Cole Hamels

[Clyde123]

Ignoring the no trade clause, if you were the Twins' GM would you trade for Cole Hamels?  If so, what would you give up.  One limit: payroll can't go to $150,000,000 (Pohlad).

 

Hamels

Houghes

Santana

Nolasco (could you replace him with Meyers or Berrios/are one or both in the trade?)

Gibson

 

Not a bad staff signed through 2018

 

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

In a 2016-2018 hypothetical world, my only rich guy would be Hughes, with Gibson, Meyer, Berrios, and any of the intriguing guys in A ball. Having the young guys pan out would also satisfy the Pohlad payroll constraint--which as we are discovering, might in itself be hypothetical

[JB_Iowa]

No, I wouldn't add yet another veteran.  Lots of competition for the 5 spot.

[Brock Beauchamp]

At this point, I wouldn't trade for Cole Hamels unless you can also dish off Nolasco and possibly another veteran like Pelfrey.

 

And even then I probably wouldn't do it.

[Riverbrian]

If I could trade for him without giving up Sano or Buxton.

 

Yep... I'll trade for him.

 

Gather ye Rosebuds

[ashbury]

In a vacuum, say if Philly was doing a complete fire sale and the Twins were the only taker for Hamels, I'd snap him up.  The salary and contract length are IMO favorable, and if the payroll now becomes over budget another trade could eventually be cooked up to relieve whatever pressure there is.

 

But in a world where Amaro will expect significant value back and there are 28 other teams that might compete, I'm not sure I would go as high in terms of an offer as every other team.  A straight Meyer for Hamels deal would be OK with me, some combination like Nolasco plus Darnell plus assorted prospect/suspects likewise.  I would prefer pitching for pitching rather than deal away high-ceiling position players in this case.  And I don't expect to actually win this auction.

[gunnarthor]

I don't think the Twins would take on that salary and the prospect loss.  Even if we held onto Sano/Buxton, it would cost a group like Gibson, Meyer and others to get him.  Just too expensive.

 

I like Hughes a lot and Gibson could be a breakout guy.  Hardball times had a nice article on him.  Santana and Nolasco should be solid, although Nolasco is worrisome.  And then in the wings we have a pretty nice depth - I like May a lot and Meyer, Berrios, Milone, Pelfrey.  That's some real depth.  No Albers or De Vries there.  So at this point I think the pitching staff is more or less set.  I'd be ok adding another bat or CFer but not a big salary like Hamels.

[BK432]

Well, if I'm in on Hamels, I probably don't sign Ervin Santana, but I'll leave that aside for now. I absolutely explore this if I'm in TR's seat. Guessing PHI wouldn't take Nolasco back, so I think about dealing Alex Meyer and seeing what else it takes. Selling Danny Santana high and figuring out SS might be a good addition to this deal. Would Meyer and Santana be enough? Or do we chat about other younger guys to include instead of Santana? Worth discussing. Bottom line; in my opinion, another $20 million on the payroll through 2018 is not crippling. I would have to convince my boss to continue to shell out money, which admittedly wouldn't be easy.

 

So if I believe enough in my teams through 2018 (and I do), then yeah, I would definitely see what might work. Opportunities to get an ace don't come around too often. And his salary now has to be considered below market value.

[Brandon]

I would trade for him if we had Pohlads permission to take on the salary.  I would include Meyer, Millone, and one of Polanco, Walker or Kepler and a reliever like Achter or Oliveros or Tonkin.  I would be open to other combination of prospects too but this one seems to have 4 prospects who can play in the majors with one who has experience and another who is about ready if not yet ready for the rotation and a middle IF which they will need as they now have a hole at SS but will soon have a hole at 2B when they either trade or move Utley to a new position

 

That would put May as the Long reliever/6th starter with Berrios and Pelfry as the 7th and 8th starters.  We would be fine in this type of scenario.  Our middle IF prospect depth will thin with this trade but we do have other prospects here, and we have lots of relief prospects so adding one who can help out now for a while is not a big loss.  I would probably get some cash back in the trade to help pay Hamels contract.  20 - 25 million maybe around 5 - 6 million per season.  That would lessen the financial blow. 

 

There is definitely enough prospects to get this type of a deal done.  I wonder if it would make more sense to wait to see if we are in the race this year around the all star break and how our prospects pitch first. But we are getting close to having a big crunch of talent that needs to be on our roster and I would rather trade several of those pieces for a  big time pitcher like Hamels then wait for crunch time and lose a few through the rule 5 draft. 

[crapforks]

Of course a trade would never happen under any circumstances, but Hamels for Nolasco, Meyer, Stewart, and Escobar would be just fine with me. 

