Philadelphia Phillies extend starting pitcher Cole Hamels’ contract – MLB News
The Philadelphia Phillies took a drastic step forward on late Thursday evening to extend their left-handed starting pitcher Cole Hamels’ current contract for one more year worth $15 million.
Extending Hamels’ contract is also beneficial for the Phillies as they have avoided arbitration in advance. Many MLB teams are currently worrying over arbitration hearings that may drag their potential players to a complex situation.
Phillies’ general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. certainly was happy during his speaking session with several reporters. He told them about the Phillies’ recent approach of a long-term relationship with every player and especially what they achieved with Hamels’ contract extension.
Amaro Jr. said, “It’s a starting point to first get this deal done and then deal with any long-term discussions. It won’t stop us from having continued discussions about it. We think this is a good place to be right now for him, and at some point we’ll work on something longer. I get paid to do those jobs and look at the big picture. That’s what we have to do. We’ve discussed with Cole Hamels we’d like to keep him long term, and as far as I know, I think he feels the same way. We’ll see how it turns out.”
Later, the Phillies also made a one-year deal worth $930,000 with infielder Wilson Valdez and somewhat completed their 40-man roster for the next Major League Baseball season. The Phillies’ are still waiting for two to three free agents on their pending list.
Regarding Hamels’ recent one year deal, many experts have earlier stated that the Phillies might not sign him and go for arbitration hearings but at the last hour, both Hamels and his agent agreed for $15 million deal.
Having won a Most Valuable Player Award in 2008, Hamels is certainly a talented player. His career 3.39 ERA also shows a smooth consistent performance in his five year career. Last year, Hamels achieved 2.79 ERA along with 14-9 win loss record, 194 strike-outs and 0.99 WHIP and these numbers show that his consistent performances will ultimately help the Phillies roster next season.
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