Is Cole this Year’s Verlander? No, he’s Better
Of course this is in the micro-vacuum of a 34 innings small sample-size. In order to really judge the Chicago Cubs starter, Cole Hamels against Houston Astros’ ace, Justin Verlander we would need to see how well the Cubs fair in October. We would also need Hamels to continue to perform down the stretch and be that shutdown ace-level pitcher throughout the playoffs.
But through Hamels 34 innings as a Cub, he has out performed Verlander through his first 34 innings.
2017 Verlander: 1.06 ERA in 34 IP
2018 Hamels: .79 ERA in 34 IP— WhoCanIJinxNext?CountTommy (@FullCountTommy) August 24, 2018
More impressive, Cole has lowered his ERA by nearly a full run since the Cubs acquired him (4.72 to 3.82). That is hard to do this late in a season. He’s also really performed like an ace, being a stopper, and pitching deep into ballgames.
I have to admit, I was wrong about Cole Hamels. I thought that he’d be a nice addition, fit in somewhere near the backend of the rotation. He didn’t have high expectations, just be a guy that could go out there every fifth day. He has far exceeded those expectations. He’s has virtually taken over the Cubs rotation, and in my opinion, helped elevate the play of Jon Lester.
Jonny doesn’t like being second fiddle on this staff. He is a team first guy, someone that will always do what’s best for the Cubs. But he’s also uber competitive. He verbally handed the “ACE” label over to Kyle Hendricks this season, but worked his ass off to perform as the team’s ace. Then as his performance dipped, and Hamels came and dominated, Lester again has raised his level of play, giving up a single run in his last two games.
Watch out for this club in September and throughout the playoffs.
