Phillies Notebook: Could Hamels handle pressure of World Series Game 7?

Cole Hamels' performance in Game 3 of the World Series, when he cruised through three innings and then allowed five earned runs in the fourth and fifth, had two ramifications:

First, it called into question his ability to start a potential Game 7.

Second, and much more important, it called into question whether there will even be a Game 7.

Yesterday, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel brushed off questions about Hamels' future this postseason.

But Manuel did acknowledge that he was "surprised" by a comment his 25-year-old lefthander made after his fourth straight disappointing performance.

After Hamels told reporters that he hoped his manager and teammates would have enough faith in him to start him in a decisive Game 7, he was asked how he would reflect on his disappointing season if Game 5 was his last appearance.

"I can't wait for it to end," he said. "It's been mentally draining. At year's end, you just can't wait for a fresh start."

Manuel said he was surprised by Hamels' choice of words, but also said he wasn't sure of the exact context of the comments.

"You know what, I was totally surprised at what he said," Manuel said. "But at the same time, I understand his frustration and everything."

At the start of the postseason Hamels said he looked at October as a fresh start, as an opportunity to erase the frustration of a regular season in which he went 10-11 with a 4.32 earned run average. Instead, his funk has carried over. Last postseason, he pitched at least six innings in all five of his starts, and at least seven innings in four of them. This postseason, he has failed to complete six innings in any of his four starts. Last postseason, he went 4-0 and allowed just seven runs in 35 innings. This postseason, he is 1-2 and has allowed 16 earned runs in 19 innings.

Manuel pointed out the massive expectations Hamels faced after his 2008 postseason performance and a regular season in which he posted a career-low 3.09 ERA in a career-high 227 1/3 innings.

"This guy's been a good pitcher ever since he came up," Manuel said. "If you stop and think about it, ever since he came into the big leagues, he's been a top-rated pitcher. That's all people are talking about, how good he was. This year has been tough on him. He's had what we call, he's kind of had a weird year. I've said that over and over. You guys have heard me say that. What he's goin' through right now, it's goin' to take experience and everything, because he's going through the part where he's failed."