The Phillies desperately need to shake things up. It appears more and more during this winter's meetings that the team is willing to do whatever it can to shake up a team that lost more games in 2013 than it had since 1997. According to one report, two of the Phillies' top players are in play this offseason.
ESPN's Buster Olney reports:
The Phillies have indicated to other teams they are ready and willing to talk about Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels in trades.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 10, 2013
On his ESPN Insider blog Olney adds:
The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to regain their footing after a disastrous 2013 season, trying to get younger while still contending against the Braves and Nationals in the National League East, and they seem ready to try on anything, if they can make all of that happen.
Which could be why they have told other teams that they are willing to consider trades of either of their two best starting pitchers, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, as sources say.
Olney appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic with Tony Bruno and Harry Mayes to talk about his report.
"They've done that…and to be clear…all I heard about this….is the Phillies are…also saying Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels are available."
Olney said that he was suprised to hear this, given the Phillies news so far this offseason in their "win-now" mindset. Trading either of them would seem to contradict that.
