If it is not the money, then it should be about winning. But some players have home life quality of life issues to think about, too. That may be the hidden driving force on why more and more players are demanding trade blocks.
Phillies ace pitcher Cole Hamels is adamant about one
thing: he will not be suiting up for the Houston Astros. According to KHOU,
the left-hander's contract accords him up to 20 teams that he can
refuse to be traded to, and the Astros are at the top of the list
despite leading their division and boasting an outstanding pitching
staff.
Hamels has turned out a decent
season for the Phillies so far, sitting on a 5-5 record with a 3.55 FIP
and 103 strikeouts through 94 1/3 innings. His 2.96 ERA is the 11th best
among National League starters, and though his efforts have yielded a
team-best 1.7 fWAR, the Phillies can better utilize him as a trade chip
during the weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
But it hurts a GM that he can leverage a star player on the market if the player's contract effectively eliminates two-thirds of the potential trade partners. The Yanks and Rangers know this, too. If the Phillies are looking for a big haul (like a team's #1 and #2 prospects, a major league ready pitcher and some additional bullpen help) the Astros have a deeper farm system than the Yankees.
There will be soon daily speculation stories about Hamels. In the end, he may not even be moved by the Phils.