Seems like some little boy has forgotten the words to that Christmas ditty that includes the edict from the fat man. No not Andy Reid, that other fat man who makes his living in the winter, old St. Nick.
Altogether now...
"Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why..."
So pity poor Cole Hamels as all he will get this year is coal, about half-million dollars worth.
Upon hearing the news that he had to settle for making $500,000 this year, Cole said it was a "low blow" and that he was caught "off guard" with the gap between what he and his agent felt was a fair reward for his performance last season.
He went onto say "I felt like it wasn’t necessarily equal compensation for what I do and for what I can do." He also intimated he would remember this self-imposed slight during future negotiations.
Let's do a little "Cole" down memory lane shall we?
2005, he gets into a bar fight during Spring Training and breaks his pitching hand. The Phillies, to their credit, play everything close to the vest and dole out punishment behind closed doors.
2007, last year in he goes public with the fact that he has a chronically bad back and that a team chiropractor would sure help. Of course that is IF the Phillies were in contention. See Cole also went public with the fact that he may NOT be able to pitch IF the Phillies were not in contention. In other words, if the games aren't that important, why should he pitch?
Which brings us to this year and his apparent disgust over the paltry $100,000 raise the Phillies offered. Someone offer me a $100,000 and I guaran-damn-tee you I will not be pouting.
Getting back to what he said, "I felt like it wasn’t necessarily equal compensation for what I do and for what I can do"... and there's the rub.
"... for what I can do."
Newsflash young Cole, you haven't done damn thing. Last year you went 15-5, had a 3.39 ERA, made 28 starts and pitched 1831/3 innings.
Well whoop-de-freakin-do. Somebody dig up Cy Young and tell him the news that his trophy is being renamed.
And someone truly needs to sit this kid down and remind him that this is Philadelphia, that this town, these fans do not care one iota about the hardships that come with making ONLY $500,000 a year, to play a game mind you.
Look, I agree completely with Jim Salisbury of the Inquirer who wrote: "None of this is meant to demean Hamels. He's a good guy, a good competitor, and one hell of a talent. He wants to be one of the all-time greats and could be if he stays healthy."
The money will be there Cole. It will be there and you will have more money than you will know what to do with, a problem few of us ever encounter.
So for now, just go pitch every 5th day and do your job.
'Til next time.
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