Phillies ace Cole Hamels is “open-minded” to being traded to any team, including the Blue Jays and Astros, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com writes. “I have not been approached,” says Hamels. “When I’m approached, then I can make a decision and provide an answer about a team. But I’m open-minded on everybody and everything.”
Hamels’ contract allows him to block trades to all teams except the Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, Padres, Rangers, and Yankees. Previous reports had suggested he would block trades to the Blue Jays and Astros if given the chance, but that apparently isn’t the case.
Hamels adds that he didn’t foresee the Astros’ strong performance this year when he failed to mark them for inclusion on his list of approved teams. “They just didn’t make the nine-team list,” he says. “When I made the list in October –- who knew?”
The Phillies owe Hamels about $86MM guaranteed through 2018, including a $6MM buyout on his vesting/club option for 2019. As Salisbury notes, the absence of certain teams (such as the Red Sox, although it now appears less likely that the Red Sox would acquire him after their underwhelming start) from Hamels’ approved-trade list could give him leverage to ask the team acquiring him to pick up his option. Hamels has lately been connected to the Yankees and Rangers as well as the Blue Jays.
In other words, “Get me out of here!!!!”
Yeah, I think Cole is trying to say he wants out of the rebuild in Philly ASAP.
The Phillies need to get someone in charge before they start making moves. Better get on it.
I think the dodgers are the best fit for Hamels, the cubs would be nice as well but I think the cubs are going after price in the offseason
I already envision Price trying on Cubs caps while he’s on the road and hitting up the Lids store at the mall
As the Chambers Brothers said, the time has come today!
I’m not sure what’s changed. Hamels was asked a question…..likely in the shadow of Sandberg resignation… And he responded. The reports earlier of blocking certain teams was more media speculation. Having a 10 team block is only a bargaining chip. I mean…where’s the news? He’s been practically dealt for almost a season.
It was reported before, clearly erroneously that he would refuse a trade to the Astros and Blue Jays. That doesn’t seem to be the case.
Actually when the Astros block report came out there was a story indicating it was (at that time) but Hamels may consider it later. I’m guessing he sees this ship hitting the ocean floor and with all the disfunction wants out.
It could be that about 70% of what we see reported has no more validity than anyone’s opinion on here.
Whatever it takes to get him out of there I’m sure he will do. However, I’m pretty sure he has his preferences still for various reasons.
On a side note…commenting on this site now is really bad. You can see how the comments have come WAY down in numbers. Miss the interactive elements of disqus…
me too, this new comment system is horrible. i loved having notifications to check, i loved being able to upvote and easily reply to others. I barely even come here anymore. I loved these forums so much before..
Agreed. They could make the comments do everything Disqus does, but it still won’t be able to duplicate how Disqus shows you notifications on OTHER sites using Disqus.
me too, this msg system is seriously inferior to the old. i loved having notifications to check, i loved being able to upvote and easily reply to others. I barely even come here anymore. I loved these forums so much before..
100& agreed. I have no idea why they changed, but it seems they dont care what users think…
I agree with you on the message system. Sometimes change isn’t progress. This is one of those times. I enjoyed having a conversation with someone over several messages. Now its pretty much make one statement and the conversation is over.
do the Phillies want Singleton back? hahahahahaha
I still think the Cubs give the Phillies the best package for Hamels.
Actually I think he heads west and goes to the dodgers
I don’t think either the Cubs or the Dodgers want to trade any of their top young talent and the Phillies aren’t going to trade Hamels for B level prospects.
I can see Colorado as a fit. They want a top starter. They are not likely to get one in free agency. They were burned on Mike Hampton, so they are not going to want to pay 100+MM for a long term contract. The only way they can get an established #1 is thru trade. Unlike other teams, their only recourse is to trade prospects. They may not have the best farm system, but so many teams are reluctant to trade top prospects that all they have to do is make the best offer, which they can do.
I doubt they think they are an ace away. It may be another 2-3 years in their minds to rebuild so it wouldnt really be worth trading for him. They lack elite prospects so they would have to give up a lot of youth. Also it seems the Phillies are holding out for a Seeger, Urias, Betts kind of guy and I dont think they will get one.
Seager would have to be going back East and its hard to see that happening.
Actaully I don’t think they would want Seager, they have third base covered with franco and I think Galvis is going to hold down the fort at short stop, I think they will end up trading Urias as the main piece and others. The dodgers will go all in for hamels and in case greinke does opt out, they have insurance.
Hahaha Galvis’ presence would never stop the Phillies from acquiring Seager if they had the chance to. The better argument would be that they have JP Crawford in AA as their SS of the future, but even then, if you have the chance to get Seager you do it since he’s nearly major-league ready now. You’d plug him in at SS with Franco at 3B. If Crawford ends up making the club next year or more realistically in 2017, then you figure things out then. Maybe move Franco to 1B and Seager to 3B (since there’s been talk he ends up there anyway).
