In the pursuit of trying to get better every year -- no matter how high the previous campaign's success set the bar -- Hamels wanted to forget his run at being the National League Championship Series and World Series Most Valuable Player almost as quickly as it happened.

"I think when you're able to accomplish something like I was able to do, some people can dwell on that a lot more," Hamels said. "And I know mentally if you start dwelling on that, what else is left to accomplish?

"I think of failure as almost the best way of learning. Even though I won, I like to think that maybe I didn't do as well as I should've, just so that there's always room for improvement."

But a 4-0 record with a 1.80 ERA in five postseason starts last season isn't fooling anybody.

Especially not the Phillies' front office.

On Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, Hamels' reward for being one of the best young pitchers in the game -- a fact that was proven on a national stage throughout the Phillies' World Series run -- was officially announced, as the 25-year-old left-hander received a three-year, $20.5 million contract.

"I truly am very appreciative of the way that this process was able to turn out," Hamels said at a news conference announcing the deal, one he was trying to wrap up as quickly as possible so he could root on the Eagles in their playoff game against the Cardinals. "I know it's a very stressful time for a lot of athletes, just due to the fact that we're trying to figure out the business side of baseball."

Although this was Hamels' first year of arbitration eligibility, he does speak with some experience.

Hamels felt disrespected at the start of last season, when the Phillies signed him to a $500,000 deal. But one thing the San Diego native didn't want was for Philadelphia fans to think he was complaining. So he said he'd "prove his worth" the only way he knew how: pitching.

And that's exactly what he did.

In his third season big league season, Hamels went 14-10 while putting up career highs in innings pitched (227 1/3) and starts (33), with a career-low 3.09 ERA. Included in that was a 2.61 ERA in both June and August, and a slim 2.99 ERA at Citizens Bank Park -- considered by many as a launching pad for home runs.

In his three years with the Phillies, Hamels has combined to go 38-23 with a 3.43 ERA, 518 strikeouts and 144 walks in 84 starts.

Hamels will make $4.35 million in 2009, $6.65 million in '10 and $9.5 million in '11. Normally, arbitration only kicks in after three years of service time. But Hamels is part of that small group -- called a "Super Two" -- of players between two and three years of service time who ranks in the top 17 percent of his class.

Because of that, Hamels will have one year left of arbitration when his contract expires. Then, he'll be a full-fledged free agent after the 2012 season.

"I think that was one of the appealing things about it," said Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock, who was sitting alongside Hamels at the news conference. "We will get another opportunity to talk to Cole and his representatives ... about keeping him here for an even longer period of time. Over the next three years, this organization has a chance to compete, just like it did this year, for the World Series. And in order to have the cost certainty that we have, it helps us when we're able to determine, down the road, if we have the finances available to be able to add a particular piece that we need in a particular time to get us over the hump.

"But we'll have another opportunity to have another one of these press conferences in three years."

After hearing that, Hamels chimed in immediately, adding: "I look forward to it."

He likely wasn't kidding, either.

Hamels, the Phillies' first-round pick in 2002, said he grew up admiring Tony Gwynn and took a particular liking to the fact he was able to stay with the Padres' organization throughout his entire career.

That's something he'll try to replicate in Philly.

"That was something I really took to heart, to see how somebody can make an impact on a city, and then realize that the city is making an impact on them," Hamels said.

"It's so hard to end up in [the same] city [you started in], but I think it is possible. And that's something where it takes accountability from the player, not only the organization. I think the organization has definitely shown that they want me to stay, and I think the fans have, too. And that's what really inspires me more."

With Hamels' signing, the Phillies -- who signed Greg Dobbs to a two-year deal on Friday -- have now taken care of two arbitration-eligible players in the past week.

But they're not out of the woods yet -- not even close.

Philadelphia's front office still has six possible arbitration cases left, with Ryan Howard -- who made a record $10 million through the hearings in 2008 -- being the most crucial. On top of that, Ryan Madson, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Chad Durbin and Joe Blanton also need to be addressed.

But, unlike last year, Hamels can go into the 2009 season with the comfort of at least knowing the business side is taken care of. With that out of the way, his focus could primarily shift to helping the Phillies be the first repeat World Series champions since the 2000 Yankees.

"It's a great feeling just for the fact of being able to have some financial stability," Hamels said.

"Now I can really focus and head back down to Florida and get ready for this next year of defending our world championship crown."