After telling anyone that would listen that there was still time left in the season to make a run in the season's final two months for most of the month, the reality of the 2012 Phillies season set in with the players this weekend in Atlanta, when a four-game winning streak was snapped in a deflating three-game sweep at Turner Field.


Staring at a last place team with a first-place payroll, Ruben Amaro Jr. knew it was time for a change. So he sold off his two most durable players before Tuesday's 4 p.m. trading deadline.


The Phils traded Shane Victorino to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Hunter Pence to the San Francisco Giants. 

Amaro might not be finished, either. With about an hour to go until the deadline Joe Blanton was still a Phillie, but was rumored to be headed to Baltimore.


In return for Victorino and Pence, the Phils got one major league reliever, a major league outfielder and three prospects. 


Nate Schierholtz, a 28-year-old outfielder who has played parts of six seasons with the Giants, was hitting .257 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 77 games. He'll likely be plugged into a suddenly-thin Phillies outfield.


Josh Linblom, a 25-year-old reliever who has been in the Dodgers pen for the past two seasons, will likely be plugged into the Phillies bullpen in the coming days. 


Also coming to Philadelphia: former Giants top catching prospect Tommy Joseph, right-hander Seth Rosin (Giants), right-hander Ethan Martin (Dodgers) and a player to be named later or cash (Dodgers). 

The Victorino deal makes a lot of baseball sense.


Victorino is a pending free agent who don't fit into the Phils plans for 2013, when they could have as much as $150 million tied up to 11 players. Lindblom, the Dodgers' second round pick in 2008, is an arm the Phils can immediately put into a bullpen in need of capable arms.


Lindblom is 2-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 48 games with the Dodgers this season.


A fixture on Los Angeles' bullpen since June of 2011, Lindblom has held opponents to a .241 batting average and .754 OPS this season. He has 43 strikeouts and 18 walks in 47 2/3 innings.


Lindblom has pitched primarily in the eighth inning for the Dodgers (he's made 24 appearances in the eighth), where he has a 2.74 ERA and a 6.33 strikeouts-to-walks ratio.


The 23-year-old Martin, the Dodgers first-round pick in 2008, was 8-6 with a 3.58 ERA in 20 starts at Double-A Chattanooga this season.


The Pence deal helps the payroll puzzle. If Pence returned, the Phillies were going to have over $150 million committed to 11 players in 2013; with 14 other roster spots to fill, they would have a very difficult time staying under the $178 million luxury tax threshold.


With both Victorino and Pence gone, the Phils will avoid the luxury tax this season. 


Other than salary relief, most attractive piece the Phils got back for Pence is Joseph. Joseph was the second highest ranked Giants prospect according to Baseball America before the 2012 season.


San Francisco's second round pick in the 2009 draft, Joseph was hitting .260 with a .705 OPS, eight home runs and 38 RBIs in 80 games at Double-A Richmond. 


The Phils have filled the two vacant spots on the 25-man roster by activating Brian Schneider off the disabled list and promoting Domonic Brown to the big leagues for the first time this season.


Domonic Brown was scratched from Triple-A Lehigh Valley's lineup this afternoon, the first signal that a Phillies trade was imminent. He'll be in Washington tonight and will likely begin two-month audition to win a full-time job in the new-look Phillies outfield. 

Good Monday, and welcome to what's always the wildest 24 hours of the baseball season. Major League Baseball's trading deadline is at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

In the next 24 hours, you'll see any and every name imaginable thrown into possible trade scenarios. It's just the way the sport works: teams in "sell" mode owe it to themselves to gauge the value of every movable piece, while teams in "buy" mode must work with the same due diligence in an attempt to improve their team's chances of making a run in the next two months.

So it's not altogether surprising that Cliff Lee - yes the same Cliff Lee who has been traded three times in the last three years - is the most popular name being circulated in rumor mills in the trade deadline's final, 24-hour frenzy.

ESPN's Buster Olney was the first of multiple, plugged-in national baseball writers to sound off on Lee being available for the taking shortly after noon today. 

But the speculation began nearly a week ago, after Cole Hamels signed a six-year, $144 million contract extension that, while keeping the Phils most valuable arm in the rotation, also produced a payroll puzzle for general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

"That Ruben has his work cut out for him," Phillies team president David Montgomery said of how the team planned to stay under the luxury tax.

