Hamels has deigned to approve of a deal with the Red Sox
By Lewis Gould
If you’re wondering why the woeful Phillies with the $180 million salary load — much of it in unproductive, over the hill players — didn’t do a deal before the trade deadline, here is what Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting:
“Don’t think in 30 years of covering baseball I’ve ever seen a team (the Phillies) spend so much time scouting another team (the Red Sox) and not pull the trigger on a deal. Even after the trade deadline, the Phillies have had a scout in Boston, St. Louis, and Anaheim watching Boston’s young players. The match would be Cole Hamels for young players, and it may very well heat up this offseason. Hamels, according to a source close to him, would be open to a deal with the Red Sox.
“It will take four or five prospects to land Hamels. The Cubs were unable to come up with a package to obtain him last week. The Phillies are asking for top prospects but the Cubs were unwilling to part with shortstop Addison Russell, who was obtained in the Jeff Sarmardzija deal to Oakland. The Rangers, Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers, and Angels are seen as the major players for him this offseason. The Phillies can use Hamels as the major player in their rebuilding efforts and will hold on until they receive their ransom.
“That Jonathan Papelbon cleared waivers this week was no surprise given his contract ($13 million remaining next year with a vesting option easily attainable for 2016). That he hasn’t been dealt — with the Phillies picking up some of the tab — also is surprising. Papelbon could surely help teams such as Detroit, Baltimore, the Dodgers, and others. ‘The Phillies are just unreasonable in their demands,”’said one AL official. ‘When they get a bit more realistic, I think Papelbon will move, but that may not happen until the end of the month.’
