OAKLAND, Calif. - As he ages, this is what Cole Hamels must do. He must reinvent himself often, maybe every couple of months or even weeks. He must remain unpredictable and show teams a different side of himself.
Meet the new Mr. Hamels.
At least for the time being.
On Tuesday, Hamels, whose repertoire the last couple of seasons has become basically an assortment of four-seam fastballs, cutters and curve balls, was a completely different pitcher. And while he occasionally teetered on the brink of wildness, he was able to keep Oakland off balance and frustrated for five innings in a 4-1 Rangers win.