We should be in position to take care of business ourselves. We shouldn’t have to depend on anyone. I said that from day one. -- Charlie Manuel
For the first time in his… well, ever, Cole Hamels made it through an entire season without an injury. Of course, that feat hasn’t been finalized yet because the Phils’ lefty very well might have one more start this season.
Or he might not. It’s still up in the air.
Obviously, there are a few variables to be worked out before a decision is reached on whether Hamels will pitch in Game 162 for the Phillies or if he is held out for Game 1 of the NLDS. For instance, if the Phillies sew up the NL East on Saturday, Hamels will close the season with a 14-10 record, 3.09 ERA and a league-best 227 1/3 innings.
For a guy who never went a full season without a trip to the disabled list, the amount of innings Hamels piled up is significant.
However, Hamels could pile on some more if the Phillies have not clinched the NL East by Sunday. Even if the team sews up a wild-card spot heading into the last day, Hamels will go to the mound to bring home the division.
Needless to say, manager Charlie Manuel would like the Phillies to take care of business as quickly as possible. That’s obvious, though it isn’t so much as to have Hamels for the first game in the playoffs – it’s to give the kid a break.
“You have to take care of your club,” Manuel said. “You have to do what you think is best for your team.”
The worry isn’t that Hamels is tired physically after his first full season – not at all. Manuel said Hamels hasn’t shown any signs of wear and tear this late into the season. No, the concern for Manuel and the Phillies is that Hamels could be a little burnt mentally.
Not that Hamels has shown signs of that, either.
Anyway, there are still a bunch of moving parts that will come into clearer focus by the end of the night. Chances are we will have a pretty good idea where and who the Phillies will play when the postseason begins on Oct. 1.
Here’s how it shakes out for the Phillies: