RADIO
Cole Hamels 2019 Outlook: Inconsistency Makes Him A Risky Pick
6 years agoIt was a tale of two seasons for Cole Hamels last year. The 35-year-old was on pace for a dreadful season with the Rangers, posting a 4.72 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with the team. His performance changed drastically when he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in late July. In his first four starts for the Cubbies, the southpaw went 4-0 with a 0.69 ERA. He then followed it up by finishing the season 0-3 with a 4.10 ERA. Of his 4-3 record with his new team, he was only 1-2 at Wrigley Field. In totality, Hamels had a steady season, improving on his 2017 season in every major statistical category. This was especially impressive considering that his overall numbers were drastically affected by a disastrous July, where he posted a 0-4 record with an 11.12 ERA, 1.94 WHIP and was hit to the tune of .359. While the overall stats are a step in the right direction over two years ago, his 41.9% hard-hit rate and 17.5 HR/FB is definitely a cause for concern. His 2019 will be similar to last season; the veteran will finish with decent numbers and eat a lot of innings but his ratios will be wildly inconsistent on a week-to-week basis. Hamels is not worth his current ADP of 143, except by the most patient of owners.
