Should the Phillies entertain trading Cole Hamels?
Doc is OLD. Ask Pedro what happens to pitchers in their mid-30s. Trading Hamels.Drabek or breaking the bank for him could be a mistake. We have options in Kendrick, Moyer and Martinez, along with whoever else is available.
Ford's right. No reason to rush into a move. Save your money and then rent a pitcher for the stretch. Also, trade Happ now before the inevitable crash. He's Keyle Kendrick all over again, doesn't have the tools to repeat that success.
Doc's 32--Pedro's 38. Happ is Kendrick all over again??? You guys don't know what you're talking about. Kendrick had a sinker and that was it--he had no secondary pitches at all. Happ has fastball, curve, and slider. And if you're looking at his playoff performance, keep in mind that Manuel jerked him and Blanton around between the bullpen and starting rotation. No pitcher, don't care how good he is, isn't going to pitch well when he goes back and forth in a short series.
You are forgetting perhaps (no pun intended :)) Happ's nastiest pitch - His changeup! I also think all this talk about trading Hamels is premature and knee-jerk. Good pitchers come back from sub-par seasons. Look at Cliff Lee, in 2007 when the Indians went to the playoffs he wasn't even on the roster...2008 Cy Young!
Hamels is young, he's lefthanded and intellegent baseball people (not me) feel he is still the real deal. Keep Hollywood. The fakeout over Halladay then going for Lee was excellant last year; wonder if Amaro is pulling it again? And who would be this year's version of Lee?
watch happ this year,,he s going to be one of the top form pitchers along with lee ,,hamels ,,the bullpen has to be better,,,once we have the pitchers with lower era s ,,,it s back to the world series
I'm in the trade-Hamels camp but it has nothing to do with his season. The article touched on the issue. Hamels will be a FA after 2011. I see no way (particularly if the Phils lock up Lee, considering they'll need to pony up for Utley, Howard, Werth and Victorino too) the Phils having the dough to sign him. He'll want #1 money, or close to it, and my guess is he (and his ego and suspect mental state) would be more than happy to take big dollars from LA, move back home and play in front of fans who could care less about baseball. So if there's a deal to be made, I'd make it. True, Hamels is owed more money, but it covers 2 years. The Jays could still trade Hamels at the deadline in 2011 and get more pieces. Don't get me wrong, I expect Hamels to be a very good pitcher for quite a while. Problem is is that's irrelevant. Whether he is or isn't doesn't change the fact that the Phils won't have the money to sign him. Hamels being good just makes it harder to do, that's all. If the Phils brass think this is difficult, wait until Howard, Utley and Werth all have their hands out within a year of each other...
Hamels, Victorino and Werth will/should be traded by 2011 while their value is high to ease salary cap, while bringing in a solid player or three. Dominick Brown and Michael Taylor are in the wings along with Drabek and a couple of other promising young pitchers as well. We will be fine until then.
As I channel my inner Yankee GM, I say keep Hamels, get Halliday I will part with Werth or Victorino, Happ and any minor leaguers not named Drabek or Brown. While we are at it, get a closer quality reliever, a solid fielding middle infielder that can hit and a decent hitting backup catcher. I am pretty sure there is a better chance of Harry and Rich calling opening day.
I think Terry Francona called it correctly about Hamels and Lidge. The long season combined with a long, pressure packed post season burned them out. Lets see if they recover. Happ and Blanton not getting alot of post season work may prove a major blessing.
Why not have the Phillies just wait another year and try to outbid the Yankees for Halladay, thereby keeping all their sus -- uh, prospects?
Phillie fans are idiots...trade Cole Hamels, right! Stupidest, most ridiculous notion by Phillie fans in quite some time. Wanna still trade Ryan Howard, too? Idiots...oh ye of little faith, you ridiculous fans who have the patience of a 3-year old! Hamels is one of the top 10 lefties in baseball, once he screws his head, he may be in the top 3...idiots who vote NO to keeping him, my god, pathetic.
st: look at the vote. idiot.
Lets not put too much stock in Drabek, Brown, and Taylor yet. Haven't we seen enough 'can't miss' talent disappoint us already. I hope all 3 turn out great, but I remember all the talk about how Burrell (to name one) was no question going to be a super star...we don't need to be trading Victorino, Werth, or Hamels, and banking on the rookies to perform up to their 'potential'.
Remember nobody met the price for Halliay last year, who but the Yankees would come up with it this year? So the Phils should have a shot at a more reasonable price.
