Boys of Arlington: Short, happy impact Cole Hamels had on Texas Rangers

Editor’s note: In his latest installment of the Boys of Arlington, retired Texas Rangers beat writer T.R. Sullivan looks back at left-hander Cole Hamels, whose three-year stay in Arlington produced some great moments before disappearing into thin air.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels threw a no-hitter against the Cubs. The date was July 25, 2015, less than week before the MLB trade deadline.

Even with the victory, though, the Phillies’ 36-63 record and .364 winning percentage were by far the worst in baseball. Four years earlier, the Phillies had won 102 games with a rotation that included Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay.

Now, the Phillies were just old, tired and in need of an overhaul.

People could have made the same argument about the Rangers. They had beaten the Angels that day in Anaheim but were still 47-49 on the year. They were 6 1/2 games behind the Angels and Astros, and there were four other teams ahead of them for the second wild-card spot.

As the trade deadline approached, the Phillies seemed intent on trading Hamels, and interest was high. Every national baseball writer in America was tossing out trade rumors and speculation, involving a dozen or so pursuers.

Hamels was highly sought because he was a top-of-the-rotation starter, and he was signed through 2018 with a club option for 2019. He was 31 and the no-hitter suggested he was still at the top of his game. This wouldn’t be a classic Trade Deadline rental for a pitcher headed for free agency after the season.

Depending on the day of the week, or the hour of the day, any team could be the favorite, in the running, out of the running, a dark horse or on Hamels’ list of no-trade teams. The Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs, Giants, Astros, Diamondbacks, Red Sox were all prominently mentioned at some point.

The Rangers were among those actively involved. Which meant the Rangers were buyers. But they were rumored to be willing to trade pitchers Yovani Gallardo, Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner. Which meant they would be sellers at the deadline.

But it’s kind of hard to be considered a contender when three of your highest-paid pitchers – Yu Darvish, Matt Harrison and Derek Holland – were on the injured list and your two best hitters – Adrian Beltre (thumb) and Prince Fielder (neck) – weren’t close to 100 percent. Darvish missed the season recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery.

The Rangers had lost 95 games the year before, and manager Ron Washington had stepped down in September for personal reasons. A team that had gone to back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011 was in danger of having that run come to an abrupt end.

Jeff Banister was managing the team, and it wasn’t going well. The Rangers still lusted after Hamels, just as they had in 2012 when a deal couldn’t be completed with the Phillies.

This time it came down July 31, and the Rangers won.

Hollywood comes to Texas

At the time, it seemed like a blockbuster trade, but perhaps not so much in retrospect.

It was a trade that really worked for the Rangers, until it didn’t. The young talent given up by the Rangers seemed staggering at the time, but that turned out not to be the case.

The trade was made in 2015 but was designed for 2016 and beyond. Three years after the trade was made, Hamels was gone. He had been all but given away for the baseball equivalent of 10 cents on the dollar.

Hamels was originally from Southern California, but deservedly and firmly established his name in Phillies history when he was the MVP of the 2008 World Series.

They called him Hollywood because he had that Southern California super-cool look about him. But he also had a tough edge that went over well in Philadelphia and in Texas.

“Cole Hamels doesn’t take crap from anybody,” former Phillies general manager Pat Gillick told the Dallas Morning News.

He once got in a bar fight in spring training because some guys were messing with his teammates. He won the fight but broke a hand from landing a punch.

In 2012, Hamels decided to put brash Nationals rookie Bryce Harper in his place. Hamels deliberately hit him with a pitch the first time he ever faced the young phenom.

“I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t trying to do it,” Hamels said.

Harper ended up scoring by stealing home. Hamels eventually won the game but was also hit with a five-game suspension.

The Phillies won five division titles in six years from 2007 to 2012 with Hamels averaging 14 wins and 207 innings a season. The 82 wins in that stretch were the most by a National League pitcher. He was the MVP of the National League Championship Series and World Series when the Phillies won it all in 2008.

But the Phillies went 81-81 in 2012 and then had back-to-back 73-89 seasons in 2013 and 2014 As the trade deadline approached in 2015, he was openly flexible about waiving his no-trade clause.

Hamels seemed happy with the trade and happy to be in Texas. He pitched well, seemed to be a good teammate and never complained about the heat. He bought a house in Tarrant County, possibly after he and his wife, Heidi, bought a mansion in Branson, Mo., only to later donate it to charity.

The Hamels established their own charitable foundation that as tremendously successful in donating money to educational causes in Texas, California, Philadelphia and Malawi. The Hamels family had a special affinity for the small impoverished African country, although Cole never went there for fear of contracting a terrible disease that could impact his pitching.

Hamels had a fanatical work ethic. Some of the devices he used in his workout regime looked positively medieval.

He was friendly, cooperative and insightful when interviewed. Not especially warm, but certainly polite. Funny, even, when he could find the time.

When we thanked him for his time, he invariably responded, “Anytime.”

Which was hardly the case. Anytime meant when he could fit you into his busy schedule.

Which is why some of the writers jokingly referred to him – at least privately among ourselves – as “Anytime.”

