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Cole Hamels did not paint a glowing picture of the Phillies clubhouse last season

((Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images))

PHILADELPHIA -- Fresh off of a six-year, $144 million dollar extension, Phillies' pitcher Cole Hamels is allowed to have an opinion on where this team is headed.

Even if it isn't a very optimistic one.

"You have to know when to start over," Hamels said to Richard Rys of Philly Magazine. "Will our fans be happy with that? Probably not. We won't win 100 games next season. But with another wild card, we can definitely get into the playoffs."

Despite saying the team could make the playoffs, that isn't exactly a statement from a player who sounds enthusiastic about the team's offseason. Hamels basically suggests the team needs to start over, which isn't exactly in line with the team's signings this offseason of older, veteran players.

As to why things fells apart last year, Hamels offered an equally disturbing view of what he saw from the inside.

"Our hitting sucked," Hamels said. "The energy in the clubhouse changed. It used to be all high fives. This season, there weren’t as many high fives. There was a lot of bitterness, pointing fingers — ‘You haven’t played well in a week, why weren’t you in here early?’”

This isn't the first time a player has questioned the atmosphere in the Phillies' clubhouse. Jonathan Palelbon said he didn't see any leadership on the team, a statement that did not go over well with fans in Philadelphia who love players like Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley unconditionally.

As for Hamels statement about the hitting, he is right. The Phillies were 27th in the entire MLB in runs scored, and especially struggled with Hamels at the plate.

Still, throwing a portion of the team that he has nothing to do with -- hittiing -- under the bus isn't exactly the kind of move that should turn around the finger pointing in the locker room he suggests is going on.

And based off of these comments, seems to be a part of.

Follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks