ESPNs Tim Kurkjian reported today that The Phillies are asking for too much in exchange for Cole Hamels. Maybe this is true or maybe it’s not. It’s entirely possible that teams are putting that out there in order to “low-ball” Ruben Amaro. If I’m in Ruben’s shoes-I bet they’re nice-I would hold out for a team’s best big league ready power hitter, or pitching prospect. If I can’t get that, I keep Hamels. In fact I’m not sure I would trade him for a prospect at all, especially if I’m Ruben Amaro. After all he traded Cliff Lee and Hunter Pence for “top prospects.” How’d that work out for him?
This team is in more disarray than a Wawa parking lot during “Hoagiefest,” but they can right the ship.
I think The Phillies priorities in building this baseball team into a contender again should be, A- seeing if young players like Odubel Herrera are big league caliber players, B-bring up Aaron Nola before the September call up and see if he can perform in the major league rotation, C-draft a catcher out of college who may be big league ready in a year or two, and D-sign a decent free agent outfielder. Bringing up Nola and more playing time for Herrera can be done now.
The Phillies need to build from within. The organization and their long suffering fans must be willing to endure some awful baseball for the next couple of seasons. They can’t sign free agents to fill all the holes. Sign one or two, develop minor league talent, and let Cole Hamels anchor a young but promising pitching staff.
Rebuilding through the draft trades and free agency, will, as George Harrison once sang:
“It’s gonna take time
A whole lot of precious time
It’s gonna take patience and time
To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it, to do it,
To do it right…”
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