Hamels (left), Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth during the magical 2008 Phillies World Series celebration.
By Mary Cunningham
If anyone ever doubted that ace Cole Hamels is looking forward to being traded away from the sinking ship that is the Phillies, listen to what he said on Monday:
“As close [to perfect] as I would like would be to go to a team that wants to win,” Hamels said in an interview with Sirius XM MLB Radio. “… Whenever you’re in the postseason, that’s what you play the game for.”
Hamels has a no-trade clause that gives him veto power over a deal to 21 teams every year. Amid swirling rumors this off-season, several teams have expressed interest in a deal including no-trade clause allows him to block 21 teams each season. Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco and others.
Each of those teams certainly would fit Hamels’ description of being on a team that ‘wants to win.’ The 30-year-old 2008 World Series MVP sounded like a player who is ready to move on.
“It’s unfortunate, but all great teams have that season or drought for a couple of years and then they start to rebuild,” Hamels said. “I know I’m young enough to be able to go out there and play, and I love playing in the city of Philadelphia. Nothing but the best. The fans have been great; the organization has been great to me. But I do understand that baseball is a game that will go on, even after I’m done playing.
“So you have to put that in perspective and not really be too down about it. It’s something, where if it does happen, I completely understand. Hopefully there will be a time when I can come back before my career is over. But, at the same time, it’s a business. It’s baseball.
“But whatever city is going after winning,” Hamels said, “that could definitely change every sort of perspective and every desire because that trumps almost everything. Winning.”
After trading Jimmy Rollins last week, the Phillies don’t appear to have any designs on winning anytime soon and Hamels doesn’t sound like he has much patience for being around a potentially losing culture for very much longer. It sure will be interesting to see how this plays out between now and February when spring training opens.
