Hamels is an attractive trade piece, Gillick says

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The most prized righthanded arm in this year's free-agent class came off the board late Sunday when the Washington Nationals reportedly agreed with Max Scherzer on a seven-year, $210 million contract.

The signing sent shock waves throughout baseball for obvious reasons. The Nationals have assembled a super-rotation, one that quickly drew comparisons to the 2011 Phillies. But the move also raises questions about the next shoe to drop in the starting pitching market, and whether a ripple effect of the deal could lead to a trade involving Phillies ace Cole Hamels.

There are only so many topflight starters still available to teams hoping to contend. If the Nationals attempt to move Jordan Zimmermann, a free agent at season's end, those interested in Hamels have another option. James Shields is the lone top-of-the-rotation starter left unsigned.

"Probably if somebody's interested in adding a pitcher, certainly you couldn't do any better than Cole Hamels," Phillies interim president Pat Gillick said Monday before the club's short-season single-A affiliate, the Williamsport Crosscutters, held its annual winter banquet. "You've got a No. 1 starter. I think any organization would be happy to add Cole."

The four most-speculated suitors for Hamels are the Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. The Rangers, though, likely took themselves out of the running for Hamels on Monday when they acquired Yovani Gallardo from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock told MLB Network Radio on Sunday there are other teams "kicking the tires a little bit" but wouldn't disclose "the level of kicking."

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is "listening to a lot of people," said Gillick, 77. "Anyone would be crazy, the other 29 clubs, if they weren't interested in somebody like Cole Hamels. That doesn't mean we have to trade him. But if I'm on the other side of the fence and looking at the Phillies, certainly Cole Hamels is an attractive pitcher for me."

Gillick staunchly disagreed with the perception that the Phillies' asking price for Hamels is too high. "I think it's ridiculous," he said. "What's too much for a No. 1 starter?"

The architect of the Phillies' 2008 world-championship team will soon enter his fifth month serving in the stead of David Montgomery, the longtime team president and CEO on a medical leave of absence since late August. Gillick wouldn't speculate how much longer he expects to serve in the role. The Phillies' pitchers and catchers will hold their first spring training workout in Clearwater on Feb. 19.

"We're right at a month now," Gillick said, "so right now it would probably be that I would be here at least through spring training."

@jakemkaplan