PHILADELPHIA  A bronze statue of the Phillies’ first World Series most valuable player, Mike Schmidt, guards the main gate to Citizens Bank Park. The team has yet to erect a statue of the second, Cole Hamels. His date with immortality may have to wait until the end of a career that took a dispiriting turn this season.

The Phillies are still trying to solve the enigma that is Hamels, who will oppose Andy Pettitte in Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday night in a matchup of contrasting styles. No one is steadier than Pettitte, who has lasted at least six innings in 10 consecutive postseason starts. No one is more inconsistent than Hamels, whose wobbly regular season has bled into the playoffs.

“Every time he goes out and pitches, it’s an adventure,” Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel said of Hamels, who in three playoff starts is 1-1 with a 6.75 earned run average. “But I know he has the talent to shut them down, and I’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”

Manuel finished setting the Phillies’ rotation Friday, announcing that Joe Blanton would start Game 4 on Sunday night  not Cliff Lee, the Game 1 starter, on short rest  in a move with ramifications for Hamels.