Yankees Editorial: Yankees were never close to getting Cole Hamels

By Caleb Gebrewold | Mar 9, 2015

According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, the New York Yankees have come the closest to acquiring Cole Hamels this winter:

"According to one Phillies source, the Yankees have come the closest to landing Hamels, offering a package of prospects that at least has given the Phillies a baseline for future talks."

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports stated that this news does not bode well for the Phillies:

"If that’s true that is bad news for the Phillies because the Yankees and Phillies have not talked about Hamels in quite awhile and there’s no sense the sides were ever especially close. If that’s true, and it’s theoretically possible, that may mean no team was especially close. At present, at least the Yankees don’t seem anywhere close to Hamels. Nor does it seem they were ever anywhere close."

While the Phillies are said to be looking for a package of three good prospects with one top prospect, the Yankees are unlikely to be willing to make such a sacrifice, even for a pitcher like Hamels. Unlike past years when the Yankees would dump prospects for the best talent available, they have recently shown the desire to build from within.

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The Phillies, who are attempting to enter a rebuild, are said to be very interested in both of the Yankees top prospects, Luis Severino and Aaron Judge. While discussing a trade of former shortstop Jimmy Rollins, they asked for either prospect to headline the deal, which the Yankees smartly declined. They have also asked the Red Sox for both Mookie Betts and Blake Swihart, so the Yankees would have to offer a similar package of prospects who are viewed as can’t-miss.

This would likely mean that the Phillies would want both Judge and Severino, plus either Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, or Rob Refsnyder. There is no way that the Yankees should deplete their farm. Hamels is a great pitcher, but giving up either Judge or Severino is a risk. Adding in the other, and another prospect, is something the Yankees shouldn’t think twice about, they should immediately decline.

Hamels would immediately give the Yankees an ace who isn’t entering 2015 with question marks, and give them the best rotation in the AL East, and one that could carry them through October. He would be a great acquisition, but just not at that hefty price.

Severino and Judge have the look of players who could be good for a very long time, and Brian Cashman should consider them untouchable at this point. While a trade of Sanchez, and Refsnyder, along with a lower level prospect is something that I would consider for Hamels, it likely isn’t enough to intrigue Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr.

Gambling the farm on Hamels is not a smart move. Severino is ten years younger than Hamels, makes far less money, and could theoretically contribute for the next 15 years, as he is only 21. While prospects don’t always pan out, all early indications show that he can be a future stud.

Severino has drawn comparison to Pedro Martinez, and he has the potential to be an even better pitcher than Hamels someday. Over three seasons in the minors he has an ERA of 2.24 while striking out 9.1 batters per nine innings. He also doesn’t walk many batters or allow a lot of home runs (2.2 walks per nine and 0.2 home runs per nine and only six total home runs allowed).

Judge is also very young, as he is only 22 (23 in April), and very talented, as he dominated his first year of professional baseball. He hit for a slash-line of .308/.419/.486 with 17 home runs, 78 RBI’s, and, maybe most impressively, 89 walks. He has drawn early comparisons to Giancarlo Stanton, who is probably the most feared power hitter in baseball.

Having one player like this in the Yankees system has been rare in recent years. Having two prospects viewed as can’t-miss is something that hasn’t happened in a long time in this organization, and thus something that Cashman cannot botch. The Yankees have had can’t-miss prospects, but their careers were either derailed by injury or the team mishandling them (Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain).

Hamels is a great talent, but he is simply not worth the Phillies asking price. There is also another factor in all of this, and that is next years free agent class, particularly David Price. Price is a southpaw, like Hamels, the younger pitcher, and has shown the ability to handle the AL East. He has 580 less innings on his arm as well (622 counting postseason play).

Hamels is signed through 2018 and owed $100 million ($6 million guaranteed buyout), with a $20 million option for 2019 (it is very likely he will guarantee that any team who acquires him agrees to pick up the option year). While there stats are very similar, Hamels is closer to the finish line. I would rather see the team make a run at Price by offering him a deal similar to Hamels’ while keeping the prospects.

Severino and Judge simply have too much talent and potential that must be reached in the Bronx. They are the future of the team, and unless a trade is involving a player such as Mike Trout or Clayton Kershaw, trading both should not even be brought into discussions.

While some fans may be upset that the Yankees weren’t actually close to acquiring Hamels, as he would surely help in 2015, the long term picture looks a lot better without him. There is too much pitching talent available next winter to take such a big gamble on the future, especially when the club is filled with question marks, and acquiring Hamels doesn’t guarantee title contention.

Next: Is Dellin Betances the new face of the franchise?

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