The Phillies and LHP Cole Hamels avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $15 million contract. A big deal for the arbitration-eligible left-hander, but well-deserved.  Hamels, 28, registered a 2.79 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 31 starts last season, striking out 194 batters in 216 innings for the NL East champion Phillies.

He'd be the ace on most major league staffs but the Phillies are already paying Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Ryan Howard over $20 million each.  Can they really afford to shell out a fourth $20 million or more annual contract?

Mike Gill talked to two baseball insiders (Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated and Keith Law of ESPN.com) on The Sports Bash to talk about the future of Hamels in Philadelphia.  That plus the latest on Roy Oswalt, Vance Worley, Dom Brown and more Phillies news and noted

Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated on the Sports Bash:  

ESPN.com MLBInsider Keith Law:  

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