Cole Hamels has set no Deadline for Extension Talks with Phillies

It’s no secret that starting pitcher Cole Hamels is entering the final year of his current contract.  If the left-hander and the Philadelphia Phillies are unable to reach an agreement on an extension, Hamels will be one of the biggest names available on the 2013 free agent market.  However, it does appear that Hamels and the Phillies have mutual interest in reaching a deal.  To ease the process, Hamels said yesterday that he hasn’t set a deadline for extension negotiations.

Some players prefer to end contract talks when spring training begins.  We saw this last year with Albert Pujols, and his former teammate in St. Louis Yadier Molina recently put discussions on hold with the start of camp.

But Hamels has said that he and the Phillies do not have a deadline.  According to Hamels, the only deadline out there is the one set by Major League Baseball regarding free agency dates.

When asked if negotiations had to be settled by Opening Day, Hamels responded that this was not the case.  Hamels will continue to focus on the 2012 season, but doesn’t mind if negotiations continue into the start of his new campaign.  The 28-year-old said he has enjoyed his time in Philadelphia and appreciates that the team has consistently tried to field a winning club.

Hamels noted that his ultimate goal is to play for a winning team, and he added that the Phillies want to be a winning team.  The lefty acknowledged that Philadelphia has done a good job of locking up its own, especially players it has “liked”.  Hamels hinted at where his interests lie by including that he hopes he’s “one of those guys that they like”.

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