Cole Hamels rumors: Phillies prefer to build around Hamels rather than trade him
By Hayden Kane
As the dust starts to settle around the Cole Hamels trade rumors that came and went over the last couple months, attention will shift to this winter and a potential off-season trade for the left-handed ace.
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One core question remains and will decide whether or not Hamels is dealt: will the Phillies really be better off if they trade him? They have no need for salary relief, after all. That means some team has to persuade them that the best decision in terms of building talent on their roster is to deal Hamels.
No matter how much the Red Sox make eyes at the Phillies and Hamels, it seems less and less likely that a trade will be in the works this winter.
As presented by Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Enquirer, Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg believes that the Phillies ought to rebuild their staff around Hamels rather than trading him:
"“He’d be a tough one to replace,” Sandberg said. “He’d be tough to replace. We have question marks about Cliff [Lee]. Cliff, we won’t know. A.J. [Burnett], we don’t know. You have to start your staff somewhere and he’d be a good place to start.”"
Gelb also notes that the Phillies will not be moving off their trade demands for Hamels, which means they will likely want three or four prospects to move him. Otherwise it seems like the Phillies will keep Hamels. Considering the fact that he has a 2.44 ERA in 151 innings this season, few would argue with that plan.