No matter, Seager isn’t getting traded by LA.
thats possible , I forgot about Crawford. Galvis can hold the fort down until crawford is ready. I don’t think the dodgers part ways with Seager either , which is why I said Urias will be the main piece.
Agreed on all points (this is where I miss the simple upvote option).
If the phillies eat some of the contract, I am pretty sure the dodgers would part ways with Urias and others for Hamels, they would have insurance incase Greinke opts out, which I believe he will.
Singleton and McCullers ..those 2 should start the conversation.
Amaro would be asking for Correa
He can ask. I’m going to assume the conversation doesn’t last very long.
I understand players not in love with playing with the Blue Jays (Canada and all) but their tax rate apparently falls in the middle of the pack and the Jays MLB leading offense and fairly strong defense is currently only being let down by some at/near MLB worst pitching. If you’re an ace who keeps losing 1-0 or 3-2 etc you might like the idea of having 7 runs or more seemingly continuously put up behind you. Saying this naturally as they get shut-out today.
Yeah, the tax rate thing is way over blown.
Just my opinion, but here’s a list of players I think the Phillies will want in order to Trade Hamels… And one of these teams will break and bite on it as teams get more and more desperate and closer to being a playoff team.
from the Dodgers: Schebler / De Leon / Barnes / Sweeney or Z. Lee
from the Yankees: Servino / Judge / Sanchez / Refsnyder
from the Rangers: Alfaro / Mazara / Cordell / Thompson
from the Astros: Appel / Santana / Phillips / Reed
from the Blue Jays: Norris / Pentecost / Pompey / Reid-Foley
from the Cubs: Schwarber / Baez / Almora / Edwards
from the Orioles: Gausman / Walker / Sisco / Yastrzemski
from the Cardinals: Piscotty / Reyes / Cooney / Wilson
from the Padres: Renfroe / Liriano / Hedges / Lindsey
from the Pirates: Bell / Hanson / Meadows / Glasnow OR Taillon
from the Red Sox: Owens OR Johnson / Margot / Devers / Coyle
(Cash will be added to some of those offers along with Hamels – the better the package, the more $$ added)
So, the Yankees are going to have to give up their best 2 prospects and 4 of their top 5? Why not just throw Bird in the mix and clean out the farm? Even Amaro wouldn’t ask for that from them and he would have to be exceptionally drunk to go to the Cubs with that offer as well.. This is Cole Hamels we are talking about not in his prime Maddux or Clemens.. That is why he has been on the block for over a year with no takers.. You and Amaro need to come down to earth..
I’m not saying they should make that trade but thats what its gonna take. They dont have a super strong farm team. Sanchez and Resnyder are not that valuable.
You forgot one.
from the Tigers: J. McCann/ B. Farmer/ D. Machado/ J. Turley
A starting catcher, 2 starting pitchers, and a middle infielder. Angel Nesbitt could also be available if they want bullpen.
(I should have said that for most of those listed, I would only expect 3 out of the 4 players listed, that the 4 listed on each team would be those to choose 3 from, of course the list could be expanded to choose 3 from a selection of 5 or 6, 2 will have to be A prospects, and 1 or 2 “B” type… That and the Phillies can expand the trade to include Papelbon, Revere, Harang, ect… for example, the Blue Jays and Astros would get both Hamels and Papelbon for those 4 listed, the Cubs would get Hamels and Revere for the 4 listed… and so on…)
I could see the Jays doing that deal. No Pompey though. They are loaded with young pitching and have Martin for 4 more years after this, so Norris, Reid Foley and Pentecost are expendable. OF depth isn’t so good. Maybe a guy like Alford or Davis, high upside but much further away. Don’t see them taking Hamels contract on though. Papelbon is much more likely….obviously not for this package.
If the phillies are willing to eat some the contract, I think the dodgers will give them Urias because adding hamels would give them insurance for greinke.
I hardly doubt Abby of theses teams will bite if that’s what they have to give up.
I can see the Yankees going harder after Hamels if Tanaka continues to struggle. It would allow Tanaka to get the Tommy John surgery and have Hamels fill his void while he is out for the next 12 months or so.
I don’t see the yankees trading for an ace like Cueto Hamels or The Shark maybe for a back end of the rotation starter like Harang or Kazmir
You may see the Jays in on Hamels, they have young arms, Matt Boyd was likely being show cased for a potential swap.
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How bad is the Donaldson for Lawrie trade looking on Oakland….
At this point, Cole Hamels is probably calling up teams proposing a trade to get him out of Philly.