HAMELS IS A "NO GO" FOR YANKEES... OR IS HE?

The Phillies have put feelers out on Cole Hamels, Read HERE, one of the most coveted pitchers in baseball right now, the question is, will the Yankees go hot and heavy to try and snag him? Yankeeland loves this idea. They would love to try and get this stud, and with guys like CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte on the shelf, it sounds pretty appealing that Cole Hamels could be in pinstripes... blue pinstripes that is. The question is, will they go for it?

Here's the latest from ESPN's Buster Olney:

It's true, the Yankees are not stupid, they won't give away every promising prospect they have to get this guy. There is a balance between the home grown talent they have and "buying" guys as we've been criticized for. Now in fairness, no one truly knows what's in the Yankees head, but many can speculate that if you think about that $189 million number the Yankees want to get below and the opportunity to sign guys like Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano after this season ends, AND the recent pattern the Yankees have been following by trading and buying guys cheap to fill holes (and being successful doing it), well, let's just say Hamels doesn't exactly falling into the Yankees plans. But, stranger things have happened, that's all I'm saying.

CBSSports.com Dan Knobler says that if the Phillies keep losing, they will be sellers no doubt, read HERE. But Ruben Amaro Jr., the Phillies GM is downplaying the whole thing. Well, of course he is, he's not about to aggravate his ace, but at the same time, if the Phillies CAN'T win, why keep Hamels around? Why not sell?

Look, let's get real. The Yankees have CC Sabathia. No doubt he will be back after the All-star break and no doubt he will be fine. They have Andy Pettitte, who while hurt and expected back in 6 weeks, well, at his age, you don't know if he'll be strong down the stretch, if at all.

If the Yankees can be a strong team behind Hiroki Kuroda, Phil Hughes, Freddy Garcia and Ivan Nova, yes, the idea of a Cole Hamels seems silly. But if the Yankees were down CC and Andy and by the trade deadline Hamels is still available and the Yanks are taking a nasty skid to last place in the AL East, I say you do anything you need to do to get Cole Hamels in the Bronx, because one thing the Yankees don't do is give up. They don't often become sellers. Sure, over time their "buying" pattern has changed, but make no mistake, if their backs are against the wall, they will pull the trigger, I believe that.

Why? Because God forbid rivals like the Red Sox, or the Rangers or even Tigers (Read HERE) try and snag him first and succeed, Yankeeland will go crazy. It's a tricky balance between current Yankee talent and their willingness to improve and still fight off the enemy. In the end, I believe the Yankees will make the right decision. Thank God guys more savvy than me make those decisions, because if it's me in their shoes...I think I'd be popping Tums all day long.

Stay tuned.

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