Baseball Prospectus

While there's virtually no knock on Hamels as a pitcher, the career-best ERA was one of those blips more than a step forward. His peripherals have been among the game's most consistent over the past half-decade, and everything from his strike rate to his whiff rate to his batted ball profile fits perfectly on top of his career line. That puts him in a tier slightly below the Kershaws of the world—well, the Kershaw of the world—but it also makes him one of the best multi-year pitching investments a team has made this century, and a very quiet Hall of Fame candidate. His average fastball is harder than it has ever been, and he threw 200 innings for the fifth year in a row, so there's no sign he's breaking down. Meanwhile, Hamels has begun making the adjustments that separate the pitchers who survive into their 30s from those who don't—more sinkers, more pitches down in the zone.

• Cole Hamels' left elbow was born in San Diego, California Dec. 27, 1983.
  
• While playing in a pickup football game during his sophomore year of high school, Hamels slammed into a parked pickup while attempting to catch a pass. The arm was moderately sore, but the extent of the injury was unclear, and Hamels continued pitching with it. Three weeks later, his arm snapped while he was throwing a fastball, and Hamels found that he had broken his left humerus bone. He skipped his junior season, but pitched exceptionally well in his senior year, prompting the Phillies to take him in the first round of the 2002 draft.
  
• The Phillies cancelled plans for Hamels to try out for the US Olympic team in October 2003 after he suffered back spasms during his instructional league stint. There were no reported complications with his arm.
  
• Hamels appeared in three games during spring training this year, and was highly impressive, striking out nine batters in seven innings. Hamels was optioned to minor league camp, as was expected, on March 19.
  
• On April 7, the Phillies announced that Hamels had undergone an MRI on his elbow and was going to miss the first month of the minor league season. The announcement referred to the injury as "mild soreness" and did not disclose precisely what the MRI had found, but its results were negative. The injury was later reported to be tendonitis.
  
• Hamels was assigned to Clearwater from extended spring training May 17. He made four starts between May 20 and June 4 and was very effective, striking out 24 batters and compiling a 1.13 ERA.
  
• Hamels missed his next turn in the rotation for Clearwater with what was described as an inflamed left elbow. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the injury was separate and distinct from his tendonitis. He was initially shut down for seven to 10 days and later was placed on the minor league DL. Reports in July said that Hamels was not feeling any discomfort, but put his timetable several weeks away. He did not return to action before Clearwater's season ended Sept. 2.
  
• Hamels was assigned to the Florida Instructional League in October, and was reportedly throwing well.