The Toronto Blue Jays have spoke about the availability of Cole Hamels, Chase Utley and Antonio Bastardo with the Philadelphia Phillies, reports Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
It was reported on Sunday that the Phillies are looking for three top prospects. They Jays do not really have the farm system to do that. It is also unclear if the Jays are on Hamels 20-team no trade list.
Chase Utley, who would be a huge upgrade at second base for Toronto, registered a .270/.339/.407 batting line with 11 home runs and 78 RBI’s in 155 games this season with the Phillies. The soon to be 36 year-old is under contract through 2015 and has three vesting options worth $15 million for each season which starts in 2016 and ends in 2018 (Options becomes guaranteed with 500 plate appearances in the previous season).
Antonio Bastardo, a left-handed reliever, would be the most effective when it comes to the money option for the Jays. Bastardo, who is scheduled to become a free agent following the 2015 season, posted a 3.94 ERA in 64 innings for the Phillies this season.
I fail to see how the jays don’t have the “farm system” to get it done. If I’m looking to add young pitching with upside, Sanchez and Norris would be a good place to start. Jim Callis had strong praise for Dalton Pompey in the AFL and that is to say nothing of Marcus Stroman. If the Jays are willing to let these players go as part of a deal is one thing but to imply that the farm system is barren (its not, there are a ton of low level high upside prospects in the system) in a one off sentence is careless.