Hamels Biting Off More Than He Can Chew? He Lays The Smackdown on the Mets!

Ah, Cole Hamels. You're a World Series Champion, married to a lovely girl and have the world at your fingertips.

Now, you've joined the big boys -- for real. In '07 Jimmy talked trash to the Mets and his team would win the division -- and the did.

And the Mets collapsed.

In '08, the Mets had their turn as Carlos Beltran jumped and gave his two cents. Well, Philadelphia took the division, and the World Series.

And the Mets collapsed -- again.

Cole Hamels -- who I have never heard say much of anything -- decided to lay Smackdown on the Mets.

In an interview on New York sports talk station WFAN on Thursday, Hamels, the World Series MVP, responded in the affirmative when asked if he thought the Mets were "choke artists."

"Last year and this year I think we did believe that [they were choke artists]," Hamels told the station, alluding to the Phillies winning the NL East in 2008 and '07, in part, with the help of back-to-back September collapses by New York. "Three years ago we didn't because they smoked everybody, and I think we all thought they were going to win it all. Unfortunately that didn't happen."

The Mets won 97 games and the NL East title in 2006 but lost to the Cardinals in the NL Championship Series in seven games.

"But, yeah, that's kind of what we believed and I think we're always going to believe that until they prove us wrong," Hamels said. "For the past two years they've been choke artists."

Either Cole Hamels is brave, stupid or is just saying what most fans know & feel. Ah, anytime Cole is on the mound in New York -- a place probably just as fun as Philadelphia -- he'll feel the love, and f-bombs, along with a few other choice words.

Ah, 2009, please come soon.