The Phillies are said to be planning to offer Cole Hamels a contract extension worth at least $120MM, but it’s not stopping them from evaluating trade possibilities in case the sides don’t reach a deal. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Phillies are “operating on two planes” with Hamels. They’re involved in serious negotiations about a long-term deal at the same time that they’re positioning themselves to trade Hamels and Shane Victorino quickly if necessary. Here are the rest of Sherman’s notes on the trade market:
- The Dodgers loom as a team that figures to bid aggressively on Hamels should the left-hander hit free agency this coming offseason. One official connected to the Phillies said they realize “their best number has to come now.”
- The Angels and Rangers are arguably the two most motivated buyers of the summer, and both are potential fits for Hamels. One scout suggested the Angels could obtain Hamels for Peter Bourjos and prospects Jean Segura and John Hellweg, but other executives say they’d be shocked if the Phillies get that much for Hamels given the new rules regulating draft pick compensation.
- The Cubs want to move Ryan Dempster in the relatively near future and turn their focus to trade talks involving Matt Garza, Sherman writes. The Dodgers are currently viewed as the favorites for Dempster, the Tigers are seen as “strong pursuers” and the Red Sox appear to be long shots.
Does Hamels really want to stay with the Phillies? If so, they should trade him to better their team/farm and then sign him in the offseason.
Why wouldnt he want to stay? I know they are having a bad year but they dealt with alot of injuries this year and they can retool for next year. Also i know they have large commitments in the near future but they also have a lot of money coming off the books over the next 3 years
” A major league source denied a report
that the Red Sox are “aggressive in the pursuit of Ryan Dempster.” To
the contrary, the source suggested, the Sox have not been pursuing the
right-hander actively.”
WeEI just yesterday…
Every day it’s been the same story. But now there’s a difference. The Phils are at full strength. Well close to full strength. They obviously still need to straighten out the bullpen, could use a younger third baseman with an upside, and have to come to grips with Utleys demise. But I’m guessing all of those Philly fans who wanted to trade Hamels, Victorino, Pierre, Rollins, Brown, Pence, The Phanatic.. will all be singing a different tune today. Now that the Phils won 4 straight.
If they can still trade Victorino, Polanco, Rollins, or Pierre they should because really they barely ever help the team and Pierre was just a one year deal…but maybe they should wait on Rollins since he’s hot
If they win another 10 in a row they are still only at .500
It will take more than three wins against the terrible Colorado Rockies
and the very injured Los Angeles Dodgers to save the Phillies ‘ season
from being a bust
Four in a row is great, and if you want to stand pat and play out the season that’s perfectly fine by me (in fact since the Cubs have some competing trade assets, I would prefer that you do). But you still have a huge deficit to make up and you would have to leapfrog no less than seven teams just to get to the second wildcard spot. That’s asking a lot. I don’t think your four in a row even moved you up one spot in the wildcard race, to put some perspective on how big the task is, and two of those wins came against one of only four teams with a worse record than you. I highly doubt people who see that will “all be singing a different tune today.” Nothing is impossible at this point in the season, but this is a very steep hill to climb.
Oh I completely understand. But there’s still a season next year, and resigning Hamels seems like a better option then anything else. Unless Ruben can work his magic by trading Hamels now, garner 2 or 3 prospects.. then resign him in the off season.
I think keeping Hamels is the Phillies’ first choice too, but at this point there’s not much reason for him not to test free agency. As long as you can get better than the draft pick in return, trading him is probably the best choice. He’s said he would give you a chance to sign him in the offseason even if you deal him, so it’s not like you’re any worse off by doing it.
As far as Hamels goes I think the Phillies are doing it exactly right: Make an offer, if he rejects it ship him out of town and you can debate making another offer in the offseason. Hanging on to him without an extension on makes sense if you can’t get anything good back, which would be surprising.
If Hamels doesn’t sign in the next week or so, you try to trade him. Brown is in your outfield next year so he stays… but i trade Victorino, Polanco, Blanton, Pierre and Wigginton right now if I can. Oh and Rollins too. But not the Phanatic, not ever.
Your list is pretty much the same as mine (though I’d be happy keeping Rollins and Pierre, since we might well need Pierre in our OF next year the way things go.) The one caveat is as long as a trade is in place for Hamels that the ownership is happy with, if the other team is willing to wait until the deadline, take every second you can to sign him, and move him only if it’s impossible to make a deal work, rather than setting an arbitrary deadline in advance. They can work on a contract and a potential trade at the same time, so there’s no reason not to give the contract effort every last possible second.
16 more to go.
I don’t see why Hamels can’t bet a Top Prospect much like when The Mets traded Beltran for Wheeler. Hamels should have at least that much value to a team.
Under the old rules yes. Under the new rules … not so much.
New CBA rules shouldn’t play a part as The Giants couldn’t offer Beltran arbitration because of his contract and they still traded a Top Prospect.
Top Prospect = Mike Olt
If Hellweg finds the plate he’s lights out in the pen.
The Angels would be idiots to give up that package UNLESS they can negotiate a reasonable extension. If you trade for Hamels now you might get 10 starts out of him. If he walks at the end of the year you get nothing. 10 starts … maybe 3 wins more than you would get with a replacement starter, seems like a huge bounty for one ML player and two very good prospects.
I’d much rather keep Bourjos and let Segura and Hellwig develop.