In yesterday's paper (and at delcotimes.com of course) I addressed the plausibility of trading Lee. In my mind, there are too many reasons the Phils would not look to deal Lee. Rather than rehash it, you can read that story here. 

Thanks for reading. Now, it's time to play the other half of the "does it make sense for the Phillies to trade Cliff Lee" argument.

Here is why trading Lee would work for the Phils, despite the aforementioned points raised in the Sunday column:

--If the Phils stand pat and don't move any players other than their expiring contracts (Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Juan Pierre) and also plan on offering arbitration to Hunter Pence and picking up Carlos Ruiz's $5 million club option, they'll have over $150 million owed to 11 players in 2013. 

There's almost no way they would be able to avoid crossing over the $178 million luxury tax threshold without moving a significant contract. 

If they didn't, they'd have roughly $28 million to spend on the other 14 players on the roster, a paltry average of $2 million per player. And the Phils have several holes to fill, including third base, center field and the bullpen.

--I suggested dealing Pence as an alternative to trading Lee. Like Lee, Pence is under club control in 2013, which would be attractive to a team looking to buy a bat. Since he could make as much as $15 million next season, he'd help the Phils aforementioned payroll/luxury tax puzzle.

But when you do the simple math, it's obvious that moving Lee would bring bigger payroll relief. If the Phils don't have to eat any of his contract in a trade - it's hard to imagine they would, since it would be their biggest motivator in dealing him - it would be $25 million off the books for 2013. 

Instead of owing 11 players $150 million, they'd owe 10 players $125 million. That leaves you with a much more comfortable cushion between filling the rest of the roster and avoiding the luxury tax. It also helps to better address the larger holes, like third base and center field.

--Last but certainly not least, Lee should net the most value back in a trade.

Blanton, Victorino and Pierre are soon-to-be free agents, and thus, two-month rentals. They aren't going to fetch you a top prospect. While Pence could bring back young, affordable talent, a return package for him would not be as large as one for Lee, a proven difference maker in the postseason. 

The Texas Rangers, who just watched their rival Angels outbid them for Zack Greinke, would love to add Lee. Having had him before - and having made a significant effort to re-sign him two winters ago - the Rangers know what they're getting in Lee.

They've also lost the last two World Series and have their best player (Josh Hamilton) set to hit the free agent market this winter. You'd imagine they're in a "all-in" mode to capture their first world championship.

While the $87.5 million Lee is owed over the next three years would seem to be a stumbling block to any deal, we are talking about a Texas team that offered Lee much more than that just 19 months ago.

The Rangers put together a package centered around third base prospect Mike Olt. The Phils have several holes to fill before 2013, and moving Lee would be the best way to fill as many of those holes as possible.

--------

While all of the above points hold validity, it's also important to remember blockbuster trades with very large contracts aren't easy to make. And the clock is ticking until the trade deadline.

The Phils could just as likely wait until the winter to explore the market for Lee. But that could also play to their advantage, as a team like the Rangers could up the ante to convince the Phils to deal Lee now.

The next 24 hours should be interesting. As the last two summers have shown, with Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence, where there is smoke, there is usually fire, too.

Hunter Pence is out of the starting lineup for this afternoon's matinee series finale at Turner Field.


No, he has not been traded. At least not yet.


With Tuesday's trade deadline looming and losses in each of the first two games in Atlanta, the Phillies short-lived winning mojo has given way to the reality of what's been a lost season. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. will certainly looked to move a player or three in the next 72 hours or so.

Although any two game stretch in the last four months could be broken down in similar fashion, the Phils realize they let an opportunity slip this weekend.


"I don't know how to put a measure on it exactly," Pence said Saturday night. "But it's not good."


While the injuries tell some of the story, it's pretty shocking to see how far the Phillies have fallen in the last 12 months. Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of the day Pence was acquired in a pre-trade deadline deal with Houston.


The Phils had a major league-best 66 wins at this point last year en route to a franchise record 102 wins; they led baseball in victories for the second consecutive season.


Flash forward a year and only four teams in the National League have fewer wins than the Phillies (45-56). The Phillies have gone from having the best record in baseball to the seventh worst record in baseball in the last 12 months.


"It's difficult to understand how we got here from there," Pence said. "If I knew, I would change things to have been playing better. Sometimes that's baseball. It's a funny way of... The season's not over yet. We're not saying that. In the situation we're in, sometimes everything goes wrong and sometimes everything goes right."


