Last month, Scott Hutchinson wrote an article about how the Brandon Phillips for Cole Hamels trade rumors were absurd.
By now you all know about Joey Votto’s contract extension and, in light of this event, I’m going to have to disagree with Mr. Hutchinson’s assessment of the Phillips for Hamels swap.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Brandon Phillips and he’s arguably my favorite player on the team. However, all of a sudden a trade for Cole Hamels is starting to make a great deal of sense to me.
As you read this article, try to think strictly about the trade, and not about how much you like or dislike Brandon Phillips and/or Cole Hamels.
In my opinion, the Reds will not extend Phillips past the 2012 season. I think he wants a few too many years and maybe a little too much money for the Reds to re-sign him.
I also believe that Cole Hamels will not get the deal he’s looking for with the Phillies. They just recently signed Jonathan Papelbon and have very solid starting pitching depth, with or without Hamels.
The Reds could certainly use a pitcher like Cole Hamels at the front end of their rotation and even more so because he’s left-handed.
Remember when we were all calling for Aroldis Chapman to make the rotation out of spring training just a few days ago? Well, Hamels, at this point in time, is miles ahead of Chapman as a starter and he would solve the problem of there being no lefties in the Reds’ starting rotation.
The Phillies are having a whole lot of problems with their their middle-infield. Chase Utley’s knees are pretty banged up, and according to ESPN and the Associated Press, Utley will begin this season in Arizona rehabilitating his knees.
My buddy Cliff Eastham has also noted this and pointed out the lack of middle-infield depth the Phillies possess in his article about the Janish to Philly rumor.
So you have two players who are unlikely to remain with their current ball clubs past this season, both of whom fill a massive need of the other team.
If you’re the Phillies or the Reds, what’s not to like about this deal? The Reds could complete one of the best pitching rotations in baseball and the Phillies could get a little bit younger and healthier up the middle.
Both players would essentially be rentals for their new clubs, as I highly doubt the Reds would re-sign Hamels, and the Phillies wouldn’t be likely to re-sign Phillips.
The Reds have players in the minors who could step in and do an adequate job. One of my favorite prospects in the organization, Brodie Greene, could step in and contribute with an average around .270-.280, double-digit home runs, 25-30 stolen bases and decent defense at second base.
Furthermore, the Phillies have good pitching depth. They already have Halladay, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton and Vane Worley. Philly could plug anybody into that fifth spot and still have one of the best rotations in all of baseball.
Maybe I’m delirious from the joy of seeing the best player we’ve had in Cincinnati in a long time get locked up for what I’m assuming will be the duration of his career, but this deal seems to make a whole lot of sense right now.
If I were Walt Jocketty, I might just pull the trigger on this deal if it were offered to me.
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