According to ESPN.com senior baseball writer Jayson Stark, the Phillies have told several teams interested in Cole Hamels that they'd like to get their "best" offers by Wednesday.

"They are pressing to make a deal," Stark told me on the Sports Bash. "They have told several teams that I have talked to that they want their best offer by Wednesday so they can make a decision."

"I think that's a smart play," said SB Nation MLB insider Chris Cotillo on the Sports Bash Tuesday.  "They don't want this to drag on all the way to Friday, but just because they are looking for team's best offers right now it's not an absolute guarantee that he is going to be traded this week.  They could get all the best offers and still not be satisfied."

(Listen to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark talk Hamels)

Hamels is still in Philly because they team still hasn't gotten an offer they feel comfortable pulling the trigger on, not only this season, but last season and during this past offseason. The Phillies have been trying to draw other teams into the Hamels sweepstakes, which seems to be an indication that they haven't gotten the deal they want from the main teams involved - Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers and Rangers.

"Ruben Amaro hasn't really been satisfied with any offers he's gotten for Hamels obviously, that's way Hamels is still with Philly," Cotillo explained. "So we could be sitting here Friday after the deadline and Hamels could still be a Phillie."

While the four teams mentioned above are the four most likely teams, they aren't the only teams interested.  The Astros are known to have legitimate interest in Hamels but as Stark today me on the Sports Bash, he just doesn't see any way Hamels ends up in Houston, Hamels has a full no-trade clause which he would intend to use if the Astros and Phillies can agree on a deal.

"The Phillies gave him the no-trade, he can veto trades to 20 teams," Stark stated.  "If you wanted to have more control, you got to give the player less control."

Hamels next scheduled start was pushed from Thursday to Friday against the Braves.

"That was shocking to me that he was scheduled for Thursday," Stark admitted.  "That's exactly the way they should have played this."

Right now things seem to be changing by the minute, but Stark says he wouldn't be surprised still if a Hamels deal falls though, he says the team is not happy with the offers that have been coming though.

The Trade deadline is Friday...Stay tuned....

 

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