Cole Hamels 2008 Topps MLB Card

This snapshot of Cole Hamels brings back a million memories. I can picture Cole's long signature windup and follow through with ease.

Time passes swiftly and without mercy, once I think I'm used to it's rapid pace, tomorrow arrives and I'm left humbled once again. Starting pitcher Cole Hamels was one of the original Phillies that helped turn this franchise around in a big way in the 2000's. Looking back, it almost felt like Cole would pitch for the Phillies forever. Players would come and go, but Cole remained for about a full decade. From 2007-2014 Cole played in at least thirty games for the Phillies. Even if you include the year he was traded in 2015, Cole appeared in at least 20 games for the Phillies for ten straight seasons from 2006-2015. Cole was drafted by the Phillies in 2002, and while Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt and other players came to town, fans like myself always had a ton of appreciation and great respect for Hamels.

Cole wasn't well liked for simply being a Phillie of course, the man was a stellar pitcher! Cole was a well rounded pitcher with strong command. He was an All-Star three times and placed in the top ten in Cy Young voting four times, placing as high as fifth in 2011. Cole also was named an All-Star one more time after leaving Philadelphia.

Of course 2008 was immensely special as he was named both NLCS and World Series MVP on his way to capturing the World Series Championship with the Phillies. LEGEND!

So yeah, I figure why not remember Hamels a bit while sharing his card. Not only that but on this day April 21st, 2007, 18 years ago in just his second season, Hamels had one of the best performances of his career in the state of Ohio when he threw a complete game while striking out a career high 15 batters against the Reds! Fun stuff indeed!

Cole will always be one of my favorite athletes ever!

This Phillies-Reds game took place on a Saturday night, so it's entirely possible some fans in the stands just returned from seeing the thrilling film 'Disturbia' since it was the top movie in the box office at the time! This was intense and only brings on buckets more nostalgia!