Pence may or may not be around to find out what happens next.


While soon-to-be free agents Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton and Juan Pierre are far more likely to get traded, the Phils are at least listening in on Pence. And since inquiring teams know they would have him for next year, too (Pence is under team control through 2013), he is more attractive to said inquiring teams.


The flip side of that, of course, is that the Phils would acquire a bigger prospect haul in return. With more than a few holes to fill for 2013 (center field and third base, namely), it might benefit the Phils to move Pence now for younger, cheaper talent ready to step into one of those soon-to-be vacancies.


The Phils payroll in 2013 (they would have $150 million tied up to 11 players if they kept Pence) almost guarantees they have to make a deal that subtracts significant salary some time between now and  the beginning of next season. Some have suggested moving Cliff Lee in the wake of Cole Hamels' new contract; but that makes little sense in the long run.


Both Pittsburgh and San Francisco reportedly have interest in Pence, however. Both also have top center field prospects in Starling Marte and Gary Brown, respectively. 

Pence was asked if he'd be surprised if the Phils went into sell-mode.

"That's not for me to have any say," Pence said. "I'm here to play as hard as I can for us to win. That's all I can focus on."


But it's also worth wondering if the Phils have showed enough to the front office that they can still breathe life into a season that's seen them in last place for all but five days since May 5.

"In baseball, there have definitely been comebacks of this sort," Pence said. "If I was to look at this team, the way our pitching is pitching and having the guys come back, I would say yes. Joe pitched outstanding. The bullpen is really coming together. Once Doc (Halladay) came back, (Kyle Kendrick) has been real good. We've had some young guys come up big. You can definitely see the potential is there."


But time has all but ran out for the Phillies with the trade deadline clock clicking louder by the second. 

Just when it looked like the Phillies had the proverbial band back together - Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Roy Halladay returned from the DL in the last month - their team MVP is battling a nagging injury.

Carlos Ruiz was out of Saturday's lineup with left plantar fasciitis. Ruiz said he was healthy enough to play through it; he'll start Sunday, a day game after a night game, and catch Roy Halladay.

Ruiz, who played in his first All-Star Game earlier this month, said the pain in his left foot varies from day to day.

"Sometimes when I wake up, it's tough to walk," Ruiz said.

Saturday was the second game in the last three that Ruiz has been out of the starting lineup. On Wednesday, in the last game of the Phillies recently-completed homestand, Ruiz said it was particularly painful, so much so that he bagged his regular game spikes and wore his turf shoes to hit with.

With sneakers and no spikes, Ruiz luckily didn't have to run the bases: he hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the 10th inning of that game.

When explaining the severity of the injury, Ruiz said that at times "it's felt like a knife" in the back of his ankle.

Among major league catchers Ruiz is tied with St. Louis's Yadier Molina in games played (87) and fourth in innings caught (696). Only Molina (730 innings), Baltimore's Matt Wieters (721 2/3) and Arizona's Miguel Montero (716 1/3) have caught more.

Ruiz said the foot first began bothering him two weeks ago in Los Angeles.

He said the thought didn't cross his mind.


But today could have been the last game Shane Victorino played in Citizens Bank Park in a Phillies uniform. On the same day free agent-to-be Cole Hamels was locked up to a lucrative, $144 million contract, Victorino, who can file for free agency for the first time at season's end, quietly went about his business in the Phillies 7-6 win over the Brewers Wednesday.


While Hamels received a standing ovation while walking off the mound in South Philly for what some thought would be the final time Saturday, and he acknowledged the crowd with a wave, Victorino went 1-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored. He didn't receive any kind of special acknowledgement from the home crowd.


But afterward, he was subject to the latest series of rumors that had both the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers interested in acquiring him prior to Tuesday's trade deadline.

"Guys I don’t have a clue," Victorino said of the latest barrage of rumors. "I’m just here to play baseball, not here to sit and answer questions about rumors. If it happens, if it happens. Every day, it’s, 'this is what you hear, this is what I hear… this rumor is out there.' I don’t want to sit here and listen to [bleeping] rumors. Pence is in the same position. Every day it’s this, that. I’m not focused on that. I’m focused on winning. If it’s here, it’s here, If it’s somewhere else, it’s somewhere else. That’s what I’m focused on. Focused on winning. Here."

