Hamels Laying Roots in DFW

He doesn't have a huge say in the matter, but it's safe to say Cole Hamels is now officially entrenched as a Texas Ranger.

After being acquired at the trade deadline last season, Hamels toed the rubber as the Rangers' ace and helped propel them to a surprise run at the AL West crown and put them on the brink of advancing to the ALCS after taking the big, bad Blue Jays to a decisive fifth game in the ALDS.

After a full offseason, Hamels now appears to be settling in the area and making it his own, and we're starting to see what made him such a beloved figure in the Philadelphia area after spending the entirety of his big-league career in a Phillies uniform until July.

Hamels has bought a home in Southlake and is now beginning to endear himself to the area by doing some good charity work. Most recently, he helped teammate Prince Fielder and Highland Park native Clayton Kershaw break ground on a new youth academy in West Dallas as part of an initiative by the Texas Rangers Foundation.

Hamels and Fielder both made financial contributions to the academy, as the Rangers pitcher said he always loves helping out area youth.

"That's what we always preach: Being able to give back to kids," Hamels told the Dallas Morning News. "This is great to be here for this kind of moment...I look forward to seeing a lot of the kids being able to play out on here."

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