Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Cole Hamels, currently sporting the beard of a comic book henchman, is still a Phillie. Many thought he’d be gone by last year’s trade deadline, or by spring training, or by opening day, or by now. But nope. Is it because Ruben Amaro is utterly incompetent? No (maybe). According to Pat Gillick, they just haven’t been offered a good enough deal yet.

“We’re not trying to make the perfect deal,” Gillick told CSN  Rob Maaddi of the AP. “People think you make a deal to take advantage of someone else. No, that isn’t the case because you want to go back and have repeat business with that person. When you’re making a deal, you want to make a fair deal.”

That’s a fine strategy, and as Gillick says, it’s just that they aren’t being offered those fair deals. “We haven’t got an offer that’s commensurate with his ability,” Gillick said of his ace. “In some places it’s been portrayed that we’re looking for an overreach and the reason Ruben hasn’t made a trade is because we’re overreaching … at this point, we don’t think we’ve got a proposal that we feel is (right).”

Ideally, once that offer is presented, the deal will be done. Because Ruben’s gotta strike while the iron is hot. Or, in this case, while it’s two degrees above room temperature.