Would be be disappointed if he's dealt?

"Of course, why wouldn’t I be?" Victorino said. "I made myself the baseball player I am in this city. But, hey, whatever, I can’t control what happens."

But unlike Hamels four days earlier, Victorino didn't even take time to think about how Wednesday could have been his last day in a Phillies uniform in South Philly.

"I didn’t pay attention to that," Victorino said. "Honestly, no. I didn’t pay attention."

 

Cole Hamels has spent his first decade as a professional baseball player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He might spend the next decade here, too.


Hamels avoied free agency and signed a six-year, $144 million contract (which includes a vesting option for the seventh season) and made no bones that his priority was the stick with the Phillies throughout. The 28-year-old San Diegan wants to finish his career here, too.


Here is today's press conference in it's entirety:

Opening thoughts from Ruben Amaro Jr.: "(It was) long and laborious but we got to the finish line and that was the goal. The goal was to try to keep Cole in our uniform for the foreseeable future  and we certainly have done that. It I a 6-year deal, which is unprecedented as far as the Phillies are concerned. But I think we did it with the right person and the right family.

   “Cole grew up with us. He’s still growing. He has an occasional blip on the screen when it comes to quotes from time to time, but he’s a Phillie through and through and we hope to have him maybe even beyond this contract. He’s a special player, he’s someone who’s grown up in our organization. We think he’s one of the elite lefthanders in the game. We’re happy to have gotten it done. We hope to give ourselves a chance and we think this is the best way to give ourselves a chance to bring home another championship here in Philadelphia, with Cole than without him. And we’ve expressed that to him pretty explicitly. With that I’ll turn the comments over to Cole.”

  

Cole Hamels' opening statement: 

 “I’d really like to just thank the organization for giving me the opportunity ever since I was 18 years old and drafting me. I know I had a lot of speculation and where I could be slotted and just the concerns for what I was going through at the time at 18. And for them to draft me and make me their first-round pick and take me through the system even throughout the injuries that I had, they really helped show me the way to the big leagues.

   “And to keep me up here had been outstanding ever since I’ve been here. I’ve seen an organization I knew nothing about growing up on the West Coast, getting a new stadium, building a team around some great core players to win. That’s ultimately everybody’s desire when they play the game. To win. And this is something we’ve been able to do heer and that’s something I want to be able to continue.

   “We’ve got great guys on this team but, you know, I think it really does show the organization, what David and Ruben have been able to do ever since I’ve been here. And Pat. It’s here to win and to win multiple championships. We got one in ’08. As much as I did my part I’d still kind of like to do more. It’s something to where it went too fast. And that’s ultimately where I want to make it happen again, as many times as possible just so I think I can remember them.

   “Seeing the types of turnouts the fans have done. I think that’s one of the best parts about playing the game of baseball. You know, we play this game because we enjoy it but we play it because there’s fans who want to see us play it. You know, the fans are enjoying every single moment that we’re able to go out there and do the best the best we can. The city of Phialdelphia has been absolutely outstanding and that’s kind of where you really do, at the end of the day, good game or bad game, you realize that there was a sellout watching every move that you played. And talking about every move you played and can’t wait for the next one. That’s, I know my teammates and a lot of guys in the big leagues, that’s why we love this game so much, it’s because fans appreciate what we’re able to do. The 250 sellouts is something pretty impressive here in Philadelphia and for many more to come. I know that’s what the organization wants, I know that’s what the players want, I know that’s what the fans want.

   “It really showed me something the other day when when I was pitching here. You don’t know if it’s your last start here in a Philleis uniform or if it’s just your last start in general. To be able to see the way they came out in that eighth inning, I know it didn’t end as well as I wanted, to see the way they really gave support, that’s what ultimately I’ll always remember every time I go out there. It really does mean a lot.

   “And I know words can’t really describe the emotions you’ve got, especially when you want things to go so well. But to have the fans standing and cheering, I think that was ultimo,ately the deciding point, wanting to really be here because of them. Just the way we’ve worked this thing out. I’ve always wanted to keep it open. I’ve never been that type of player who wants to put a timeline on anything. I wanted to give the team that’s given me the benefit of the doubt and has trusted me to go out and play the game I love so much, I wanted to give them every opportunity to get the say-so and ultimately it’s worked out for the best.”

