Thank you, Cole Hamels

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Thank you, Cole Hamels. That gratitude isn’t for the 2008 post season performance and World Series MVP honors. It’s for saying the truth and calling out Ruben Amaro, Jr. as the front office disaster that he is.

Here are Cole’s recent comments to the USA Today:

“I just want to win. That’s all. That’s all any competitor wants. And I know it’s not going to happen here. This isn’t what I expected. It’s not what the Phillies expected, either. But it’s reality.”

colehamelsSome have criticized Hamels for these comments, saying he’s ripping at his teammates or hurting his trade value. If you’re upset with Cole’s comments, you’ve got misplaced anger. The guy said he wants to win. He’s a competitor. You can’t be upset with that.

Then, he said what we’ve all known and/or been thinking. Ruben Amaro, Jr has decimated this organization by bumbling contract negotiations, receiving no talent when trading the likes of Cliff Lee, and adding ludicrous options to aging veterans. He stinks. No one thought the Phillies would be at the bottom of MLB. If the ownership won’t call out Ruben, I’m glad their former World Series MVP did. He spoke. He spoke the truth.

I get that he’s paid a lot of money. But, he’s a winner. Aside from the post World Series year, where Cole was bloated on the banquet tour, he’s been a machine. His win total has blown because he’s had zero run support. There’s no light at the end of the Amaro built tunnel.

Amaro has stated that he wished Cole would have chosen different language in expressing his feelings. I’m paraphrasing here. Of course he does. His star player just publicly stated that the GM has put together a losing team with no chance of doing anything substantial this year. Cole’s comments were like a right upper cut to Amaro’s public jaw. That’s been long overdue by someone in that organzation…anyone.

Thank you, Cole.