Since then, Hamels has established himself as an upper-tier starter, but, at 27, is still looking for the sustained success that has marked the careers of teammates Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt.
Hamels announced his arrival by combining for a 29-15 record and a 3.22 earned run average over 410 2/3 innings in 2007 and 2008. He capped that stretch with a great 2008 postseason, but has struggled to keep the momentum going.
This season, after a step-back year in 2009, he started slowly again, but he has heated up along with the weather. Since April, Hamels has a 2.93 ERA in 16 starts and probably deserves better than his overall 7-7 record.
Which way will his season go this time as August takes hold?
A year ago, Hamels was 3-6 after Aug. 1 and the Phillies were 4-8 in his 12 starts. If 2010 is a replay of that, the addition of Oswalt could be easily offset by Hamels' struggles.
There is reason, however, to believe this season will turn out better for Hamels, who was 10-11 in 2009, then suffered through a 1-2, 7.58 ERA postseason.
The biggest reason is that Hamels is not as likely to wear down. In 2008, counting the postseason, Hamels racked up 2621/3 innings, a load that obviously took its toll. The effects of that were compounded when Hamels gave his body what he now considers too much off-season rest and he didn't come to spring training as strong as necessary. The result was a sore arm and a slow start, and Hamels felt he never caught up again.
"I think I've finally been able to get a routine together where I understand what a season takes, how long a season is, what happens to your body during a season," Hamels told reporters after a recent start.
