Mike Dee on Cole Hamels: ‘We Would Be In On That’

Mike Dee, President and CEO of the San Diego Padres has made no bones about his desire to see the Friars compete with the elite that Major League Baseball has to offer. From hiring young gun A.J. Preller to be his GM, to unshackling the team’s once penny-pinching ways, he has helped direct a complete overhaul of not only the Padres’ roster, but the atmosphere when it comes to baseball in America’s Finest City.

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Ever since acquiring the likes of Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers and Derek Norris, the Padres seem to be in on everyone and every rumor surrounding a trade, an international deal, etc. After swinging and missing not once, but twice to start the winter in their attempt to sign both Pablo Sandoval, and Yasmany Tomas, the Padres appear to have won the winter with five weeks or so remaining before the start of spring training.

So now, when it comes to being involved in trade rumors, you can best bet that the Padres and their young GM are involved if they think it will help the team reach the World Series. Dee, speaking with Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden on MLB Radio, stated that when it comes to being interested in Philadelphia Phillies’ ace Cole Hamels he believes:

"“ [A.J. Preller] is looking to improve the team constantly…if we could add a starter of that All-Star caliber, clearly we would be in on that.”"

(h/t, SoundCloud Audio File courtesty of MLB.com)

Now what would it take to land someone of Hamels’ caliber? Most likely finishing off the demolition of a once-loaded Padres’ farm system. A deal that would work for both sides, could be something along the lines of the Padres sending a combination of Austin Hedges, Ian Kennedy, Rymer Liriano, Matt Wisler, Cody Decker or Hunter Renfroe to the Phils in exchange for Hamels. An add-on that might help the Friars, would be to take on Ryan Howard as well, providing a left-handed power bat in the middle of the Friars’ much too right-handed lineup, especially if Philadelphia were willing to eat most of the remaining dollars on the contract.

One thing is for certain, if the Phillies do indeed move Hamels, expect the Padres to be one of the top teams in hot pursuit, until they are told they are no longer in the running, or a press conference is scheduled to announce the Padres have their newest ace.