Q: Why now? You could have waited three months, hit open market, maybe be the highest paid pitcher in baseball?

Hamels: "It really was, just the way it worked out in the past couple days, I wanted to give the Phillies every opportunity. It’s very hard to leave a place you’ve had so many great memories and have been able to enjoy so much good, and you know there’s so much more good to come; you don’t want to miss it, you don’t want to not be a part of it. I know the Phillies, the organization is always going to do a good job of going out to win. We have great players here. So you don’t want to leave that, stray away, see them win and not be a part of it. So it was something that came down to that. I understand free agency is great, the opportunities that are out there, the unknown. But I really do feel this is the place I call home and the place I want to call home for a really long time. I grew up watching Tony Gwynn play and he made San Diego his home for his entire career. And that’s ultimately what I want to make here in Philadelphia."

Q: Ruben, what made you comfortable going six years, maybe seven, a deal that hasn’t been made in franchise’s history?

Amaro: I don’t if it would be comfortable, but we felt like it was the right thing to do understand the circumstance, with his performance, his age, the importance on our club. Our goal is to be a championship caliber team for now and for the future. As I’ve said before, I think we have a much better chance with Cole in our rotation and as a major part of our club, than without him.

Q: Cliff (Lee) turned down more money to come here. Do you feel you passed up opportunity to make more money? Is a certain amount of million enough millions?

Hamels: When I played this game… I was one the phone with my dad a couple of days ago. I mentioned to him, I never imagined I’d be in this position, ever. And I love this game so much, you just want to go out and enjoy it. You want to play for a reason, and that reason is to win a World Series, to play in front of sell-out crowds, to play in front of a supposed Philly nation of fans, that are everywhere, here and on the road, that are cheering you on. That’s the reason we play this game. You want to play for as long as you possibly can until they take the ball out of your hand and tell us we can’t. Money has never been an issue or the reason I get on that mound every day to try to win ballgames. I know it comes with it, but ultimately play because i purely enjoy the game, I want to win. And I feel this is the best oporutinty to win a chanpionshup again, is with the Phillies.

Amaro interjects: "You’d play for free? Now all of a sudden I’m very uncomfortable."

Q: Roy Halladay said he and Cliff twisted your arm to re-sign. How much was it that, how much was it getting to number. And Ruben, why did this take so long?

Hamels: Having Doc and Cliff, they are a big part of why I want to be here, to be with two of the best pitchers in baseball and be able to go out there and have the confidence that you’re playing with guys who are the most talented pitchers in baseball, you can learn a lot from them and you can feed off them. And I think all three of us, we can feed off of each other. And when we get rolling, I think we have the confidence that no one can stop us.

Q:  .... and the number the Phillies had to meet?

Hamels: "That’s a good question for my agent."

 Q: Ruben?

Amaro: We don’t discuss our negotiation.

Q: What were the factors that made you want to stay?

Hamels:  "First and foremost you want to be in the city that wants you to be here, wants you to play, wants to win. Ultimately, that’s why we started our foundation here. To give back to the people that accepted us and took us in. We really feel like we’ve done a lot in the community and there is so much more we want to do to get our message out. I think this really allows us to accomplish what we set out to in the beginning. I think we can reach a lot more children, teachers, parents of the mission we have, education is the answer to a lot of problems that we have. It’s going to really help us out. It is. Ultimately, we’ve been here, we’ve lived here for a number of years. We’re happy to live here for numerous more years.

Q: You have three pitchers that will make a combined $70 million. Are you comfortable with financial flexibility that creates?

Amaro:  As far as the pitchers salaries are concerned, when you retain some of the best pitchers in the game they’re going to be costly. It’s really kind of my job to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. We don’t have an open wallet. It’s not how it works. It’s not how any business would work. It’s my job to try to put the pieces together in the right fashion. We have a lot of decisions to make, but the one thing that is clear is that we’re committed to winning. We’re committed to bringing another championship if we can do that. And we’re committed to continue to try to improve, whether it be during the course of this deadline, whether it be beyond that in the offseason, our job in the front office is try to do what we can to improve the club. Money is not necessarily the deciding factor on being a contending club. It helps. There’s no question about it. We’ve been given a tremendous amount of leeway. Our partnership group has been extraordinarily supportive of that. But it’s also our job to try to put the right pieces together. And hopefully we can do a good job of doing just that.

