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It's difficult to argue with the figures that Cole Hamels put up in his decade pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies. However, when it comes to a recent joke told by the pitcher at his old stomping grounds, it becomes much easier.
On Friday, Hamels was honored with a pre-game ceremony at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia to mark his retirement, which was announced last August. Although Hamels' number 35 was retired two days ago, Hamels was able to partake in a formal ceremony to immortalize those digits.
During his speech, Cole Hamels made a rather strange reference to the team's divisional foes, the New York Mets. Although the dig was obviously meant to fire up fans in Philly, many were simply left wondering what exactly the former World Series champ meant.
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"Unless you're the Mets." - NBC Sports Philadelphia
In the speech, Hamels contends that Philadelphia Phillies fans "wanted the best for us" and that the team "wants to give it to you, unless you're the Mets." While Hamels' words were evidently meant to be taken in jest, several fans took to social media to question syntax of the four-time All-Star.
Born in San Diego, Hamels was selected by the Phillies with their 17th overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft. In 2007, his sophomore season, Hamels went 15-5, pitching to a 3.39 ERA to finish sixth in NL Cy Young voting. The following season, he won the World Series, helping the Phillies defeat the Tampa Bay Rays in five games.
"This actually makes zero sense"
In mid-2015, Hamels was traded to the Texas Rangers. Although the 6-foot-4 southpaw would touch 200 innings in 2016, his numbers began to slide. In 2020, he effectively retired from MLB, but did not announce it as such until three years later in 2023.
"I think he flubbed his words here"
Cole Hamels' words speak to a rivalry of the past
Although Cole Hamels' intention of riling up his old fanbase was honorable, the New York Mets are not seen as rivals in the same way that they were during Hamels' days. Some 12.5 games seperate Philly from the Mets in the standings, and that spread looks only likely to increase.
Instead, Hamels made a joke that attempted to encapsulate the essence of Phillies fanhood, it just fell flatter than he expected.
