Philadelphia Phillies' general manager Ruben Amaro is still waiting for buyers to inquire about his many veterans, most notably starting pitcher Cole Hamels. The trade demands for the left-hander were previously said to be excessive, and rumors suggest they have yet to change.
A number of top starting pitchers in the MLB have suffered season-ending or alarming injuries in recent weeks, which would make one think the price for a pitcher such as Hamels on the trade block has dramatically increased. However, ESPN Insider Buster Olney disputed that notion because he says elbow injuries have made executives think twice about giving starting pitchers a lot of money.
The Phillies don't seem to care.
"Word is, the cost remains the same [for Cole Hamels]. Going on a year ago, that cost was at least two high-end prospects and then some. By that notion, for example, the Los Angeles Dodgers presumably would have had to send two of these three: Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Julio Urias," writes Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.
"There is no sense that Ruben Amaro Jr. will rush this, other than to begin the course of reconstruction."
The list of Dodgers' prospects really puts the deal in perspective and how ridiculous it likely sounds to opposing executives. Additionally, Los Angeles could perhaps be the top suitor for Hamels because their starting rotation is in shambles and Clayton Kershaw has yet to pitch like his usual self. If Amaro in fact has not lowered his asking price for Hamels, it'll be interesting to see how the whole situation plays out.
Dodgers' starter Hyun-Jin Ryu was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL on Monday because he isn't expected to return until June, but Los Angeles can't rely on his timetable or his health when he eventually gets back into action since he just started throwing off a mound a week ago. He was shut down after experiencing shoulder soreness in spring training and will likely need significant MLB action before he gets back into a groove.
It's been said Los Angeles was one of the four teams that have stayed in contact with Philadelphia regarding Hamels, but it was also reported no clubs have contacted the Phillies about the left-hander since the end of March.
Additionally, Dodgers' president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the club likely won't make a deal until June or July as they fill spots in the starting rotation on a 'turn-by-turn' basis. It's also believed they could make a run at Johnny Cueto, which would really dampen the trade market for Philadelphia.
We are still months away from a big deal going down, and the time in between is purgatory for Amaro as he waits to see if he'll be viewed a genius GM or an incapable one.
