Cole Hamels reportedly doesn't want his next contract to be a short one. Not at all.
Howard Eskin of NBC Philadelphia reports that Hamel's agent has told the Philadelphia Phillies that his client wants a seven-year deal once his current contract expires at the end of this season.
The Phillies are normally against extending such long contracts. The longest deal awarded to a pitcher during the Reuben Amaro Jr. era is five years to Cliff Lee. But if the Phillies don't ink Hamels for seven years, another team probably would.
After posting a monster 2011 season, Hamels has been even better this year. The 28-year old is 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 47.1 innings this year. Last year, he finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting after going 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 216 innings.
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