By: Nick Kapetan (@KapN93)
Yesterday the story broke that Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels was claimed by an unknown team off waivers. Still one of the most dominate lefties in the game, Hamels would be a tantalizing addition to any big league staff.
The rules for the August waiver claim process is as follows. The order in which teams can claim a player on waivers is based on record, from worst to first. Once a team claims a player, the team that currently contracts the guy has three options: they can either trade with the claiming team, just give away the player and his contract to the claiming team (like the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox did with Alex Rios), or they can keep the player.
By all accounts, the Phillies are willing to trade Hamels for the right package. Their asking price is high, and rightfully so. Especially with Cliff Lee likely gone for the season, Hamels remains the largest trading chip they have in their arsenal. The fact that the Phillies are willing to trade their former World Series MVP is not surprising; what is interesting is the team that reportedly has made the claim.
There is no denying the fact that the Cubs have a weak starting rotation and do not currently have many quality arms that could be an important part of the staff in the future. While they have Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo, Javy Baez, and Kris Bryant, among others, that will fill out the starting lineup for years to come, they lack the needed pitching that would insure that they can contend starting in 2016.
The Cubs landing Hamels would be a step in the right direction for the franchise and would convince the fan base that the team is serious about competing in the near future, and not just serving up false hope in order to sell tickets.
In nine major league seasons, the three time All Star has recorded 105 wins while only having an ERA over 3.60 twice in his career, one of which being his rookie season. Hamels is a veteran that still has years of productivity ahead of him, but has the experience that an ace would have on the back end of his career.
The reasons why the Phillies have not had many takers in the Hamels sweepstakes is because of his contract and the players they expect in return. The Cubs have placed themselves in a favorable position where both potential issues don't present much of a problem to them.
Due to the saving spree Chicago has undertaken since Theo took over, the Cubs have the financial ability to pay Hamels $22.5 million each year for the next four years. Due to the organization's deep farm system, the Cubs' minor leagues would not be drained if they have to part with two to three top level prospects that could play every day, which is what Phillies are looking for in return.
The cost to land a proven ace for the next four, possibly five years due to a club option, is outweighed by the positives Hamels instantly brings to the Northside of town. Making a deal for the 30 year old is so obvious, even Jim Hendry wouldn't have screwed it up.
Nick Kapetan hosts The Sports ReKap with his co-host DJ Vogt. The show will begin airing again in September on MarquetteWire.org.
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