Phillies Rumors: Phils Must Find a Way to Sign Cole Hamels Before Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost a lot of games this season. The one thing they can’t afford to lose, however, is Cole Hamels this offseason.

All indications are that the team and Hamels are in the midst of heavy contract negotiations, though if the Phillies don’t feel they can re-sign him, they will look to trade him.

A source has told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that the talks have reached a “sensitive” stage and that Hamels could be line to earn a six-year contract in the vicinity of the $127.5 million Matt Cain deal, while Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com notes that the Phillies are desperately trying to retain Hamels:

“They’re trying—actively trying,” a person with knowledge of the situation told CSNPhilly.com on Monday afternoon. “They’re making offers.”

Hamels will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season. If the Phillies are unable to sign him to an extension before next Tuesday’s trade deadline, they will likely look to trade him for a package of young talent.

Hamels reportedly remains conflicted about whether to sign an extension now or test the free-agent waters this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:

The Hamels talks will accelerate this week; the non-waiver trade deadline is a week from Tuesday, and the Phillies need an answer. But the club, by taking this sudden pivot, has put Hamels in an awkward position. Not surprisingly, he is said to be “conflicted” about how to proceed.

Cole Hamels is a Philadelphia hero, namely after his epic 2008 postseason performance that saw him win the NLCS and World Series MVP en route to a world championship for the Phillies. He’s spent his entire career in Philadelphia, so trading him away—or worse, losing him via free agency after the season—would absolutely crush this fan base.

And what would it say of Philadelphia’s own opinion of its future?

No, the core of this team is not young. But there are players that will still be very effective next year, and even those who have many good years of ball still in front of them. You can’t tell me a team with a healthy Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay wouldn’t compete next year.

The Phillies absolutely have to find a way to get a deal with Hamels done. Elite left-handed pitchers don’t just grow on trees—or more accurately, in farm systems—and neither do pitchers who have proven to be incredibly valuable in the postseason.

The team has overpaid to bring in outside players before. Now it is time they overpay to steal Hamels’ attention away from any excitement he might feel about hitting free agency this offseason.

Changes will need to come in Philadelphia after this season. Shane Victorino likely won’t be retained. The bullpen will need to be improved. Adding a young position player or two would certainly be nice.

But one change doesn’t need to occur, and that is not seeing Hamels take the hill every five days. He’s a huge part of the Phillies’ present; he must remain an even bigger part of the team’s future.

Get this deal done, Ruben Amaro—anything less, and you’ll be dealing with a very cranky fanbase.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets bring it home like Big Easy.

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