Trade Proposal for Hamels, Utley, Howard

Cole Hamels on the bump. He fires the first pitch to catcher Derek Norris. Outfielders Justin Upton, Wil Myers, and Matt Kemp are on their toes, ready to break on any ball hit in the air.

Jimmy Rollins, the Dodgers’ first hitter and longtime teammate of Hamels’, drops a bunt down the third base line to Will Middlebrooks, who fires across the diamond to Ryan Howard, nipping Rollins by an eyelash. Howard tosses the ball to Chase Utley, who flips it to Alexi Amarista, who tosses it over to Middlebrooks, who fires it back to Hamels. All right, one down. Who’s up next?

We’re one trade from having that be a reality on Opening Day. One spectacular blockbuster trade. It’s not inconceivable. If you read Billy Brost’s piece on Friday, you know what Philadelphia is looking for in a trade for Hamels.

The Phillies are desperate to move Howard and his huge salary. They’re looking for the right return for their ace Hamels. And the 36-year old Utley might just waive his 10-and-5 rights for another chance to win the World Series. He’s unlikely to get that chance in Philadelphia.

What would we give up to get Hamels, Howard, and Utley?

How about this? Tyson Ross. Hunter Renfroe. Yonder Alonso. Jedd Gyorko. Will Venable. Austin Hedges.

A trade like that would give the Phillies a budding staff ace in Ross, a power-hitting prospect who’s almost major-league ready to replace the departed Marlon Byrd, a serviceable, much, much cheaper replacement for Howard, a young, long-term team-controlled replacement for Utley, and a left-handed power/speed-lite veteran outfielder who might respond quite nicely to a smaller ballpark. Oh, and the best catching prospect in baseball, with Chooch Ruiz celebrating his 36^th birthday next week. They’d get a decade younger at several positions, and they’d shed over 50 million from their payroll.

Is it a good trade for the Padres? It’s an expensive one, that’s for sure. That 50 million-plus savings for the Phillies would come directly out of the San Diego coffers. They’d be paying $60 million over the next two years for Howard, who is several years past his prime. Utley would likely be no more than a one-year rental. Their payroll would jump by more than $60 million from the highest payroll in team history in 2014, up into the $150 million range.

But they’d get Hamels for the next four years. They’d get one of the best second baseman in baseball over the last decade. They’d get a Ryan Howard who still put up 23 homers and 95 RBI last year. And they’d have a lineup that could do damage from top to bottom.

There would be only one reason to make this trade. And that’s to win the World Series in 2015. Look at this lineup:

That’s seven guys with 20 home run, 90-RBI potential. All-Stars at five positions. Potential All-Stars at two others. And the Little Ninja.

Rotation:

Hamels
Cashner
Kennedy
Brandon Morrow
Despaigne/Erlin/Johnson/Maurer/Luebke/Wisler

Obviously, the Padres are not looking to trade Tyson Ross. But if that were the piece that made the Phillies pull the trigger on the deal, would it be worth it?

It would likely have to pay off immediately. Why? Upton, Utley, Ian Kennedy, and Andrew Cashner will be free agents at the end of the year. Those would be some big pieces to lose in 2016. But wait? Who would be back? Who would potentially represent the Padres in the 2016 All-Star game in San Diego? Hamels. Kemp. Maybe Howard has another All-Star season in him. And what about Myers, who’d be in his age-26 year? Think he might be good?