The easiest activity for baseball media and fans alike is to second guess a manager.

So what would you have done with Cole Hamels Wednesday night?

The All-Star lefty scuffled through the first inning, yielding three runs on four hits.

But in the next six innings, from the second to the seventh, he retired 18 of 21 batters, 10 via strikeouts.

He had 110 pitches entering the eighth inning.

So there was probably no reason to take him out. But what about after he gave up a double to Ryan Braun to begin the eighth?

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel wants Hamels to be able to complete games this year. Hamels also wants to add some CGs to his resume.

Although I would have been awful tempted to lift Hamels in that spot - especially since he gave up a home run to Fielder earlier in the game and the team had J.C. Romero warming in the 'pen - I can't fault Manuel for sticking with his all-star lefty.

If you want to beat the best, you should go with your best - and it's tough to find anyone who doesn't think Hamels is the best pitcher on the Phillies staff.

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The Archive Files

Cole Hamels will eventually complete games this season. But on Wednesday night in Milwaukee, Brewers slugger Prince Fielder prevented that from happening.

In the notebook, the Phillies closer is in mid-season form, a rookie adjusts to his first week in The Show and a homecoming goes well for a former Brewer.