Photo Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

According to Jayson Stark, Ruben Amaro is setting mid-week deadlines like that tenth grade teacher you never liked.

“The Philadelphia Phillies have told several teams interested in acquiring Cole Hamels that they’d like to get their ‘best’ offers by Wednesday,” Stark reported. “The team would then make a decision about where — and whether — to trade him.” The teams involved include the Dodgers, Rangers, Cubs, Giants, Astros, Diamondbacks, Yankees, and Red Sox. Sounds great, right? Well: “In the case of about half of that group, the Phillies initiated those talks in an attempt to reopen discussion about players whom those clubs had said previously they’d be unwilling to trade.” Classic Ruben. That no-hitter premium has been inserted back into the price.

A surefire deadline is a good thing though. If teams get their best offer into the Phils by, say 4 PM tomorrow, that only gives Amaro and his compatriots 48 hours to totally muff it.