Cole Hamels

It seems like Cole Hamels is in for another long season. Maybe he should be working on his mechanics instead of starring in Comcast Xfinity commercials.

Well, things aren’t always as they appear.

This morning I chased a rogue eyebrow hair for 46 tries. Then I opened the patio door and threw my cheap tweezers as far into the woods as I could. Now I know why people pay $10 for a pair of tweezers. Nothing is more frustrating than something getting the best of you.

Ask little Davey Herndon.

With one week of the regular season behind us, what have we learned about the 2010 edition of the Philadelphia Phillies so far? A week is a just a week, but how a team plays and what story lines unfold once the big curtain goes up on the games that count often foreshadow the season.

When the Phils lose, don’t get down. I’ve found that a really fun way to pass the time is to go to the pet shop, find a big cage of mice, and watch them fight for position on their wheel. Seriously. It’s hysterical. It doesn’t even take mind-altering drugs to enjoy a curious mouse getting damn near decapitated by an ambitious team on a wheel.

In 2008, Cole Hamels was everyone's darling. He lit the world on fire and went on to win the World Series MVP award. He was the "cat's meow" and he was only 24.

The phenom was looking for a breakout year in 2009, and many fans thought it was coming from the left-hander going into his fourth full year with the club.

The breakout year not only didn’t happen, it was Hamels' worst year as a pro and resulted in many people questioning his dedication to pitching.

No one mentioned Hamels' offseason training in 2008, and no one really cared.

This was not the debut that Cole Hamels had been hoping for. From all the hype of his spring training progress you half-expected him to go out and throw a no-hitter, and since it was against the lowly Washington Nationals, it might as well have made it a perfect game. 

Instead, Hamels labored through 5 innings. He gave up 5 hits, walked 4, and allowed 2 earned runs. It did not look pretty, but he was effective enough, and most importantly he didn't allow the "big inning" that plagued him during his 2009 campaign. 

On April 4, the National League got its first taste of what the American League has had to deal with for much of the last decade.

Although I certainly do not play for the Washington Nationals, I think I can make a safe assumption about what their first impression was.

Damn, Roy Halladay is good.

Two days ago, he made his Opening Day debut for the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Nationals were his first victim There was a festive attitude at the ballpark before the game, and even the Nationals fans (who seemed to be outnumbered at the stadium) were full of hope.

Every year, baseball fans all across the country do the same thing: We all make predictions. While most people just let their predictions come out vocally, I have decided to post mine on here for the entire world to see.

My goal is to come back to this article at the end of the season and see how I have done. Right now, I am predicting that at least 20 of my predictions will come true.

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

The Phillies have certainly proven that cliché true in recent seasons.

But is this the year the Fightins finally look like a championship-caliber club from April through the end of Autumn? The answer is yes, because the Phillies are just that complete of a team in 2010.

Once again, the offense is the least of the Phils’ concerns. This team will hit.

 "I can't wait for it to end."

With one simple comment, Cole Hamels sparked a searing firestorm of questions from his team, baseball fans, and the nationwide sports media alike.

Was he quitting on his team at the most crucial point in the season?

The Phillies were on the brink of elimination at the hands of the mighty New York Yankees in last season's World Series. Times were tough and here was a young man, who just one season ago helped guide them to the promised land, ready now to hang up his cleats and put the glove away for the winter.