The Philadelphia Phillies have plenty of holes to fill on their roster. In particular, the lack of talent in terms of position players raises significant concern for 2015 and the seasons beyond.
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As they try to address those issues and start to rebuild their roster, the Phillies will have resources to work with. That is especially true financially, as a lucrative new television deal has the team comfortably in position to keep high-dollar players who are worth it and to sign players as necessary.
With those resources also comes the option to potentially keep two ace pitchers at the top of their rotation. While one might assume that trading Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee is the fastest path to rebuilding if that is truly what the Phillies want to do, they might also keep those two with the hopes of a quick turnaround in 2015. In Hamels’ case, they could then also keep him as a core player around whom to rebuild beyond next season.
Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly writes the following about Philadelphia’s expected course of action.
"The Phillies have other trade options, led by Cole Hamels. His name will be a hot one all winter, and the Phillies will listen to offers for the ace lefty. Come at them with three or four game-breaking talents and you might get him. But the feel here is the Phils will keep Hamels, hope that Cliff Lee comes back healthy in 2015 and that Aaron Nola might be able to help, add a big bat and a starting pitcher, hope that Ken Giles and this bullpen is for real and try to see where things go until summer sets in."
Nola is the team’s first round pick from the 2014 draft. At the time he was considered one of the most big-league ready pitchers available, so the prospect of pairing him with Hamels and Lee is an intriguing one.
To think that they might contend in 2015 is likely a pipe dream, but that does not mean that the Phillies cannot keep Hamels and Lee to start the season as part of their long-term plan. It sounds like they plan to do just that.