Sometimes I forget that Cole Hamels has been playing for 13 seasons. And sometimes I forget that he was only still a Phillie 3 years ago. Time moves really quickly, and even at 34, Hamels feels young, fresh, and dominant on the mound. And this is especially since landing in Chicago, for the first time since his no-no.
The guy, in 6 starts, is 4-0, with a .69 ERA and 38 strikeouts. He had 5 wins over 4 months in Texas. Pitching for a good team really changes your mojo.
And also, even in Texas, Hamels was never the weak link, and was never the reason the team lost- he was dominant, dealing and strong even in the 9 losses. The guy has not regressed as a strikeout artist, or as a big-game pitcher. And now that he's on the Cubs, in a rotation with Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester and Jose Quintana, he's only gonna become a bigger deal. Which is nice, as there are only so many survivors from the 2008 Phillies team left, and it's nice that he (and J.A. Happ) are doing well this year.
The Cubs also landed Daniel Murphy, called up David Bote for good, and have one of the strongest teams in the NL, looking at first seed in the playoffs with a month left to go, and getting by on different ideals than their previous playoff runs. It's not a 'we're gonna win because we're the best' kind of team. This team is a lot craftier, with more of a bench presence, a strong bullpen, and several unsung heroes who can leap in and be a game standout every now and then.
The Cubs have a nice shot of making it 4 NLCS' in a row. And with Cole Hamels playing like he is, they might be able to shoot for more than that this year.
Coming Tomorrow- Meanwhile, in Oakland, a promoted former bench player makes the most of his come-up in the year of the A's inexplicable rise to power.
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