OK, we can start the Eagles season.
Cole Hamels is no longer a Phillie.
Several reports overnight indicate the Phillies have dealt their ace left-hander to the Texas Rangers for a slew of prospects. Jake Diekman also is heading to Texas in the deal.
The deal is expected to be announced officially Thursday morning.
Everyone knew it was coming; that doesn't make it any less jarring.
An era is ending. An era when we were champions.
And make no mistake, Hamels is the reason why. Without him there is no World Series championship in 2008. No parade. No end to our long championship drought. And no infamous Chase Utley 'World Bleeping Champions.'
The Phillies did not win a title with Roy Halladay. Or Cliff Lee. They did with Cole Hamels.
He was ridiculed for the way he talked, belittled for his "California cool."
But he went to the mound every five days and almost always gave the Phillies a quality start, even when all too often the Phils' bats fell silent every time he took the mound.
Perhaps the saddest thing is that Philly fans were deprived of giving Hamels the kind of send-off he deserved, especially after he put an exclamation point on his Phillies career by tossing a no-hitter at the Chicago Cubs last Saturday night in Wrigley.
He was supposed to be on the mound tonight when the Phils returns to Citizens Bank Park. That had already been pushed back to Friday night, but most expected Hamels to be dealt before the 4 p.m. trade deadline.
It would have been nice to see one more packed house in South Philly offer a final salute to Hamels.
I have a standing rule about those guys who formed the heart of that 2008 team. I will never boo Hamels, nor Chase Utley or Ryan Howard. I know they all make ridiculous amounts of money, and that, in the case of Utley and Howard, their best years are clearly in the rear-view mirror.
But they gave us something we hungered for for years. They gave us a parade.
They made us winners.
It's been awhile since we felt that way.
Thanks, Cole.
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