Cole Miner: Phillies' Hamels Emerging As Marketing Dream

Hamels Credits His Wife With Helping Him With Interviews

Phillies P Cole Hamels, who won the '08 World Series MVP, in "many ways ... represents a marketing executive's fantasy," according to Ben Reiter in a SPORTS ILLUSTRATED cover story. Hamels is "outrageously talented ... good-looking" and charming "in that chilled-out, beach rat way." In addition, he is "willing to do nearly everything he's been invited to do in this, his first off-season as a true star." Hamels: "It's been a whirlwind of opportunities that you never really imagine having. It's a way to show fans a different side of me." This winter, Hamels was offered "plenty of opportunities to display his ... public persona." Reiter notes Hamels immediately following the World Series appeared on CBS' "Late Show" and was a guest on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in November. Hamels this offseason also had an "endless series of lower-profile events -- meet-and-greets, autograph shows, commercial shoots, magazine photo shoots, charity appearances -- that suddenly dominated his calendar." He has been the subject of a photo shoot for Philadelphia Style magazine and "dined with high rollers at two Atlantic City casinos." Hamels and his wife, Heidi, who previously competed on CBS' "Survivor," agreed that her experience in the public eye has been "immensely beneficial" to Hamels' off-field success. Hamels: "She definitely helped me with a lot of my interview skills and public speaking. ... Heidi was like, If you want to be in a position to represent the team, you've got to dress the part, you've got to speak the part. That was something I didn't know." Reiter notes Hamels' wardrobe "used to be stocked with cargo shorts and surfer T-shirts," but now he is a "Hugo Boss kind of a guy" (SI, 2/23 issue).

JUST PLAY BALL: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said that the "sideshow that follows a championship team wouldn't distract his Phillies." An HBO film crew has been covering the team's Spring Training, while TNA wrestler Kevin Nash and "several active U.S. servicemen" have been guests of the team. Manuel: "It goes along with winning the World Series, I guess. ... That's part of what goes into it, as long as we can handle it in the right way. Keep our desire and our attitude and things will work out for us" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/20).