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Atlanta Braves: The Pros and Cons of Cole Hamels Signing

By Seth Carter

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 27: (EDITORS NOTE: Multiple exposures were combined in camera to produce this image.) Starter Cole Hamels #35 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on April 27, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 27: (EDITORS NOTE: Multiple exposures were combined in camera to produce this image.) Starter Cole Hamels #35 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on April 27, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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He may not be the pitcher he WAS, but he is the pitcher he IS. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
He may not be the pitcher he WAS, but he is the pitcher he IS. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

The Pros

How could a 36-year-old who walked 3.6 guys per nine innings last year possibly be worth $18 million? First of all, we pay a premium for this season in lieu of a long-term guarantee. These one year deals are great when adding veterans.

The one-year deal not only protects the team but it works as an incentive to the player to maximize his value for next season. There’s no doubt the Braves are going to get the best Cole Hamels has to offer next season.

If Hamels falls off the cliff this year and it becomes evident that he is ready to be poked with a fork, it is no big deal for the Braves. He’s gone at the end of the season.

If it works out then we get a veteran lefty and still keep a path open for some of the stud prospects in the minors.

Stretches of Domination

Hamels may have walked more than usual last season, but he kept the ball in the park with a 1.1 HR/9 ratio.

The old Cole Hamels overshadowed the old Cole Hamels at times last year. The last sentence was confusing yet accurate. I mean the dominant pitcher of yesteryear would pop his head out for long stretches at a time last season.

In the month of April with a 2.27 ERA, 31.2 innings pitched, 33 strikeouts and nine walks. June was even better with an ERA of 1.22, 39 innings pitched, 39 strikeouts and nine walks.

Checking the Boxes

Hamels provides the Braves with a steady, veteran presence on a very young staff. He has a boatload of postseason experience, including the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP trophies. King Cole had a seven-season streak of at least 200 innings pitched. That streak came to an end in 2017.

In addition to keeping the ball in the park and posting an ERA below four (despite some struggles), Hamels struck out over nine batters per nine innings. It appears that Hamels still has plenty in the tank and the $18 million is still a low risk for the Braves, who grossed $442 million in revenue in 2018.

If you are looking for reasons to stay positive then take this as a sign that the Braves are holding true to their commitment to winning now. I don’t believe this move precludes us from addressing other areas of concern. The Braves could still potentially afford a back-end starter for the rotation, like Julio Teheran.

If you read the next article, you’ll see there is reason to believe the Braves could still be in the market for Madison Bumgarner, or even Josh Donaldson.

Next. Adding an OF power bat still in play?. dark

What are your thoughts about this $18 million investment in Cole Hamels? Was it good? Was it bad? Let us know in the comments below!

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