Q: What were those talks with Roy and Cliff like, when you talked contract, hearing them tell you to stay?

Hamels:  "I think it was more them prodding me for the information. The way I’ve always been is kind of kept all these negotiations to myself. When they get done everybody will know. I know Doc always had questions and desires, not as much as Cliff. When you have a locker next to Cliff and you see him 24-7 … just to have those two guys that I’m going to be able to pitch with is pretty exciting. I hope they feel the same way."

Q: Did you get any assurances from the organization they'd still be able to pay others and keep a winning team on the field after this contract?

Hamels: I think he said he was going to sign me and sell me. The main part was knowing that this organization wants to win, and I understand the fans want to win. The fans keep showing up. 

Q: But did you ask them specifically about that?

Amaro interjects:  I answered that for him actually. We did have a discussion about it. We talked about it. We did discuss the fact, the magnitude of the contract, would it hinder us from doing some other things? In some cases it might, but again as I’ve told him, our goal remains the same, to try to put pieces of the puzzle around these core players to make sure we’re a championship caliber club.

Q: Are you buyers or sellers with trade deadline looming?

Amaro: We’re just going to try to improve the club as much as we can, whether it’s improving for 2012 and beyond or for 2013 and beyond. A lot will be dictated by the way we play.

Q: How close were you to testing market?

Hamels: What, was it 10 days ago we got it really narrowed down? You understand the magnitude of what could happen. I'm not a business-type guy. But if the team is going in a different direction, then A. you want to always try to make the team winning. When the negotiations finally picked up, that was when I really knew they were fully committed to trying to keep me. I was very excited about it. It puts any sort of thought of testing the market... this is what I know. This is where I wanted to be. This is why we allowed for us to have than open negotiations.

Q: Think there was a point when you wouldn't be here?

Hamels: Probably what, seven days? If we hadn't narrowed things down or talk then it probably would have been seven days.

Q: Ruben?

Amaro: That was a possibility. But the reality was the goal never really changed. Our job in the baseball operations department is to explore all areas of possibile improvement. Ultimately, we decided the best way to improve was to keep what we have and try to move forward from there. Was it a possibility? Sure it was. But it certainly wasn't our goal. Our goal remained the same, to keep Cole. 

Q: Recent play affect deadline?

Amaro: I think it will. But in a lot of way we have our whole arensal together. The biggest thing we have is the presence of those big three -- Roy, Chase and Ryan in the middle of the lineup. That was the club we hoped to have coming out of spring training. Injuries are a part of the game. All we can do is try to play the best possible baseball we can and hope we can put ourselves in a position to get back into this thing. 

Q: Your concerns about staying because of team's current state?

Hamels: Ultimately, I think winning. To play in an organization where you know you're accustomed to winning and the emotions that go with winning, it's great. When you're not winning, your emotions can always take a turn. You always have to stay positive. It wears you down. It's knowing the reassurances that we're always going to go out and try to win. Finally having the Bermuda Triangle of the big three, we finally got them back. That is what this team was built on. To have those three guys back, that's the positive mojo you need and what I wanted to see. Knowing I can go out and play in front of sell-out crowds here, you can never take that away. I can never thank the fans enough. Seeing what they can do, turn the tide against an opposing team, it's the most positive reinforcement you can have. 

While you were sleeping, the Phillies have reportedly reached the finish line in keeping Cole Hamels away from free agency.

The Phillies and Hamels have agreed to a six-year deal, $144 million deal, according to early morning reports from both CBSSports.com and USAToday. Bob Nightengale of USAToday also reported the deal includes a vesting option for a seventh season that could bring the total value of the contract in excess of $160 million.

 Late Tuesday night, foxsports.com first reported the six-year deal was "close" to being finalized by the two sides.

The Phils haven't confirmed the deal as of 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

If and when they do announce it, there's not doubt Ruben Amaro Jr. and Phils management will be ecstatic to share the news. In locking up Hamels for the long-term, the Phils keep a three-time All-Star and World Series MVP in their rotation through the 2019 season.

They also keep him from entering a winter bidding war with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox. The reported, total value of Hamels deal would be the second highest ever for a pitcher; CC Sabathia's seven-year, $161 million deal is the highest.