[goulik]

Escobar and Polanco for Middle infield concerns

Milone and May for pitching replacement

and their choice of Pelfrey or Nolasco for salary relief

 

If they want a better pitching prospect, they need to kick in a catching prospect in upper minors

[gunnarthor]

Escobar and Polanco for Middle infield concerns

Milone and May for pitching replacement

and their choice of Pelfrey or Nolasco for salary relief

 

If they want a better pitching prospect, they need to kick in a catching prospect in upper minors

So we get an ace pitcher without giving up anything of value?  I think Philly might have a problem with that.  

[jay]

So we get an ace pitcher without giving up anything of value? I think Philly might have a problem with that.

Fine, add in Duensing AND AB Walker. Boom. Done deal.

[DaveW]

Nah

[ashbury]

So we get an ace pitcher without giving up anything of value?  I think Philly might have a problem with that.  

The fact that they traded May to us in the first place makes this an odd combination IMO.

[Thrylos]

Looks like he is going to San Diego (his home town) for a package based on Will Myers...

[ashbury]

Looks like he is going to San Diego (his home town) for a package based on Will Myers...

Fast moving rumor.  A later update (below) indicates Myers wouldn't be in the package, but the interest in Hamels is legit.  Did you have a different source?

 

  http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/12/padres-have-discussed-trading-myers-for-hamels.html

[Thrylos]

Fast moving rumor.  A later update indicates Myers wouldn't be in the package, but the interest in Hamels is legit.  http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/12/padres-have-discussed-trading-myers-for-hamels.html

 

I am talking about local rumors here (SE PA.)  Might be a wishful thinking, but the Phillies do want to become younger fast and they have a couple of immovable objects like Cliff Lee and Ryan Howard.

[Siehbiscuit]

I mean no disrespect to those that are making honest attempts at trade scenarios, but unless we give up Berrios, Stewart or some of our elite talents (Buxton and Sano off limits) the Phillies will not give us Hamels. Hamels is an ace and his contract is below current market value. His age and the five years left on his deal keeps him near his prime years too. To get a guy like him, we have to lose something. We can't have our cake and eat it too.

 

Wil Myers was the #3 prospect in baseball and he was the centerpiece of the Shields trade and Hamels, IMO, is better than Shields. good pitching is expensive. Great pitching is very expensive. The package will have to be very attractive.

 

Those that are unwilling to trade prospects for Hamels for fear of blocking Meyer or Mays, what is wrong with you? Hamels is an ace. He'd ethe best pitcher on our staff. If Meyer and May pan out then that mean Gibson is bumped. We value our prospects too much vs proven major leaguers. I want to win and getting better players is how to do that.

[USAFChief]

Were I in charge, I'd absolutely be trying to get Hamels, and I would consider anyone not named Buxton.

[goulik]

So we get an ace pitcher without giving up anything of value?  I think Philly might have a problem with that.

 

Major league ready with controllability has great value (Milone and Escobar) and quality prospects May and Polanco are not nothing "of value". All are close to giving MLB production soon. 4 long term quality high minors or MLB ready... Thats a lot for one player. Polanco is also a potentially high quality MLB prospect overshadowed by some premier prospects no one would trade in their right mind and therefore undervalued atm in our system IMHO.

[TheLeviathan]

Major league ready with controllability has great value (Milone and Escobar) and quality prospects May and Polanco are not nothing "of value". All are close to giving MLB production soon. 4 long term quality high minors or MLB ready... Thats a lot for one player. Polanco is also a potentially high quality MLB prospect overshadowed by some premier prospects no one would trade in their right mind and therefore undervalued atm in our system IMHO.

Milone has such great value he was dealt for Sam Fuld. C'mon now.

[Lonestar]

Based on the Shields deal, I thought it would take Buxton or Sano.  After reading Jeff Sullivan's article on fangraphs, we wouldn't need to include any of our top 6.  Polanco, May, and Escobar might be an overpay.  Throw in Pelfrey to even it out.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/lets-design-a-red-sox-cole-hamels-trade/

[brvama]

NOPE!!!!!

[Otwins]

According to Fangraph article Hamel's surplus contract value at plus 10-20 million over his contract. Trouble is you will not get him for that just like free agency.  If you want him you will have to pay more than the other 29 teams are willing to. I would work Plouffe into the trade since he has value and will be replaced by Sano. Meyer and Plouffe for Hamels.

[Paul Pleiss]

If me Hamels, or give me death.

 

Of course you bring in Hamels "if the deal makes sense" and there's not much I wouldn't do to bring a true ace to Minnesota. A proven commodity. Meyer, May, and all of the guys in the minors... they're all just hopes and dreams and wishes.

 

The question becomes, not could/should Twins take on the salary (yes and yes), but what would the return be? How many of your top 10 prospects, and which prospects would it take?

 

I'd whole heartedly look to make a deal, but Amaro has been known to ask for a landslide in return for guys like Marlon Byrd, I shudder to think what it will eventually cost to move Hamels. But whatever the price, I'm in it until I'm not. Whatever that means. To quote the famed Jim Harbough ""What will happen, will happen, what won't happen, won't happen..."