Bucs Notes: Should The Pirates Trade For Cole Hamels?

The Pirates are a very talented team that has found themselves in the midst of perhaps the most competitive division in all of baseball.

The National League Central was already loaded in 2014, when the Cubs were its worse team. Just a year later, the Cubs have loaded up on young, Major League-ready talent, and sit in second place behind the Cardinals. The only seeming blemish to the division is the struggling Milwaukee Brewers, who led the division for most of last year and could be in contention this year if they stay healthy.

The bottom line is: the Pirates need help. They sit in fourth place at 18-22 after Wednesday’s tough 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

They obviously have the talent to compete in the postseason. Their outfield is perhaps the best in all of baseball. Korean sensation Jung Ho-Kang looks to be on the rise. But they may need something more if they hope to compete with the Cardinals, Cubs, and even the pesky Reds.

The Cole Hamels sweepstakes are limited to teams that can a) afford him, b) need starting pitching, c) are in playoff contention, and d) have the prospects needed to satisfy Phillies General Manger Ruben Amaro Jr.’s high price tag. The Pirates fit the bill on all four fronts.

Given the rumors that Amaro asked the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, Julio Urias, and Corey Seager, three of the top 20 prospects in all of baseball according to MLB.com, the Pirates need to be willing to part with top talent. And the fact that they have that talent puts them in a unique position. Two of their division rivals, the Reds and the Cardinals, probably don’t have the prospects needed to land Hamels.

But other teams do. The Dodgers, the Padres, the Red Sox, the Yankees, and perhaps most worrisomely, the Cubs, have all been linked to Hamels rumors, and all have the prospects needed to land Hamels.

What would it take for the Pirates to land Hamels? Almost undoubtedly it would take one of the organizations two budding star pitchers, Tyler Glasnow or Jameson Taillon. They are ranked the number 13 and 30 prospects in all of baseball, respectively, by MLB.com.

It would also take either outfielder Josh Bell (#33) or outfielder Austin Meadows (#40).

The Phillies would likely want another lower ranked prospect and possibly a major league-ready player as well.

Glasnow and Taillon appear to have all the tools needed to be great, but they won’t help the Pirates win this year, and probably not next year, either. By the time they’re ready to contribute, will the Pirates still be in contention? Will their outfield still be the best in baseball?

Bell is closer to contributing, but his path to the major leagues is blocked at all three outfield positions. There has been talk about moving him to first base, but that would still leave Meadows without a spot in the lineup when he’s ready for his call-up, in 2017 or earlier.

Finally, with the success of Jung Ho Kang, the Pirates have an infield logjam. If Kang is moving into an everyday starting position, then they have an expendable major league starter between Jordy Mercer, Neil Walker, and Josh Harrison.

A package, say, of Glasnow, Bell, Harrison, and a low-A prospect would almost surely net Hamels.

Taillon, Meadows, Walker, and another lower-ranked prospect would probably do it, too.

That would suddenly give the Pirates one of the best starting rotations in the National League with a front four of Hamels, Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, and a hot A.J. Burnett.

But are they willing to pay the price?

The willingness of the Pirates management to part with key prospects is unknown. What is known, is the team that nets Hamels will be in a much better position to compete in October not only this year, but for the remainder of his reasonable 4-year contract.

What do you think? Is Hamels worth the price, and is he right for the Pirates? Let us know in the comments below.