts up, but still, I think you're just more nervous about the situation. You don't know what's going on. You get to the hospital, which was probably the coolest thing, best copra I had ever been a part of when I wasn't in the back. That was pretty exciting on the streets of Philadelphia.
It's the type of moment that I didn't know what to expect, what to think, but it was the most joyous moment I could be a part of. Just being able to be there with my wife and my family and then to go through that process of the labor and then all of a sudden the birth. It was definitely an emotional day.
You know, as much as I wanted to be there with my teammates, I think definitely helps ease it a little bit just for the fact of I was able to be a part of something special. The organization allowed me to be there. I definitely have to thank them, because I know most guys don't have that opportunity to be able to be there for the couple days that I was.
You know, it's just kind of -- knowing that I didn't have to pitch Game 5, I think that makes it a little bit easier, too.

Q. I know you touched on it a little bit, but with hindsight, was that weighing on your mind at all, and do you think knowing that it's over that going into tomorrow's game you'll feel a sense of relief knowing you don't have that on your mind?
COLE HAMELS: Yeah, you know, I did know. You kind of have that sort of situation creeping up, you know the timing, you want to be able to be there. I think no parent doesn't want to be away from the birth of their child.
It was something where every day you just kind of ask, are you okay, is this the time. And going into that game, I kind of had the understanding that something was going on, but I didn't know it was that serious. It was just kind of getting that out of the way is definitely a big stress relief because everything turned out all right.
I think that's kind of the biggest fear of any parent is are things going to be okay. Are there going to be any complications. My wife and I were very fortunate to have a healthy son.
In saying that, now I can really focus on baseball, even though I was focusing on it to begin with. But to be with my teammates and for them to welcome me back with just the happiness and joyous self that they are. It's been wonderful.

Q. Can you talk about the way your mind is eased knowing you have a guy like Ryan Howard in the lineup and the way he's hitting now, especially with runners on base?
COLE HAMELS: It's great. He is a scary player to face. I'm glad I don't have to throw to him, because he's the guy that can turn a game around, and he did. When he's hot, you don't want to pitch to him. I mean, I've seen it for the past couple years.
To have him in the lineup and to have Chase Utley, a guy that gets on base a lot, and to have Jayson Werth, who's been playing just as well as Howie, you know there's probably going to be a couple guys on when how I steps up to bat, or you've got Jayson Werth be able to drive in those runs, also. I think that definitely helps the team to have their three, four, five guys doing so well right now.

Q. You talked about the possibility of having to pitch a Game 5 if there had been one. Can you sort of talk about your weekend, here you have a newborn at home and your wife is with you, and what you did, I guess, to try to prepare for the possibility you would have had to pitch yesterday?
COLE HAMELS: Every day I was going to the field and working out. I definitely knew that I needed to be ready for that opportunity of Game 5. While Game 4 was going on, I was actually working out. I wanted to kind of distract myself enough but also be kind of sort of involved, and what better way than to be at the field and going through my workout routine and watching the game.
I think there was a point where I kind of had to all of a sudden go into that game mode focus and focus on knowing I was going to pitch in Game 5 and then in a split second it all changed, and everything was all happy. I almost felt like I was there with them.

Q. You actually watched Game 4 from the ballpark?
COLE HAMELS: Yeah, I was actually at the field watching Game 4. But even Game 3, I watched it at home with my family and just kind of stood on -- I guess sort of pretended like I was standing on the sidelines rooting them on, even though I wasn't there in presence.
But it's definitely something that I'd much rather be there, especially with the type of games that were going on, because those had to be some of the most fun games I've ever watched. If I would have had kind of more a part of it, definitely I would have cherished them.

Q. Charlie was in here describing some of your starts as the same old Cole, you're mowing them down, mowing them down, and then he used the word weird things happened and four runs were on the board. Is your interpretation of that weird things happened, or what do you think happened this season in those situations?
COLE HAMELS: You know, any typical start things can go well. Guys are hitting the ball right at guys, and then you have those starts where they're hitting everything that you throw no matter where it is. They're good pitches, but they're being the hitters that they're capable of and getting the base hits.
Sometimes I put a little too much pressure just for the fact of knowing that I needed to be somewhat perfect in order to succeed, and I think that kind of drew me away of what I really had to do, and that was causing me to make those mistakes just because I was focused too much on not making a mistake, you end up making them. I think when you kind of go out there with an even keeled and you're more relaxed, you make those better pitches.
You can't help sometimes you make that good pitch, you get that broken bat, and they hit it, and they knock in a run. That happens. That's baseball. I think anybody can say, you play a lot of baseball, you're going to see some weird things. That's just kind of something where it's just being able to go out there and not focus or not putting extra added pressure on, and I think I was able to do that at the end of the season.
Even though some of the starts didn't look like they were that great, I was more relaxed than I was, and the results, sometimes they don't go your way. But I think I'm very fortunate enough to have the team and the lineup that we have that we're going to put up some runs. Even if I give up a few runs, we're going to score quite awe few more.

Q. Do you think all the innings you pitched last year and then having kind of a short off-season, did that take some time to overcome as this season went along?
COLE HAMELS: I think more mentally. I think when you pitch as much as I did, to have a short off-season, you don't mentally get that sort of break. It's more of -- when you start that season, you're most likely not ready. You might be physically ready, but mentally you're not there. Even though you work as hard as you possibly can, it's just something, sometimes there's like a trigger, and you just have to wait until it clicks.
It started to click for me in May, and things were going really well, and then you hit a few bumps in the road, and you kind of get off track and you have to get yourself back on track.
So it's just kind of been a definite learning season for me, and I'm definitely going to make sure it doesn't ever happen again, because that's just not the type of person I want to be to my teammates and especially to the organization and the fans. I want to be the type of guy that they can count on and know that I'm there to go out and win every game I possibly can.

Q. Just to follow up on an earlier point, so was it a police escort or were you actually in the cruiser on the way to the hospital?
COLE HAMELS: I was in the police car.

Q. In the front seat?
COLE HAMELS: In the front seat. I had seatbelts. (Laughter).

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297