BY SCOTT LAUBERCLEARWATER, Fla. -- Cole Hamels, today's New York Post backpage cover boy, threw 41 pitches in the bullpen today and is on schedule to start March 4 against Matt Stairs' Canadian team for the World Baseball Classic.
Regarding the story in the Post, Hamels was a guest on WIP the other day and explained his "choke artist" comment about the Mets from back in December on New York sports radio. See for yourself, but I don't think there was anything in these comments that warranted the screaming two-word headline, COLE WAR, on the back of the Post.
"The word 'choke' means you weren't able to fully come through when you were supposed to," Hamels told WIP, according to a transcript. "I think the Mets had the top teams [the past two years], they pretty much had the championships in the bag and they weren't able to come through.
"A lot of guys will perceive them as choking in the end and not fulfilling their end of the bargain because they should have taken it. You know what? It really does show the strength and hard work and I guess the deep down guts that we have to take it away from them."
Hamels, who was baited by the New York radio hosts, told us last week that he wasn't even fully aware of what he said and didn't expect it to blow up the way it has.
"I wouldn't have thought of it myself," he said. "I like to do most of my playing out on the field and I don't need to be mentioned in the media or trying to attack someone because that's not the person I am. I'll attack you when I'm out on the mound."
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