Catcher Buster Posey is playing at his normal MVP-level as he is hitting.325/.387/.494 with more walks (37) than strikeouts (33).
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Hamels evolved, both mentally and by adding a curveball to what was only a two-pitch arsenal.
Lefty Matt Harrison and five prospects are going to Philadelphia.
He has all those things now, and he left them behind Friday as the Phillies summoned him to Philadelphia. The former Phillie (man, that feels weird to type) was very reflective of all he accomplished in nearly a decade in the Delaware Valley. I can’t thank you (enough) for that. Daniels broke from his normal business practice of waiting to tell players they had been traded until after the deal is official, fearful that Harrison would learn on Twitter that he was being traded. “We’ve raised my family here”.
For a trade deadline dominated by a delightfully delayed Cole Hamels farewell, Phillies still-general manager Ruben Amaro and his team of management superiors brought it to a close Friday by sending Ben Revere packing to the Toronto Blue Jays for a pair of supposed prospects who may or may not have a future here. That list, an oft-discussed topic during the ongoing speculation, was something that Hamels and his wife Heidi spent a month trying to figure out in the offseason. He had a limited no-trade clause. Neither deniedthe initial report, which was telling.
The NL Central-leading Cardinals sent minor league outfielder Malik Collymore to their division rivals. It also doesn’t hurt that the airport in town makes the trip back home to California a fairly painless one. The Rangers are now three games under.
Hamels next year will be part of a rotation that expects back Japanese ace Yu Darvish, who had Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery in March. “Of course I know the Phillies fans don’t want to hear that, but they’ve got some young guys in here that are going to be great major league ballplayers in a couple of years”. The whole time I’ve been here he’s been here for the most part.
“I have a lot of catching up to do, but with this group of guys I think it’s going to be pretty easy because they’re true competitors, and it’s fun to watch them on the field and know that those are guys that are going to be behind me”. “I guess I’m excited about a new beginning”.
Both have a long way to go. He joked about getting away with a hanging curveball to Kris Bryant for the final out, but throwing a no-hitter is always very special. Before last night’s quality start, he hasn’t had a good outing since June 9, and the Rangers had lost all six of his starts since that point. But he was into his 10th season with the Phillies and typically showed durability, starting 30 or more games in each of his last eight full seasons. What we learned obviously – and particularly in a situation where you’re moving a No. 1 starter – it was important for us to get as close to major-league ready players as we possibly could.
“I would put him up against any competitor or any athlete we’ve had here in Philadelphia”, Amaro said of Hamels. “Having Howie out there, he’s been out there forever behind me”.
One magical afternoon at Wrigley Field aside, it was time to move on. “This is no different from doing a deal for Cliff Lee or for anyone else”. “Any time you’re moving up in the minor leagues you were on to a new team, new excitement, new people”. “You get comfortable with the players and where you are and the people around you”.
Rangers players react to acquiring Cole Hamels: “The first thing I thought is this year”.
“I don’t know if in Texas there was stuff that I needed to work on”. First, he set the tone for the whole playoff run by shutting out the Brew Crew in eight innings at CBP.
By shipping Papelbon to Washington Tuesday, the Phillies received a highly regarded pitcher in Nick Pivetta, who is every bit of 6-5 and 220 pounds, but has only recently been charged with testing the Double-A waters.
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Buchanan’s last Phillies outing was July 20, his best major league outing to that point, resulting in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Fast-forward six years to Friday, and Hamels was reflecting on the city’s only parade since 1983.
