Phillies reach deals with Hamels, Valdez
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Phillies reach deals with Hamels, Valdez
Daily News staff
The Phillies have never been a team that cared much for arbitration hearings.
Their actions leading into today's 1 p.m. deadline to trade numbers with their eligible players seem to support that position.
The Phillies have agreed to a 1-year, $15 million contract with Cole Hamels and also have agreed to a 1-year, $950,000 deal with infielder Wilson Valdez.
CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman was the first to report the Hamels agreement.
According to Heyman, Hamels’ deal includes a number of incentive clauses: $100,000 grand for MVP, $250,000 for Cy Young, $100,000 for World Series MVP, $50,000 for LCS MVP, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger or All-Star appearance. Valdez' contract also includes award bonuses.
"I have got no indication that Cole wants to go anywhere and I think Cole knows we want to keep him," general manager Ruben Amaro said on the day the team signed Jimmy Rollins. "I think if you read the quotes I made about Jimmy, they're going to be the same.”
Hamels is definitively receptive to a long-term deal to remain with the Phillies. It is likely the two sides will talk again during spring training.
“It’s a competitive town and Cole Hamels is a real competitor,” said John Boggs, Hamels’ San Diego-based agent. “That’s what Philly is all about. They like competitors. At the end of the day, that’s the biggest attraction for him. That's why he loves it there.”
Hamels finished a 3-year, $20.5 million deal this past season in which he made $9.5 million. He went 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA, the lowest of his big-league career as part of the Phillies’ vaunted pitching rotation.
His 14 wins gave him at least 10 wins in five straight seasons making him the first Phillies pitcher to do so since Hall of Famer Steve Carlton’s 13-year streak from 1972-84.
He remains scheduled to become a free agent after the 2012 season. Indications were that the sides were interested in a long-term deal, and one could still happen.
Valdez, 33, made $560,000 last season and is in his first year of being arbitration-eligible. He hit .249 -- and .330 with runners in scoring position -- in 99 games, but his versatility was a significant boost to the Phillies as they dealt with injuries to Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Valdez made 33 starts at second base, 21 at third base and 20 at shortstop.
The only other player eligible for arbitration is outfielder Hunter Pence. The sides can agree to a contract up to the start of the hearing, scheduled for the first two weeks in February. Pence filed at $11.8 million; the Phillies at $9 million. The arbitration panel must select either number.
"It's something you really don't focus on," Pence told the Daily News during his baseball camp last month in Texas. "My agents at Beverly Hills Sports Council take care of that. I trust them. I just focus on getting myself ready to play baseball."
Last winter, Pence became the first Astro since Rick Wilkins in 1996 to win an arbitration hearing. He made $6.9 million in 2011. Pence and the Astros went to a hearing last year.
its a good deal for both but i dont like the idea that if something cant be worked out he could be traded. just pay the guy... honestly, you give Howard 120 million and he gets exposed in the playoffs... here's the guy that has dominated, without the run support over his entire career. seriously, he shouldve won 20 games over the last 3 years and still hasnt hit it because we cant hit. his overall record should be +20 wins/-20 losses... im pretty sure the phillies see what they have in Hamels. He's not going anywhere.— Apollo Creed- I can understand waiting to make sure his arm is healthy before committing to a long-term deal, on both sides. But if this year comes and goes and they let him walk in free agency, that's where I'll draw the line. Cliff Lee gets lit up in the 2010 World Series, so the Phils throw $120 mil at him guaranteed over 5 years, and last year he gets basically a standing ovation as he's walking off the mound after getting lit up by the Cards in a crucial playoff game. Hamels, who carried this city to its only title in a quarter-century, gets booed off the mound in some meaningless April start and then goes on to have an outstanding All-Star season and tosses a shutout in the playoffs. As Teddy KGB once said, "Pay dat man his money!"
- $100,000 grand? It's either $100,000 or 100 grand. (Sigh)— tsmagnum73
- Does "Exxon" get same bonus options? He DID pitch afterall......— KwaiChang
- Cole will earn his money. Chase Utley? well, lets just say that goose is cooked.— SilliBilli
- To lock up Hamels long-term, I feel Halladay or Lee will be dangled after this season to attempt to get younger at some crucial positions(2B, 3B, CF). They cannot afford 3 $20-25 million pitchers and Hamels isn't even in his prime yet. With an aging nucleus that has maybe a year or two left to contend, they have to start thinking about the future and Hamels should be the centerpiece of that.— seaonasdad
- Good to see Cole back another year. I'm certain a long term deal will be forthcoming.
As for the cash incentives ... I do not like them. There should be one cash incentive for the whole team AFTER winning the World Series. Make it for all the marbles!!— schwenksville - clear that Cole will walk after this yr and Phils will be left with 2 good but aging starters and little else...meanwhile rube makes meaningless bullpen and bench deals for low-cost garbage that will provide garbage results (see,e.g. Baez, Schneider, Bruntlett, Herdon, Gload, etc) while he has still failed to improve offense, bench and bullpen in 3 1/2 yrs - an intelligent g.m. does NOT max out his budget by putting ALL his pitching budget into a single overrated and overpaid closer and 2 great starters but instead gets multiple quality relievers .. an intelligent g.m. does not put all his "offense" budget into a non-slugging so-called slugging 1st baseman with the rest of the offensive positions at best avg or below avg offensively and then can't afford a decent hitting 3rd baseman or any real quality on the bench.. a team can get to the post-season just on the strength of its starting pitching but the Amaro method is 0 for 3 in October and the numbers are unlikley to improve as the team is actually getting worse---meanwhile Amaro has squandered the Phils quality prospcts in his reckless manner of overspending for a few players, trading away all his prospects, while neglecting depth, balance, bench and bullpen, etc and the proof is in the pudding: an Amaro-built team has never won squat and now has a meager future— warbiscuit
- "an intelligent g.m. does NOT" yada yada. An intelligent Philly fan does NOT waste time reading posting that is always negative. I mean what IS the point? If everything is wrong why not spare yourself and us and pick another team. Mom use to say, "If you don't have ANYTHING good to say, don't say anything."
— DUDESKINS - "an intelligent g.m. does NOT" yada yada. An intelligent Philly fan does NOT waste time reading posting that is always negative. I mean what IS the point? If everything is wrong why not spare yourself and us and pick another team. Mom use to say, "If you don't have ANYTHING good to say, don't say anything." — DUDESKINS
- "Give Peace(muffin) a Chance".....
— stan the man too - @Peacemuffin...Ok..."Uncle"...We all give in...You win...You were right all along...Now please at least stop with the copying and pasting the same complaint...We know you're better than that...Give us, your devoted followers, some fresh meat to feast on...pretty please... — stan the man too
- More than $1 million per for each win he got last year.— mikemaddog
Cole might not go back to Rancho Bernardo. Though a nice house on the beach and some Padres Blue may be in the back of his mind.
