“I hope I can win; I think I can win; I know I can win.”
Former Phils skipper Larry Bowa has said that players and teams go through those three phases on the way to becoming champions.
The Phillies need a confident Cole Hamels to take the mound tonight.
A year ago, Cole Hamels was an unquestioned ace, a World Series MVP, who knew he’d win every time he got the ball.
Today, Heidi’s husband has clearly regressed back to the “I hope I can win” stage. Following a very up-and-down regular season, Hamels has been putrid in the playoffs. He’s become Brett Myers circa July 2008.
In three starts this month, Hamels is 1-1 with an unsightly 6.75 ERA. He has yet to get out of the fifth inning in any postseason start.
That will not get it done. Not against a lineup with Jeter and A-Roid and Teixeira and Matsui and the rest of the newest Bronx Bombers. And, it certainly won’t get the job done when his counterpart is Andy Pettitte, the all-time winningest pitcher in postseason history who is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA this October.
The Phils need to hope Hamels has found his “I think I can win” persona entering tonight’s game, and that he gets off to a great start which propels his “I know I will win” self to come out of its shell.
A poor outing by Hamels could spell doom for not only Game 3, but the rest of the series. Going down 2 games to 1 is not an option.
I’ve just posted my detailed scorecard and box score for game 3 of the World Series. The Yankees won 8 – 5 with hits coming from seven different players, including a double and a home run from formerly slumping Nick Swisher. Check it out. Scorecards and box scores for Games 1 and 2 are also posted.