Phils Ace Hamels OK With Moving On; Fans OK With That
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Spring training is here, and Phillies ace Cole Hamels is ready to go -- not just on the mound, but elsewhere. Hamels says he's okay with moving on from the only team he's ever known.
The Phils ace tells USA Today he wants to win and knows it's not going to be in Philadelphia, which fans seem to understand.
In the article, Hamels doesn't demand to be traded away, but sees the writing on the wall. A once mighty team trying to figure things out. Fans who spoke with KYW Newsradio say they get it too:
"If he wants to be happy, let it be, if they're not gonna build a good team around him."
"They had a good run and I think they let some of the wrong people go. Unfortunately some good people were hurt."
Allen says he wishes it didn't get to this point:
"Actually I'm not okay, I wish he would stay, but I just wish him the best"
Murray also understand where Hamels is coming from, yet is disappointed with the Phils fall from the top:
"I'd rather the team, if they could, build around him"
Mike says he's not surprised since the days of players staying with one team their whole career are long gone
"They move around all the time. They're like a commodity."
And Allen adds this situation kind of reminds him of the end of former ace Curt Schilling's time with the team and the need for a youth movement.