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Hamels opposes childhood idol

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By ROB MAADDI

The Associated Press

Published: October 31, 2009

PHILADELPHIA - Cole Hamels grew up watching Andy Pettitte pitch important playoff games, and he still tries to imitate his icy glare on the mound.

When the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees play Game 3 of the World Series tonight, Hamels will try to beat one of his boyhood heroes.

The young kid vs. the old October pro could be another classic pitching matchup.

"Andy Pettitte and Tom Glavine, those were the guys I emulated growing up when I was a little kid," the 25-year-old Hamels said of two fellow left-handers Friday. "They were always in the playoffs. I always got to watch them. They always pitched big games and they won.

"Andy Pettitte has been very effective for a long time, and he's always the kind of guy I've looked at and hoped to be one day in his shoes. Now I'm here and I'm going to be able to face him in the World Series and he's on the Yankees again.

"So it's just kind of a big game."

It's important for plenty of reasons. The defending champion Phillies split the first two games with New York at Yankee Stadium. There's a chance they'll face Yankees ace CC Sabathia again in Game 4. That puts more pressure on Hamels to win Game 3. Pettitte, obviously, is no slouch.

Pettitte has more postseason victories than any pitcher in major-league history. He has four championship rings. He's 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in three postseason starts.

Last October, Hamels looked like a young Pettitte. He went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five postseason starts, helping the Phillies win the second World Series title in franchise history. Hamels earned MVP honors in the NLCS and the World Series.

The tall, slender Hamels never was shy about discussing his lofty goals. His to-do list includes winning Cy Young Awards, starting All-Star Games and pitching no-hitters. Hamels didn't check any of those off this season.

Instead, he struggled from the start and recently has looked visibly frustrated when things haven't gone right. In Game 1 of the NLCS at Los Angeles, Hamels showed up teammates Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley when they failed to turn what could have been an inning-ending double play.

Perhaps Hamels could take a page from Pettitte, who doesn't let anything bother him. Pettitte pulls his cap low over his eyes, blocks everything out and has tunnel vision with the catcher.

"I just wanted to try to simplify it as much as I can and just see the mitt and try to see my ball going to where I want it, almost visualizing the pitches before I throw them and stuff like that," Pettitte said.

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