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How Red Sox' signings impact Phillies

The dominoes have started to fall with free agents Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval landing in Boston.

Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels. (Ron Cortes/Staff file photo)
Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels. (Ron Cortes/Staff file photo)Read more

GOOD NEWS for impatient Phillies fans seeking change, although there are still 84 days until pitchers and catchers convene in Clearwater, Fla.:

Baseball's offseason Richter scale registered its first big waves when the Boston Red Sox delivered a one-two punch to teams seeking free-agent hitters. Boston swiped both Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval off the open market in a 24-hour span Monday.

While signing former Marlins and Dodgers All-Star Ramirez and longtime Giants fan favorite Sandoval wouldn't seem to have an effect on the Phillies, the Red Sox' Monday spending spree will ignite the hot stove's fire, by way of a domino effect.

For example: With Sandoval gone, the Giants have both $100 million lying around that they didn't have to spend on Sandoval, in addition to a need for both a middle-of-the-order bat and third baseman. Ditto the Padres, on the money left unspent; they were reportedly a finalist, with the Red Sox and Giants, for Sandoval.

But what about the Phillies?

Boston, primed to make another postseason run with the thunder they just added to their lineup, which still has mainstays David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia, among others, needs starting pitching. More specific, the Red Sox need a couple of top-of-the-rotation types to slot above Clay Buchholz.

The Phillies could go full throttle into rebuilding mode by not just listening to offers for Cole Hamels but actively shopping him to potential suitors, like Boston. Whether or not the Phillies trade Hamels this winter, the rumors will only increase when free-agent lefthander Jon Lester finds a new home.

If that home isn't Boston, where Lester spent his entire career before being traded to Oakland in July, Hamels would likely be the Red Sox' top choice. They haven't been linked to Max Scherzer (a Scott Boras client seeking a big payday) and fellow free agent James Shields would seem to be a better No. 2 for a big-market team with plenty of payroll flexibility.

If Boston comes calling, Ruben Amaro Jr. has every reason to ask for infielder Xander Bogaerts, who may very well be an untouchable and a pipe dream.

But exactly 9 years ago, current Boston GM Ben Cherington helped orchestrate a trade that sent another untouchable infield prospect, named Hanley Ramirez, along with three others, including Anibal Sanchez, to Florida to acquire playoff ace Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell. Boston gave up a bounty, but it also went on to win a World Series with Beckett in 2007.

Granted, Beckett was 5 years younger then than Hamels is now, but still, it's the GM's job to aim high.

Looking beyond Bogaerts, Boston has a deep collection of prospects that would enrich the Phils' depleted farm system, including catcher Blake Swihart, outfielder Mookie Betts, and pitchers Henry Owens and Matt Barnes. Despite reports that the asking price for Hamels could decrease as the winter continues, Phillies ownership won't approve of dealing away its 30-year-old World Series MVP at a discounted rate, especially when the Phillies don't have to trade him in the first place.

Given their own status as a big-market club, with money coming off the books in the next 2 years, the Phils could conceivably compete in the latter half of Hamels' current contract. If the front office does trade him, it will not give in to another team's price.

"In Cole Hamels, not only as a person but as a pitcher, you've got all the qualities you look for on and off the field," Pat Gillick said earlier this month. "And I just think that - I don't want to use the word overwhelmed - but you'd have to be very well-compensated in players in return to even think about moving a pitcher of his caliber . . . If you're giving up a person like Hamels, because like I said, with his makeup and what kind of a person he is, you have to make sure you're getting back quality individuals also. So it's a long due diligence that you're doing on any of the players you may get in return to make sure, to cut down your margin of error as much as possible."

Given their moves Monday, the Red Sox are in better position to move prospects in an effort to increase their chances of winning in the next 2 to 3 years . . . unlike another team that has been linked to Hamels - the Chicago Cubs, who have a much younger core and might be inclined to fill their own pitching needs next winter, when the likes of David Price, Zack Greinke, Jeff Samardzija and Jordan Zimmermann are due to hit the market as free agents.

As for Hamels, the Red Sox are reportedly on his no-trade list, but he made it clear last summer that his top priority in his career is to win as often as he can, and while looking at the current and past rotation mates like Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, he knows the window of opportunity only lasts so long for a pitcher. If the Red Sox had to pick up Hamels' $20 million option for 2019 to appease Hamels, the final price tag of a few prospects and a 5-year, $110 million commitment to Hamels could be very appealing, especially if they lose out on Lester.

With a crowded lineup and outfield, the Red Sox are also likely to shop Yoenis Cespedes for pitching. Since he's a free agent after the year, he's not a fit for the rebuilding Phillies. Cespedes could net the No. 2 or 3 pitcher the Red Sox also need.

And that leads to the chain of reaction likely to result after the Red Sox signings.

Add Cespedes to the group of righthanded-hitting outfielders who can be had this winter, which includes trade candidate Marlon Byrd and free agent Nelson Cruz. Cespedes is younger and, if Byrd plays enough to vest his 2016 option, cheaper than the Phillies rightfielder.

If, say, Cincinnati trades for Cespedes and the Mariners sign Cruz, the Phillies have two fewer places to try to trade Byrd. And then there's the player the Phils would like to pencil into their lineup in place of Byrd.

The Yasmany Tomas sweepstakes is likely to gain steam now that two of the bigger free-agent bats are off the market. Having lost out on Sandoval, the Giants are likely to make a serious play on Tomas, as are the Padres, who have already held two private workouts for the Cuban free-agent power hitter.

The Phillies are expected to make an aggressive offer for Tomas, too. But he could continue to let the market play out in the coming weeks, and, like nearly every free agent, will go to the highest bidder.

The musical chairs began Monday. Expect the music to continue playing for the next 6 weeks.

Blog: ph.ly/HighCheese