Hamels will reportedly make an average or $24 million per year in the next six seasons; it's the same annual average salary as rotation mate Cliff Lee, who signed a five-year, $120 million deal with the Phils two winters ago.

The 28-year-old Hamels first joined the Phillies as their first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2002 draft. When his new deal becomes official, Hamels will be locked up through his 34th birthday.

Hunter Pence will celebrate his one-year anniversary as a Philadelphia Phillie on Sunday. He hopes to be doing it in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform.


With a week remaining until next Tuesday's MLB trade deadline, rumors are running rampant; the Marlins, who dealt Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante on Monday, are rumored to be moving long-time, franchise pieces Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez, too.

For any All-Star caliber player on a sub.-500 team, it probably shouldn't be surprising to hear your name come up in a trade rumor during the last two weeks of July.


But Hunter Pence was visibly taken aback when told he was Tuesday's rumor de jour, courtesy of Ken Rosenthal of foxsports.com

"This is the first day I’ve heard of any rumors," Pence said. "Are there rumors? I don’t even know."

Despite going 6-4 since the All-Star break, the Phillies remain in last place in the NL East, 14 games behind the Washington Nationals. They are actively trying to re-sign Cole Hamels to a long-term deal.

By moving Pence, they could free up salary. Pence is under club control through the 2013 season; he made $10.4 million is arbitration this season and would figure to be closer to $15 million next year.

Phillies management does not comment on trade rumors. Although he has no say in the matter, Pence made it clear he doesn't want to go anywhere.

"Today, I’m happy to be here, I’m focused on winning," said Pence, who arrived in a pre-trade deadline deal from the Houston Astros on July 29, 2011. "Last night we had an amazing win. I have great teammates here, it’s a great organization. I love Philly and I love playing here. I’m going to enjoy it, go out there and play to win.

"(Trade rumors) are just a part of the job, you know. That’s out of my hands; what’s in my hands is going out there and playing baseball for the Phillies. Like I said, I love being here. I love the fans, the team, the organization -- that’s all I really have."

Shane Victorino looked re-energized at Coors Field on Saturday night. 

He doubled and tripled, picking up his first extra-base hits in over a month. He caught a base runner napping from center field, and pumped his fist in celebration.

He looked like the guy who has been a key cog in the Phillies five-year stay atop the NL East.

Before the game, Victorino cleared the air regarding the trade deadline, his expiring contract, his personal frustrations in a down year and the curious scratch from the starting lineup a week ago. 

The story link is above. Here is the full Q&A between Shane and I from Saturday afternoon.

Q: Can you remember a month in your career that's been this bad, with the way the team is going, you're struggling, trade deadline approaching, uncertain future?

Victorino: "Yeah, early in my career… but, I mean. It doesn’t have anything to do with anything on the field. That speculation that I was hitting seventh, you guys have been around me forever and my point up to that whole thing is that there was one person who made an absolute, false statement that should be held accountable for it.

Q: So that speculation last weekend....

Victorino: "Absolutely 100 percent false. Unless you know for sure that’s the reason, I was there an hour before the lineup was even up and I was already like that. For him to make an accusation like that, he should be held accountable; something should be done. It had nothing to do with anything that was going on the field, or hitting seventh, or anything like that.

That was my point. One person made a [bleepin’] false statement. That’s the problem with social media, and it pisses me off. It’s all over the news … fans thinking I’m sitting because I (complained about) hitting seventh. That’s not me. You know that. I’ve batted first through [bleeping] seventh all throughout my career. I’ve always played. I’ve never ever complained about that. So that’s what pissed me off even more about that day. Now the whole baseball world, and fans think I’m this crybaby – and I’ve never been that guy. That’s what pisses me off. That stuff should be held accountable; he can write whatever he wants."

Q: So you were just down because of playing the way you are?

Victorino: "Yeah, for one, and I’ve been dealing with some off the field stuff.

 Q: This month can't end soon enough, huh?

Victorino: "It’s baseball, and around this time in the situation that I’m in, having half a season left on my deal and not knowing what’s going to happen, yeah that stuff wears on you. But, again, in this game, at the end of the day, I want to be a Phillie, I want to stay here, I want to turn this thing around. And our bosses are giving us every opportunity to do that. And if they really wanted to, in the position that we’re in, they could (blow it up). But they’re giving us an opportunity.