Hamels was just one of many outstanding pitchers who stopped by Arlington along the winding road of a great career. Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom are here now, but who knows for how long.

Before them, Lance Lynn and Mike Minor. The glory minutes of Corey Kluber. Cliff Lee. Todd Stottlemyer and John Burkett. Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins, Bert Blyleven and Gaylord Perry.

What did the sportswriter played by Robert Duvall say in The Natural?

“They come and go, Hobbs, they come and they go.”

Who could forget Oil Can Boyd? Probably just about everybody.

When Hamels’ career was over, he signed a one-day contract with Philadelphia just so he could say he retired as a Phillie. Why not?

His time in Texas seems fleeting now. It started with a clap of thunder and ended with a yawn and a whimper.

Still, his short-term impact was significant. The Rangers don’t win two division titles without Hamels. The trade did produce that, if nothing else. It could have been more. It was quite a ride even if the end wasn’t pretty.

The price of glory

The Rangers sent six players to Philadelphia for Hamels and left-handed reliever Jake Diekman. One of the players was veteran pitcher Matt Harrison, who was dealing with spinal stenosis in his back. He was no longer the pitcher who had who won 18 games in 2012. His power had all but evaporated.

Harrison made three starts prior to the trade. The second one was in Colorado on July 21, when he threw six scoreless innings. It was a huge moment for the well-liked and respected pitcher, who talked about being effective as a soft-tosser like Jamie Moyer or Mark Buehrle.

The Rockies’ hitters said something else in private, even after being shut out. They said Harrison’s stuff was soft and weak, almost laughable. The term is called “below hitting speed.” They were right. In Harrison’s next start right before the trade, he allowed six runs in six innings against the Yankees.

Harrison, making $13.2 million annually through 2017, would never pitch again. He was included in the trade to balance out the financial aspects of the deal.

Hamels was making $23.5 million annually. In addition to picking up Harrison’s salary, the Phillies included $9 million in the deal. They wanted those prospects badly.

Catcher Jorge Alfaro, outfielder Nick Williams, pitchers Jake Thompson, Alec Asher and Jerad Eickhoff. Jamey Newberg, an astute authority on the Texas farm system, ranked all five in the top 20 preseason ranking among Rangers prospects.

The Rangers were thrilled to do the deal without giving up Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara, their top hitting prospects. The Phillies really wanted those two.

Williams was no slouch. At the time of trade, he was hitting .299/.358/.479 at Double A Frisco. He had 13 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Newberg had him at No. 10.

Alfaro was ranked second. He was also playing well at Frisco, strong on offense and defense. He was clearly the Rangers’ catcher of the future. Or somebody’s.

Thompson, acquired the previous July from the Tigers for reliever Joakim Soria, was considered the best of the three pitchers. He had No. 1 starter potential, and Newberg had him at No. 5. Eickhoff and Asher weren’t far behind.

All five ended up playing in the big leagues. None came close to being an impact player – not an All-Star among them – and none, nine years later, are in the big leagues in their early 30s. Or the minor leagues. Williams and Thompson played in Mexico this year.

The only guy in the deal still in the big leagues is Diekman. He was the second player sent by the Phillies to Texas to reinforce the Rangers’ bullpen. He is 37 and proving that an effective left-handed reliever will always be of value. The Rangers were the second of the nine organizations he has pitched for over 13 seasons.

Day One statement

In announcing the deal, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said, “It was a chance to add a piece that we felt we needed, 2015 and 2016 and beyond.”

As he said that, the Rangers were 49-52 and eight games out in the AL West. Hamels didn’t care.

“There is still a chance, and I like knowing that,” Hamels said.

Hamels brought up the 2007 Phillies, who were seven games out of first place on Sept. 12 but rallied to win the division. Hamels’ 6-0 victory over the Nationals in Game No. 160 – he pitched eight scoreless innings – marked the first time the Phillies had been in first place all year.

“I know I can be a part of that for the Rangers,” Hamels said. “And that’s what I look to do. My expectations are to go out there and win ballgames for them. If it can create a winning streak and start to win some decisive games, then that’s what I want to be a part of.”

He did. He was. Hamels came, said and conquered. His attitude that the season wasn’t over and the Rangers could still win it proved infectious.

That attitude and his pitching carried the Rangers back into the pennant race. He made 12 starts for the Rangers down the stretch, and they won 10 of them.

Beginning Aug. 2, the Rangers won 27 of 41 games and caught both the Astros and the Angels to move into first place. Hamels was 7-0 with a 3.14 ERA in his last nine games.

The race came down to the final day. The Rangers had a one-game lead over the Astros and two over the Angels. They were home against the Angels and needed a victory to clinch.

Hamels was on the mound. He gave up a two-run home run to Albert Pujols in the first, and that was it. The Rangers rallied for a 9-2 victory with Hamels throwing a three-hit complete game in one of the biggest regular-season games in Rangers history.

“What a great competitor and just a great person also,” Banister said. “This is a guy with so much integrity and character and leadership. As he started playing, you saw that. It’s a real guy with a really nice, unique skill set to be able to pitch.”

