Jimmy Rollins Says Cole Hamels Loves LA (Duh) and Here are the Teams Ryan Howard Can Be Traded To

Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Some Phillies news today on this cold, miserable and white early January morning.

First, Jimmy Rollins, speaking to Harold Reynolds, Matt Vasgersiananananapersianrug and his new Matt Lauer haircut* on the MLB Network yesterday, said Cole Hamels would love to join him in LA:

“I spoke with Cole right before I got traded. He was excited for me. He did talk about how lovely it would be if we both ended up in LA. That would be one heck of a move right there. I know he’s a big piece if they really wanted to rebuild and get as much as they can. I know it’s hard for teams to let go of their one or two prospects and I’m sure that’s what the Phillies are asking for. But for him to win – even when we were good he still had tough times winning [editor’s note: ouch!] – so now I definitely feel he wants to be somewhere he can win. Southern California, Chavez Ravine, is a beautiful place.”

God, it’s like watching an ex proposition her new main piece for a three-way with your cousin. You’re more sad than mad… and you kind of want to watch if it happens. Weird. Moving on…

Noboday wants to sleep with Ryan Howard. He’s owed a couple of Brinks trucks of money, is a liability in the field, overrated at the plate, and seems to be content finishing his career as a guy who never once adjusted his approach as a hitter. He has a limited no-trade clause which blocks trades without his permission to 20 teams. The other nine? Jerry Crasnick obtained the list:

A source familiar with Howard’s contract told ESPN.com Monday that those nine teams are: the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox.

Howard’s list appears to be about strategy as much as personal preference. Most of the nine teams where Howard can be traded without his consent either have small payrolls or no need for a first baseman/DH, so the list doesn’t appear to provide many promising options for Amaro.

Odd analysis. To me, this is a surprising list of suitable teams, at least payroll-wise. The list includes the second (Yankees), fourth (Red Sox), fifth (Tigers), sixth (Angels) and eighth (Rangers) biggest payrolls in baseball, the Orioles (where the Phillies already tried to trade Howard), Rays (near Piece’s castle), the Royals and Mariners. Not all of those teams have needs, but most can certainly afford the portion of Howard’s contract the Phillies wouldn’t eat, and some are legitimate contenders who could, in theory, be in search of a power bat if not now, then by the trade deadline. No word on if Howard would be willing to accept a trade elsewhere.

*For real, he looks like the love child of Lauer and Jamie Moyer:

Love his voice, though.