Texas Rangers: What to do next with Cole Hamels
With Yu Darvish now pitching in L. A., the Texas Rangers do still have an ace on their staff with Cole Hamels. Their next big decision centers around what they’ll do with him this offseason.
When the Texas Rangers sent Yu Darvish to the Dodgers for three prospects, the move made left-hander Cole Hamels the undisputed “ace” of the staff. He reaches free agency in the offseason, and the Texas front office has some things to consider about him when that time comes.
He pitches well in Arlington
First of all, Hamels has been very consistent with the Rangers. In what amounts to almost two full seasons in Arlington, he’s 28-7 with a 3.46 ERA. He actually has a higher winning percentage with the Rangers than he did in Philadelphia and his ERA is merely 0.16 points higher. That’s why he’s a lot more valuable to this franchise than some may realize.
Over the course of his career, Hamels has had a very respectable 3.96 ERA at Globe Life Park with a stunning 14-2 record. Of course, he pitched against the Rangers with Philadelphia in one of those games, going seven innings and surrendering four runs on six hits. He still got the win that night against a rebuilding 2008 Rangers team.
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He still has good years left
Many will point to Hamels’ age as the biggest risk factor for re-signing him. He’ll turn 34 during the offseason. But for a guy with Hamels’ makeup, that’s not really that huge of a number.
He has a good fastball, but he’s not exactly your prototypical “power pitcher,” either. In fact, he recently told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Jeff Wilson that his changeup is what got him to the bigs. For Hamels, it’s less about how hard his fastball is and more about off-setting his fastball and change.
If he can locate them well, make them look the same coming out of his hand and exploit the difference in speed, he’ll get a lot of outs. That leads to less wear and tear on the arm and shoulder for Hamels. So while a long-term deal at the age of 34 could be his last, that shouldn’t deter the Rangers from making him a deal.
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He has a lot to offer the younger players
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Hamels brings a strong veteran presence to the staff. By keeping him around, the Rangers have a wealth of pitching expertise to share with the rookies and younger pitchers.
It’s often believed that being an elite athlete has as much to do with their mental and psychological makeup as it does their physical makeup.
Hamels has won a World Series and has started 16 postseason games. He’s a four time All-Star and was the 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player. His mere presence alone in the clubhouse can do wonders to calm younger guys and help them stay focused.
Next: The quiet success of Andrew Cashner
This offseason, the Texas Rangers front office shouldn’t overthink things. They have one of the games best pitchers on their roster, and he’s seemed to enjoy pitching here. He’s played very well here and with a focus on youth that seems to be on the horizon, his place on this roster could really benefit some up-and-coming arms in the system. Texas should do all they can to keep Hamels here. If they do, they’ll likely be happy with the results.