Q: But it's got to be hard to ignore it all and not succumb to the pressure, right?

Victorino: "Yeah, but the game in itself has pressure. Not getting off to the start I wanted to. At the end of the day I want to talk about my numbers after 162, and that’s all that really matters. Struggling up to this point or not being the Shane or the player…. You look on the other hand, I put myself in position to be this player, to be held up on this pedestal. I can’t fault fans, media, front office – I put myself here. You put yourself into the situation where people have expectations for you, and you haven’t been doing it… I haven’t up to this point. But let’s look at Game 162.

"Trust me, I go out there every night and I give 100 percent. I’m not going out there saying, 'I give up.' Is it frustrating? Yeah, because you’re not playing up to your capability, not to the player you can be. That stuff adds up."

Q: So it does get to you then.

Victorino: "Of course. Because you know you’re not going out there and helping your team. That’s what frustrates me. I can be this player, but when I’m not hitting for extra base hits, or not doing that, (but) defense, bas-stealing is there . But when you come to an offensive standpoint, that frustrates me. I’m not helping myself, and if I don’t put up those numbers on an individual basis every day, I’m not helping the Phillies. That stuff becomes frustrating."

In this game, do people have down years? Yeah, it absolutely happens, but it’s become this big thing because it’s a free agent year. But at the end of the day, I plan to be here. And if it’s somewhere else, I’m still going to play the game of baseball.

Q: Then you put it together that it's an off-year in a free-agent year...  

Victorino: "Yeah, at the end of the day, I don’t play because of money. If I can’t survive with what I’ve got up to this point... But that’s not why I play the game. Do you want to maximize what your worth? Of course. Who doesn’t in this room? Everyone wants to make the most that they can. But at the end of the day I play the game because I love playing the game.

Q: But, again, all of that is tough to avoid when you take the field...

Victorino: "Yeah, the frustration has built up because I haven’t lived up to being the All-Star caliber player I can be in my free agent year. But the end of the day, I have to check that at the door when I walk into the field, I can’t let that affect me. I’m still going to go out there and give 100 percent whether I’m 4-4 or 0-4. That doesn’t change who I am.

"Does it look like I’m more frustrated than normal? Of course it does because I’m not helping the 25 guys on the roster by playing to the capability that I can. That’s it more than anything."

Q: So you get why people in Philly are down on you, this team right now...

Victorino: "It’s understandable. I always put things into perspective. I’m a fan, I understand it. When I sit at home in the offseason and I watch football and watch basketball, I feel the same. What are you doing? It’s just natural. When you’re a competitor and you have a compassion for sports, it’s just what you do.

"It's funny… people always feel like they should have a say. I’ll do that. 'Why didn’t you make that shot?' But at the end of the day, it’s like, hey Shane…. I catch myself. I’m that guy! Why did you swing at that pitch? So I always look at it that way.

You have your name on the back of your jersey, the team’s on the front and you have a city that’s expecting you, that wants it for you and living and dying by it. But that’s what’s great about playing in a place like Philadelphia."

Q: And so you try to take the field with that, we-can-turn-this-around-still mentality... and ignore what's happened up to this point.

Victorino: "At the end of the day, you have to check it at the door, keep plugging along and hopefully you can start that hot streak. It could start tonight. I could hit .350 in the next two months. Then what? So at the end of the day you try to focus on that and not dwell on, what have I done to this point?

"At the end of the day, I want to go out there and win with this team, because I have won with this team, and that’s where my focus is. Not on where I might be in 2 weeks or what could possibly happen. If the front office wanted to, they could have done it already. But they have faith in us; they’re giving us the opportunity. And you have to tip your hat to them for feeling that way.

"As Ruben said, maybe 2012 isn’t the year, but 2013, ’14, ’15, the guys are still going to be here. You still have 40,000 every night.

Q: All of the guys are going to be here, including you?

Victorino: "Whatever, yeah, I want to be here. I know we have a good team and have the guys that we have. But I have to look at what’s best for me. Two weeks from now it might be something different…

"I look at the big picture. It could happen. But that doesn’t mean like Cole said, if I get traded at the deadline doesn’t mean I can’t come back here and play next year. So that’s what I’m focused on, playing in the moment, going out there and helping us win. And whatever happens, happens. Only one person in the organization knows what he's going to do…. So we have to put ourselves into contention."