The pressure was on for Cole Hamels. It was Saturday afternoon and Hamels has been known to not do well on Saturday day games. Considered a final "audition" for the many teams present at Wrigley Field scouting Hamels, Hamels delivered a resounding message to teams: Cole Hamels is still a top-flight, big game pitcher. And teams are responding by upping their trade offers to the Phillies.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports:
Sources: Momentum building toward Hamels trade. Offers have improved since no-hitter. Teams asking for less money, offering better players.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2015
The five teams with the most recent interest in Hamels: #Cubs, #Dodgers, #Rangers, #Yankees, #SFGiants. Not listed in any particular order.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2015
If teams forgot what Hamels can do, he sure reminded them yesterday.
While no one really needed to be told that Hamels is a big game pitcher, teams looking for the best deal possible could have pointed to two bad starts by Hamels to drive down his value. Now they have no excuse. And they had better pony up.
