Cole Hamels says he wants that ball for game seven and made a point of talking to Charlie Manuel about it.
“I can’t wait for it to end,” Hamels said after the game. “It’s been mentally draining. At year’s end, you just can’t wait for a fresh start.”
Those are the comments which have created all of the controversy. Hamels doesn’t think they correctly communicate his true feelings.
“Sometimes I might not say the best things or the smartest things, but I’ve learned and am learning,” Hamels said. “I wasn’t able to sleep the past couple of nights because of it.”
He was bothered by it so much that he took it to his skipper.
“I went to Charlie just to talk to him because that’s who I am, and I think he understands that,” Hamels said. “I just wanted to tell him my true thoughts — that I’ll never ever quit. I want to play this game until somebody takes it away from me.
“I think Charlie knows me. He has managed me for quite a few years. I think the only doubt it left in people’s minds were the fans, and you know, it hurts. I love the city of Philadelphia, I play as hard as I possibly can. I might not necessarily have the results that they hope (for), but I know that if I go out there, and do everything I possibly can, and in the end they see (that), then I think they can respect that.”
We’ll see if Charlie and the fans give him a second chance and forgive him for what he said.
We know how his teammate and fellow pitcher Brett Myers feels about those comments. He challenged Hamels about the comments and got into a shouting match with him about them.
