Cole Hamels: If the Phillies Are Sellers, Could He Go to the Dodgers?

If you want to take Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. at his word, then the team with the second highest payroll in baseball might be sellers this season.

In some regards, it would make sense.

The team depleted its farm system to obtain Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee (the first time) and Hunter Pence, for example, and are currently 5.5 games out of first place in the NL East.

True, it is still early, but it sure feels like it's been a long season in Philly.

Naturally, those interested in buying would be the "haves" of baseball: teams that are just missing a piece here or there to put their team over the top for a long playoff push.

The Dodgers are just such a team.

While sitting a comfortable five games ahead of the San Francisco Giants for first place in the NL West, the Dodgers are currently tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the best record in the National League.

Cole Hamels would take the Dodgers from being a really good team to a great team, if they chose to pursue him.

Hamels currently owns a 4-1 record with a 2.45 ERA and 1.107 WHIP in six starts. That places him ahead of Clayton Kershaw in both wins and ERA, and tied with Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly for wins on the Dodgers.

How would that be for a starting rotation?

Kershaw, Hamels, Chad Billingsley, Capuano and Lilly. The team could bump Aaron Harang or use him as trade fodder.

It's still too early to tell if the Phils will be sellers. If if it ends up that way, the Dodgers need to be in on Hamels and be in on him in a big way.