The Rangers were on their way to the division series against the Blue Jays.

“I think from the very first game that I was able to be a part of, I knew the strength that the Rangers had,” Hamels said. “Guys were going to become healthy. But you really did have to look at the offense that the guys were coming in every day and the numbers that they were putting up.

“It’s just a matter of going out there and actually doing it because whatever you believe in and whatever confidence you have, you actually have to put up the actual numbers to give it a more valid … response. We did, we were able to do so, and it’s been exciting ever since.”

Those Canadian blues

The Rangers won the first game of the ALDS, 5-3, in Toronto with Yovani Gallardo on the mound. Hamels pitched Game 2, and the Rangers won in 14 innings. They were on their way to Arlington for the next two, needing one win to advance.

Banister went with two left-handers, Martin Perez and Holland, for those games, and right-hander Colby Lewis was in the bullpen. Lewis had won 17 games during the regular season, but with a 4.66 ERA. He also had a reputation for winning big games.

The Rangers lost both and had to go to Toronto for Game 5. Two off days allowed the Rangers to start Hamels on four days’ rest.

The Rangers led 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. What happened next can be summed up thusly:

It was one of the worst innings in Rangers history. Maybe the worst outside Game 6 of the 2011 World Series

Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin led off with a ground ball, and shortstop Elvis Andrus kicked it for an error. Kevin Pillar bounced a grounder to Mitch Moreland and the Rangers first baseman’s throw to second bounced in the dirt. Andrus couldn’t dig it out. On the next play, Andrus dropped a throw from Beltre while covering third base on Ryan Goins bunt.

Bases loaded, nobody out. Ben Revere followed with a grounder to Moreland, who threw home for the force. One out. Hamels was also out.

Banister brought in right-hander Sam Dyson, and the mercurial reliever got Josh Donaldson to hit a weak pop to second. But Rougned Odor couldn’t catch it in the air. He settled for the force at second, and the game was tied.

Jose Bautista then hit a three-run home run and responded by delivering the mother of all bat flips. It didn’t sit well with the Rangers, but their season was soon over.

“It’s hard to be politically correct, but you want to be able to play the game the right way,” Hamels said. “You just want to be a ballplayer, and there is a certain amount of respect that you’ve got to have.”

The Rangers repeated in 2016, and Hamels pitched like a No. 1 starter – 21st century version – by going 15-5 with a 3.32 ERA. The Rangers were 24-8 in his 32 starts, including seven wins in his last eight.

Darvish came back in June and was 7-5 with a 3.41 ERA. At the trade deadline, the Rangers went all-in by trading for catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers and outfielder Carlos Beltran from the Yankees. In doing so, the Rangers parted with no less than three former No. 1 draft picks: outfielder Lewis Brinson and pitchers Luis Ortiz and Dillon Tate.

The Rangers were going for broke. And then the franchise crashed.

The division series again was against the Blue Jays, this time opening with the first two games in Arlington. Hamels started Game 1 and allowed seven runs in 3 1/3 innings, the worst of his 16 career postseason starts.

“Obviously when you get your No. 1 guy out there, you don’t envision that,” Banister said.

The Rangers were swept in three games.

And just like that …

Hamels got off to a strong start in 2017 and was 2-0 with a 3.03 ERA after five starts.

Then, on May 2, he went out to warm up before his start against the Astros and felt tightness in his right oblique muscle. He was out eight weeks.

His final record was 11-6 with a 4.20 ERA, and the Rangers went 78-84, finishing third in the West and trading Darvish at the deadline. The ride was coming to an end for both Hamels and the Rangers.

Hanels entered the 2018 season in the final guaranteed year of his contract. His salary was $22.5 million. The Rangers also had a $20 million option for 2019 with a $6 million buyout. He also had 20 teams listed in a no-trade clause.

“It’s not a big deal,” Hamels said. “It’s out of my control. I have to go out and pitch.”

On July 1, he allowed seven runs over five innings in a 10-5 loss to the White Sox. The Rangers were 16 ½ games behind the Astros and sinking fast.

Daniels was ready to deal. The Rangers could have had Hamels back in 2019 for $20 million. Instead they traded him for, well, not much. Very little in fact. Right-hander Eddie Butler was a warm body. Another righty, Rollie Lacy, was in Class A with a 5.79 ERA. A left-handed hitting outfielder, Alexander Ovalles, was in the Dominican Summer League.

Butler never pitched again at the major-league level after the 2018 season. In 2019, he pitched in Korea. Lacey did not pitch anywhere after 2018. Ovalles? Couldn’t hit upper-level pitching. Never got close ro the big leagues. Today, he is playing for the Washington Wildthings in the Atlantic League.

Yeah, the Ranger gave Hamels away.

It was an unceremonious departure. The Rangers were on the road, and Hamels was out the door before the media could get to him. Here today, gone tomorrow. Good talk. Good luck trying to find his name in the current Rangers media guide

But the Rangers won two division titles with him in 2015 and 2016. The Cole Hamels years that kept the winning going in Arlington for at least a little while longer.

They have faded from view, but they are worth remembering anyway.

Anytime.